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Family vacation

My husband, myself and our two teenage daughters will be traveling to Germany and France the end of June into July, our first trip to Europe. We will be flying into Zurich taking a train to Basel/Mulhouse to rent a car and driving to Staufen ( ancestors are from there) for two days. Then driving to Turckheim, France to stay in a VRBO rental property for a week and then finishing the trip with a three day stay in Paris, also in a VRBO rental apartment.
What are some must sees and things to do.

Posted by
776 posts

Without knowing your interests, travel goals, ages and budget your questions are far too general for a stranger to answer
The best place to start for any travel is always, even in this day and age, a guidebook. Then come back to a travel forum with more specific questions.

Posted by
11645 posts

As 75020 says, a guidebook is a good place to start so you can zero in on your family’s interests.

I am curious why you chose a week in Turckheim if you are not certain what to do and why a week there and only 3 days (I hope that is 4 nights) in Paris.

We are experienced travelers about to visit the Alsace region for the first time next month and will pass a week in Colmar, but I read two guidebooks in the area (Rick Steves and Lonely Planet) plus cruised the Forum before deciding on how long to stay and what to see and do.

Posted by
124 posts

Carmington,
Wow congratulations on your upcoming trip. Were taking our two teenage girls to Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and England in July so I'm right there with you. You guys will have a blast. I'll give a couple suggestions as I have taken my then teen son to Europe as well.

Zurich - haven't been yet but I would start with their tourist site: https://www.zuerich.com/en and check out Dennis Callan's youtube channel he's got a whole playlist for Zurich: https://www.youtube.com/user/denniscallan.

Basel - you didn't say if your visiting are just picking up a car but I would recommend the Kuntsmusem Basel, and of course the colorful tiled roof Münster.

Stafen - I assume you mean Staufen im Breisgau? Well I haven't been there but to nearby Freiburg im Breisgau. So the open air black forrest museum in Gutach is a must see (Schwarzwalder Freilichtmuseum Vogtsbauernhof): https://www.vogtsbauernhof.de/en
Turckheim - Well it's very lovely so get your camera ready all your pictures will look like postcards. However, its quiet and just a couple of restaurants and shops by the main gate. We really enjoyed our visit in 2017 because it was quite and calm. Luckily for the teens there's an easy short train ride to Colmar. I would recommend a petite venise boat tour (your girls will be amazed at how these boats fit under those short bridges), Marché couvert, and the Unterlinden.
Paris - well there's so much to see and do here. When my son was a teen he loved the Catacombs, Musée d'Orsay, Cimetière du Père Lachaise, climbing the tower at Notre Dame, and the river cruise.

Get your girls to watch to Rick Steve's (that might be hard I love Rick, but mine find him dull and boring) or research online and request them to select a site or activity. They will have more fun if they take ownership of the trip. One of ours for our upcoming trip insisting on visiting a tea house so we researched a tea hose close to another site we're visiting in York. My other daughter wanted to ride bikes so we scheduled a ride through the vineyards around Beaune. When my son went to Paris he wanted to visit a French Castle so we went to Château de Vincennes.

I hope you and your family have a great trip!

Posted by
4656 posts

Are you returning the car to Basel to avoid the one way drop fees?

Posted by
12313 posts

Around Turkheim all of the towns on the wine route, from Colmar to Strasbourg, are more beautiful than the last. They each have their own claim to fame, pick a handful and enjoy them. There is a great castle Haut-Koenigsbourg that is an outstanding castle to tour. Near there is the "Monkey Mountain" (La Montagne des Singes). Like Gibraltar, there are a bunch of Barbary Apes to see.

Freiburg is another nice city that isn't a long drive from there. I visited there, skipped Karlruhe and Baden Baden, then spent one night up in Heidelberg.

There are too many options in Paris to discuss in one post. Pull up tripadvisor for "things to do" and see what looks interesting to your family.