Building sandcastles and water skiing

Parents relax under a beach umbrella and cool off by swimming in the clear water, while the kids play along the shallow shore and have a blast on the giant slide. Teenagers also get to enjoy themselves with surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and even water skiing on the permanent lift. The Blaue See in Garbsen, northwest of Hanover, offers all of this. And if the weather isn’t so nice, the whole family can take the S-Bahn to the capital of Lower Saxony—a trip of less than half an hour—where they can visit interesting museums, shop at numerous stores, or take a stroll through the old town with its charming cafés and restaurants. The Hanover vacation region is home to numerous beautiful lakes that offer relaxing swimming fun—especially for families—and a variety of nearby destinations for day trips. An overview of attractive locations with swimming opportunities in the Hanover region can be found at www.visit-hannover.com/baderegion.

© Karl Johaentges, State Capital of Hanover (Source)

Camping at Steinhuder Meer
: Right on the Blauer See in Garbsen, within the Leineaue landscape conservation area, there is a four-star campground that also offers log cabins for rent. This campground and twelve others, as well as three RV parks in and around Hanover, can be found at www.visit-hannover.com/camping. The website also features a swimming guide that lists all swimming lakes, as well as outdoor and indoor pools. Of course, the Steinhuder Meer—northwestern Germany’s largest inland lake—offers the most variety: White sandy beaches, water sports ranging from sailing to kite surfing, or excursions on passenger boats, three campgrounds on the north shore, and a RV park in Steinhude—as well as family-friendly accommodations in charming small towns and villages—plus numerous biking and hiking trails in the countryside ensure vacation fun for every taste.

Playground and pirate ship

Among the most beautiful swimming lakes in the vacation region are also Altwarmbüchener See, which features a sailing, yachting, and surfing school; Silbersee in Langenhagen, with its sandy beach and green reed beds; and the Hemmingen beach with its sandplay area and shady trees. Wietzepark on Hufeisensee in Isernhagen has a new attraction: the “Pirate-Rock” high ropes course. Anyone aged eight and up can climb across swaying bridges and beams on a pirate ship featuring 28 climbing stations. It’ll be exciting to see which of the three difficulty levels children and parents dare to tackle.

The Steinhuder Meer at a Glance

© Christine Kölling

The brochure “Steinhuder Meer – Experience the Lake” introduces all the towns in the region as well as the sporting and cultural activities available on and around the water. With plenty of information and tips, as well as enticing photos, it puts you in a vacation mood just by reading it. A fold-out map of attractions and an insert with a calendar of events provide useful information. The brochure is available at the Hannover Tourist Information Office on Ernst-August-Platz and at the tourist information offices at Steinhuder Meer, or it can be downloaded at www.visit-hannover.de/urlaubsregion.