7-8 day trip from Frankfurt - please suggest off beat authentic must sees!

Some of those are quite far from Frankfurt. It's best to be a bit specific:

1-2: Frankfurt - list sights
3: Rhine - Train to St Goar - boat for 2 hours
4: Munich - Residenz, Chinisichum Turm Beer Garden, Alte Pinotech
5: Hitler in Munich walking tour
6: ??
7: ??

In 8 days, I would do 2 cities, and since you have never been to Germany, Munich and Frankfurt

You say you want "off-beat things" - is that nude beaches, gymnastics events? You need to be a bit specific.

Take the RS Germany guide (which you have, right?), go to Frankfurt. Pick out 2 things for each day. Same with Munich. I guess you don't want to do Neuschwanstein. So what do you want to do?

Hi Paul Thanks for your response!

I like your idea of reducing the number of places I visit, and Munich is a must for sure!
I'm ok to do Frankfurt for just a day and move on...when I said off beat, I meant more like non tourist local spots, but since my folks are with me, no nude beaches this time :)
I do not have the RS germany guide but can get one, and would love to do Neuschwanstein, it will likely take a whole day though right?

If you are going to Krov, you will be in a very scenic wine growing region, and it would be a shame to not spend a little time there. Actually between there and the Rhine, you could have a very nice 8 day holiday. Visit one of the many wine festival that go on in the region during the week ends. Stop at Burg Eltz and see the castle there. Take a Rhine cruise.

Yes, you are trying to do way too much. You'll just be driving around in a car for 8 days. Slow down and get to know a small area in some depth.

Hey Sam

Thanks! I'm beginning to think the same thing :) Probably I'll start with Krov and the region around, and meander down to the Black Forest. Only thing is, my heart was set on visiting Munich as well, do you recommend it as a must visit? I'd shave off a day from Frankfurt for it!

Here is website for tourist info and ideas in the Mosel region.
https://www.mosellandtouristik.de/en/

With just 8 days, I think it is a waste to travel all the way to Munich for only a day. I wouldn't go any further than the Black Forest region.

You note that this is a trip "with my folks," which I assume is your parents. Is this there one and only, dream trip to Germany? If so, is there something they are dying to see? If, for example, the two highest priorities are Krov and Munich, you can make that happen, but you're going to have to drop the Black Forest, and you will definitely want to fly into Frankfurt and out of Munich. I don't know your savvy as a travel planner (so please forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know), but to find the cheapest rates for an "open jaw" itinerary like this, you would want to use the "Multi-City" function on the airline/aggregator website.

If, on the other hand, there will be future trips to Germany, then you can take your time and narrow the focus to the area more immediately around Frankfurt.

You could also ask the non-sensible roommate about all this and do the opposite of what she/he suggests.

Thanks for the insight Dave!
Yes the trip is with my parents and I'm joining in for 10 days total, ideally I wanted to do Black Forest, Munich and Berlin (areas around the cities too) but they are staying for a few days in Krov so the plan is to visit around there and explore the countryside

I guess I have to choose between Berlin and Munich at this point, since in 10 days I think we can cover wine country, Black forest and one more place, either Berlin or Munich. Do you guys have a preference of one over the other?

"You could also ask the non-sensible roommate about all this and do the opposite of what she/he suggests." - Hilarious

Munich and Berlin are completely different. You will find those who like both, dislike both, or like one but not the other. You will not know until you've seen both for yourself, how you feel about them.

There was even an old thread called Berlin-Munich Cagematch - which should give you some idea of what kind of rivalry they have.

I personally have been to Berlin three times and would gladly go back tomorrow. I've been to Munich once, and while I wouldn't refuse to go back, I'd look to see other places first. But that's just me. Look at what there is to see and do in each place, and see which one calls to you and your folks more at this time.

"...7-8 days drive/train/fly around from Frankfurt all over the south side of Germany. After which we are left with 4 days..."

Frankfurt - Kröv: We had planned to travel from LUX to Kröv last week but instead had to make an unplanned train trip to Kröv from FRA airport (thanks for nothing, Ryanair for cancelling my flight to LUX.) Anyway, it's a fairly easy (and extremely scenic!) train trip though you'll have some changes of train in Koblenz and Bullay at a minimum. The final segment (Traben-Trarbach train station to Kröv) is a very short trip normally done by bus. In our case we couldn't leave FRA before about 16:30 because of the flight switch, so we finally got to T-T just before 20:00 - and grabbed a taxi to Kröv (last bus leaves Traben-Trarbach at around 19:00.)

Now, you could perhaps rent a car and drive from FRA to Kröv, but I would not. An overnight international flight across several time zones could lead to impaired driving.

Tickets: at FRA Regionalbahnhof station, we bought two €5 VRM tickets to Mainz (€10) plus one Rheinland-Pfalz ticket for two (€29) to cover the whole trip to Kröv. If you get the same tickets, the 3 of you will pay €15 + €34. The R-P ticket is a day pass that covers regional trains AND buses and is valid after 9 am - so as long as your train leaves (or passes through Mainz) after 9 am, this ticket strategy should work for you as well. There are ticket machines at the station location and at the platforms down the escalator from the station. The machines may be finicky about what bills you use - so have a nice variety of them handy.

Kröv, Traben-Trarbach, and Bullay all have their individual charms, from hiking and biking to wineries, etc. But the closest tourist gem in the area is Bernkastel. Be sure to take them there. We caught a 10:20 am river cruise out of Kröv to Bernkastel for a really nice and scenic float (about 1.5 hours) and I cannot imagine a bus ride being its equal.

In our case we did not return to Kröv but took our bags with us and after a few hours there caught the bus to Wittlich to rejoin the Mosel River train line (bus 300 leaves from the "Kues Forum" stop behind the old train station there.)

As for your other days in Germany... You'd be wise to consider a prolonged stay in the immediate area. Trier, The Rhine Valley (medieval castles like Burg Eltz and Marksburg, river cruises, old-world villages) and cities like Mainz, Speyer or Cologne really deserve the time and are somewhat smaller and easier to navigate on foot - and they would greatly reduce the ground travel time and expense you will otherwise have. You can fly (if you want to) to Munich or Berlin afterward from FRA, Frankfurt Hahn, or Cologne, perhaps, but I would take the train instead - a lot less hassle altogether IMO.

I'll suggest day trips from Frankfurt which can be logistically done, ie, easily....Marburg, Koblenz, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Cologne, Bonn, Heidelberg, Bad Ems. These places with the exception of Rüdesheim are not mostly tourist...all depends what you want to see historically and culturally in each location, say Bad Ems or Marburg.

Thanks Harold, Russ, Fred, these are great suggestions!
I'll let you know how it goes!

So, I have to admit that I misread the initial post. I though that you had a total of 7-8 days. But it looks like you have 7-8 days at the beginning + 4 days for a final stop? Or perhaps it is 10 days total. At any rate, it's more time than I thought. I agree you can hit three places in that time. Russ offers very sensible advice on spending time in Kröv + other spots in the Frankfurt area -- like the Mosel or Rhine river valleys. I will admit I have not been to those areas but am headed there in the fall. Pictures of the area are gorgeous, and the castles are supposed to be pretty awesome (if you're in to that sort of thing).

It sounds like your heart is really set on the Black Forest, which is fine, but may I ask why it's on the list of top places you want to visit? I've been there and enjoyed it, but I'm not sure that it would be on my list of Germany must-see's. I stayed in Gengenbach, a cute little town. Freiburg is a lively college town in the Black Forest that perhaps offers more for a young adult to do.

On the Munich vs. Berlin question, I fall firmly into the Berlin camp. I've spent 26 days there over the last 3 years and am eager to return. I've spent 3 days in Munich over the last 3 years; while I enjoyed my time there, I'm in no hurry to get back -- there are many other places in Germany I want to see before a second trip to Munich. Berlin is in my personal top 3 for favorite cities in Europe due to its history, its wonderful neighborhoods, its variety of activities, and... the awesome B&B where I stay.

If you can fit an overnight stay in Rothenburg ob der Tauber and catch the nightwatchman's tour at 8pm, I highly recommend it. We stayed at the Hotel Klosterstuble and I recommend it as well.

Enjoy. Germany is beautiful!

Don't waste your time in Frankfurt, move on to see the rest of your tour.
If you can squeeze in the Romantic Road on your way back to Munich, it is great.

Still, it may be worth flying into Frankfurt and out of Munich. You really don't have time to see Berlin.

Wow, don't waste your time in Frankfurt?
Considering it is centuries older than Munich, has churches that are way older than any church in Munich, let alone that they are original churches and not rebuilt. Frankfurt was the center for Jewish culture in Germany for centuries. Site of the first freely elected parliament. Location for the election of the Holy Roman Emperor since 1356. We have a neighborhood that is part of the Half-Timbered Route in Germany with about 400 half-timbered buildings. We have about 45 museums, almost half the city is green, and the farmers markets in the city center will rival anything you see in Paris. Time spent here is not wasted time.

I spend a lot of time in Frankfurt. Except for one notable neighborhood most of the city was bombed severely in WWII. The Opera House is nice, but a new building.

Sure, there are things to see in the city, but compared to other places in Germany, NOT>
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187337-Activities-Frankfurt_Hesse.html

I personally think Frankfurt is criminally underrated, but I'm a "big city" girl and really enjoy the contrast of the modern, bustling, financial-heart-of-Germany contrasted with the areas with beautiful old buildings. One great thing about Frankfurt is that aside from business travelers it's often overlooked, so it's a great place to get a feel for how real Germans live their lives. If Jewish history interests you it's also not to be missed. Some truly great museums as well. Me, I'm a big fan of getting a half liter of cider and a plate of hard boiled eggs covered in herb-y Grunersosse on a leafy square.

Dave from SC has given you some very good guidance.

Berlin versus Munich is a very personal thing. I adore Berlin, but again - big city girl. Munich is of course a big city, but it doesn't have as much of that urban feel. There's awesome history in both. Time is a factor - Munich is closer, it conforms more to what Americans picture when they think of Germany, and you can see the highlights of the inner city in a day and a half. Berlin is much bigger and more spread out, has many more attractions to choose from, particularly in the form of museums, but that can also be a hindrance as well. Munich has a slower, more relaxed pace, but is considerably more expensive than Berlin. You'll probably have a great time in either place, but it wouldn't hurt to try to think of what your expectations are and what you're looking for before choosing which city to visit on this trip.