North Sea coast of Germany - Husum and Sankt Peter-Ording

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | The North Sea coast in Germany offers a completely different landscape than the Baltic Sea coast. Here the tide rules, the wind sweeps in from the sea and the horizon feels almost endless. We visited Husum and Sankt Peter-Ording during a motorhome trip through northern Germany – two quite different places that together gave us a nice introduction to Nordfriesland.

Husum charmed us with its small harbor, fishing boats, and cobblestone streets. In Sankt Peter-Ording, a beach so wide that it almost felt like a desert awaited us.

The North Sea coast in Schleswig-Holstein

The German North Sea coast stretches along the western part of Schleswig-Holstein, from the mouth of the Elbe up to the Danish border. It is a coastal landscape with dikes, marshes, islands and the special Halligen – small low-lying islands that are sometimes flooded by the sea.

Off the coast lies Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Wadden Sea. The area is characterized by ebb and flow and is one of the world's largest continuous tidal areas. For those traveling along the North Sea coast, it is not only the cities and seaside resorts that attract. The landscape itself is a large part of the experience.

Husum – port town with North Frisian charm

Husum is the capital of North Friesland and a small port town where the sea feels present even in the center. The picturesque Inner harbor, the inner harbor, is located in the middle of town and is still clearly affected by the ebb and flow.

When we arrived here, the weather was exactly as you might imagine it to be in the North Sea: grey, windy and with rain in the air. But we were very pleased nonetheless.

Around the harbor are restaurants and cafes, boats bob along the quays and there are plenty of environments where you just want to walk around for a while.

Husum's old town and market square

From the harbor it is just a short walk to the central neighborhoods with cobblestone streets, small alleys and colorful gabled houses.

The Marktplatz is home to the city church of St. Marien and the well-known Tine fountain. North Frisia's largest weekly market is also held here on Thursdays and Saturdays, featuring regional products.

When we were here, the market was in full swing and the square was filled with flowers, vegetables and all sorts of things. It actually brought a lot of life to the otherwise quite quiet little town.

Fish, shrimp and the North Sea

Husum still feels like a real port town. Fish and shellfish are a natural part of life here, and along the quays and in the city center there are plenty of opportunities to eat something from the sea.

Above all, the area is associated with North Sea crab, the small North Sea shrimps that are fished along the coast. When we walked around, it almost felt like there was a fish shop or fish restaurant on every corner. And yes, it fits very well in this environment.

Theodor Storm and Husum museums

Husum also has a fairly rich cultural side for such a small town. The German author Theodor Storm was born here in 1817 and in a famous poem called Husum the ”gray city by the sea.” His former residence is today the Theodor-Storm-Zentrum.

Here you can also find North Frisian Museum, which tells about storm surges, coastal protection and life on the North Sea, among other things, as well as a maritime museum with a focus on shipping, fishing and shipbuilding. So for those who get really bad North Sea weather, there is a plan B.

Out to the sea at Dockkoog

A few kilometers west of the city center is Dollkoog, Husum's green bathing area by the North Sea. There is no classic sandy beach here, but a green coastal strip by the dike. It is a nice area for walks and to experience the flat North Sea landscape, with sheep, wind and large open views. At high tide you can also swim here.

We took the camper here and walked along the sea for a while. It was windy and the swimming temperature wasn't exactly appealing when we were here – but sometimes a walk in really salty North Sea weather is almost better.

Sankt Peter-Ording – a beach that never ends

From Husum we continued south to Sankt Peter-Ording, one of Germany's most famous seaside resorts on the North Sea. And here the landscape changes completely.

The beach is about 12 kilometers long and at its widest points up to two kilometers wide. Two kilometers! It's hard to really understand until you're there. When we started walking out to the sea, it almost felt more like walking across a desert landscape than a beach.

The tide changes the beach

On the North Sea coast, it is also important to remember that the beach never looks exactly the same. At low tide, the sea retreats far, exposing large areas. At high tide, it returns again. The combination of sand, tides and the flat landscape creates the enormous expanses that Sankt Peter-Ording is famous for.

And over it all, the wind blows. We quickly understood why the area is popular with kite and wind surfers.

The famous stilt houses

One of the most characteristic details of Sankt Peter-Ording is The pile dwelling, the buildings that stand high on stilts out on the beach. They were first built so that restaurants and other services could withstand the tides and storm surges. Today they have become something of a symbol of the town.

You can still park on the beach

One of the more unusual things about Sankt Peter-Ording is that in some places you are actually allowed to drive your car onto the beach. Today this applies to the beach sections Böhl and Ording, where there are special beach parking lots.

It's quite a strange sight when cars and campers suddenly start driving across the enormous sandy surface. When we were here we didn't drive all the way out ourselves but walked. But we saw several campers heading towards the sea.

Beach parking is available under certain times and conditions, but rules and fees are subject to change, so please check for current information before driving to the beach.

Sankt Peter-Ording is more than just a spa

Although the huge beach is the big attraction, Sankt Peter-Ording is also a classic health resort and holiday resort.

There are walking and cycling paths, beach chairs, restaurants, spas and large natural areas. The resort also consists of several different parts, including Bad, Dorf, Böhl and Ording, which have slightly different characters.

But for us, it was undoubtedly the nature that made the biggest impression. The beach, the wind and the feeling of enormous distances were something completely different from what we had experienced elsewhere in Germany.

North Sea coast by motorhome

The North Sea coast is also a nice area to explore by motorhome. There are plenty of campsites and parking lots along the coast, not least around Husum and Sankt Peter-Ording.

We spent the night ourselves at a campsite in Husum, Loof's motorhome harbour, and appreciated being able to leave the camper and walk into the center. Check current parking spaces, prices and service before your trip as the range and conditions may change.

Is the German North Sea coast worth a detour?

Yes, especially if you have mostly seen Germany's cities, castles and the Baltic Sea coast so far.

The North Sea is something completely different. Here the landscape is flat, the weather is changeable and the sea is constantly moving. You don't even need the sun to appreciate it. In fact, the grey clouds and strong wind somehow suited us quite well when we were here.

Husum gave us charm and harbor life. Sankt Peter-Ording gave us space. And both made us want to see more of the German North Sea coast.

More to see in northern Germany

If you continue your journey through Schleswig-Holstein, there are several other nice stops.

• Lübeck
• Haithabu Viking Museum
• Timmendorfer beach