North Germany family holiday this summer - help!

[Firstaidnovice]

We are going to Germany this summer to meet up with some very good friends, who live in the US but will be in Germany for several months for work. I think we will get the ferry/tunnel and drive across, and the plan is we will all holiday together somewhere on the north coast, not too far from Hamburg. Problem is i have literally no idea where to start looking. I usually start by looking at articles on eg guardian travel, or indeed old MN threads, but it feels like there is very little out there for this area, and I don't know anyone who has been.

I'm not entirely sure what we're looking for, we might also take our tent but our friends will need a mobile home/cabin. Definitely not hotel, and I think I'd prefer campsite type place rather than self catering. Probably close to the coast, but not a big resort type place, just walking, cycling, swimming in the sea type thing. Kids will be 12, 10, 8 and 5.

If anyone has any suggestions of places to start looking it would be much appreciated!

Warnemunde?

Travemünde is lovely, easy to drive to on the coast and within easy reach of Lübeck which has a beautiful medieval centre

Rugen has interested me since reading this guardian article (a long time ago). haven't been but still on my list
www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/jun/09/germany.familyholidays

Not north coast but we camped at Stover Strand on the Elbe just south of Hamburg on two road trips to Scandinavia. Last time was 2012 though. Some of it is static caravans with German families who spend whole summers there and there are big fields by the river that are less organised pitches for caravans and tents. We only spent one night at a time there each way but did keep going back and it looked like there was plenty to do - boat trips, bike hire - for people staying longer. But it is a river and not the sea.

www.camping-stover-strand.de/

Look around Eustin, roughly an hour north of Hamburg, huge area with big lakes you can swim in. Lots to do with children within an hour drive or less.

Travemünde or Warnemünde are nice beach towns, German beach towns are very different from British ones, no arcades.

Lübeck is good for a day trip, Hamburg is easily 2 days so you could add this at the end or the beginning.

You won’t find resorts like Butlins or similar. You can camp and there may be the possibility to hire mobile homes, but German are also big on self catering apartments, I wouldn’t discount themu less you are really against it and then you need to look at hotels.

You could try Kinderhotels or Familotel if you want to go that route.

Rügen is suppose to be lovely but I haven’t been to the eastern side of the Baltic yet.

Thanks all, will look into these. Definitely not looking for a Butlins type place. We usually stay in a really small campsite in the Vendée, and looking for a similar vibe, in terms of quiet beaches, cycling, etc. The reasoning behind mobile homes is so that both families can have our own accommodation. From experience even with two families who really get on well, it's nice to have your own space.
I think we (just our family) will do a longer trip, possibly visiting relatives in Belgium, and I'd be keen to see Hamburg too, but for this joint but we're keen to just stay in one place and relax.
The lakes definitely sound interesting, will look into them, thanks. I love sea swimming, hence thinking coast, but could be converted to freshwater I'm sure! And I read the same guardian article about Rugen @Snuffkindle! I just need to look at a map properly and figure out where everything is.

You should look at the Friesian Islands. It’s a long time since I was there but Norderney was lovely, unspoilt, with lots of beaches and is car free (or at least used be) so very safe for biking etc. There are lots of ferry trips to the surrounding islands as well.

You could take a look at dorfhotel.com which is a bit like a German center Parcs. I‘ve not been but friends go quite regularly.

Travemünde is lovely, easy to drive to on the coast and within easy reach of Lübeck which has a beautiful medieval centre
Exactly what I was going to suggest. A long time ago I lived about an hour south of Hamburg and would also say these are great places to visit.

Ah, thanks all, I've only just seen these replies. After many hours of research, we are actually now meeting our friends in Amsterdam for various reasons. It's making more sense practically, but I've been doing German on Duolingo for two months which is quite annoying!!

Warnemunde is lovely I wish we could go back