The main beach stretches for about three kilometres along the western shore of Eckernförder Bucht, the sheltered bay that gives the town its mild summer character. The water is calm and relatively shallow, warming up reliably in July and August — for the Baltic, it can feel almost Mediterranean. Rows of Strandkörbe, the traditional wicker beach chairs with retractable hoods, are rented out in summer and occupied from morning to evening.
The beach is backed by a tree-lined promenade popular with walkers and cyclists, and the transition from town to shore is unusually easy — no main road to cross, just the promenade path. At the northern end, the beach becomes quieter and the dunes are lightly wooded. Families with small children tend to cluster at the central section, where the water is shallowest and the lifeguard post is most visible.