Denmark's Jutland surprises with its versatility – the best tips for a family trip

Krista Aalto works in Finnair communications and has travelled the world with her family – her husband and two small children. Before having children, Krista was used to travelling a lot and enjoying exploring new and distant places, but having a family has reshaped how travel destinations are chosen. Children's safety, needs and comfort are now the priority.

Krista and her family headed to northern Denmark for a summer trip, which turned out to be a great choice. "The Jutland region is surprisingly diverse and offers adventures for the whole family," Krista says. The beautiful beaches and child-friendly activities in the area impressed her. "The flight to Billund is quick, and the distances in Jutland are relatively short. That’s always a bonus when travelling with kids. One of my most important tips is to get a rental car from Billund Airport, as it allows for flexible mobility with children and smooth transfers between different destinations. The children took almost all their naps in the car, as we scheduled driving for nap times," Krista continues.

Choose one base and make day trips by car

"One of the essential decisions was what would be a suitable base for our day trips. We ended up staying near Aarhus, the largest city in the area. From there, it was a convenient drive for a few hours to all the interesting destinations in both North and South Jutland. There were a lot of interesting restaurants in Aarhus, and we ended up eating at Aarhus Street Food a couple of times. The Dokk1 complex had several complimentary playgrounds for children and a futuristic parking garage where cars go by lift. In addition, Den Gamle By was a memorable historical experience," Krista says. There are also several cute smaller towns near Aarhus, such as medieval Viborg and Silkeborg, that is located in a beautiful lake area.

Heading north: Frederikshavn and Grenen in North Jutland

"Next, we headed for a day trip to the northernmost tip of Denmark, Skagen. At the tip of Grenen, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet, and you can stand with your feet in different seas. An enjoyable experience for the children was the tractor transport from the parking lot area to the northern tip to see the sea.

We chose Frederikshavn as one of the stops during our day trip because it has the northernmost palm beach in the world. There are currently about 100 palm trees on the white sandy beach. The place had a special tropical atmosphere and a nice children's playground in the 'jungle'," Krista says.

"On this day trip, we also visited the Viking cemetery, which was an interesting experience. Lindholm Høje is an archaeological site where several burial sites and settlements from the Iron Age and the Viking Age have been found. The history of the Vikings is present all over Jutland," Krista continues.

Råbjerg Mile's sandbanks

"If you want to have a special nature experience, you should head to Råbjerg Mile. It is a sandbank about 1 km wide, 1 km long and 40 metres high, and it moves about 15 metres towards the north every year. The Råbjerg Mile is perhaps the largest and most famous sandbank, but there are several other dunes and beautiful beaches in Jutland, especially in the Hvide Sande area," Krista says.

Viking Age atmosphere in Ribe

"Ribe is the oldest city in Denmark, and it was perhaps the most beautiful city of this trip. Its history dates back to the 700s, and it is an old Viking town, as evidenced by the Viking Museum.

A short drive from Ribe is the Ribe Vikinge Center, which is well worth experiencing. It is an entire village, and you can see and experience Viking life there through various shows and activities. There you can experience what the everyday life of the Vikings was really like: you can get to know the reconstructed Viking houses, participate in handicraft workshops and see domestic animals typical of the Vikings," Krista says.

Much more than Legoland

"Billund is known for Legoland, but we didn't go there during this trip. Our children are still quite young for Legoland, and there were many other things to see and experience on this trip. We ended up visiting LEGO House's complimentary outdoor playgrounds and eating at its MINI CHEF restaurant, where you can order your food with LEGO bricks. The robots serve it," Krista says. She recommends going to Billund and Jutland, even if Legoland is not on your list. Jutland has so much to offer for all kinds of travellers.