anything close to munich that can be done in one day

Go to the lakesides near Munich, for example Ammersee. It's a 50 minute ride from Munich City centre on the S-Bahn to Herrsching. You can ride a Steamboat there and visit the Andechs Monastery (including their brewery, distillery et al.) nearby.

Neuschwanstein is a 160km ride away from Munich airport, at Füssen. Expect at minimum two and a half hour ride from the airport to the castle. Munich autobahn traffic is crowded. The train from the airport to city centre, then going to Füssen takes about four hours, including change times.

It's only an hour to Prien and Chiemsee (lake) where you catch a boat to Herrenchiemsee Palace on an island there:

http://outdoor.winklworld.de/images/chiemsee.jpg
http://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/tourist/index.htm

Nearby Aschau has a lift which takes you to the Kampenwand hiking area and a view of the lake and the Alps to the south:
https://static-b.artistravel.eu/fileadmin/_processed_/csm_Aschau-Sommerakademie-Prien-und-Altort-Aschau-2015-ROHA-Bildbank_1e1407c9cc.jpg
http://www.ferienwohnungen-sonnleitn.de/wechsel/index/5.jpg
http://kampenwand.de/index.php?rex_resize=990w__sonnenalm-8-sommer.jpg

The train from the airport, changing at the Hbf, takes 3:07.

Traffic would worry me, the airport is northeast of Munich and Füssen is southwest.

That said, it is faster than the train IF the roads keep moving, never a given anywhere near Munich, and you can get right to Neuschwanstein if you want to without needing the bus to the castles.

Do be aware that neither of the "castles" are castles - they are 19th century exhibitions of ego - follies - and Neuschwanstein was never designed to be lived in, but they are picturesque especially if you have the poster. A long way to go for picturesque, though.

taste of bavaria in one day

I agree with jjj, if the weather is nice and sunny spend a relaxing day on a lakeside in the foothills of the Alps. Normally I recommend Tegernsee but Herrsching on Ammersee is a good idea as it is on the same SBahn line as the airport, S8. Its only 1:30 trip from the airport to Herrsching.

Füßen would be too much of a hassle for me. I'd want my last day to be relaxing by a lake, not a 4 hour car trip to a crowded tourist attraction.

DJ

@Nigel: The history behind these follies is remarkable though. As if Ludwig read Don Quijote and deliberately wanted to fall prey to his personal medieval madness.

thanks, you guys always bring realism to my plans. lol Neushwanstein is out.

We plan to rent a car at Munich airport, as we love our independence to stop and look around when we want.

So with the car in mind, what would you guys recommend?

Garmisch Partenkirchen - fab mountain, cable car up one side, cogwheel train the other - and you can get there as easily or maybe easier by train than by car.

Or, perhaps a day at an incredible spa - huge - loads of fun and very relaxing - both a clothed swimming area with all sorts of water toys and a textile free sauna area. Have a look at Therme Erding http://www.therme-erding.de/en/ which is one of my favourite German spas. Just a few minutes away from the airport, and you can park for free or take a very easy train.

Voice of experience here, truly truly, don't even consider driving into or through Munich/

Nigel, are there any chances the Zugspitze or Garmisch alps will be covered in snow, atleast at the top? Most of the summer photos I have seen are of barren mountains

I wish there was a like or a save button! Just tagging for future planning. Great information!

"So with the car in mind, what would you guys recommend?"

What I wrote above.

thanks for the photos Russ and info site. Appreciate it

are there any chances the Zugspitze or Garmisch alps will be covered in snow, atleast at the top?

You don't say which month...

Nigel, its for third week of september

Not really any snow in September. If it's a sunny day it's well worth taking a cable car up a mountain for a hike to a hut for a bite to eat and a beer.

With a car you will have lots of options and I'd focus on areas that are not easily reached by the normal tourist route. If it were me here is what I would do:

• Hop in the car and head to Kloster Reutberg for lunch just south of Munich. Its like a mini-Andechs but without the tour buses and better food.
• Next continue on to Tegernsee for a leisurely drive around the lake. Stop and take a walk where ever you fancy. Take the cable car up Wallberg and hike to Wallberghaus for a beer and afternoon snack.
• To round it off you could continue on towards almost to Austria and return via either Lenggries or via Walchensee/Kochelsee for a nice mountain drive.

DJ

No chance to have the Bavarian Alps covered in snow in September. Maybe some old patches here and there.

And I too heavily, heavily disadvise going into and around Munich by car. I occassionally have to do and I'm swearing all the time. When I go there by train and let my Munich business partners drive THEY are swearing all the time. Apart from an Italian friend. He's okay with Munich traffic. But swears all the time regardless of that.

Hi forshamina- Russ has a good idea-
"It's only an hour to Prien and Chiemsee (lake) where you catch a boat to Herrenchiemsee Palace on an island there:"

But if you want to stay closer to Munich, Schloss Nymphenburg is on the western edge of Munich if you have never been there. The gardens are nice although the interior pales in comparison to Herrenchiemsee.

I also noticed that you will be there the 3rd week in September. If you have never been to the Oktoberfest you can catch the Sbahn from MUC to the Hauptbahnhof and walk 4-5 blocks south to the 'Fest during this week. It won't be that busy in the afternoon during the week. It is kind of a "bucket list" thing for some folks-

Have a great trip!!!

to the Oktoberfest you can catch the Sbahn from MUC to the Hauptbahnhof and walk 4-5 blocks south

For a somewhat shorter access go to Hackerbrücke, on station west of the Hauptbahnhof.- But if you are looking for another historical city, I'd suggest Augsburg, a 30 minutes train ride to the west. Founded by the Romans, Augsburg was already an important European city when Munich was still a wretched hamlet in the Freising parochy of Feldmoching. There is a impressive Renaissance town hall by Elias Holl, two impressive cathedrals, and an interesting, if small Roman museum.

Pfresh3--- there may be other ways to save threads, but what I do is copy the existing address

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/anything-close-to-munich-that-can-be-done-in-one-day#bottom

And then paste it into an email to myself. Then I move it to a travel planning folder.

saw some videos of Oktoberfest in Munich, sounds awesome, what better way to experience german culture.

Bavarian culture. Strictly Bavarian culture. In most towns in Germany, the annual beer fest is the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%BCtzenfest. It's about the tradition of marksmenship. Weapons and beer, what could go wrong?

Lola - thanks for the great tip! I'm making a planning folder now!

A Schützenfest does not only take place in Bavaria. I never went to one in Bavaria but elsewhere.

I have not meant to imply that. Sorry for being easily misunderstandable. Schützenfests are everywhere. People dressing up in Lederhosen and Dirndls for that occasion are a Bavaria and Austria-thing only.

Another vote for Ammersee -- Herrsching, Dießen, Andechs. All very nice, very convenient.