Rowy with young children: beach, harbour and the Rowokół lookout tower

Before we started travelling around Europe with our kids, we kept going back to the seaside in Rowy, a small village between Ustka and Łeba on the Polish Baltic coast. We were there in June 2010, in May and August 2011 and in July 2012. The first time, Krzyś was three and Agata just a few months old. Two years later Justyna joined us, still a baby. These were quiet trips: the beach, playgrounds, ice cream and walks. We also took our bikes with us. The most interesting outing turned out to be Rowokół, the holy hill of the Slovincians, with its lookout tower.

We wrote about Rowy from a later trip, in 2022, in our post Rowy with kids and a dog.

The beach and the harbour on the Łupawa

The beach in Rowy is wide and sandy, and the Łupawa river splits it in two. In May 2011 it was still too cold for a swim, but just right for a walk along the shore. Krzyś ran around with his spade, and Agata toddled after him across the sand.

There is a small fishing harbour at the mouth of the Łupawa. Krzyś got a close look at the fishing boats moored along the quay.

A road train, carousels and playgrounds

For little kids, Rowy was full of things to do. In 2010 Krzyś rode the carousel and the little ride-on cars. In August 2011 a colourful road train called Bajkowa Ciuchcia (the Fairy-tale Train) ran through the streets of Rowy, so we took the kids for a ride.

In July 2012 we spent most of our time at playgrounds and in a play centre. Krzyś rode a pedal go-kart, and together with Agata he went down an inflatable slide and dived into a ball pit. The playground we had already been to in 2010 stood in the shade of pine trees, so it was bearable even on a hot day.

Rowokół: the holy hill of the Slovincians

On 4 July 2012 we drove to Smołdzino, a little over ten minutes from Rowy. Above the village rises Rowokół, a wooded hill 115 m above sea level. It was once a place of worship and later a pilgrimage site. The Slovincians, who used to live in this area, considered it a holy hill.

A forest path leads to the top. Krzyś and Agata ran on ahead, while Justyna was carried. On the summit there is a metal lookout tower about 20 m high. From the top you can see the surrounding villages, fields and forests, and Lake Gardno further away.

Practical info

Checked in November 2026.

• The blue trail from Smołdzino leads up Rowokół. The walk to the tower is about 1 km and takes 20-25 minutes.
• The tower on Rowokół belongs to Słowiński National Park. It is open from May to September, from 9:00 to 20:00 in July and August. It may be closed in fog, rain or strong wind.
• A ticket for the tower costs 10 zł, or 5 zł reduced. Children under 7 go up for free.
• Lake Gardno covers almost 2,500 ha but is only up to 2.6 m deep. It is linked to the sea by the Łupawa, which flows into the Baltic right in Rowy.
• Smołdzino also has the Natural History Museum of Słowiński National Park, and nearby, in Kluki, there is the Museum of the Slovincian Village, an open-air museum.