Beach St. Peter-Ording

The fine sandy beach at St. Peter-Ording is among the largest on Germany’s west coast. Framed by the extensive dunes and salt marshes of Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, the beach is divided into five sections.

Despite the variation offered by these different sections of beach, they all have some things in common: all of them feature restrooms, restaurants and life guard supervision. In addition, visitors with kids can look forward to a playground on every section of beach. Dogs are permitted in designated areas on every one of the beach sections, however, they should remain on a leash to protect the local bird population. Strandkorb beach chairs, typical of the German North Sea coast, can be rented from St. Peter-Ording Tourist Information Centre.

St. Peter-Ording main beach

To reach the largest and most popular beach in St. Peter-Ording, you can park in the beach car park and then access the beach on foot via a walkway. As soon as you hit the beach, the choice is yours: relax in a strandkorb or take a walk by the water’s edge? “Strandbar 54°Nord” is the place to head for if hunger strikes. Take your pick from baked potatoes, burgers, salad and – an obvious must for the North Sea coast – fresh fish. This main section of beach at St. Peter-Ording also plays host to international events like the “Kitesurf World Cup” and “Gegen den Wind Triathlon” several times a year. Inspired by the pros, you can try your hand at kite surfing or wind surfing here, hit the beach volleyball courts, or even skipper your own catamaran.

Böhl beach

The Böhl section of St. Peter-Ording beach stands out due to its iconic stilted buildings. As the beach slopes very gently into the waves in Böhl, this section is a favourite among families. Sporty visitors can also explore the salt marshes between Dorf and Böhl on horseback. Alternatively, not much beats lying back in a strandkorb on one of four raised platforms and watching the world go by here.

Dorf beach

The Dorf section is the smallest and quietest section of beach in St. Peter-Ording with a narrow sandy beach surrounded by lots of green landscape. On a raised platform, you can sit back and relax here in a typical North Sea recliner. If you’re feeling peckish, head for the “Pfahlbaurestaurant”, which turns into “Axels Restaurant” in the evening for more high-brow fare. 

Bad beach

The Bad section of beach is accessible on foot after a walk of roughly one kilometre. Access to the sea is also very flat here, again making this stretch of beach popular with families. Youngsters can let off some steam on the playground or join the entertainment programme (free-of-charge during the summer months). Regatta competitions are regularly held to the south of Bad, with ideal conditions for beach sailing and kite buggy fans.

St. Peter-Ording Nord/Nudist bathing area

At the end of the Eiderstedt peninsula, the Ording Nord bathing area is a designated nudist beach. The beach is accessible from March to September via the beach car park and pedestrian walkway. This large beach is ideal for flying kites. If you fancy some food, head for the stilted “Silbermöwe” restaurant close by.

If you’re looking for some sporting action in St. Peter-Ording, head for the Nordsee-Golfclub, Tennisclub Blau Weiß or Nordsee Fitnesspark. Moreover, there are plenty of paved trails available for cycle tours. Alternatively, you could just explore the sands on a horseback ride or with a spin on a kite buggy. 

St. Peter-Ording also serves up some interesting cultural sights. The local nature museum does a good job of explaining more about the North Sea, national park and local flora and fauna. Meanwhile, the amber museum allows you to create your own unique piece of art from amber. 

By car: From Hamburg, take the Schnackenburgallee A7 and then the A23 until you reach the Oeverwisch/B203 in Norderwöhrden. Then take the Heide-West exit. Then follow the B203 over the main road, the L305, Eiderdammstraße and Wittendüner Allee.

Public transport:St. Peter-Ording is roughly three hours by rail from Hamburg Central Station. If you’re travelling by train, take the train to Husum from Hamburg-Altona, and then on to St. Peter-Ording.