Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is Germany's northeastern coastal state, stretching along the Baltic Sea from the port city of Rostock to the Polish border. Its official capital is the small lake-island city of Schwerin, home to the fairy-tale Schwerin Castle, while Rostock remains the largest city and gateway to the beach district of Warnemünde. The state holds two UNESCO World Heritage Old Towns, the brick-Gothic merchant cities of Stralsund and Wismar, alongside the chalk cliffs of Rügen island's Jasmund National Park and the historic Kaiserbäder imperial spa resorts of Usedom island. Inland, Müritz National Park anchors the so-called Land of a Thousand Lakes, the largest connected lake district in Germany.
Family activities
Engaging experiences for travellers of every age.
Family-friendly hotels
Accommodation designed with families in mind.
Travel Charme Kurhaus Binz
Family features: Historic Bäderarchitektur spa hotel directly on Binz's beach promenade, family rooms and a pool area, short walk to the pier
Hotel Neptun Warnemünde
Family features: Beachfront hotel with a rooftop pool and direct access to Warnemünde's promenade, family rooms available
Ferienpark Kühlungsborn
Family features: Self-catering family apartments near the Bäderbahn Molli terminus and Kühlungsborn's beach, good for longer stays
A&O Rostock Hauptbahnhof
Family features: Budget family rooms and dormitory options, close to Rostock Hauptbahnhof for easy access to the zoo and day trips to the coast
Dining with kids
Eating out as a family.
Most Mecklenburg-Vorpommern restaurants, including harbor kiosks and coastal Gasthäuser, offer a children's menu (Kinderteller) of smaller, simple dishes for €6-10 (~$6-11)
High chairs (Hochstuhl) are commonly available in restaurants around Rostock, Stralsund, and the Rügen and Usedom resort towns; it is fine to ask when seated
Baby-changing facilities are standard at the OZEANEUM Stralsund, Zoo Rostock, and Karls Erlebnis-Dorf
Fischbrötchen from harbor kiosks can be strongly flavored with pickled herring; simpler fried-fish or chicken options are usually available for children's palates
Family travel tips
Practical advice for stress-free family trips.
Combine Zoo Rostock with a Warnemünde beach afternoon, since both are within about 20 minutes of each other by tram or car
Visit Karls Erlebnis-Dorf on a weekday morning during German school holidays to avoid the longest queues for rides
Book Störtebeker Festspiele tickets online in advance during the June-September season, since weekend performances sell out
Pack water shoes for Baltic beaches on Rügen and Usedom, since amber-hunting is more comfortable at the tideline with foot protection