Family Day Trips in the Harz: Top 10 Excursions with Kids

The Harz is one giant adventure playground. From Sonnenresort Ettershaus, ten of the best excursion destinations are within a one-hour drive. Here is our personal top list — all tested by us, with kids.

1. Baumwipfelpfad Harz Treetop Walk (5 min from the hotel)

A 1 km walk at a height of 26 metres. Right next to the Bad Harzburg Burgberg, just five minutes by car from the hotel. Fully accessible (strollers up to 63 cm wide are fine), open year-round:

• April–October: 9:30 am–6:00 pm
• November–March: 10:00 am–4:00 pm

Along the path you'll find learning stations, play elements and breathtaking views. Dogs are not allowed. A combination ticket with the Burgberg cable car is recommended.

2. Burgberg Cable Car (5 min from the hotel)

Operating since 1929, it climbs to the 483 m Großer Burgberg in just three minutes. The vintage gondolas are an experience in themselves. At the top you'll find:

• Playground for the little ones
• Cross of the German East — a memorial steeped in history
• Viewing platform with a view of the Brocken
• Stamp 121 of the Harzer Wandernadel hiking badge (one for collectors)

Opening hours: summer 9:30 am–6:00 pm, winter 10:00 am–5:00 pm.

3. Wildlife Park Bad Harzburg (10 min)

Free entry. Open year-round. Four species — fallow deer, red deer, mouflons and sika deer — live here on spacious grounds. Plus a goat enclosure that especially delights smaller children. Feeding is allowed (check the information boards).

4. Lynx Enclosure at Rabenklippe (20-min drive + walk)

Free entry. Public feedings on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:30 pm. The enclosure is part of the reintroduction project of Harz National Park. Between 2000 and 2006, 24 lynxes were released into the wild here — and more than 40 cubs have been recorded since.

Getting there: by car not possible (road is closed). Bus 875 "Grüner Harzer" runs from April to early November. Alternative: Burgberg cable car + a 60-minute hike. Walking distance from Bad Harzburg: about 4 km.

5. Brocken Steam Train (Wernigerode, 25 min)

A ride on the Harzer Schmalspurbahn narrow-gauge railway is a childhood classic. Real steam locomotives from the 1950s, charming carriages, a hissing, puffing experience. The Brocken Railway between Wernigerode and the Brocken summit is the busiest steam railway in Germany — around 1 million passengers a year.

Travel times:

• Wernigerode → Brocken: approx. 2 hours
• Schierke → Brocken: approx. 30 minutes

Tip: book tickets online in advance. They sell out quickly in summer.

6. Rübeland Dripstone Caves (40 min)

Baumannshöhle and Hermannshöhle — both open year-round, the perfect bad-weather plan. A constant 9°C inside the caves (bring a warm jumper). Guided tours of Baumannshöhle every 20 minutes; Hermannshöhle can sometimes be visited without a guide.

Opening hours vary by season:

• March: 9:30 am–3:30 pm
• May–July: extended until 5:30 pm
• Summer holidays: longer opening hours

7. Wernigerode Castle (30 min)

The "Neuschwanstein of the North" towers above the "Colourful Town in the Harz." Fifty rooms decorated with their original furnishings reveal the life of the German aristocracy and the story of the Second German Empire. From the castle hill you'll enjoy the loveliest view of the medieval old town with its colourful half-timbered houses.

After the castle: stroll through the old town, stop at the ice-cream parlour on the market square, visit the historic town hall. A half-day tour that's perfect for families.

8. "Kleiner Harz" Miniature Park in Wernigerode (30 min)

In Wernigerode's Bürgerpark you'll find more than 60 scale models of important Harz buildings — at 1:25 — from the Brocken to the castle and the narrow-gauge railway. Spread across 1.5 hectares of park, embedded in a 15-hectare landscaped grounds with themed gardens and playgrounds. Ideal for a relaxed family afternoon.

9. Sole-Therme Salt-Water Spa Bad Harzburg (5 min from the hotel)

When the weather isn't playing along, head to the Sole-Therme. Four pools fed by a spring 840 metres deep:

• Indoor pool 31°C
• Whirlpool 32°C
• Two outdoor pools with a current channel

Plus a sauna world (separate entry) including a snow sauna at -10°C.

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 8:00 am–9:00 pm, Sun 8:00 am–7:00 pm. Prices: adults €11 for 2.5 h, day pass €22.50.

10. Goslar — UNESCO World Heritage Site (35 min)

The old imperial city of Goslar, with its perfectly preserved old town, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Visit the Imperial Palace — the historic seat of the German emperors — and wander the medieval lanes. The Rammelsberg ore mine is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Especially exciting for kids: the guided mine tours and the old glockenspiel on the market square, which rings out several times a day.

Tips for Planning Your Trip

• Excursion in the morning, pool in the afternoon — a tried-and-tested family-holiday formula
• Always have a bad-weather backup ready (Sole-Therme, dripstone caves, castle)
• Don't pack in too much in one day — the Harz should also be enjoyed at a slower pace
• Check combination tickets (treetop walk + cable car, train + Brocken ticket)
• Arrive early in summer — the attractions are popular

Read More

• Family Holidays in the Harz with Kids
• Bad Harzburg Highlights
• The Harz Guide — hiking, the Brocken, nature
• The Bad Harzburg Guide — town guide featuring the Burgberg, spa and more

Book Your Excursions

Our team at the hotel is happy to advise you on day trips, tickets and how to get there. Plan your active holiday now.