An overview of the most beautiful campsites by the lake - these are the insider tips
Bannwaldsee campsite (Bavaria)
Camping Gut Kalberschnacke am Listersee (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Oberhof Camping Lütschesee (Thuringia)
Blütencamping Riegelspitze at Lake Glindow (Brandenburg)
Camping Am Bauernhof in the Feldberger Seenlandschaft (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
Tip: Take a look at the best tents for your camping trip and the camper checklist with the ultimate packing list for your camper trip, so you're well prepared!
On the road with the camper at beautiful places and lakes
1. beach camping Waging am See (Bavaria)
We start with Bavaria, the largest state in Germany. Here I have four camping sites for you. The first is Strandcamping Waging am See, which offers free access to the beach. You can also rent boats or bicycles and learn to surf.
Lake Waging, which is about 9 square kilometres in size, is embedded in a beautiful landscape of hills, fields and meadows, with numerous hiking trails and a fitness trail. There are also riding and golf schools in the area. Day trips can be made to Berchtesgaden and Salzburg, and in Ruhpolding, 25 kilometres away, there is a nice amusement park(website) for children.
You can find the campsite at the following address: am See 1, 83329 Waging am See(Google Maps)
Tip: Camping Schwanenplatz(website) is also located at Lake Waging.
The beautiful Waginger See with mountain panorama. Camping is twice as much fun here
2. camping site Seehäusel at Lake Chiemsee (Bavaria)
Not far away is Lake Chiemsee, the largest lake in Bavaria. There you will find the Seehäusel campsite with 50 pitches for motorhomes and caravans. It can get a bit crowded on the relatively small site, but the campsite's own pebble beach with jetty and restaurant make up for it.
Great leisure activities include Nordic walking or cycling around the lake. Find out what else you can do there in our article about the beautiful Chiemsee.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Beim Seehäusl 1, 83339 Chieming(Google Maps).
Set up your hammock next to the tent and just enjoy yourself
3. camping meadow Absberg at the Kleiner Brombachsee (Bavaria)
About an hour south of Nuremberg in central Franconia, you will come across the Kleiner Brombachsee. Together with the Großer Brombachsee and the Igelsbachsee, it is one of the most beautiful lakes in Franconia and the most beautiful lakes in Bavaria.
There you will find the Absberg camping site with a beautiful sandy beach and large sunbathing area as well as wakeboard facilities and SUP rental. A special highlight: there are also camper van pitches and even tree tents. A trip to Nuremberg and an excursion to the Enderndorf adventure forest(website) with zipline are also not to be missed.
You can find the campsite at the address: Zeltwiese Absberg, Badehalbinsel 7, 91720 Absberg(Google Maps).
⭐ Recommended travel guides for your camping trip through Germany
With one of these travel guides, you can take another in-depth look at camping in Germany and discover more exciting places. Then nothing is guaranteed to go wrong!
4. camping site Bannwaldsee (Bavaria)
An exciting insider tip is camping Bannwaldsee in the beautiful Allgäu. It's all about nature - the natural lake with a natural beach is located in a nature reserve. However, there are also numerous activities and gastronomic offers here. You can even sleep in a camping barrel!
The highlight: the lake is within sight of the world-famous royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. In addition, the neighbouring mountains offer ideal opportunities for hikers and skiers.
You will find the campsite at the address: Münchener Str. 151, 87645 Schwangau(Google Maps).
Tip: Right next to the tranquil Bannwaldsee is the much better-known Forggensee with Camping Brunnen(website) and a little further away is the smaller Hopfensee with its own campsite(website). Also not far away: the popular Via Claudia campsite(website) in Lechbruck am See.
The campsite at Bannwaldsee is certainly one of the most beautiful in Bavaria. You're lucky if you're right by the water
5 Naturcamping Weiherhof at Lake Titisee (Baden-Württemberg)
Next up in Baden-Württemberg is Naturcamping Weiherhof. The campsite has mobile home pitches and tent pitches directly on the shores of Lake Titisee. This in turn covers an area of just under one square kilometre in the Black Forest.
From here you can reach Freiburg, the Ravenna Gorge or the Feldberg, for example. Incidentally, a stage of the Albsteig trail passes by here. The view from Hochfirst and the Hochfirst tower is also a great experience. The view is breathtaking.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Bruderhalde 25, 79822 Hinterzarten(Google Maps).
Tip: Click here for the most beautiful lakes in Baden-Württemberg.
Lake Titisee is one of the most famous lakes in Baden-Württemberg. A boat trip on the lake is, of course, one of the must-dos.
6. camping site Bostalsee (Saarland)
A little further north lies the beautiful Saarland. The campsite at the popular Bostalsee is open all year round and has its own sauna area. You can also go cycling, hiking, swimming, sailing, surfing and pedal boating.
In general, the location in the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park is very idyllic. There are also two sandy beaches and sunbathing lawns at the lake. One highlight in the region that you must not miss is the impressive Saar Loop, which looks like the Horseshoe Bend in the USA.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Am Campingpl. 1, 66625 Nohfelden(Google Maps).
Lake Bostal is a popular recreational destination in Saarland. The beautiful reservoir is a paradise for water sports enthusiasts.
7 Camping Park Weiherhof am See (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Camping Park Weiherhof am See (not to be confused with the campsite of almost the same name on Lake Titisee) is located on the small Secker Weiher in Rhineland-Palatinate. There is a restaurant with a view of the lake and numerous activities for children. There are also numerous other activities available, such as hiking, cycling, horseback riding and golf.
If the pond is too small for you, you should go to Lake Wiesen, two kilometres away. There you will find a sailing boat harbour and surfing schools as well as sunbathing lawns.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Camping Weiherhof, 56479 Seck(Google Maps).
8 Camping Rursee (North Rhine-Westphalia)
The first of two campsites in North Rhine-Westphalia is located in the Eifel, a beautiful region with a national park. Camping Rursee is located on an almost 8-square-kilometre reservoir where you can take part in SUP courses or even full moon tours.
You can sleep here not only in a tent, camper van or caravan, but also in a sleeping barrel. There is even a barrel sauna! And since the site is located in the area of the Eifel National Park(website), there are numerous hiking trails and cycle paths available. Part of the Eifelsteig(website) runs along the other side of the lake and, among other things, through the Wollseifen deserted village on the Dreiborn plateau, which is well worth seeing.
You will find this campsite at the address: Seerandweg 26, 52152 Simmerath(Google Maps).
We have summarised the most beautiful sights in the Eifel for you. We also have the most beautiful excursions with children in the Eifel . And if you want to know what you can do with children in NRW, then take a look at this article.
The beautiful Rursee in autumn. This is when camping gets really exciting. Everything becomes colourful
9. camping site Gut Kalberschnacke at the Listersee (North Rhine-Westphalia)
A good distance to the north-east is the Listersee. There you will find the camping site Gut Kalberschnacke, which is terraced and does not have its own restaurant, but also offers sleeping barrels and rented caravans.
The nature adventure area Biggesee-Listersee(website) offers two reservoirs for swimming, sailing, surfing and fishing. There are even diving schools and sailing clubs. The Bigge-Lister hiking trail(website) is an exciting option with almost 46 kilometres and great viewpoints of the lake landscape. Perhaps more interesting for children: the Eckenhagen Monkey and Bird Park(website).
You will find the campsite at the address: Kalberschnacke 8, 57489 Drolshagen(Google Maps).
10 Camping Ulmbachtalsperre (Hesse)
In the Westerwald in Hesse, I recommend Camping Ulmbachtalsperre. There is a large sunbathing lawn directly on the lake and swimming and boating are included for guests. In addition to other leisure facilities and a pizzeria, there are even washing machines and dryers.
A hiking trail leads around the reservoir and the area, which by the way is the most densely wooded in all of Hesse, offers many beautiful tours. You can also take trips to Greifenstein Castle with its bell museum, Braunfels Castle, Wetzlar or the Herbstlabyrinth, a show cave in Breitscheid.
You will find the campsite at the following address: Ulmbachtalsperre, campsite 1, 35753 Greifenstein(Google Maps).
Breakfast in the camper van
11 Oberhof Camping Lütschesee (Thuringia)
There is also a very idyllic campsite in Thuringia. Oberhof Camping Lütschesee is located in a natural setting in the middle of the Thuringian Forest and offers many pitches, tent pitches and even holiday homes. The ambience - even just on the approach with a view of the reservoir - is simply wonderful!
More than 100 hiking trails lead through the region and excursion destinations such as the Flößgraben with the Ausgebrannt Stein or the Beerberg and Schneekopf as the highest mountains in Thuringia are not far away.
A visit is also worthwhile in winter, especially for winter sports fans: nearby Oberhof is the venue for numerous sports such as ski jumping, biathlon and luge. The Rennsteiggarten, a botanical garden that belongs to the Rennsteig, is also located there. This, in turn, is the oldest and most walked long-distance hiking trail in Germany.
You can find the campsite at the address: Am Stausee 9, 99330 Frankenhain(Google Maps).
12 LuxOase Camping & Leisure Park at the Wallroda Dam (Saxony)
The perfect combination of city trip and camping is offered by the next location. The Wallroda Dam with the LuxOase Camping & Leisure Park is located very close to Dresden. As the name suggests, this campsite is well equipped with sports and leisure facilities, pitches, rental accommodation and its own wellness area.
Besides Dresden, a must-see in the immediate vicinity is definitely Moritzburg Castle, where the famous classic film "Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella" was filmed. A (hiking) trip to Saxon Switzerland or a day trip to Prague are also great options.
You can find the campsite at the address: Arnsdorfer Str. 1, 01900 Dresden(Google Maps).
13. camping site Sternencamp at Bärwalder See (Saxony)
Also in Saxony is the Sternencamp campsite on Lake Bärwalder See in the easternmost district of Germany. It offers direct access to the public bathing beach, where there is also a nudist area and a separate dog beach.
Lake Bärwalder See is also the largest lake in Saxony and offers ideal conditions for swimming, surfing and sailing. A 22-kilometre-long cycle path runs around the lake. Otherwise, a visit to the erratic block park in Nochten or the beautiful holiday region of Upper Lusatia is also worthwhile.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Zur Strandpromenade 2 O.L., 02943 Hamor(Google Maps).
A campfire by the lake
14 Senftenberger See Family Park (Brandenburg)
Brandenburg is also represented with two campsites. How could it be otherwise - the beautiful forest and lake landscape takes up more than a third of the state, after all. The Senftenberger See family park is even located in the Lusatian Lakeland, the largest man-made water landscape in the whole of Europe.
Lake Senftenberg itself not only has sunbathing lawns, but also a total of 7 kilometres of sandy beach, also with nudist and dog areas. An 18-kilometre-long circular path leads around the lake. The 5-star campsite is also equipped with extra sanitary facilities and an entertainment programme for children.
You can find the campsite at the address Str. zur Südsee 1, 01968 Senftenberg(Google Maps).
15th Blütencamping Riegelspitze at Lake Glindow (Brandenburg)
Blütencamping Riegelspitze is located on the beautiful Glindower See lake in the Havelland lake district. Holiday homes, camping cabins, tent pitches and camper van pitches are not all here - you can also spend the night in a circus wagon, a boathouse or a barrel, for example. Water sports and cycling are also no problem.
Both Berlin and Potsdam are in the immediate vicinity and have exciting sights waiting for you! A more "secret" tip is the beautiful town of Werder an der Havel.
You'll find the campsite at the following address: Fercher Str. 4 - 9, 14542 Werder (Havel)(Google Maps).
16. camping site at Mahlower See (Berlin)
Technically, Mahlower See is still in Brandenburg, but it's still only 20 kilometres from the centre of Berlin. There is a campsite there that is very rural despite its location on the southern edge of the capital.
Swimming, cycling, hiking and fishing are among the most popular activities. Either you combine your stay with exciting city trips or you are from the city yourself and can relax here ideally.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Teltower Str. 34, 15831 Blankenfelde-Mahlow(Google Maps).
17. camping site Niegripper See (Saxony-Anhalt)
The Niegripper See campsite in Saxony-Anhalt has a quiet location by the lake and a bathing beach. But beware: there is a free choice of pitches on the site without parcelling. This means that the first row with a fantastic view of the lake is occupied very quickly in summer.
Lake Niegripp is only a short distance from the Elbe cycle path and offers great touring opportunities in the immediate vicinity. It's also worth taking a trip to the nearby town of Burg, known as the city of towers. Magdeburg is also not too far away.
You will find the campsite at the address: Gossel 22, 39288 Burg (near Magdeburg)(Google Maps).
Sleep under the stars at night. Would you like to do the same?
18th Camping Am Bauernhof in the Feldberger Seenlandschaft (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
The next campsite is in the land of 1000 lakes - the Mecklenburg Lake District. More precisely, in the Feldberger Seenlandschaft Nature Park, which consists of the Breiter Luzin and other bodies of water as well as forests and a fascinating cultural landscape.
Camping Am Bauernhof is located directly on the Breiten Luzin, which scores with pure nature and many different animals. In combination with the bathing beach, this is a truly unique experience.
One of many beautiful hiking trails in the region is Fallada's Fridolinwanderung (website), a circular trail of 10.5 kilometres following the tracks of the cheeky badger Fridolin, who experiences many adventures in the Feldberg lake landscape in Hans Fallada's children's book. But canoeists and kayakers also get their money's worth in this beautiful area.
You can find the campsite at the following address: Hof Eichholz 1, 17258 Feldberger Seenlandschaft(Google Maps).
19. camping and holiday park Havelberge at the Woblitzsee (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
I have another campsite in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania for you. The Havelberge Camping and Holiday Park is not only situated on Lake Woblitz, but also picturesquely on a hill overlooking the Havel.
In addition to access to the lake with a sandy beach, there is also an extra children's swimming area as well as a trampoline facility and a tepee village. The extensive offer is rounded off by a forest high ropes course and guided cycling, hiking and canoeing tours. An absolute highlight: the Finnish log cabin sauna directly on the lakeshore.
You can find the campsite at the following address: An den Havelbergen 1, 17237 Userin(Google Maps).
20. camping site Seeblick in Dersau at Lake Plön (Schleswig-Holstein)
Although you can easily get to the Baltic or North Sea in Schleswig-Holstein, it doesn't always have to be the sea. There is also a beautiful lake district, the largest of which is Lake Plön. You can not only go swimming, boating or surfing, but even diving in some places.
The Seeblick campsite is located directly on the water with a bathing beach and sunbathing lawn, a wide range of sports activities and e-bike, canoe and rowing boat rental. You can also take part in cycling and hiking tours through Holstein Switzerland or make day trips to the Baltic and North Sea as well as to Hamburg or Lübeck.
The campsite is located at the following address: Dorfstraße 59, 24326 Dersau(Google Maps).
Tip: If you fancy a longer holiday by the sea, take a look at our articles on the most beautiful North Sea islands and Baltic Sea islands.
Camping on Lake Plön. Doesn't that look grandiose?
21. camping site Großensee (Hamburg)
Lake Großensee is considered Hamburg's most beautiful bathing lake. What makes it so special is that it is only a 15-minute drive from the metropolis. In addition, it lies directly in the heart of Stormarner Schweiz, a forested landscape rich in lakes that was formed by ice-age glaciers.
So the campsite there is not only the ideal starting point for a trip to Hamburg. The area is also ideal for cycling and hiking. The site also has large sunbathing lawns, beach volleyball courts and a restaurant by the lake. It is also possible to rent caravans or cabins there.
You can find the campsite at the address: Trittauer Str. 11, 22946 Großensee(Google Maps).
22nd KNAUS Camping Park Oyten (Bremen)
Lake Oyten with the KNAUS Camping Park Oyten is located on the southern border of Bremen. It boasts an extensive sunbathing lawn by the lake, a dog beach and other facilities.
The small quarry pond also has a water ski and wakeboard facility and SUP or canoeing and much more are possible here. And of course I definitely recommend a day trip to Bremen! The famous Wümme cycle path(website) will take you through the beautiful North German countryside.
You'll find the campsite at the following address: Oyter See 1, 28876 Oyten(Google Maps).
23rd camping site at Königssee (Lower Saxony)
Last but not least - the campsite at Königs see in Lower Saxony. Beware: there is also a mountain lake of the same name in Bavaria. But this one is in Friesland. The campsite, on the other hand, is very family-oriented and has its own bathing beach. One of the highlights: You can even rent a lockable fridge here.
In the surrounding area, you should definitely check out the impressive moorland and the Neuchâtel primeval forest. A network of beautiful hiking trails leads through this magical place(website). The North Sea is not far away either!
The campsite is located at the following address: Tarbarger Landstraße 30, 26340 Zetel(Google Maps).
Tips for quick and tasty camping food
We love to cook at the campsite. But when it gets dark or cold outside, it has to be quick for us. Depending on whether you have a camper van or just a tent. We have simple dishes for each option that will definitely come together quickly. Check out our article on vegetarian camper recipes. You'll enjoy it.
Still need some ideas for cooking equipment in your camper or for camping? Then we have some great tips for you here.
Facts and figures
Wild camping is generally prohibited in Germany - so you should definitely look for a campsite or tent site.
Around 11 million Germans prefer to go camping on their holidays
There are over 3000 campsites with more than 225,000 pitches in Germany.
The federal state with the most campsites is Bavaria
If you want to learn more about the German lakes, you can find the most beautiful lakes in Germany here
