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Journey with a stopover
A deliberately short first driving day with an afternoon arrival, leaving time for the Old Market Square.
The A2 in Poland is well maintained, but toll stations can get congested in summer.
This is where your trip begins. From Leipzig you'll head on the A14/A4 towards the Polish border - the stretch to the Baltic coast is too long for one day, so you'll break the journey with a stopover.
Poznan is a good halfway stop: the colourful Old Market Square with its merchants' houses and the town hall, where two mechanical billy goats appear at midday, is compact and easy to explore on foot. For teenagers there are ice-cream parlours, cafés and narrow lanes to wander through.
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Centrally located hotel within walking distance of the Old Market Square, with family rooms and easy parking. Handy for an overnight stop en route without a long detour.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Arrival at the coast
Arrival in the early afternoon - time to settle into the holiday flat and explore the promenade in Gdynia.
In the Tricity (Gdansk-Sopot-Gdynia), the SKM fast rail runs at frequent intervals - often more relaxing than driving and hunting for parking spaces for day trips.
After breakfast, you'll continue north towards the Baltic Sea.
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Gdynia is a young, modern port city and your base for the coming nights. The waterfront promenade with the sailing ship Dar Pomorza and the museum ship ORP Blyskawica is ideal for a first evening stroll. From here you can reach Gdansk, Sopot and the Hel Peninsula equally easily.
Holiday flat with kitchen and space for four people as your fixed base for the whole week. From here, Gdansk, Sopot and Hel are reachable by car or by the SKM fast rail, so you won't need to change accommodation every day.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Hanseatic city and brick Gothic
The old town has ground-level car parks and multi-storey car parks on the edges - but the SKM fast rail is more convenient.
The old town is easily walkable, and all three stops are close together.
The grand boulevard of Gdansk's old town, with the Neptune Fountain, the Artus Court and the richly decorated merchants' houses, is the heart of the city. Rebuilt faithfully after wartime destruction, it once again feels as it did in the Hanseatic era. Amber shops and cafés make the stroll enjoyable for teenagers too.
One of the largest brick churches in the world - the tower offers a sweeping view over the old town and the bay after 400 steps. Inside, the astronomical clock and the light-filled vaulting are impressive. The climb makes a great target for teenagers.
The medieval Crane Gate on the River Motlawa was once the largest port crane in Europe and is now a landmark of the city. Along the riverside promenade you'll find excursion boats, restaurants and the new Amber Museum. A good spot for a break by the water.
20th-century history
Westerplatte has a ground-level car park at the entrance.
If you fancy it, you can reach Westerplatte by excursion boat from the Crane Gate - it makes for a more varied day.
The award-winning museum at the former Lenin Shipyard tells the story of the Solidarnosc trade union, which began here in 1980 and helped bring about the fall of the Iron Curtain. The multimedia, highly visual exhibition speaks directly to teenagers. Outside, the shipyard gates and the memorial to the fallen shipyard workers commemorate the strikes.
Here, on 1 September 1939, the first shots of the Second World War were fired, when the German warship Schleswig-Holstein bombarded the Polish military outpost. Today, a large memorial, ruins and information boards across an extensive open site commemorate the defenders. The site is freely accessible and easy to explore on foot.
Seaside resort and relaxation
A deliberately quieter day with beach time and a short journey, giving you a chance to unwind between the bigger excursions.
For Sopot, the SKM is worth it - parking in the centre is expensive and often full in high summer.
At just over 500 metres, Sopot Pier is the longest wooden pier in Europe, reaching far out into the bay. At its head lies a small marina, and behind it begins the wide, fine sandy beach. The promenade Bohaterow Monte Cassino, with its crooked house, leads straight to the pier.
A wide, gently sloping sandy beach well suited to a day of swimming. There are beach bars, rental stations and plenty of space to play. A relaxed afternoon by the water before heading further out to the Hel Peninsula over the coming days.
Spit, sea and nature
Important for the approach: the spit has only one road, which gets heavily congested in high summer. The best alternative is the passenger ferry from Gdynia or Sopot direct to Hel - this avoids traffic jams and parking hassles entirely.
If you're driving, set off as early as possible in the morning and avoid planning the return trip during the evening rush.
At the end of the narrow spit lies the town of Hel, with wide, white beaches on both sides - the open Baltic Sea to the north, a calmer bay to the south. The water is shallow and good for swimming, and there's rental equipment for stand-up paddleboarding and windsurfing. A long beach day with watersports options for the teenagers.
The seal sanctuary run by the Marine Institute keeps grey seals in large pools and explains the reintroduction of this once nearly extinct species to the Baltic Sea. Feedings with explanations take place several times a day. Illustrative and educational, and engaging for older children too.
Watersports
Jastarnia has its own railway station - the train from Gdynia is a jam-free alternative for getting there.
Windsurfing courses usually take place in the late morning or afternoon, when the thermal wind picks up - plan your journey accordingly.
The flat, sheltered bay on the southern side of the peninsula near Jastarnia is considered one of the best spots for beginners in windsurfing and kitesurfing. Several surf schools offer courses and equipment hire. Ideal for letting the teenagers get into the water under guidance.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
After the watersports, round off the day at Jastarnia's quiet local beach. The small fishing town on the spit is more tranquil than Hel and has cosy fish restaurants. A good place to wind down.
Castle and folk culture
This day involves more driving time - around 4.5 hours behind the wheel in total, so keep it manageable. Set off early so you see the castle before the biggest crowds arrive.
If you'd prefer things quieter, you can skip the ethnographic park and spend the afternoon on Gdynia's beach instead.
Malbork Castle is the largest brick castle in the world and was once the seat of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. The immense complex of High, Middle and Lower Castle on the River Nogat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can be explored with an audio guide - the armoury, refectories and battlements are sure to delight teenagers especially. Allow at least two to three hours.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Poland's oldest open-air museum displays relocated farmhouses, a church, windmills and workshops of Kashubian folk culture amid a lakeland landscape. Craft demonstrations and the extensive grounds make for an engaging visit. A pleasant, calm contrast to the mighty castle in the morning.
Farewell to the Bay of Gdansk
Since the trip ends at its destination, the last day is deliberately left free for a relaxed beach morning.
If you're driving back yourselves afterwards: it's best to split the return journey to Leipzig into two stages again, with a stopover in Poznan.
The Orlowo district has one of the finest beaches in the Tricity, with its own small pier and the striking Klif Orlowski cliff. A final beach morning for swimming and strolling before the trip ends. Cafés by the water invite you to a farewell breakfast.
Your trip along the Bay of Gdansk ends in Gdynia. From here you can head home or extend your stay independently - the holiday flat was your fixed base for the whole week.
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