Mikolajki with children is one of the most fun destinations in Poland, close to the Lithuanian border. A trip with children to Mikolajki is our recommendation for all those looking for a fun and nearby weekend trip, a great holiday by the lake and beautiful nature, as well as entertainment for children and the whole family.
If you follow and read our blog, you know that Poland is a favourite destination of Agne, one of the co-founders of “Travel 4 kids”, and her family. Agne often travels here with her family and children for fun and relaxation – so she can confidently recommend the most interesting and fun places to visit in Poland. This is the third year in a row that Agne has been to Mikolajki with her children, so she’s sharing her recommendations and tips with you!
Mikolajki with children – why it is must visit
When to go to Mikolajki with children? We’ve been to Mikolajki in both winter and autumn, but the most fun is still in spring and summer. Especially in summer, Mikolajki is a very popular and beloved resort for Polish people themselves, so you have to look for places to stay early. So if you read our article and decide to go, we highly recommend that you do some research now and maybe even book a place to stay. We can confidently recommend the town of Mikolajki, the hotels, the attractions, because we have tried and visited everything ourselves.
If you are traveling with small children or a baby, like us, we highly recommend a visit. It’s a short drive from Lithuania to Mikolajki in one stop.
Mikolajki itself is very small town, but there is plenty to do. The town’s beach is very nice, although small. Sandy, very shallow shore, perfect for children to swim. There are small slides for children (free). There are also water trampolines in high season.
Along the lake there is a large promenade with many cafés and restaurants. There are many small shops, shows and music. Boats are available for rent.
Mikolajki with children – what to do here
Mikolajki is a resort town by a lake, so we recommend that you make sure to visit the beach in the high season. The shore is wonderfully suitable for children’s swimming – shallow, sandy and with small FREE slides. Water trampolines are also available in the summer.
Large boats and excursion boats leave from the harbour to other cities. For us, the biggest fun is to rent a boat and sail it ourselves. These boats don’t require a pilot’s license (rental price is about 200 zlotys per hour, but you can easily negotiate if you rent more). We highly recommend going in the evening when the sun goes down. It is very beautiful.
If you like cycling, there is a very nice cycle path from Mikolajki to Stare Sady. You can have a fun ride and there are excellent cafés on the lake shore in Stare Sady.
There is a great promenade along the whole town and the lakeside, which is very nice for an evening stroll.
For children, there is a climbing park, Park LINOWY.
Mikolajki with children – A summer sleigh ride is a must
A summer sleigh ride is available on the grounds of the Golebiewski Hotel. Highly recommended. There are two different prices – if you are staying at the hotel and if you are not a guest of the hotel. If you are a guest of the hotel you can pay for the ride at the reception, if you are not a guest of the hotel – there is a ticket machine near the sleigh. Adults: 10 zlotys, children under 8 years of age: 50% discount. If you are staying in a hotel – 6 zlotys, 50% discount for children under 8 years. The minimum amount you have to spend is 30 zlotys, plus a deposit of 20 zlotys for the card, which is refundable when the card is returned.
If you have time, you can drive or take a boat to Gizycko. Read more about this town in our article Holidays in Poland by the lakes.
Where to stay in Mikolajki
Mikolajki is full of good hotels, as Polish people themselves often choose to spend their holidays here, so you’ll find budget accommodation in the private sector as well as hotels costing up to a few hundred euros a night.
If you can afford it, choose the Hotel Golebiewski in Mikolajki, which has a water park. The hotel is very large and often sells accommodation and meal packages. The water park is free of charge during your stay. There is a beautiful private beach by the lake. It’s especially fun to stay here in the summer, as the hotel has lots of outdoor swimming pools, as well as various activities for children. There is a fantastic playground for children outside. Read more about this hotel in our review – Hotel with water park in Mikolajki.
There’s also a great 5* hotel, the Mikołajki Leisure & SPA Hotel Mikołajki Leisure & SPA – but the prices are really high. It’s located right on the lakefront in the centre of town, right by the beach.
We’ve also stayed at the Lawendowe wzgórze villa. It has a beautiful terrace with a great view of the lake. The villa itself is very modern and contemporary. The pedestrian promenade to the city centre is just ten minutes away.
A very large offer of accommodation in the private sector. If you are looking for accommodation, we recommend that you search through the reliable booking.com.
Booking.com |
Hotel Robert Port Lake Resort & SPA
It was not our first time that we have stayed at Hotel Roberts Port Lake Resort & SPA, about 6 km from Mikolajki. It has a great private beach for swimming, with free sun loungers, boat hire, indoor pool, concerts in the evenings. You can also book meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). We choose breakfast only – because we like to have dinner in town.
Very nice pool, especially great with children as the water is very warm and there’s even a small slide for children. Plus for me it’s the little things like the changing table in the dressing room that really show that the hotel cares about guests with children. Outside there are two playgrounds for children. Picnic tables on the seafront.
Mikolajki Water Park
Although the water park is quite old and not very big, we still enjoyed our visit. Located in the Golebiewski Hotel. It is free for hotel guests. Very fun in the summer time, there are lots of swimming pools and a playground outside, so you can spend the whole day. Especially in the summer, this water park makes it seem like you’re in a hotel in Turkey.
There is an outdoor bar, and if you are a guest of the hotel you can order on your room bill, or if you are only visiting the water park, you will need to pay in cash or by card. The water park provides towels, even if you are not a hotel guest, so you do not need your own. Very nice children’s pool inside with slides and activities for younger children. The visit time at the water park is 1,5 hours, afterwards you can buy an extra 30 minutes.
Where to eat
The most variety of cafés can be found on the promenade along the lake. We really liked Nóż w wodzie. Delicious food, great view.
Port Smaku is right next to the pedestrian bridge. We also liked it.
A little further away from Mikolaikai is LAB_01 Mazurskie Laboratorium Smaku. Very tasty food and a perfectly nice view. Prices are a bit higher, but the location is amazing.
By the way, bear in mind that in Poland the dumplings, which Motiejus likes very much, are usually served with sauerkraut rather than sour cream. So if your children, like our Matthew, like to eat their dumplings with sour cream, you need to ask for it specifically.
Traveling in Poland with a baby
We get a lot of questions about traveling with a baby who has already started formula feeding. What do we do when it’s time for Paule to eat. The answer is very simple. We travel with PONN purees. We are very happy that when Paulė started to feed, we made friends with the organic PONN purees, which were perfect for Paulė and she loved them.
When we can’t offer home-made food, organic PONN purees come to the rescue. Motiejus grew up with these purees and snacks, and now Paulė is enjoying them too.
Practical tips
If you plan to stay in an apartment instead of a hotel and cook your own meals, there is a large Biedrionka shop.
In high season there are many places to rent bicycles.
Parking in town is payable – so you’re better off looking for accommodation with parking.