Austria/Germany/Dolomites/Paris Suggestions

That's a lot of 2-night stays. That pace would make the trip a blur for me. Have you checked transit time between your proposed stops? I would drop one stop and as much as I love the Dolomites, that is an outlier for you. Bolzano will be HOT in August.

Laurel--Thank you for your response. I am worried about the pace of the trip. However, drives between hotels will be no longer than 3 hours, some shorter. We are planning to stay up in the Alpe di Suisi. Will it be as hot there as in Bolzano? The hotel does not have ac.

I have been in the Alpe di Siusi when it hit 37 Celsius, about 99 Fahrenheit. It was awful. The good news is that it is rare (at least it was rare until a few years ago) and it cools off at night a great deal. Are you aware of the restrictions on driving into and out of the AdS?

Driving in and out of the Alpe di Siusi is a bit confusing. Can we drive up and then leave the car parked any time? If not, do you know if there is a parking lot at the cable car to get up there?
The area looks beautiful.

We did almost this exact trip in the 80s when I was a teenager. It was horrible and I remember nothing. Please pick 1 or 2 alpine bases and stay longer. I suggest somewhere in the Salzkammergut and Seefeld.

Perhaps this will help https://www.seiseralm.it/en/info/getting-around/traffic-regulation.html

If your hotel is on the AdS, you must arrive before 10 AM or after 5 PM and you cannot drive around at will during the day. If people did it would be a disaster like most US parks. You’ll need a pass or tickets for the busses and lifts.

There is a large lot at the base station of the cable way but I have no idea if it ever fills up in summer as we go in the fall. It is indeed a gorgeous area but you would do well to spend at least three nights to enjoy it. The biggest regret I hear from people is that they wish they had stayed longer.

Thank you. That site is helpful--it seems like we can drive up and park any time if we have a hotel booked. If we change our plans, and spend 3 nights in the Dolomites, do you think it is wise to stay in a hotel (with half board) on the Alpe or stay in the Val Gardenia? I have a reservation for 2 nights at the Bellavista, which is reasonably priced. Everything for families that I have found in Ortisei is very expensive.

Emily--I appreciate your perspective. We are spending 6 nights in the Salzkammergut. So many beautiful places. We have spent 2 nights in other places and had no regrets (e.g., Murren, Zermatt, Lake Geneva, Strasbourg), but I am considering revising our itinerary with fewer places.

dab,

I count 15+ times you will be handling luggage on this trip. Either dragging it to or from train/hotel/car/upstairs/downstairs. By the time you get back to Munich, you and the kids will be exhausted.

If you are going the first 2 weeks in August, the Alps will still be a little hot. Ask for a room on the east side of the building as the sun does not set early. The weather changes noticeably between the 2nd and 3rd week of August and can get really cool/cold in the evenings.

Anyone driving the vehicle will need an International Drivers' Permit in Austria. Also, you will need to a vignette for your vehicle before entering Austria. These can be purchased at any gas station in Germany while approaching Austria. Please see the link below. Scroll down to General Information and open the .pdf to view the map for the roads covered by the vignette. There will also be a toll for the A13 between Innsbruck and Italy.

asfinag

Austria is beautiful and you will have a great vacation.

Thank you for the information regarding driving in Austria. I didn't know we needed an International Drivers License. Still contemplating my itinerary. It's really hard to give up either the Dolomites or Heiligenblut.

If we change our plans, and spend 3 nights in the Dolomites, do you think it is wise to stay in a hotel (with half board) on the Alpe or stay in the Val Gardenia? I have a reservation for 2 nights at the Bellavista, which is reasonably priced. Everything for families that I have found in Ortisei is very expensive.

Half-board is a wonderful thing. It is great to experience this European way of travel even if just for a few nights. After a busy day, your dinner options are set and, in our experience, they are good meals. (In the area, we've stayed at the Hotel Albion, Hotel Saltria, Hotel Steger Dellai, and Alpenhotel Panorama with half-board. We usually do this as a getaway during a two or three-week stay in Ortisei in a self-catering situation.) I do now know the Bellavista, but if the reviews are suitable to you, it will be fine. There is plenty of hiking on the AdS for two full days of activity. This will be totally different from your other stops.

It is not a license, it is a permit that describes your driving privileges. See the link below for more info. Note: They are good for 1 year from the date that you put on them. Not from purchase date.

IDP

Having spent a considerable amount of time driving the Fieberbrunn/Kitzbuhel/Berchtesgaden/Salzburg area over the past 10 years, the Dolomite/Heiligenblut/Salzburg/St. Wolfgang portion seems like a lot moving/driving in a short bit of time.

For the Seiser Alm / Alpe de Suisi you need park in the garage next to the gondola in Ortisei and then ride the gondola up. You cannot drive a private car on the roads on most of the Alpe de Suisi. You can also take a bus up there but it will take a bit of time unless you are staying in a hotel closer to it. We have stayed at hotel Uhrerhof Deur - there's a bus stop at the end of the road that takes you up in just a few minutes.

Anita, They can park at the Siusi base station (blue gondolas) and reach Compatsch where there are hotels and the #11 bus runs all the way to Saltria. More options than going up at Ortisei.

Thank you to all who have responded. According to Viamichelin, the entire drive starting and ending in Munich is only 12-13 hours (this is over 11 days). We are experienced travelers, and checking in and out of hotels is not particularly onerous, but for those familiar with driving in the areas we are visiting, is Viamichelin's estimated time not realistic?

On another note, and perhaps I should ask this in a different thread, anyone familiar with the 11th arrondissement in Paris? Restaurant recs? Is it a fun area for 15 & 16 year olds who have been to Paris, but not the area?