No matter whether sunshine or rainy weather - on the Mecklenburg Baltic coast, families will find great destinations for excursions even in autumn. Four tips for exciting and relaxing days
When the Molli-Bäderbahn takes a turn, passengers can clearly see how it passes through the colorful autumn landscape at the Mecklenburg Baltic Sea Coast strolls. Ten-year-old Yannik even has a clear view of the track today - he rides in the front of the locomotive and watches in amazement as the engine is fired up in the driver's cab and the old technology works. "Phew, pretty hot in here," he says with a laugh, and his eyes light up. And little sister Line, who has taken a seat with her mother in the wagon directly behind the locomotive, is also excited. Sitting still is difficult for her today, so instead she runs back and forth, drawing her mother's attention to everything she discovers: the old wooden sliding windows, the cows outside in the meadow, and how beautifully the bright cloud of steam glows in the sun. The Molli, which connects Kühlungsborn with Bad Doberan, is the oldest narrow-gauge railroad on the Baltic coast. The train reaches speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour, travels daily and covers 15.4 kilometers each way. It jolts loudly at walking pace through the pedestrian zone of Bad Doberan, smokes and hisses through small forests and sometimes almost touches the sea. The train has been in operation since the summer of 1886, and the passenger cars are correspondingly nostalgic - with lots of wood and open platforms between the cars. A journey through time as if in slow motion.
The brand-new Viking village at KüBoLa in Kühlungsborn acts like a magnet with its indoor wooden playhouses. Yannik and Line have rarely taken off their shoes so quickly. The kids rush right in. Line is already sitting in Hulda the healer's hut, studying a game card on human anatomy - while Yannik bounces with gusto into the sea full of balls. Outside in the outdoor area of KüBoLa is the Viking Adventure Mini Golf - great fun for young and old. But when the weather app announces an autumn downpour, it's better to move the adventures to the Viking Village. With its Viking Village, the area in the hall is designed for children up to eight years of age, but older siblings should also feel at home. "For them, there's a QR code rally with puzzles," says director Nadine Trost. Ten-year-old Yannik prefers to stay analog today. He's just dropped in on the Viking shipbuilder Askold in the hut. Meanwhile, his parents are sitting contentedly in one of the comfortable old sofas on the edge, drinking coffee.
The past can be this exciting: At Schabbell, the Museum of City History in the Hanseatic City of Wismar, all children who think of dusty display cases when they think of an exhibition about earlier times are proven wrong. Matilda has slipped into the wooden clogs, which are modeled on shoes from the 15th century, and now bumps through the museum laughing and shaking her head. Her brother Oskar marvels at the 500-year-old ceramic marbles and pulls open one of the drawers, "Wow, there's a mini sailboat behind it." - This is an exciting excursion into the history of the city. All the children agree on that. The museum is housed in a Renaissance building and in a medieval building - where the Wismar merchant Heinrich Schabbell once lived. There are three themes that can be experienced in parallel: the history of the city, the life and home of the Schabbells, and the Transparent Museum, which allows visitors to experience the work behind the scenes. Since its complete renovation and redesign six years ago, the museum in Wismar's old town has been awarded the seal of quality "Family Vacation MV - Tested Quality" certified, which also makes museum director Corinna Schubert very happy. She says: "We are also largely barrier-free, and the exhibits are displayed at different heights." The two siblings Oskar and Matilda are almost at the end of the tour and are now playing exhibits themselves. They sit on an old armchair and look through a golden picture frame with serious, dignified expressions - to look like they did in the old photos. The parents take another souvenir photo. Then it's off to eat ice cream in the old town.
For today, the family has booked the first trial lesson at the equestrian center Boltenhagen. Little Matilda is already very excited. The family has chosen the Baltic Sea resort between Lübeck and Wismar for the autumn vacations, and not without reason. Matilda has been looking forward to it for weeks and has taken her riding clothes with her on vacation. Eleven horses live on the riding farm and riding instructor Victoria Süß quickly finds the right horse. Matilda can already ride, and Victoria explains to her how she can improve her posture in the saddle. "That's it: now you need a lot of patience and spit," she calls cheerfully to Matilda. And the girl has it. After a short time, she gallops across the practice area, which is located in the middle of the autumnal meadows. A few Shetland ponies are grazing in the sun, the mood is relaxed. Matilda's dream is to ride by the sea. "That's only something for riders with saddle strength," expert Victoria points out. The ambitious riding student looks hopefully at her parents. They consult briefly and then spontaneously decide to book a vacation apartment directly at the equestrian farm for their next fall vacation. After all, the Baltic Sea is not only a great place to learn to ride, but also a great place to play by the sea in the fall or collect shells while walking along the beach. In the evening, the little horse lover writes happily in her diary: "Today was my best vacation day.
Cover photo: Family fun on the Baltic coast © TMV/Tiemann
The Baltic Sea coast, the Mecklenburg lake district, historic Hanseatic cities: reasons for a Vacation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania there are many.
