Is it even worth cycling in Lahemaa? Of course! Estonia’s largest and oldest national park can be explored on two wheels, even with the family. To prove this, we share the story of Marie and her three children, whose week-long vacation in Lahemaa went just like that.
The Belgian Marie Georgie found a bike rental option on the Visit Lahemaa website. Thought of it, did it! In July, besides the mother, Suzanne (14), Rose (13), and Leon (5) also set off from our info café to explore the national park. Marie is a children’s therapist, but her current focus is on metalworking.
Marie values car-free living and believes that traveling by motor diminishes the experience. She prefers quality over quantity, and her goal is not to see many places but to experience a few. Additionally, Marie finds that a slow pace creates a favorable ground for delightful surprises, as otherwise, one would just rush past them.
For her, car-centricity is astonishing: “Google Maps doesn’t even show cycling options when choosing a route around here. Why? If you can walk, you can also bike.” Her circle of friends shares a similar mindset, but generally, Belgians love to travel by car as well.
So why Lahemaa? Marie says, “The national park seemed a safe choice with kids – it appeared to have nature and peace without too many people. And it is! We go berry picking in the forest, play on the beach, and ride around the area on bikes. The kids love it here. They don’t even want to go to popular tourist destinations like Portugal, Spain, or Italy.”
Positively, she also highlights Estonian food, which “the kids like too. The store in Loksa has a wide selection, prices are not high, and we can prepare everything ourselves. Even the ready-made food sold here is tasty!”
After a 7-day tour, we send our happy guests on their way to Tallinn. The Lahemaa adventure went wonderfully, and besides the beautiful nature and Estonian cuisine, our rental bikes also received praise.
Are you a professional cyclist or a hobbyist?
The EuroVelo 10 cycling route and the Oandu-Ikla hiking trail run through the national park along the Baltic Sea. Beautiful natural views and exciting tourism operators along the way are guaranteed.
