Lake Ohrid with kids: 5x things to do with the family!
Visiting Lake Ohrid with kids is becoming increasingly popular and rightly so. The lake is beautiful, there is no mass tourism yet, the flight time to the destination is short and it is also a cheap destination. In short, plenty of reasons to visit Lake Ohrid with kids! We were there for a good week during summer vacation and list the best activities in the area!
Lake Ohrid with kids #1: Ohrid
The town of Ohrid is the largest town on the lake and this is also where most of the action is in terms of restaurants and cafes. You can take an excellent walk through the city here. Walk along the water along the promenade and have tapas, for example, at The Lion Ohrid. This is a Dutch operator who can serve delicious juices and tapas while overlooking the lake. We have had extensive lunches here several times at lunchtime and found it to be highly recommended.
Near the Ohrid promenade, you also have a playground for children and there is the possibility for kids to ride on electric cars. Along the waterfront promenade, you also have plenty of boats offering tours of the lake. For example, one of the most popular trips in Ohrid is a boat that cruises the lake for an entire day and visits some of the places around the lake. For kids, that may be a bit on the long side, but there are plenty of boats willing to take you around Ohrid harbor for a short time.
It is also possible to go to the beach in Ohrid with kids although this is a very small beach and there are pebbles instead of sand. Saraiste beach is a small beach, which has a fine tent near it. Here you can have a drink while your kids play with the stones on the beach and cool off in the water. This is definitely not a beach where you will lie down for an entire day, but for an hour, this is definitely a nice place to sit for a while.
In addition, it is nice to take a walk through the old town. There are several stores, as well as, for example, an old church you can visit. Church of St. Sophia is located near the aforementioned beach and can be viewed inside for a few euros. Ohrid is not a place where you will quickly go for a whole day, but for a morning or an afternoon it is very nice to visit.
We ourselves have not been there in the evening, but we can imagine that there is much more to do then, and it is also certainly more pleasant to stroll through the city in the summer, as the heat has subsided somewhat.
Lake Ohrid with kids #2: Izgrev aqua park
If you want to do a fun activity at Lake Ohrid with kids, Izgrev water park is a very nice option. From Ohrid you can drive to this water park in 25 minutes, parking your car for free at the water park. This water park has dozens of slides and also a beautiful pool that overlooks all of Lake Ohrid.
We ourselves slept at the water park hotel for a week, so we had access to the water park for seven days. Big advantage is that kids can go down all the slides, so there are no length restrictions on the slides. This water park is fun for both young and older kids to visit.
For the youngest kids, there is also a pool with some smaller slides and where the water is also shallow. Off some slides you have to go with a one- or two-person band. Food options are a bit limited, though. For example, you have a small tent sitting by the water park where you can order pizza and fries. Keep in mind here that if you don’t like that you better bring your own food.
You can have a great time here with the family for a whole day. We were there in the summer and it was pretty busy then, though. Arrive on time so you have a beach bed available for your family as well. We slept at the hotel here for seven nights and therefore had free daily access to the water park. We therefore found the hotel ideal as a base from which to explore the region. If you want more information about the prices of this hotel check here.
Lake Ohrid with kids #3: Struga
One of the most fun places to visit on Lake Ohrid with kids is the town of Struga. This place is not super large, but it is nice to go there for a bite to eat. The center consists of a shopping street with a local market as well, but this does not amount to much.
What’s really nice, though, are all the restaurants and tents that line the waterfront at Struga. Along the waterfront are dozens of restaurants and cafes, and you can have a great lunch here at noon. Kids can swim in the water and local youth jump off the various bridges that cross the water. You can park your car anywhere in Struga for free, and from Ohrid you can get to Struga in less than twenty minutes by cab.
Lake Ohrid with kids #4: Galičica National Park
If you want to go on a nice hike through the mountains with your kids, national park Galičica is an option. It is about an hour away by car from Ohrid and the national park is located between two lakes. Lake Ohrid is on one side and Lake Prespa is on the other.
While Sophie and Sanne were still snug in bed, I (Joep) drove early from the hotel to the national park and took the hike to the top of Mount Magaro. Located at 2,250 meters, this mountain peak provides a magnificent view of the two lakes. The beauty of this hike is also that you don’t encounter crowds of tourists and you have the mountain all to yourself (if you leave early). Once back down at the car, only the first people went up.
For small kids, this hike does tend to be on the heavy side and then you can choose to walk only as far as the halfway point, for example. The area is very beautiful in that respect. You can also choose to drive through the park by car and visit Lake Prespa on the other side of the mountains. Here you have several beaches and villages and it is also possible to visit an island by boat. If you want more information about climbing Mount Magaro read the blog Climbing Mount Magaro Macedonia.
Lake Ohrid with kids #5: waterfall vevcani
If you are spending an extended time at Lake Ohrid with kids then one option is to go see the waterfalls at Vevcani. Is this something you should definitely see? No we don’t think so. If it takes a lot of effort to get to the falls because you don’t have a car at your disposal, you can skip the falls just fine.
The falls are a half-hour drive away from Ohrid, and the drive to the falls gives a nice picture of how the people of Macedonia live and reside. At the falls you can take a small hike, but it’s not super much. Don’t expect swirling waterfalls, but more stream cascades you can walk along.
Where to stay at Lake Ohrid with kids?
You can have great accommodation around Lake Ohrid with kids. The choice is huge and prices for an overnight stay are not too high. Based on price ranges and our own experiences, we list some good options.
Budget hotel: Villa Klia
Mid-range hotel: Tino Hotel & Spa
Luxury hotel: Hotel Izgrev Spa & Aquapark
At Hotel Izgrev Spa & Aquapark, we slept by ourselves. We had full board at this hotel, so we bought off breakfast and dinner. We found this a very nice place to stay. The room was luxurious, the water park was super fun to visit every day for a few hours and the food was delicious. We did find this hotel highly recommended if you are visiting Lake Ohrid with kids.
For a list of all hotels around Lake Ohrid , click here.
