As part of our 3 1/2 week trip to Europe in Sept-October we are staying 4 days in Gengenbach. We will have a car. Looking for good ideas, places, things to see and do for day trips using Gengenbach as a home base. Thanks folks
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32750 posts
There's absolutely loads to do around there, although I have never been in October, but if I were I would take a waterproof.
Where to start?
A good guidebook like the Michelin Green Book, the Lonely Planet or the Rick Steves Germany will give whole lists.
I'e skimmed over the rest of your questions but either I missed it or you didn't say what "we" consists of so I find it difficult to constructively point you in the right direction.
Small to medium sized kids, or young adults who think f themselves as kids? Rust for the Europa Park with roller coasters and the whole theme park thing. The model railway - huge, takes a long time if you let it, with all sorts of moving things and day and night periods every few minutes. The rodelbahn. The outdoor life museum.
Bigger kids and people. Toilet museum, clock museum, walking in the woods, riding over to Strasbourg or down through the Black Forest on the free trains provided by the free KONUS card as a result of staying in Gengenbach, go the beach (cold at your time of the year), and many more
What sort of things do you all like to do?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
The one thing you don't need in that area, thanks to the Konus Card, is a car. You can go practically everywhere by train or bus for free with the card.
Take the train 18 minutes up the river to Hausach, then 3 minutes by train or bus to the Gutach Freilichtmuseum (Black Forest Open-air Museum).
From Hausach you can go south on the Schwarzwaldbahn (Black Forest scenic railway) via the Gutach river valley to Triberg. You can also so north to Alpirsbach or Freudenstadt. If you go to Freudenstadt, don't try to go into town up the hill from the Hbf. Instead catch the shuttle train to Freudenstadt Stadt Bahnhof, which is close to the town square.
Posted by
OP
Groveland, MA, USA
101 posts
I am retiring this June after 43 years teaching, my wife is a few years younger. We have already rented a car for 2 1/2 weeks as we intend to travel throughout the Alsace, Black Forest region, Luxembourg, Bastogne, the Huertgen Forest , Normandy and finally dropping car off in Brugge. From there we will take trains to Haarlem to finish our trip.
The last 2 times we have been to Europe we have rented a car, we feel this gives us a better means of getting off the beaten path so to speak.
As far as the Black Forest is concerned, we enjoy small towns, short do-able hikes, history & folk museums, local sights, scenic vistas, local shopping, and out of the way, non "touristy" places. Thanks for all your help. Rick
Posted by
Columbus, USA
332 posts
About an hour away from Gengenbach in France is a little town called Soufflenheim. This little town has some of the most beautiful pottery I have ever seen. I wish we would have had time to go through all the pottery shops. I regret not buying more. Here are some links for you: www.alsace-poterie.fr and www.alsace-poterie.com
On the German side, I would also recommend Freiburg im Breisgau. There is a clock museum near there that was really cool.
Enjoy your trip!!!