5 tips for families
Åland offers activities for the whole family! The distances are short and there’s plenty to do and see no matter which islet you find yourselves on. If the older kids want to fish, the younger kids can play by the shore. If the younger kids want to visit an adventure park, the older kids can try out their luck at a nearby disc golf course.
Naturally, there are many activities the whole family can participate in and enjoy together.
Read our five top tips that will entertain the whole family.
1. Fill your day with a fun excursion to Eckerö
Åland is filled with excursions suitable for the whole family, and it’s easy to move around the islands both by foot, bicycle or by your own car. A sure card is making a day trip to Eckerö in Western Åland and especially to the Käringsund area, where you will find plenty of activities in a small area.
At the Käringsund Resort & Conference beach you can rent paddle boats or kayaks and also find fun water toys. Near the beach you can play padel or minigolf, hike along a nature trail, play disc golf or bicycle on a MTB-trail. For the youngest there is also a playground with a fishing ship and swings.
On a guided tour at the Game Safari Viltsafari you’ll meet ostriches, llamas, red deer, fallow deer and boars. During the tour you make a stop to call on the animals so you can see them up close. Make sure to also visit the Åland’s Hunting and Fishing Museum who have an impressive collection of taxidermy and bird eggs from the archipelago.The nearby Leklandet amusement park and Smart Park for families offer a variety of activities for big and small children alike. Spark Laser Arena with laser-tag right by Smart Park is a popular and fast-paced activity for all kids older than seven.
2. Explore the maritime town Mariehamn
Spend the day in Mariehamn where you can find both unique museums and cosy cafés. Stroll around and take a coffee break between visits to the different attractions. Eat something tasty at the quaint Café Viktor, Bagarstugan or Svarta Katten while you see the town.
At the award-winning Maritime Museum you can find something for visitors of every age, e.g. a genuine pirate flag. The sailing ship Pommern next door is an impressive sight and compliments the museum visit in an extraordinary way.
Family friendly restaurants in the city are e.g. the tapas restaurant Boquerian with its generous outdoor terrace as well as Brasserie Ångbåtsbryggan with its minigolf park Äventyrsgolfen. From here you can find the park Lilla Holmen with its beach just a stone's throw away.
3. Challenge each other among the treetops
Flowpark at Sandösunds camping on the island of Vårdö presents a challenge for the active family! Here you can find high-altitude courses where you balance, climb and challenge both body and mind – especially if you usually prefer to stay with both feet on the ground.
To accomplish something you haven’t done before and doing so as a group strengthens confidence as well as the team spirit within the family. Bring along your friends and challenge each other! Here you can also rent kayaks and bicycles for the whole family.
Here you can have an amazing outdoor day together in the midst of nature. Fulfil the day by bathing in a floating sauna and going for a swim in the sea.
4. Enjoy beach life at the wonderful beaches around Åland
What’s better on a sunny summer day than swimming in the sea, building castles in the sand or just relaxing on the beach? The shallow beach in Degersand in Eckerö offers white sand and sparkling blue sea. If you get too hot, dive into the waves or cool down with an ice-cream or a cold drink at the beach bar.
In Mariehamn those who want to swim gather at the Lilla Holmen and Nabben beaches. You can also go for a swim at Gröna Udden camping. The Mariebad adventure bath by the eastern harbour has water slides and several pools. Here the whole family can relax even if the weather wouldn’t make you feel like going to the beach but you still want to bathe.
And since you’ll always be close to the sea in Åland, you can find nice bathing spots around all of the archipelago.
5. Enjoy evenings by the water
Even the kids love long, warm summer evenings basking in the evening sun rays and appreciate when the whole family gets together. Bring out a grill and eat well in the evening and spend time together around a bonfire watching the sun setting over the horizon.
When the kids finally fall asleep after a day filled with play and excursions, the adults will have time for themselves. Sit down on sunwarm granite cliffs and just let yourselves enjoy the evening and the sea’s comforting presence.
The same works just as well in the autumn and during other seasons. Enjoy free time together during wonderful evenings when there’s no rush anywhere. Bathe in a sauna during evenings, eat at a cosy restaurant or sit in front of a warming fireplace in the cabin and play board games.
