Framework Complete - I think!

Day 4 to 7: Don't forget Esslingen itself, which has a great medieval center (hosting the oldest half timbered house in Germany).

For example, if I put in Strausburg, several choices come up.

Just type in "Strasbourg" (Straussburg seems to be in South Africa ;)).

is Heidelberg the best place to spend the night before

You could spend the last night in Frankfurt to be close to the airport. It's much better than it's reputation.

I absolutely love Heidelberg. We spent 2 nights on our last visit there & will again be staying for 2 nights in June. You can Walk the Hauptstrasse (window shop & eat), take the funicular to Heidelberg Castle (you can continue further up mountain on funicular), walk Philosophenweg (across river between Alte Brucke & Theodore Hess Bridge), hike up the "Holy Mountain", picnic along the Neckar in Park Neckerwiese. Enjoy the beer at Vetters or Kulturbrauerei. These were some of things we enjoyed.

Some towns/cities have multiple train stations, like Heidelberg. In this instance the station referred to as Hauptbahnhof or abbreviated Hbf. is the main station., Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof. Heidelberg-Altstadt indicates the station closest to Old Town etc.
I haven't trained TO the airport from Heidelberg but we will be traveling FROM the airport to Heidelberg. It's about a 1 hour train ride.
Hopefully this helps a little.
Enjoy your trip!

Shout out for staying the night in Frankfurt instead of 2 nights in Heidelberg. Do spend a day here as there are so many historical sites to see. Lots of hotels in the city and the airport is a mere 11 min. by train from the city.

Esslingen is pretty awesome. I did a private tour of Esslingen with Sarah from Stuttgart Steps and would recommend her. Her rates are reasonable, and I saw things in the town (with context) that I otherwise would not have seen. She also offers a public tour for €14 per person on "most Saturdays at 11:00 and some Sundays." Registration is required for the public tours.

Have a look at https://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/en and https://www.esslingen-marketing.de/en

Thanks for all the responses so far. I’ve done a fair amount of further research on places around Esslingen - and yes, I do plan on spending significant time in Esslingen also as it looks beautiful. The funny part is that I had originally chose this area as it was close to Reichenbach an der Fils which at that time I thought was the birthplace of my grandparents. When I found out different, I was so interested in this area that I had decided that I would still make this the focal point of our trip!

I did look at hotels in Frankfurt per Ms. Jo’s suggestion and would like to spend some time there but they are much pricier than Heidelberg. Are there suggestions that are more reasonable or perhaps an area closer to Frankfurt that would be more reasonable? Another option would be to spend that night in Heidelberg and take the train early to the airport, drop off our bags and then spend that day in Frankfurt.

Please keep those ideas & suggestions coming. And thanks again.

Have you looked into the Ibis Hotel Frankfurt Centrum? We stayed there one night after flying into Frankfurt airport. It's not far from the train station, it was clean and right near the river. If you sign up for their awards program, free, you can get reduced room rates for members.

Day 4 through 7 - train to Esslingen am Neckar which will be our home base for the next 4 nights. We will be spending at least one day in Stuttgart visiting the Porsche & MB museums as well as other sights. We are looking for ideas yet, but this seems to be a good base to visit Besigheim/Tübingen/Bad Wimpfen/Ludwigsburg/Schwäbish Gmünd & Hall - any other suggestions, ideas would be appreciated.

You've done your research! Esslingen is a beautiful and underrated place to stay. If you like wine, visit the "Weingartner Esslingen" on Saturday afternoon for local wines with a view of the vineyards, and Kessler Sekt, home to Germany's oldest sparkling wine producer (in an 800 year-old building).

Every village you name is worth visiting (although you won't have time for them all, obviously). Schwabish Gmund and Hall are both particularly overlooked, as is Besigheim although if you were going to drop one city I'd probably suggest dropping that one. Consider visiting the Porsche Museum and Ludwigsburg on the same day, as they're in the same direction on the S-bahn line.

Another fun day would be Waiblingen (stunning old town on the Rems river with my favorite biergarten, Schwanneninsel), Schwabish Gmund, and then Aalen if you're interested in Roman history, there's a Roman fortress there.

Don't overlook the center of Stuttgart, it has possibly the most beautiful central square of any city in Germany and a lively "weinstube" area in the historic "Bohenviertel" (Bean quarter).

I'm not sure about the stay in Karlsruhe just because...it's Karlsruhe. Assuming you're already doing the baroque Ludwigsburg palace, you probably don't need to do another on this trip. I'd stay overnight in Strasbourg, it's not like it's a long trip to Stuttgart from there (90 minutes by fast train, make reservations as soon as you can for cheaper prices). Or you can even do Strasbourg as a day trip from Stuttgart.

There isn't a trade fair that week, though the hotel prices are a bit higher than usual.

Try Excelsior Hotel, Ibis on the Friedensbrucke, Holiday Inn Express Hauptbahnhof, Hotel Mirimar, or Hamburger Hof.

Thanks to all the replies - Sarah, I particularly enjoyed your confirmation of my plans as well as the additional suggestions. I have all the lodging in place! Booked 2 nights at the Hollander in Heidelberg after reading all the recommendations for it on this forum.

We are 3 months away from our trip and I am hoping to flush my plans out with more specifics - castles, churches, restaurants, museums and other sites to see as well as plenty of time to wander around with our mouths open!

I’ll continue to monitor this forum for ideas as well as suggestions - specifically when it comes to train schedules, cell phone use and wi-if which are my next research projects!

Thanks to all for your help and I look forward to any future recommendations.

Hi,

If you want to see a history site in Stuttgart, go to the Königsplatz. Tübingen is famous and well worth your time. I was there once, in 1989, spent a couple of nights in that lovely university town.

Hi Ruth,

I'm more than happy to offer specific recommendations for restaurants in Stuttgart and Esslingen. Swabian food is special and unique in Germany. The traditional restaurants are called "Weinstuben" ("Wine taverns"). My absolute favorite is a 10 minute tram ride from the center, Heslacher Weinstube. At least one waitress speaks English, and everything is freshly made. If you want a more upscale experience, there's a hip Cafe and Restaurant across the way called "Ochsen". I'd get reservations at either Wednesday - Saturday (Weinstuben all close on Sunday.

Closer to the center, the upscale local option is Weinstube Fröhlich, and the delicious down market option is Weinhaus Stetter. Kiste is also good, and Weinstube Schellenturm is a little overpriced but the setting is very romantic. If the weather is good, a post dinner drink at the patio of the neighboring bar, Gaststätte Brett, is a true local experience. The proprietor, Vula, doesn't speak English, but she'll make you feel like family regardless. (Tell her Sarah sent you).

If you're tired of German food, Amadeus is in a 18th century orphanage and has both good Swabian food and lighter international specialities with a beautiful patio. Injeera is legit delicious Ethiopian food in a historic building. In Esslingen, Einhorn is the best weinstube (make reservations) and Copper Bowl offers good, unique South Indian food on the Marktplatz.

Since you're here in fall, some "Besenwirtschaften" will be open. It's a complicated concept but basically hearty grandma style food in homes or wineries, a true "backdoor" experience. If you're interested, PM me and I'll look what's open on your dates.

Enjoy Stuttgart!

Thanks Sarah for all the additional information. You've got me a bit nervous about not speaking German. I try to pick up a few words/phrases but to be honest, I'm afraid I'll insult any Germans when I attempt to speak them! And I'm almost all German, you would think it would be intuitive!

Still filling in blanks and fleshing out our trip but will be back with more questions and requests for suggestions...thanks again to everyone.

"Looking to stay in Ettlingen..."

A very charming place. Just returned from there. You likely know that getting there from Karlsruhe means a ride on the "Stadtbahn" tram/train. Construction on the Stadtbahn tracks will likely be complete by then. The construction zone is right in front of the Karlsruhe station, where you'd normally hop on. But if the work is incomplete, you'll need to walk down to the Karlsruhe Albtalbahnhof station instead - several minutes' walk.

We stayed at the Hotel Watthalden - chosen for the bargain we got at HRS.com but WOW, a terrific surprise it was. Large-ish room with windows onto the forest, a/c, a balcony-like set-up with French doors and a balcony-rail a few inches beyond the outside wall. Breakfast in the expansive ground floor area was outstanding. Next door are two upscale eateries by the same folks and a lovely park. Use the "Albgaubad, Ettlingen" station and you can walk to the Watthalden (across the street from the Albgaubad waterpark/pool facility.) From the Watthalden there is a pleasant riverside walk that takes you into the old town after about 10-15 minutes.

Ettlingen Stadt is the "main" Stadtbahn station in town - that's where you can buy tickets from a machine or a counter person. Ettlingen Erbprinz, one stop further north, puts you close to the old town as well.

Ettlingen West station is on a separate railway and not connected to the other stations by rail. It would be a lengthy walk from there into town.

"I am having trouble figuring out on the Deutsche Bahn site which “station” to use for departure/arrival destinations."

Mainz: Mainz Hauptbahnhof would be convenient for arrival in Mainz, proximity to several hotels, and for a direct train trip to Bingen. Use the Bingen Rhein Stadt station for closest access to the KD cruise boats. (Bingen Hbf works too but the walk is longer.)

Mainz Römisches Theater station is one station closer to FRA airport than Mainz Hbf is and also closer to the pedestrian zone and the old town. You don't have a bunch of traffic and city to walk through to get to Mainz's main attractions. For this reason I like it more than Mainz Hbf. The Mainz Ibis is only a block away from MRT station. Staying near MRT and using that station will mean a train transfer in Mainz when you go to Bingen Rhein Stadt (not a huge deal really) and you will do the same when you travel to Ettlingen, I imagine. The MRT/Ibis location is very good for a final night prior to flying out of FRA - trains are direct.

You needn't worry as far as language is concerned. In western Germany nearly everybody has learned English for at least five years.
But having learned English and having skills in understanding and speaking English are not the same. There is one more problem:
Most Germans have learned British English at school and they have difficulties understanding US Americans because of their dialect compared to BE. So when talking to Germans speak slowly and distinctly and you will increase the chances of being understood considerably.
Most American movies in cinemas and on TV are dubbed. That is why the listening comprehension of many Germans is underdeveloped. Most ATMs and ticket machines have an English version. If it doesn't say English look for the British flag.
By the way Fred is not quite correct. There is no Königsplatz in Stuttgart, it's called Schlossplatz (or: Schloßplatz according to the old spelling). The letter ß is a double s.

Has the Königsplatz in Stuttgart been renamed? I was there in July 1999. The site, Königsplatz or Schloßplatz, had the statue of Wilhelm I. It was gray at that time I have photos taken of the site with the 35 mm camera. Or, maybe I should look at my photos to see if the word "Königsplatz" was at that site of Wilhelm !

Fred,
there are three squares in the city center of Stuttgart. Between the Neues Schloss (New Palace) and the Königsbau (King's Building) there is the Schlossplatz (Palace Square). According to the book 'Die Stuttgarter Straßennamen' (Stuttgart Street Names) it has been called Schlossplatz since 1817 (before: Parade Ground).
The second (smaller) square is Schillerplatz with the statue of the German (Swabian) playwright and poet Friedrich Schiller in the middle. It has been called Schillerplatz since 1934 (before: Alter Schlossplatz).
The third square is Karlsplatz, named after the Württemberg Duke Karl Eugen. In the center of this square is an equestrian statue of the German Kaiser Wilhelm I.
All three squares are in the immediate vicinity of each other.
There is a Königsplatz in the suburb of Bad Cannstatt with an equestrian statue of King Wilhelm I. of Württemberg.

Thanks very much for the information, so location of the statue of Wilhelm I, that equestrian statue is what I saw, is the "Karlsplatz" There are two equestrian statues of Wilhelm I, one in Stuttgart and one in Bad Cannstatt? I believe I saw the one in Stuttgart in 1999 since the name of Bad Cannstatt is unfamiliar to me.

Hi Fred,

I see the confusion. The equestrian statue you saw was of Kaiser Wilhelm 1, not to be confused with the Wurttemberg King Wilhelm 1. Both Wilhelms, different dudes. The monument on the Karlsplatz you're thinking of is a monument to the Franco-Prussian war. Perfectly reasonable mistake to make!

To make things even more confusing, there is also an equestrian statue of King Wilhelm I in front of the Kursaal/Kurpark in Bad Canstatt-Stuttgart. Which used to be at the Wilhelmsplatz also in Bad Canstatt, but they moved him. To my knowledge there has never been a Koeningsplatz in Stuttgart, though.

To the OP - don't worry about your lack of German! Most native Germans under 50 will speak very good English. That doesn't mean every does, however - Stuttgart has a lot of foreign-born people living here, particularly Greeks, Turkish people, people from the Balkans, and Italians. They will be less likely to speak English if they didn't go through the school system here, and it's likely German is their second language. It's not ever really a problem, however - pointing, hand gestures, and smiling can get you through most interactions.

@ Sarah... Thanks for the information. Then I must have had the name pf the place incorrect. It was at the Karlsplatz in Stuttgart where I saw the equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Something tells me I had better pull out my 1999 photos to see if I had taken a photo of the name of the Platz along with those of the statue and the inscription, if any.

Great discussion...

Thanks Sarah for the advice on speaking English...appreciate it.

And Russ, thanks for the thumbs up on Ettlingen. When I mentioned that earlier, didn't get a lot of response. In the meantime, I started looking at train schedules, etc for our activities in that area and revised, slightly, our plans. We definitely do plan on spending time in Ettlingen as well as Waldbronn (Reichenbach) to try to locate any family connections but since we are planning at least part of one day in Strasbourg, decided it might be easier to make Karlsruhe our base because of the trains. Your information regarding train schedules to/from Ettlingen are still much needed so thank you. We did take your advice for the hotel our first night in Mainz - the Konigshof. Our base, for 2 nights in Karlsruhe will be Schlosshotel Karlsruhe. I did check the hotel in Ettlingen you mentioned and now, may be sorry I didn't go with my first instinct. We have an AirBNB in Esslingen for the next 4 nights and then are at the Hollander in Heidelberg for the last 2 nights since we hope to spend some time in Mainz early in our trip.

Again, all this information is being socked away (hopefully) in my little brain! I am just amazed at the response and the wealth of information you all are providing!