I'm thinking about taking a trip to Germany with my two teenage boys, 18 and 16. They love history so we'll be exploring historical sites, but I also want them to have some adventure. Note: I just returned from a trip to Cinque Terre with my daughters, they loved jumping off the cliffs in Manarola and posting the pictures to their brothers! I really don't want to back to Cinque Terre so soon and was hoping there maybe something similarly thrilling in Germany. Any advise?
Posted by
Greeley, co, usa
2588 posts
Google 'fun forest germany'
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
Susan, when are you planning on traveling? There are cliffs to jump off at the Baltic Sea coast but this only makes sense in summer. Also, what is thrilling? Is it something outdoors like cliff jumping? Or is it a paintball battle in a medieval castle? Is it just the German nightlife (legal age for beer drinking is 16)?
Your 18 year old would be legal to drive a rental car under your supervision - Autobahn with no speed limit.
But then there also is the world's largest (and most detailed) model railroad in Hamburg, there are the Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and VW museums and "worlds" to explore... There are luge rides in the Alps.
Please help us a little with travel season and directions you'd want us to think in.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
What part of Germany and what time of year?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
In addition to car museums, there are cool car factory tours, such as BMW in Munich (which I loved) and Porsche in Stuttgart (which I have not seen), for which you need to reserve ahead. For luge rides, see luge in the index of Rick's Germany book or search online for Sommerrodelbahn.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17442 posts
Lots of adventure possibilities at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Most thrilling would probably be paragliding from the top of Wank in tandem: http://www.aerotaxi.de.
The hikes through the gorges are fun and exciting. Google Partnachklamm and Höllentalklamm for photos. There is also an easy Klettersteig ( climbing path) across the face of the Alpspitze---- I did that with my son when he was 19 and we both loved it.
Posted by
OP
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
10 posts
The people who respond to these questions are so great! THANK YOU. -
More of our details. We would be arriving on July 15th and staying about 8 days.
I will look up as much information as I can regarding Cliff of the Baltic Sea, Luge Rides, and the Paragliding, etc. These are the kind of things I was looking for and am so excited to start my research. Any other suggestions or information would be great. Thanks again!
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Therme Erding is AMAZING! If you want the kids to have a real lesson on being comfortable with themselves, let them visit the sauna area...
Posted by
Midwest, USA
223 posts
We are in the same boat traveling with two kids. We found Mike's Tours - Bavarian Bus tour and the itinerary sounds fun. Leave Munich in the AM and travel to the Hohenschwangau area. There is a mountain lake there to swim, trampoline, luge, paragliding, and of course the castles. The tour offers a 1.5 hour bike ride through the area, tour of Neuschwanstein, hike up to the bridge and see the gorge, and then hike up to the top of the mountain if you want to luge. The tour guide is a magician too. Maybe your boys are too old to enjoy some of this? But, I thought it sounded fun!
Posted by
9 posts
We did this tour when we traveled with our boys how were then 13 and 15 (now 21 and 23.) They loved it!
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
I also wanted to mention the obstacle courses up in the treetops - rope courses. They are called "Kletterwald" or "Seilgarten" in German and there are lots of them in Germany. Use the map in this link to find one near your destination:
Posted by
San Francisco
1008 posts
A little younger (mine are 9 and 11), but we too went on the Mike's Bikes Bus Bavaria tour to Neuschwanstein. We had an excellent time! We biked, they popped into the lake, but didn't really swim, the tegelberg alpine slide was really fun! They also had paragliding if you wanted (a few of our bus went) = but the weather has to be good. But I'm sure that would be thrilling!
Kim