Summers here get hot, and the answer is open-air pools, a sandy lake beach and splash fields tucked into the parks. Some days call for a 10m diving tower, others for a toddler-deep paddling pool under the trees. Here's what we checked, from the giant zero-depth pool at Brentanobad to the forest beach at Langener Waldsee.
Riedbad is a city-run pool complex with an indoor hall and a large summer outdoor pool. Indoors there is a 25m pool with 1m and 3m boards and a 33°C learner pool.
Outdoors, kids get a heated play pool with a slide, a shaded splash pool with water toys, a 5m diving platform, a big playground, a play lawn, table tennis and beach volleyball.
Volkspark Niddatal, which locals call Niddapark or the BUGA grounds, is the city's largest park, with 168 hectares of riverside meadows along the Nidda. On its western edge sits a big play area with a climbing castle, a large sandbox, a double zip line, tire swings, ping-pong tables and a skate park. Next to it, a splash area sprays fountains with no pool, so even toddlers can run through.
A former Rothschild estate, opened as a public park in 1892, with old, dense trees in the south and wide lawns to the north. Kids head for the water play area with its spray field and for the adventure playground. Look for the life-size copper bull from 1910 on the west side.
Each summer the Stoffel open-air festival fills the park with concerts, a night flea market and a kids' program.
Waldspielpark Louisa is a city-run play park among the trees of the Frankfurt Stadtwald, with sandy play areas, swings and a big wooden ship to climb. In summer, a splash field and a paddling pool no deeper than 35 cm give kids a way to cool off.
Toilets are on site, and a kiosk sits on the road in front of the park. Dogs are not allowed inside.
Waldspielpark Tannenwald is a forest playground run by the city of Frankfurt on the edge of Neu-Isenburg. The big draw is the water play area: a spray field and jets on a natural-stone surface, with a red fish sculpture that spits water.
Frankfurt and Neu-Isenburg rebuilt it for €1.3 million after a four-year closure, adding a new building with toilets. It suits kids who want to get soaked on a hot day.
A forest play park in the Stadtwald, built around a water spray field where kids run through the jets on hot days. There is a separate children's play area and an 18-hole mini golf course with large wooden figures.
The sports side has a roller skating rink, table tennis, a basketball court and a soccer field. A kiosk and toilets are on site.
A thermal bath and leisure pool under a domed roof, with two giant slides, water cannons, current pools, a waterfall and whirlpools. Older kids jump from the 1m and 3m boards or swim lengths in the 25m sports pool.
Toddlers have a separate area with its own pool, water toys, a small slide and a changing room, and there is a large outdoor pool area too.
Stadionbad is a big city outdoor pool beside the football stadium in the Stadtwald forest. It has a 50m lap pool, a diving tower with boards from 1m up to 10m, and an adventure pool with a waterfall, a current channel and slides.
Toddlers get their own splash pool and a playground, there is a separate non-swimmer pool, and wide lawns leave room for a picnic blanket and a long afternoon.
Brentanobad is a municipal outdoor pool in Rödelheim. Its main pool stretches over 220 meters, sloping from zero depth to 1.80m, with a grille marking off a non-swimmer zone that has its own slide. A 16-meter wide slide drops into the swimmer section.
Toddlers get a paddling pool with water play features under a sun sail, and the grounds add a playground with a huge sandbox.
Silobad is an outdoor public pool in Unterliederbach. Kids who can't swim yet get an 850 m² shallow pool with a wide slide, a water mushroom and the Froschkönig (Frog Prince) island, and toddlers have a paddling pool partly under a sun sail. Confident swimmers get a 50m pool with 1m and 3m boards. On the lawns: a playground, minigolf, beach volleyball, table tennis and a snack bar.
Strandbad Langener Waldsee is the bathing beach on the Langener Waldsee, a lake of about 75 hectares in the woods between Langen, Walldorf and Dreieich. Kids get 900 meters of sand and lawns, water to swim and splash in, and sailboats and windsurfers to watch on the lake.
Beach volleyball courts, a restaurant, showers and a campground share the grounds. Dogs and barbecues are not allowed.
Summers here get hot, and the answer is open-air pools, a sandy lake beach and splash fields tucked into the parks. Some days call for a 10m diving tower, others for a toddler-deep paddling pool under the trees. Here's what we checked, from the giant zero-depth pool at Brentanobad to the forest beach at Langener Waldsee.
Riedbad is a city-run pool complex with an indoor hall and a large summer outdoor pool. Indoors there is a 25m pool with 1m and 3m boards and a 33°C learner pool.
Outdoors, kids get a heated play pool with a slide, a shaded splash pool with water toys, a 5m diving platform, a big playground, a play lawn, table tennis and beach volleyball.
Volkspark Niddatal, which locals call Niddapark or the BUGA grounds, is the city's largest park, with 168 hectares of riverside meadows along the Nidda. On its western edge sits a big play area with a climbing castle, a large sandbox, a double zip line, tire swings, ping-pong tables and a skate park. Next to it, a splash area sprays fountains with no pool, so even toddlers can run through.
A former Rothschild estate, opened as a public park in 1892, with old, dense trees in the south and wide lawns to the north. Kids head for the water play area with its spray field and for the adventure playground. Look for the life-size copper bull from 1910 on the west side.
Each summer the Stoffel open-air festival fills the park with concerts, a night flea market and a kids' program.
Waldspielpark Louisa is a city-run play park among the trees of the Frankfurt Stadtwald, with sandy play areas, swings and a big wooden ship to climb. In summer, a splash field and a paddling pool no deeper than 35 cm give kids a way to cool off.
Toilets are on site, and a kiosk sits on the road in front of the park. Dogs are not allowed inside.
Waldspielpark Tannenwald is a forest playground run by the city of Frankfurt on the edge of Neu-Isenburg. The big draw is the water play area: a spray field and jets on a natural-stone surface, with a red fish sculpture that spits water.
Frankfurt and Neu-Isenburg rebuilt it for €1.3 million after a four-year closure, adding a new building with toilets. It suits kids who want to get soaked on a hot day.
A forest play park in the Stadtwald, built around a water spray field where kids run through the jets on hot days. There is a separate children's play area and an 18-hole mini golf course with large wooden figures.
The sports side has a roller skating rink, table tennis, a basketball court and a soccer field. A kiosk and toilets are on site.
A thermal bath and leisure pool under a domed roof, with two giant slides, water cannons, current pools, a waterfall and whirlpools. Older kids jump from the 1m and 3m boards or swim lengths in the 25m sports pool.
Toddlers have a separate area with its own pool, water toys, a small slide and a changing room, and there is a large outdoor pool area too.
Stadionbad is a big city outdoor pool beside the football stadium in the Stadtwald forest. It has a 50m lap pool, a diving tower with boards from 1m up to 10m, and an adventure pool with a waterfall, a current channel and slides.
Toddlers get their own splash pool and a playground, there is a separate non-swimmer pool, and wide lawns leave room for a picnic blanket and a long afternoon.
Brentanobad is a municipal outdoor pool in Rödelheim. Its main pool stretches over 220 meters, sloping from zero depth to 1.80m, with a grille marking off a non-swimmer zone that has its own slide. A 16-meter wide slide drops into the swimmer section.
Toddlers get a paddling pool with water play features under a sun sail, and the grounds add a playground with a huge sandbox.
Silobad is an outdoor public pool in Unterliederbach. Kids who can't swim yet get an 850 m² shallow pool with a wide slide, a water mushroom and the Froschkönig (Frog Prince) island, and toddlers have a paddling pool partly under a sun sail. Confident swimmers get a 50m pool with 1m and 3m boards. On the lawns: a playground, minigolf, beach volleyball, table tennis and a snack bar.
Strandbad Langener Waldsee is the bathing beach on the Langener Waldsee, a lake of about 75 hectares in the woods between Langen, Walldorf and Dreieich. Kids get 900 meters of sand and lawns, water to swim and splash in, and sailboats and windsurfers to watch on the lake.
Beach volleyball courts, a restaurant, showers and a campground share the grounds. Dogs and barbecues are not allowed.
