Berlin, Germany

I've not camped, but Potsdam is a great day trip from Berlin. It's easy to get there on the SBahn followed by a bus ride to the palace grounds. It's a full day so get an early start. Pam

Don't laugh at this, but you should take a look at Tropical Islands just outside Berlin. Camping, and a connection to the city center. You can also rent a tent and sleep on the beach! We send our middle daughter (lives in Berlin) there when the winter days are cold and bleak. Fun in summer too - we're going back this summer! http://www.tropical-islands.de/en/visitors.html

We appreciate the great ideas. Tropical Islands was not there when I lived in Berlin in the 80's! Sounds
like fun.

This company is great: http://www.berlinwalks.com/ I took their general orientation walking tour and it was excellent. Lead by a very knowledgeable and personable tour guide and it gave a comprehensive orientation to Berlin, including it's volatile and significant history. As Berlin is a very large city with the main tourist sites sort of scattered, I found it very helpful. The main orientation tour meets in front of Zoo train station (Banhoff Zoo); their office is in the station, really easy to purchase your tickets there, and ends at Checkpoint Charlie and the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (so that's a great opportunity to then visit this excellent museum, which is what I did). And that's not very far (pretty easy walk) to the Jewish Museum Berlin, another outstanding Berlin Museum. Berlin Walks has other walking tours as well, focusing on different subjects, themes, etc. Although I only did the Orientation one. Check it out; it's very reasonably priced and you won't be disappointed. You're off to a fantastic, fascinating city; enjoy.

Linda, I should have specified above, the "orientation" walk is actually called the "Discover Berlin Tour." It's been a few years, so guess I forgot the exact name! It's the 1st one listed on their site.

Linda, If you lived in West Berlin in 1980s, I am sure you must have taken an all day tour from West Berlin to Potsdam, which is what I did the first time in 1987...a very contrasting view of Potsdam then. As regards to a day tour to Potsdam, I went with Kaisertour Potsdam when I was back there in the summer of 2009. Their bus is at the exit of the train station, no reservations needed. The narration is given in German first, then English, but when you listen carefully, sometimes the English narration is abridged. If you're interested in Prussian history, the tours stops at Neues Palais. At the end they take you back to the station.

I went on the Original Berlin Walks intro tour. For 10EUR (I think? We paid the youth discount rate, which was cheaper), you get a 4-hour walking tour of all of the major sights, and the guide was really knowledgeable and entertaining. We didn't check out any of their other themed walks, but if they are anything like the intro walk, I would highly recommend.

The walking tour sounds just right. I never did get to Potsdam---I booked a bus trip, but my passport was snatched while waiting for the German tour!
Thanks for the info.