June 3, 2025, 4:43 am | Read time: 4 minutes
A coastal city located directly on the Jade Bight now holds the official title “Kinderferienland Niedersachsen”—a prestigious quality seal. So far, only one other location on the North Sea has received this designation. Find out on TRAVELBOOK which vacation destinations these are and what makes them exceptionally family-friendly.
Depending on your life situation and travel desires, some types of vacations are more suitable than others. For instance, those seeking peace and relaxation as a couple might find it best at an adults-only hotel. Families, on the other hand, likely prefer places where children are welcome, there is room to play, and no one rolls their eyes if things get a bit noisy. Especially nice: when not just individual accommodations but the entire location is geared toward families with children. If the North Sea is your specific destination, two places stand out in particular.
Overview
These Places on the North Sea Are Especially Family-Friendly
First, let’s talk about the place that recently received a corresponding honor: the coastal village of Dangast. North Sea fans may already know it as the southernmost North Sea spa in Germany. As noted on its website, it is also the oldest seaside resort on the coast and stands out for its unique combination of nature, art, and culture. However, there are many charming vacation destinations. Dangast also impressed Tourismusmarketing Niedersachsen (TMN) with its particularly family-friendly offerings in accommodation, leisure, and dining. The organization awarded the place the title “Kinderferienland-Ort,” as recently announced in a press release.
What the Title “Kinderferienland-Ort” Means
This is an initiative aimed at making Lower Saxony visible as a family-friendly travel destination and promoting it qualitatively. The cities and communities awarded the title “Kinderferienland-Ort” by TMN hold it for three years. To qualify, they must offer a wide range of leisure activities specifically for families with children. “This includes activities in nature, cultural programs, as well as sports and creative offerings,” the publication states.
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Additionally, the places must have a minimum number of certified family-friendly businesses. Besides the offerings themselves, the quality of the infrastructure also plays a role. Criteria such as family-friendly pathways, barrier-free access, safe play areas, and information materials specifically for families are included in the evaluation. And in all these criteria, Dangast on the North Sea proved to be family-friendly.
Family Has Traditionally Been an Important Target Group for Dangast
TRAVELBOOK called the North Sea spa Dangast to congratulate them. They are pleased with the honor but apparently also see it as deserved. “For us, the family is a very important target group,” a spokesperson explains. This has traditionally always been the case and should remain so. Therefore, the place always strives to offer something tailored to families.
There are a total of 16 partner businesses in the areas of accommodation, dining, and leisure that helped the North Sea spa Dangast earn the title. These include the Kurhaus Dangast, the excursion ship “Jantje von Dangast,” the DanGast Quellbad, and various family-friendly accommodations such as farms, campsites, and vacation homes.
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Butjadingen on the North Sea Is Also Family-Friendly
Other Lower Saxony municipalities that may call themselves “Kinderferienland-Ort” include Lingen (Ems), Wolfenbüttel, Nienburg, Meppen, and Haren (Ems). Dangast is the first place in Friesland to prove itself family-friendly to TMN and is now the second on the North Sea coast. The first was the Butjadingen Peninsula in the Wesermarsch district. The region is characterized by the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea. In Butjadingen, vacationers can expect flat sandy beaches and various child-friendly leisure activities. Unlike other places on the North Sea, bathers here are independent of the tides. Pumps ensure that the North Sea Lagoon is always filled with water. TRAVELBOOK explains it here in more detail.
Incidentally, the designation as a “Kinderferien-Ort” is not the only one for this family-friendly travel destination. It also holds the IQN seal for particularly high water quality and the “Guarded Beach” designation from the International Life Saving Federation of Europe (ILSE), which certifies a high safety standard.