Sankt Peter-Ording is one of the most beautiful beach towns in Germany, maybe even on the entire North Sea. Many local toursits go there every year but it is not so well known internationally. You can walk for hours along the huge beach, eat fresh crabs or just relax. In this article, I’ll give you lots of Sankt Peter-Ording sights, attractions and insider tips and reveal the best places to stay.
If you want a beach, St. Peter Ording is the place for you. There are 12 kilometers of it with wide dunes and pine forests behind them. If you want to walk from the beginning of the beach to the sea line, you have to be prepared for a 2 km long march. And at low tide, you can walk even further out into the famous Wadden Sea.
Beautiful nature awaits you here, along with a fresh, salty North Sea breeze. Families with children in particular will love St. Peter Ording. But the region also offers a lot of variety for adventurers, those seeking relaxation and couples. Since 1958, Sankt Peter-Ording has also been a health and sulfur spa.
Sankt Peter-Ording is absolutely perfect for a normal or long weekend because there are really good hotels and holiday apartments here. But campers also get their money’s worth in SPO.
By the way: The complete name of the North Sea resort is Sankt Peter-Ording, but it is also written as St. Peter Ording. In addition, the abbreviation SPO is often used.
The districts of St. Peter Ording
Sankt Peter-Ording is a rather long town on the Eiderstädt peninsula. Around 4,000 people live here in four districts, each with its own character:
- Böhl – in the very south, very quiet, lots of nature, Böhl beach
- Village – the oldest part, charming atmosphere, small shops, cozy cafes, thatched roof houses, weekly market, south beach
- Bad – the center of the town, where most of the action takes place, spa center, health center, restaurants, shops and many accommodations
- Ording – wide sandy beach, water sports, car beach
In addition, each of these districts has its own beach section.
Best time to travel to Sankt Peter-Ording
I have been to SPO in many different seasons. Of course, the North Sea is at its most beautiful in summer: long, warm days on the beach with sunsets that look like an orange slowly sinking into the horizon.
But especially on weekends with holidays in summer, it is also often really crowded. Because then all the city people come, mostly from Hamburg, Kiel or Lübeck, but also from all the other federal states. The problem then is that many accommodations are already fully booked and there is often nothing left on the campsites either. Spontaneously going to the North Sea at this time of year is rather less likely.
Try Lower Saxony.
Quote from a campsite operator when I asked if there was anything available on a spontaneous summer weekend trip.
Spring, on the other hand, is often a different story. Sure, it’s a bit colder and the breezes are sometimes a bit stiffer than usual. But you can still do a lot outside, such as long walks on the beach or relaxed bike rides. But the biggest advantage of spring is that you can choose any seat. Sometimes it can get a bit busy, but you will always be able to find a place to stay.
Conclusion: My favorite time to travel to Sankt Peter-Ording is spring in April and May.
Staying overnight in Sankt Peter-Ording
Because SPO is so popular, there is a very good selection of accommodation in all comfort and price ranges.
Hotels
In my opinion, one of the coolest hotels in SPO is the Beach Motel. Built in the style of a beach house on the US East Coast, it is located directly on the beach. There is a large wellness center with a spa and 3 saunas. The rooms are all individually decorated with a surfing theme. During the day and in the evening, you can hang out in one of the bars or dine in one of the restaurants. The suites are a special feature, such as the Jever suite, where a beer tap awaits you. So you can always enjoy your Frisian beer with a view of the North Sea from the balcony.
Camping
If you are traveling by car in summer, you should reserve one of the places on this list here in advance, because there are actually no free places in the whole of Sankt Peter-Ording.
- Camping Silbermöwe in Böhl
- Campsite Ademi in Böhl
- Rosencamp Kniese in Böhl
- Meergrün Campingpark Olsdorf
- Camping SPO
- Campsite Ferienhof Voß
- Campsite Biel
- For motorhomes: motorhome park
- RV park on Wittendüner Allee (book online here via booking.com)
By the way: It is not allowed to spend the night at the large car beach. But there are always a few people who do it anyway and risk a €100 fine.
Right in the center of town, there are 2 slightly larger parking lots near the St. Peter’s Church, where I’ve often seen vans parked at night. In an emergency, I would park there, but then I would be extremely quiet and inconspicuous, not make any garbage and leave very early in the direction of the beach. I have also seen people sleeping in campers in the car park on Strandweg. There are also public toilets there.
Holiday apartments
The top accommodation in Sankt Peter-Ording is of course the holiday apartment, and there are plenty of them in all parts of the town. If you’re lucky, you’ll get one right next to the beach. But actually, almost everywhere in SPO, you’re not far from the sea.
But enough of the introduction. Below you will find the best Sankt Peter-Ording attractions:
1. Westküstenpark & Robbarium
A highlight for families, but also for animal lovers in general, is the West Coast Park & Robbarium zoo. You can marvel at over 800 different animal species here. There are also shows and feeding demonstrations. You can get up close to some of the animals, such as alpacas, and you can even book a hike through the zoo with them.
I also found the seal center particularly cool. It is the largest facility of its kind in Germany filled with pure North Sea water.
2. Nationalparkhaus
If the weather is not so good in St. Peter Ording, then the National Park House is a great alternative. It is a family-friendly exhibition about the nature of the Wadden Sea. You will learn a lot about the effects of wind, water and sand and also about the diverse animal world, which you can even marvel at in the aquariums. There is also a small cinema with 4 different 10- to 15-minute films.
3. Dünen-Therme sauna and adventure pool
The Dünen-Therme is both an adventure pool and a wellness area. There is plenty of action for you, but especially for the little ones, as you whizz down the turbo, tire or wild water slides. The wave pool also offers plenty of water fun. And of course, a normal outdoor pool and an adventure pool with a variety of elements are not to be missed.
To recover from all the action, you can then head to the wellness area with various saunas (including one with a panoramic view), a steam bath, dune garden, as well as massages and wellness treatments.
4. The pier of Sankt Peter-Ording
In the district of Bad, you should definitely visit the 1 km long pier. It leads from the town center directly to the coast, even in bad weather. But of course it’s better when the weather is nice. Numerous beach chairs are waiting to be occupied by you and your towel early in the morning.
The pier is also the venue for regular events such as concerts, readings and art exhibitions. There are also plenty of souvenir shops, food stalls and restaurants (Restaurant Arche Noah on the beach and the Gosch at the beginning of the pier).
By the way: the pier is not only a tourist attraction, but also fulfills an important coastal protection function by acting as a breakwater and protecting the coast from erosion.
5. Adventure boardwalk
The adventure promenade is a walkway with many attractions along the way. Children will love this walkway because there are many playgrounds along the way. At the end of the adventure promenade, you will find the four-storey Erlebnis-Hus, a great indoor and outdoor playground with a skate park.
6. Böhl Lighthouse
The round, reddish-brown brick tower is the landmark of the district of Böhl. It is 18.4 meters high, stands directly on the dike and was built in 1892.
7. Enjoy an ice cream in one of the two most popular ice cream parlors
As in every beach town, there are plenty of options for enjoying an ice cream in Sankt Peter-Ording.
- Janny’s Ice Cream – a wide range of special flavors, such as “Grandma’s Apple Pie” or “Blue Kiss”.
- Café Diem – great location and delicious ice cream classics
8. Stilt houses on the beaches
The stilt houses are the characteristic buildings on the beach for SPO. As the name suggests, they are built on stilts so that guests don’t get wet feet even at high tide.
There are 13 of them in total and most of them are named after the colors they were painted with. There are cafés or restaurants in 5 of the buildings. It is a highlight to dine or sip a cocktail on the beach with a view of the sea.
- Lotti on the southern beach
- Herring gull on the beach at Ordingen
- Strandbar 54° Nord at Ordinger Strand
- Salt & Silver at Böhler Strand
- Restaurant Arche Noah on the beach at Bad
By the way: some of the 13 pile dwellings are toilets or for the coast guard.
9. Beach parking at the car beach
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the biggest highlight is, of course, the beach. In the section in Ording, there is a special part that can also be accessed by car, camper or caravan. The access for €12 per vehicle plus visitor’s tax is not exactly cheap, but you can stay the whole day (payment is only possible in cash).
You can come here for breakfast from 7:30 a.m., stay the whole day and go swimming, take long walks or fly a kite.
In the evening, you can enjoy the sunset and the blue hour until 10:30 p.m., when the beach is closed.
There is nothing better in Sankt Peter Ording than sitting in a camper, sipping a cool beer, putting your feet up and watching the orange-yellow evening sun hit the horizon. Better than watching TV and playing Playstation together!
From my travel notes
Driving on sand is basically easy. You should just avoid the low spots to avoid getting stuck. Also, you are only allowed to park in a row. Formations are not allowed. Campfires on the beach are also not allowed.
By the way: There is also a less crowded beach parking lot in Böhl.
10. Boy Jöns Amber museum
Boy Jöns is a small, private amber museum in the village district. Not only can you learn a lot about the gold of the north and the history of amber processing here, but you can also buy amber jewelry that you have made yourself.
11. Lighthouse Westerheversand
A little further north of SPO lies the Eiderstedt peninsula, and from the north beach of St. Peter-Ording you can already see one of the most famous lighthouses in Germany: the striking red and white striped Westerheversand lighthouse, whose beacon shines 41 meters into the sky.
But it’s also worth taking a look at the lighthouse up close. It’s only about a 30-minute drive from the city center. From the parking lot, you can take a great hike along the Wadden Sea. There is also a bike rental on site if the route is too far for you to walk.
Tours of the almost 100-year-old lighthouse are only possible with a guide. You can book these here directly from the source.
12. The little Amsterdam: Friedrichstadt
If you have enough time for a day trip, it is also worthwhile to explore the interior a little more. The beautiful Friedrichstadt is only a 40-minute drive from SPO. It was built at the confluence of the two rivers Eider and Treene.
Due to its historic gabled houses and small canals in the center, Friedrichstadt is also known as Little Amsterdam
13. Eider Barrier
The Eider barrier is an impressive construction, created to tame the North Sea. The barrier consists of five 40-meter-wide sluice gates, and you can already see it on the way to SPO (if you are coming from the south).
There is also a parking lot with a viewing platform and bistro at the barrage.
Things to do in St. Peter-Ording
In addition to the attractions already mentioned, Sankt Peter-Ording offers many other activities.
Riding by the sea
Attention horse lovers: a section of beach between Böhl and the village is specifically approved for horses. To use it, you need a riding sticker, for which you have to pay. Of course, a horse would also come in quite handy. You can get one at a riding stable in the area.
Kitesurfing in St. Peter-Ording
Wind is never in short supply in Sankt Peter-Ording, which is perfect for all kitesurfing fans. On Böhler Strand, there is a kitesurfing area directly behind the horse riding section. There you can kitesurf to your heart’s content.
SPO is also a great place to learn how to kitesurf. There are a number of providers and schools for this:
- Kitesurfing school Kitesurf Ecperience
- Kitesurfing school Up Wind
- Kitesurfing and winging courses at Kite-Guide
- Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, SUP at X-H2O
- Kitesurfing school Kitesurfing SPO
- Kitesurfing training at kitesurf-training.de
Beach sailing or kitebuggy
Kiting is too standard for you? How about something more unusual?
In the buggy driving school, a buggy is combined with a kite and you can let yourself be pulled over the beach at full speed by the wind. You can also learn how it works exactly in courses.
Beach sailing is very similar, only the sail is directly on the vehicle. There are also two local providers for this:
Unnecessary knowledge: The first sand yachtsman was in Scheveningen, The Hague, in 1608.
Cycling in Sankt Peter-Ording
One of my favorite things to do in Sankt Peter-Ording is to ride my bike along the coast from Böhl to Nordstrand, checking out all the sights along the way. But apart from that, the best way to get around in SPO is by bike.
If you don’t bring your own, then one of the many bike rental companies is an option for you. They usually also offer children’s bikes:
- Fahrradverleih Engel – a wide range of different models, including e-bikes and tandems
- Bicycle rental Flor – a wide range of models, including e-bikes
- Bike rental in the village
- Otto’s Fahrradlädchen
- Rad & Meer – also E-Bikes
- Die Bikerei – Bicycles, E-bikes and E-scooters
Even more North Sea
And if you need even more North Sea feeling, then take a look at the following article:
As you can see, Sankt Peter-Ording is a great place for your beach vacation on the North Sea. Do you have a great tip for SPO yourself? Write it in the comments below. I look forward to your tips.
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