One thing that is really weird about Germans is their habit to leave their habitat when it is the nicest. When it’s summer holiday time. Every July and August Darmstadtians flee their homes to cuddle up on the motorway car behind car behind car behind dutch caravan. Well, let them go, as a German proverb goes: „Don’t hold back crazy people“.
Of course you are not crazy and therefore eagerly awaiting information on how to get the most refreshment, fun and joy out of the hottest time of the year. As you have figured out yourself by now, Darmstadt doesn’t have an ocean shore, so for cooling down a little it helps to check out the local lakes.
In Darmstadt, it is recommendable to head east. In the city center you will hit the „Woog“ on your way out to B26. It is the pride and joy of all real Heiner (as you know by now the nickname of Darmstadt born people) and this year it has been emptied, cleaned and refilled only recently.
On your way out east, direction Dieburger Straße, you will find the beautiful „Oberwaldhaus“. The lake there isn’t used for swimming, but there is a boat rental and a minigolf course.
On the same street a little deeper into the forest you will find the „Prinz von Hessen Grube“, which is really a little paradise for a day if you don’t forget to bring your own snacks, since the next Kiosk is at „Oberwaldhaus“ a good two kilometers away. (You also shouldn’t be too prudish, because you will find nudists at one of Grube’s two beaches.) If you are not quite sure how to get there: pass „Oberwaldhaus“ and then park your car in line with all the others in the middle of the forest and follow the people with towels around their shoulders.
For another pleasant cool down, in a well guarded surrounding, check „Arheilger Mühlchen“ up north between Arheilgen and Kranichstein. It is a little tricky to find but definitely worth the effort of looking it up, especially if you have toddlers. And if you have a more „No risk, No fun“ attitude, you might want to take a swim in the cooling lake of the Biblis power plant. What is so risky there? Google it.
If you like it less wet, every year around this time you will find lots of small, cute festivals around and in town, like Nonstock, Sound of the forest, Phungo, Golden Leaves and many more, which are introduced on our website: www.p-stadtkultur.de/festivalsommer-2018.
Don’t melt!
Yours, P.
