1st Time to Germany

Do to it being Octoberfest, will it be necessary to figure out where we are going to stay every night a head of time? No, Oktoberfest only affects Munich. Some other cities hold their own harvest festivals, but these don't have as large effect on lodging because they attract far fewer international tourists.

Not sure if it's fits your itinerary but if you want an experience like Oktoberfest and don't want to go to Munich, consider Stuttgart Volksfest. It starts Sep 22. Unlike Oktoberfest you can book tents and tables online. https://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/en/e-stuttgart-beer-festival-2017

Thank you for the responses. I appreciate the advice.

"and the last 3 nights of the trip (That leaves 5 more nights somewhere)"

The last 3 nights... WHERE?

Why only 1 night in Nuremberg? There's more around there than just an airport. Sounds like you've planned less than a day there, right? Before you move on to Rothenburg, see some of Germany's most interesting towns... Nuremberg, Bamberg, Bad Windsheim, Iphofen, and/or Bayreuth. All are within day-trip distance of Nuremberg, and a day trip by train for two to these towns costs only €19 with a local day pass. Würzburg is a great town too.

We will arrive in Nurnberg around 11:30 am have the afternoon and most of the next day to sight see. We could stay another night, no rush. Have never done this so wasn't sure how to plan things without wearing ourselves out. I will look into the places you suggested.
Our last 3 nights - 2 at Hotel Burg Liebstein and the last night in Frankfurt, flying out the next morning.

"We will arrive in Nurnberg around 11:30 am have the afternoon and most of the next day to sight see."

With that first plan: after landing, you'll probably have a couple hours tied up with bag collection, transit to hotel, check-in and unpacking. You'll probably want lunch too. So perhaps some of the afternoon will be available. If you have most of the next day as well, that sounds good, as long as your sightseeing goals in Nuremberg are limited. Some things like the Nazi Doc center and rally grounds, take time.

But your plan on Day 2 was to arrive in the early evening in Rothenburg - and on Day 3 you're leaving for Füssen. Many do this journey along the Romantic Road (which is nearly 500 km along mostly pokey country roads starting from Würzburg - not sure from Rothenburg but only slightly less I'd guess.) If that's your plan, I think you'll find yourselves arriving very late in Füssen if you stop and investigate some towns along the way (which is the whole point, really; the road itself isn't very interesting.) And back in Rothenburg, you'll basically have time for dinner, overnight, and breakfast. That's not much.

So yes - a 2nd night in Nuremberg would allow a little more time in N'berg, and most of Day 3 for Rothenburg. Then you could drive south to Füssen on Day 4 (from dawn to dusk if taking the Romantic Road... some spend 3-4 days on this route.) But since you have the extra time, I suggest you add a night on the RR mid-way between R'burg and Füssen. Nördlingen or Harburg might be good.

So that spends two of the 5 nights you asked about...

I would use the remaining 3 nights as follows...

• 1 night to break up the long drive from Füssen to Burg Liebenstein... Tübingen is a good choice. Or perhaps drive a bit further to Bad Wimpfen, also on the Neckar River (which provides a scenic drive as well.)

• 2 additional nights in Franconia (Nuremberg-Rothenburg area) to see some of the places previously suggested (Bamberg, Iphofen, etc.) Right now you have 1 night planned in Nuremberg (2 if you take my tip above) and 1 in Rothenburg. But I would definitely reconsider this whole stay. Why not make Franconia your area for the "unplanned"?? It's perfect for that. What I mean by this is picking one central town for your 4-5-night base, so you need not worry about having a place to put your heads - but keep your days completely open and freewheeling, do your planning as you go, and make day trips as the mood suits you. There's no reason you have to stay in Nuremberg just because you land there, or Rothenburg either. Find a place to stay in between for 5 nights. Or if you prefer, spend Night 1 in N'berg and Nights 2-5 in the unnamed base town. Neustadt-an-der-Aisch is a simple, attractive town I have used with my family as a Franconian base. I's positioned so that trips to/from Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg and Rothenburg are nearly equidistant. Bad Windsheim and Iphofen are very close. But there are many small towns that might work for you. Iphofen itself has a good location for these outings.

Happy planning. Hope this helps.

I really like your ideas. 5 nights in 1 place won't work because we are also going to the black forest. But 3 nights in a small town around Nurnberg to see the sights would work. Traveling then to Fussen - stopping along the way - to see the Alps and area Castles (3 nights total). Then on to Schonwald in the Black Forest (my great grandparents are from there) stopping along the way (3 nights total) continuing on up to the middle Rhine - last leg of the journey 3 nights & 3 days) - Flying out of Frankfurt on day 13.

Originally our plan was to just see the Rhine & the Black Forest but my husband really wants to go to Nurnberg & Rotherburg Ob Der Tauber. So that got thrown in along with Fussen and the Castles in that area. But I'm afraid we are going to end up doing way more driving than we really want.

Any recommendations of where to stop along the way from Fussen to the Black Forest?

Thanks,

Diana

We visited these areas on our trip to Germany last summer.

We flew into Frankfurt and then spent 2 nights in Rothenburg Od Der Tauber before heading down RR. Dinkelsbuhl was a cute little walled city if you want more of that after R.OD T. We stayed several nights in the Fussen area and absolutely loved Oberammergau (close to another of Ludwig's castles and a monastery), if you want another adorable town in which to stay/explore. Could have spent more time in this area. We also spent one night in Regensburg--worth visiting, and my husband's favorite part of the trip was the Nazi Doc. Center in Nurnberg.