Ida-Viru & Northeast

Ida-Viru County challenges expectations by turning its industrial past into some of Estonia's most engaging attractions for older children and teenagers. The standout experience is the Estonian Mining Museum at Kohtla-Nõmme. Here, families don helmets and mining jackets to descend underground, riding a genuine workers' train through the tunnels while guides explain how oil shale was extracted. It is a loud, cool, and immersive history lesson that feels more like an adventure park. Nearby, the Aidu Watersports Centre utilizes a flooded former quarry for activities like dragon boating and water hiking, offering a landscape that looks like a majestic fjord.

History comes alive at the border city of Narva, where the imposing Hermann Castle faces the Ivangorod Fortress across the river in Russia. The castle's interactive museum allows kids to try on chainmail, handle replica swords, and learn about the Teutonic Knights. For a contrasting experience, a walk along the Sillamäe promenade showcases Stalinist architecture and leads directly to the sea, offering plenty of space for kids to run. The region also boasts distinct natural beauty; the Valaste Waterfall drops over the high limestone cliffs of the coast, providing a spectacular view from the steel viewing platform.

For families with younger children, the northern shore of Lake Peipus (Peipsi) offers kilometres of sandy beaches. Unlike the open sea, the lake water warms up quickly and lacks strong currents, making it excellent for swimming. The local "Onion Route" villages introduce visitors to the Old Believers' culture, where you can buy fresh smoked fish and sweet onion pies from roadside stands. While the region is safe for tourists, it is an industrial hub with a unique Soviet legacy, offering a gritty but fascinating contrast to the picture-perfect medieval towns elsewhere in Estonia.