Best day trips from Munich

I expect some here to suggest Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but to me it's not representative of a "small Bavarian town". It's much too large and too touristy. A little farther away, Mittenwald might better fit what you want. Another very cute little town in the mountains is Reit im Winkl. If you want somewhere really "in" the mountains, go farther, to Berchtesgaden. An area mostly ignored by Americans is the ski resort of Oberstdorf and the adjacent Austrian valley, Kleinwalsertal.

Tegernsee is what I always suggest for a day trip for a good lake/alps/villages combo close to Munich. The lake has several small villages surrounding it which are joined by bus, a foot/cycle path and ferries across the lake. It can be accessed from Munich using the BOB train (they have a combo BOB-MVV ticket). Since it is a touristy area there is a lot of good infrastructure for visitors. There is a great Brewery/Restaurant right on the lake, Bräustüberl Tegernsee. If the weather is nice you can take the cable car up Wallberg and hike to a hut in the mountains for nice lunch.

You can always find higher mountains, or a nicer lake or quainter towns but I challenge anyone to find all three in closer proximity to Munich than Tegernsee. ;)

DJ

My favorite is to take the S8 southwestbound to the end of the line at Herrsching. Walk a couple hundred meters to the lakefront and board one of the stately paddlewheel ships which cross the Ammersee to my favorite untouristed Bavarian village, Dießen am Ammersee. Dießen is a popular destination for German weekenders, but it's not on the international tourist grid at all. Walk through Dießen up to the baroque-rococo Marienmünster Abbey (1730). Return to Herrsching by ship and take a taxi or bus, or walk three miles up a forested trail, to Kloster Andechs, where Benedictine monks have been brewing great beer since the 15th Century. Photos of Dießen, Herrsching and Andechs here.

Tourists have yet to discover Ingolstadt, a charming, friendly town about halfway between Munich and Nürnberg. There are many historic buildings in the old center, including the former Anatomy Building of the University of Ingolstadt, now the German Museum of Medical History. Gardens in the courtyard are made up of medicinal herbs and plants. The building was the setting for Mary Shelley's original 1818 novel Frankenstein. Tours are available of the Audi factory, just outside the old center. Ingolstadt self-guided walking tour available here.

I'm with Lee, avoid GAP and carry on to Mittenwald. This is a full day, trains from München Hauptbahnhof (from platform group 27-36, on the far right as you stand looking at the trains and half way along the building), also call at München-Pasing. Best train on Monday-Friday is 9:32, weekends also 8:13 and 8:32. Use Bayern Ticket day pass for €20 first person and add extras for €6 each (do not buy seperate tickets, buy one for the number of people up to 5). If reaching the train by tram, U-Bahn, S-Bahn then buy the Bayern Ticket before starting as it is valid on those as well (only after 9:00 on Monday-Friday).
https://www.alpenwelt-karwendel.de/en/holidays-mittenwald

the old buildings in the centre have frescoes painted on them.

View options, short trip on bus to Lautersee https://www.alpenwelt-karwendel.de/portal/download.php?artid={36cc697f-1998-fe07-c2f8-d78732160bcf} walk around the lake to the north end and follow the footpath back down into the town (I'd do this first, then walk around town).

Or, not for those with vertigo, the Karwendel cable car from east side of railway staion (ie not town side) https://www.alpenwelt-karwendel.de/en/karwendel-cable-car

return trains run until late so you can even have dinner there and watch the sun go down, or more accurately watch the reflection on the Karwendel.

Use Bayern Ticket day pass for €20 first person and add extras for €6 each

€20 + €6 is the price for the Werdenfels-Ticket, which, btw, is not subject to the 9am restriction.

Mittenwald is very nice. But if you want "close" - then Jeff's suggestion - Dießen am Ammersee, combined with Andechs - is spot on! What he said about Dießen being out of the international tourist spotlight is quite right. It would surprise me if other forum members have ever set foot there. Note that you could also take the TRAIN one way between Dießen and Munich rather than traveling via Herrsching both times.

Another good option is Prien. It's one hour each way by direct train from Munich on the train route to Salzburg. It's not about the town so much as it is about Lake Chiemsee and Herrenchiemsee Palace (on an island of the same name.)

"Some with Alps views?"

You'll see the Alps from there almost for certain (possibly from Andechs on a clear day.) And... you could take a side trip from Prien to Aschau (15 min. by direct train) to ride the gondola up to the Kampenwand, either for a hike, for the view, some refreshments at the Sonnenalm, or all three.

I thank all of you who replied and appreciate the suggestions.

I have set foot in Diessen - but only because we were driving aimlessly. Very cool, lovely lake. I would not mind going back - and I will be in the vicinity in December, too.

Thanks for this thread. Very informative.