Thoughts on #4: Some posters have mentioned paying no fee to pick up and drop off a rental car in different cities within the same country, while others have paid a fee. Clearly, it can vary. The only way to be sure is to contact the companies you might rent from and ask. It's my impression that the drop-off is unlikely to be really high as long as you stay within the same country, but I guess you might hit the odd exception.

Thoughts on #6: ViaMichelin says the drive from Bacharach to Burg Eltz will take a bit over an hour, so it seems like a very reasonable day-trip to me.

Thoughts on #8: Berlin is really spread out, and I don't think there's one single best area to stay in. It might help to know what you plan to do / what sights you want to see in Berlin, and your budget per night. I'm guessing you plan to return the rental car upon arrival in Berlin. I suspect the most conveniently located hotels are the ones most likely to charge substantial parking fees (if they offer parking at all).

I'll add my two cents on a few of your questions.

1. I'd pick up the car on the way out of Munich and drop off upon arrival in Berlin. Parking in Bacharach was easy, we parked at our hotel and walked everywhere.

2. We picked up in Baden Baden and dropped of for in Munich, I'd shop around for th best deal that fits what you need.

3. That is a doable day trip for sure. It took longer than we thought, but we really enjoyed Burg Eltz.

Hi Mark. Sure, car trip is practical if you prefer that mode. Parking in Bacharach shouldn't be a problem. Likely no drop charge as long as you pickup and drop within the same country. I've had good luck with Hertz, Avis, and Sixt - just check prices and pickup and drop locations online. Enjoy your trip!

1) You probably weren't planning this anyway, but I'll just mention it... pick up the rental car as you leave Munich. This is the single worst city in Germany for parking and driving. I've found driving and parking in Berlin surprisingly easy.

2) No.

3) I was in Goslar briefly, but I didn't stop there. What I saw looked pretty nice. I stayed in nearby Quedlinburg, which is one of Germany's most scenic and well-preserved towns. The neighboring town of Wernigerode is also worth a visit. Which ever town you chose in the Harz region, plan to spend at least two nights. Use one day to ride the train or hike to the top of Brocken, the highest peak in the area.

6) As noted, this is a very feasible day trip.

7) I don't think a cruise on the Rhine makes much sense if you have a rental car. You can see everything much more efficiently by driving. Because you plan to stay in the area for "a couple of days" with a car, you'll have more than enough time to go beyond the usual Ricknik highlights. Try driving along the river up to Bonn. Some of the towns north of Koblenz, like Andernach and Remagen are worth quick looks. Go a little further away from the river to see the preserved walled town of Ahrweiler, and the nearby abbey of Maria Lach. And on the right bank of the river, drive towards Wiesbaden and check out some of the wine towns between there and Rudesheim, like Eltville.

Has anyone been to Goslar? I've heard its a well-preserved old town in
Germany, much like Bacharach is. Is it worth spending a night there on
our way to Berlin? Can you recommend lodging in Goslar?

Actually, no one in Germany would compare Bacharach with Goslar... simply because one is a tiny, unimportant town on the Rhine, while the other was one of Germanys most important medieval cities, with a much bigger preserved old town today (compare them in Google Earth). Bacharach is mostly known among foreign tourists because it's a popular stop/base on the Rhine.
Goslars old town is a World Heritage Site, just like Quedlinburgs just around the corner. I actually like Quedlinburg a bit more. The area, called the Harz mountains, is full of preserved towns, all much bigger than Bacharach. Here is a site with 150.000 pics of the region:
http://www.raymond-faure.com/index_harz_english.htm

I recommend to spend more than one night there to see Quedlinburg (base), Goslar and Wernigerode, and maybe take the steam train up to the Brocken, Northern Germanys highest mountains.
You could also take a alternative route from the Rhine via Thuringia to Berlin. In this case you could see what Rick Steves calls "Luther land", with Wartburg castle, Erfurt, Weimar, Naumburg, Leipzig, Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom and Wittenberg as possible stops.

PS: drop off the car in Berlin and use public transport instead.

"Is a car trip through all these cities practical?"

It wouldn't be for me. It's a lot of driving. But it sounds like you want to drive, so I'd suggest reducing your workload by substituting Bacharach with a similar place on your route north. Bacharach is a nice town but Rick really oversells the place. Similarly attractive, half-timbered old-world towns and cities can be found between Munich and Goslar. Check out these 3 Main River towns in the vicinity of Würzburg:

Ochsenfurt, on the Main River:
http://www.wasi-online.de/Bilder/Postkarten-2/Mainradweg-169-Ochsenfurt-Fachwerkhaeuser.JPG
http://www.urlaub-bayern-ferien.de/franken/images/ochsenfurt2.jpg
Marktbreit, nearby:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Marktbreit_BW_6.JPG
Sommerhausen:
http://www.winetouristmagazine.com/wt-blog/2016/4/21/master-builders-of-the-old-world-and-pioneers-of-the-new-franconia-germany

Iphofen, between Würzburg and Nuremberg - photos:
http://www.stadtbild-deutschland.org/forum/index.php?thread/2985-iphofen/

Like the Rhine, the Main River is a major wine-producing area. Würzburg is the anchor-city for this area; from there you can take a river cruise to Veitshöchheim. Guide to this area: http://www.franconian-wine-country.com/

Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is nearby as well: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/624

This area of northern Bavaria (Franconia) has more microbreweries per square mile than any other in Germany. This is a major reason I find driving completely impractical:

http://en.franken-bierland.de/?setLanguage=true

CASTLES: Check out the Burgenstrasse (Castle Road) which runs right through Franconia:
http://www.burgenstrasse.de/uk/Castles-and-Palaces.html

You asked about Goslar (#2-3). We've been to Goslar 4 times over the years, the last time being 4 years ago. I would agree with what Martin and Tom are saying. Spend more time in this region if you can, its fabulous. We have had a car in this region and also used the HEX regional train. Parking is easy in all of these towns, just follow the P or Mitte signs. Goslar has many non chain, charming hotels on the city's website or use the map feature on booking.com. We've only found it a problem once to get a hotel when there was a major festival happening in Goslar (September, I believe). I hope you are able to spend some time in these beautiful cities!

I haven't been to Goslar but can certainly support the praise for Quedlinburg, one of the prettiest places I've ever seen. The tourist office offers an English-language tour as well as renting an audio guide you can use on your own. There's a castle and an historic church with a very impressive treasury (Google for American connection).

I just booked a car for our trip from Berlin to Dusseldorf. We decided to rent as we will be all over the place during our trip to Germany. We won't be using the rental car in Berlin but will pick up the car as we leave the city, driving towards "Lutherland".
Rick's page on this topic is excellent: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/booking-a-car

1. We used Rick's suggested consolidator - Auto Europe - and found our best price.
   
   Here's the referral link: http://www.autoeurope.com/index.cfm?aff=ricksteves

2. If you pick up from a non-airport or train station and drop off at an airport, there is no drop off charge. We chose a Europcar location just down the street from our pension because it was close and offered early pick up hours. The location also had good ratings online compared to other local offices. We will be dropping off the rental at the Dϋsseldorf airport location as the airport office does have late drop off hours.

3. Our CapOne Signature credit card offers CDW coverage. As suggested on Rick's page (the first link) I asked CapOne to issue a letter of coverage that I will bring to the rental car company. I was able to get this easily when I called CapOne's Signature Customer Support line and asked about the coverage. (Be sure to reject ALL insurance at the rental agency counter, or you won't be able to utilize your credit card's coverage.) I will print this as well as the rental contract and will provide both to Europcar.

Happy travels!
Veronica

Veronica: It's wise of you to deal with the insurance issue well in advance as you have done. There is a lot of dangerous ambiguity in the way most renters proceed. I would suggest forwarding your letter from Cap One in advance of your trip to your specific Europcar location to make sure all is in order.

"I just booked a car for our trip from Berlin to Dusseldorf. We decided to rent as we will be all over the place during our trip to Germany."

When I am traveling far and wide in Germany, I use the trains - the network is very extensive. I rent only when necessary to accommodate certain fellow travelers or to travel to very specific must-see destinations or accommodations that are not otherwise reachable. Rail map below shows high-speed routes in blue and red, regional routes in gray:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Bahn-Streckenkarte_Deutschland-06-2010.png

Berlin to Düsseldorf: Not a route I'd drive normally unless I were planning to noodle around heavily on the way; there are certain worthwhile towns that lie roughly on this route, places for which a car would be nearly indispensable.

Russ -
Definitely planning to noodle- or snake - our way around Germany...and for three adults it has turned out to be very cost effective.
This is our tentative route:

http://tinyurl.com/jtvxpn8

This -
"I would suggest forwarding your letter from Cap One in advance of your trip to your specific Europcar location to make sure all is in order."
is an excellent suggestion - thanks so very much!

I found a phone number for the office and also a fax.
Plus I did an online chat with Europcar and have this:

https://halc.iadvize.com/gethistory.php?id=43327339&u=6b44ce2bfed70b9bbdffca2a25eefe985841bdc305c52

The route you have marked is a bit confusing, especially because it seems to contradict what you wrote... and I can't zoom in to see what some of the individual stops are. But allow me to note some highlights along the way that you haven't mentioned yet.

It looks like you plan to hit either Bamberg or Coburg. Don't miss the castle in the latter (Veste Coburg), in my opinion this is Germany's best.

Leipzig is one of Germany's more underrated cities, and it has the country's best zoo. If you don't stop overnight, at least give it a quick once over.

I can't tell what exactly you want to see between Leipzig and Berlin, but this being a Rick Steves website, I'm assuming Wittenberg? The nearby Garden Realm of Wörlitz is worth a wander for a few hours of your time.

My husband is a Lutheran pastor, so after three days in Berlin we will be driving down to that area (Wittenberg, Eisleben, Erfurt, Eisenach/Wartburg)...so not exactly RS related :)

There will be some especially interesting activities starting over Ascension Day weekend, capped by Kirchentag in Berlin and Wittenburg that Sunday.

If we had more time, we would want to stop in Leipzig.
After leaving the Luther-related sights, we likely go to Nurnberg if I can track down friends - I lived there while in my 20's...if not, then it's extra time in Munich.
We will be hopping around Southern Bavaria (castles, Wieskirche, Ettal)...not enough time for Garmish-Partenkirchen.
Then back up north, meeting a friend in Ulm at the Dom, then Rothenburg odT,
Not exactly sure where we will stop in the Rhine Valley - still working that out - but will include Castle Eltz.
Then it's on to Cologne, then driving to Dusseldorf to fly home.

3 - I totally agree with Tom, Mona, and Martin. The Harz mountain area of Germany is striking ! We drove from Celle (Anne Frank's grave is north of here) to Wernigerode, into Goslar and Quedlinburg and believe it may be one of the most scenic areas of Germany.

6 - If the weather is nice, drive up to Moselkern on the Mosel River and park. Follow the signs (the info is in Rick's Germany book) for a flat hike to Burg Eltz. We loved it.

Hi,

Go to Goslar, a famous place in German culture and history. Bacharach is on the Rhine, the Middle Rhine, I'd go there only for the historical site. Given a choice between the two, I would choose Goslar.

There are some very nice restaurants in Berlin offering traditional German cuisine both in western part and in the eastern part. Relative to other big cities and/or capitals, you'll find comparable luxury in hotels cheaper in Berlin