Ellwangen is the town of the churches and called the landscape of the lakes, yes we've got a lot of them nearby. In summertime good for a swim, or renting a boat.

Some of them are are natural public pools with kiosk and lifeguards, others only natural lakes, where you can swim, grilling is allowed. One of them has got a wonderful Beach Bar.

if you like to hiking, enjoy the wonderful nature of the "schwäbische Alb". Nearby you can start a hiking-trail, you can make a day trip 15km for example and come back by bus. Or you plan a longer hike and stay over night, for example in Schwäbisch Hall, an attractive historical town. Here you find all information, where to have lunch, where to stay over night, where the bus stop is: https://www.kocher-jagst-trail.de

there's a similar route by bike. You can also plan a day-trip and come back by train from Crailsheim to Ellwangen or Schwäbisch-Hall to Ellwangen. Check it out: https://www.kocher-jagst.de/Kocher-Jagst-Radweg/Der-Radweg.html

2-3 km distance
you can visit the big indoor-pool with ocean waves and outdoor area www.ellwanger-wellenbad.de
and museum of alaman www.ellwangen.de/index.php?id=471
or visit the castle with a museum https://www.gav-ellwangen.de/schlossmuseum-ellwangen/
and visit the famous restaurant there https://www.schloss-schenke.de/
if you like to have some sport and fun, see the fitness parcours https://www.trimm-dich-pfad.com/standorte/verzeichnis/plz-7/73479-trimm-dich-pfad-ellwangen

5 and 7 km distance
there are two lakes (look at the fotos), good for swimming and SUP, with kiosk, children's playground and possiblity for grilling (make reservation before) http://www.kressbachsee.de
and Bucher Stausee https://www.kiosk-leuchtturm.com/ where you can rent a boat, SUP, great playground next to the beach-bar, where you can enjoy wonderful cocktails.

20-30 Minutes
you can find a historical show-mine, and visit by small train www.bergwerk-aalen.de
in spring or autumn you can visit the thermal bath with sauna www.limes-thermen.de
if it's raining, join the childrens fun park https://funtasia-dkb.de/
or visit the Museum of the roman limes www.limesmuseum.de
or visit the railway museum www.bayerisches-eisenbahnmuseum.de

30-45 Minutes
you can find the famous "romantic street" where some famous historical towns like DINKELSBÜHL, ROTHENBURG ord NÖRDLINGEN are located like a string of pearls
https://www.romantischestrasse.de/alle-orte/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber/
every tourist from oversea would like to visit these fantastic historical old town
if you like to go there by bike, it's only 30km

45 Minutes to the franconian lake district (Fränkisches Seenland)
there are two big lakes, where you can do or learn windsurfing or kite-surfing - www.fraenkisches-seenland.de/altmuehlsee/
and climbing with zip-line http://enderndorf.abenteuer-wald.com/

45 Minutes to Schwäbisch-Hall:
always worth a trip, indoor and outdoor, the Schenkensee outdoor and indoor pool https://www.schenkenseebad.de/
raining wheather? go to the megajump trampolin-park http://www.megajump-sha.de/
or better like indoor-climbing? http://www.fitness-sha.de/sport-mega-drom-kletter-arena.html
since the parents would like to go to the sauna http://www.fitness-sha.de/sport-mega-drom-sauna.html
your children would have fun at http://www.kinderland-lollipop.de/

less than 1 hour
there's playmobil funpark www.playmobil-funpark.de
and LEGOLAND www.legoland.de/

about 1 hour away
you can find the famous Stuttgart Zoo www.wilhelma.de
or Nuremberg https://tiergarten.nuernberg.de
an a lot of more attractions there, also famous for shopping
easily to reach by direct intercity-train within one hour + a few minutes with tram