Blåvand, Denmark Travel Guide

The western coast of Denmark can be a place with wild winds and even more powerful waves, but it can also offer some of the most interesting places to visit for your trip to southwestern Denmark! In fact, the westernmost point in all of Denmark is located in Blåvand, Denmark, which is well worth a visit on your next vacation in Denmark.

During our staycation in Denmark during July of 2020, we decided to spend some time in the area of Blåvand. We lived in the central part of Denmark, not near any coastlines, so we were very excited to be staying at a place that is known for being one of Denmark’s top vacation destinations.

Planning our Trip to Blåvand, Denmark´s Westernmost Point

Our main goals for our week in Blåvand were to find some relaxation, make use of the crazy-cool campground where we chose to stay, hit the natural sites and take a day trip to the island of Mandø. We figured that we could add to it as we went, but a vacation shouldn´t be something that wears you out. At least, that is not what we wanted.

To make a long story short, we just made sure to pick the right place to stay, book a fun tour to the island of Mandø and see if there was anything else in the local area that needed to be seen. We were pretty excited that we managed to find plenty of things in Blåvand to keep us busy but not wear us out!

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Where to Stay in Blåvand, Denmark

Hvidbjerg Resort and Campground

If you have children, you should really take camping trips. I can´t stress that enough. There is nothing more relaxing than watching your child play on the playground with some new friends as you and your husband enjoy a glass of wine and an uninterrupted game of Scrabble! That is the life!

Maybe you don´t like the idea of living in a camper or a tent because you’re not into “roughing it”. I get it. However, did you know that in Denmark (and other places around the world), there is a campground that feels more like a vacation village? It is called the Hvidbjerg Resort and Campground.

This multiple-star campground is not just for tent and camper enthusiasts, but for people who like to stay in cowboy-themed cabins next to a western town that has an indoor trampoline park that is included in the price of your stay. They also have a “badeland” with many indoor swimming pools and slides. There are many playgrounds for your kids to try out, and they have lots of activities, a store, a fish store, ice cream shop and places to eat. You seriously don’t need to leave the campground the entire time you are there.

If you are traveling without kids, you can go to their spa. Yep! They have a spa where you can get a massage or sit in a jacuzzi. It seriously made sense to see a lot of retired couples camping there when I heard about the spa! You are also walking distance to a fantastic beach. These reasons were more than enough for us to want to stay there.

Learn about more great camping places in Denmark and other parts of Europe in the Camping in Europe section of the blog!

Ferienhaus Blåvand

However, if you want more privacy and to stay in a cabin that offers more of the comforts of home, I would highly recommend renting a summer house. There are many in the area near the beach, with walking distance to ice cream, restaurants and the town. 

What to Do in Blåvand, Denmark

Because we were traveling with children, we needed to find some activities that would be interesting to the entire family. This wasn’t hard to do. Since our kids were loving their time at the Hvidbjerg Resort and Campground, they weren’t so cranky when we suggested leaving to go to the beach or the town, and we even managed to have a nice time.

Here are the best things to do in Blåvand, Denmark.

1. Town of Blåvand, Denmark

Tourist Office

First off, no matter what booklet or online guide (such as this one) that you may use for trip to Blåvand, be sure to stop first at the Blåvand Turistbureau at Horns Bjerge 4 in Blåvand to talk to a human about the area. These people can tell you things about the town that you won´t find in a book, so don’t forget to pay them a visit.

Shopping / Butikker i Blåvand

Overall, the town of Blåvand is quite cute. It really reminded me of a vacation town that you might find in the USA with one, main street for restaurants, shops and collectibles. They had so many different types of stores that we ended up getting some new clothes and bags for the kids for school, as well as little kitchen items for the camper. They had amazing sales on high-quality goods, which made us feel like we weren’t shopping in Denmark. Yep. Denmark can normally be pretty expensive!

We loved walking around to find the deals and had more than one nice meal. It is always a rule that we go out once a week when on vacation, but we had to go out twice in Blåvand. The food options were just that good!

Restaurants in Blåvand

Getting real Italian food from Acqua Blu was just like taking a trip to Italy without the long drive. I absolutely loved the food, and my boys loved that they had a buffet. I think they tried everything at least once!

We also were very pleased with the Blåvand Fiskebutik and Restaurant which is not only the place where we received the craziest seafood meal that I have ever had (see photo), but it also contained the store where we bought fish to cook back in our camper. We really took advantage of the great seafood that the Blåvand is known for, which is a MUST DO if you are looking for places to eat in Blåvand!

2. Blåvand Strand and the Westernmost Tip of Denmark

Though it is always hard to predict the weather in Denmark, even in July, we were still hoping to spend some time on the beach. From our campground, we had multiple ways to reach the beach, and we just loved going there to relax. It was a bit too cold by my standards to go swimming, but the boys had a lot of fun walking on their very large pier! The thrill of getting wet from the waves splashing on the side of the pier was enough entertainment for them.

The beach is also a great place to go for a nightly stroll, and we had heard that there were nightly campfires there. We’ll have to take their word for it, since our kids always went to bed before it started.

There is a parking lot just next to the entrance to the beach. If you are coming from farther away, you won’t have to walk long before you reach the beach. They also have public toilets there and an ice cream shop. What else could you need?

Do you want to see more places that have great natural beauty in Denmark? Check out all the beautiful cliffs in the post on the Island of Fur in Denmark!

3. Bunkers – Mule Bunkers

If you are interested in taking a longer walk on the beach, you can get to see some really cool bunkers. You can also drive a bit north of the town to the Blåvand Redningsbådsmuseum, which will be located on a small street that will take you directly to the most interesting bunkers in that area. These bunkers were made to look like mules with a mule head and tail coming out of the bunkers. They were added in 1995 to the bunkers as way to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of Denmark’s freedom from the Nazi occupation. In my opinion, they helped to make an ugly reminder of Denmark’s past into art, which is definitely worth a spot on your Blåvand bucket list.

4. Blåvandshuk Fyr / Lighthouse

The best view of Blåvand’s beach is from the Blåvandshuk Fyr (Lighthouse), which is located on Horns Bjerge and situated on Denmark’s westernmost point. To me, this lighthouse kills multiple birds with one stone, meaning that if you only have a very short stop in Blåvand and want to do one thing, I would recommend going to the Blåvandshuk Fyr.

This lighthouse, which came into use during the turn of the 20^th century, is located near many more bunkers. There are, in fact, around fifty bunkers from the Second World War in this area. It isn’t obvious when you are there, so you may have to do a bit of exploring to see just how many you can find.

The lighthouse in Blåvand is also on the very edge of the National Park Vadehavet next to one of the prettiest beaches I’ve been to in Denmark. It was also one of the windiest. With the way that wind was pushing the sand, I felt like I was in the middle of Arabian Nights. 🙂

You will have a lot to explore when visiting Blåvandshuk Fyr, but be sure to get out there earlier in the day to insure a parking spot. Though they have a parking lot, it fills up quickly. Many people go there for the great beach access as well as the many walking paths, so be sure to come equipped with the proper clothes and shoes.

I personally think it is also one of the prettier lighthouses in Denmark, as well!

5. Vadehavet National Park

Speaking of the National Park Vadehavet, I would highly recommend spending some time exploring this great place. The many walking paths, blue-flag beaches, bike paths, and sailing routes are all worthwhile!  You can find a brochure to the National Park Vadehavet online or at the tourist office in town.

Since many national parks are focused on land, you’ll agree that the National Park Vadehavet is unique having so much to explore on or near the sea.

This natural area is the biggest in southwestern Denmark. It extends from just north of Blåvand down to the German border and includes Denmark’s three, western islands: Fanø, Mandø and Rømø. You’ve just got to love that letter “ø”! Otherwise, it will haunt you at night in your sleep! True story!

Denmark has another great natural park on the west coast called National Park Thy!! Learn more about this great natural place in Northern Denmark on the blog!

6. Tirpitz Museum in Blåvand, Denmark

One place that were very curious to see was the Tirpitz Museum just outside the city limits of Blåvand. Because it was the summer during corona, it was busier, so we went online to book a time. It might be a good idea for you to look up the Tirpitz Museum before you visit for this reason.

We decided to go to the museum on our last day at the campground, so we used our morning to do laundry and get things backed before heading out to the museum at 4pm. There were still many people there. We ended up parking in their second lot that was a bit farther out. Both lots had paths that lead to the museum, which were very peaceful on a nice, sunny day!

At the Tirpitz museum reception, they gave wristbands and portable audio sets at the entrance and walked down the stairs to the exhibits. There we found many boxes to scan with every different item, which gave us new information on our audio device. I liked that this allowed people from different language backgrounds the ability to learn from the museum.

The museum had a lot to offer. I loved how there were many exhibits that showcased the area’s geographical history, sailors’ experiences, local treasures, and memories of WWII times.

7. Blåvand Zoo

If we had we one extra day in Blåvand, we would have checked out the Blåvand Zoo. We love animals and supporting local zoos, but there was just no prying those boys off the campground playgrounds for any extra stuff other than what was mentioned.

I’m sure it would be a great way to break up your time in Blåvand with all the playing, especially for the little ones. Next time!

Do you love visiting great zoos? Find more to visit on your vacation in Denmark with this post on the Top 5 Zoos in Denmark!

Day Trips from Blåvand, Denmark

Island of Mandø in Denmark

As I mentioned in the beginning, we were really excited to take a day trip to the island of Mandø during our camping trip to Blåvand. Even though the drive would be one and a half hours from Blåvand, we thought it could be a nice break from the campground for one day. First, we contacted the Mandøbuss, bus tour company, to reserve a time.

This was a very important step, since it was a pretty popular attraction when we were there. In fact, it was much more popular the longer in the day it was. If you go first thing in the morning, like we did, you will have a easier time finding parking. It is also nice to be able to get back to the campground for suppertime to relax a bit before bed.

Our tour of Mandø started on the mainland. Then, we boarded a tractor bus for our ride over the shallow waters to the island of Mandø. I have to say that it was so wild how low that tide was. I had never had an experience like that, and since it was starting to be a nice day out, it was great to be out in the open air.

Once we were on the island, there was a guided tour and a fantastic fish lunch before we headed back. It was a great day, and we were even able to get a stamp in our island passport book that we got from the tourist office in Blåvand (special for 2020s). 

Ribe, Denmark

Another great idea for a day trip from Blåvand is Denmark’s oldest town, Ribe! This is a little closer to Blåvand, and you actually pass by it if you are going to Mandø. Here, you can walk down picturesque streets that have not seemed to change much over the past few hundred years. They have museums for Vikings, witches, famous artists and more. If you would like to learn more about what you can see and do in Ribe, Denmark, check out my post on How to Have the Best 2 Days in Ribe, Denmark!

Thanks for coming along with us on our trip to Blåvand, Denmark!! If you have visited Blåvand in the past, what has been your favorite part of that area? If you are hoping to go, which attraction are you most eager to visit?

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