Germany 7/16-7/23

This is what is happening in Frankfurt during that time period:
* 14-16 July Christopher Street Day, Frankfurt
* 14 Jul-27 Aug. European Nature Photography, Frankfurt Palmengarten
* 21 July Food Truck Friday, Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt Höchst
* 21 July-6 Aug. Open Air Theater Fest, Frankfurt Weseler Werft

Depends how far you are willing to travel. Half a day to Belgium, two days just to get to Vienna and back if you are not flying. If you want to stick to cities, use the train. I've landed in Frankfurt before but never spent any time in it (same thing will happen later this year). Regarding the areas of Germany I have visited, there were enough things to see and do for a week within an hour of any place I was based. Heidelberg and it's surroundings is worth 2 or 3 days. Bamberg is fantastic but may or may not be too far for you, you can check train schedules at bahn.de. Wurzburg is nice and closer to FRA. Another option is Rudesheim for a day or two in the Rhine Valley and take a cruise (I've never been to Rudesheim but it is close to FRA).

If you want to drive, the Rhine valley roads are very scenic. As we were travelling on the train from Heidelberg up to Cologne, I was looking out the window enviously on the drivers on the road that was pretty close to the train. From Frankfurt, you'd go a little south, and then up north to Cologne. On a map, Cologne and Brussels seem like they are on the same latitude, so maybe you can drive to Belgium.

We took the night train from Berlin to Vienna and it worked out very well for us, but if its this close to you travel, you may have to pay through the nose for those tickets. But certainly, the cheap airlines (Ryannair and the ilk) may be options for you. You are covering quite a bit of distance in those few days.....so if you are planning to visit other cities too, this could end up very hectic.

"...an itinerary that is possible in 7 days...Kids have enjoyed european cities..."

TRIER is a German city on the Mosel River with a little of everything.

You might also visit the old-world wine town of Cochem, about half-way downstream on the way to Koblenz, a handsome place with numerous diversions: http://flyhahn.com/cities/cochem-travel-guide.htm
Near Cochem is one of Germany's most popular castles - Burg Eltz.

Also not far from Trier is the town of Bernkastel:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bCGMdHh6F6Q/ULfeI8qrqiI/AAAAAAAAVX8/3JnYyvkLcgo/s1600/303.JPG

http://en.bernkastel.de/fileadmin/_migrated/pics/Historischer_Marktplatz_Bernkastel-Kues_Fachwerkhaeuser-Michaelsbrunnen_02.JPG

There's a local Volksfest - a wine/food/street-music festival - in Bernkastel - the Moselauenfest - that gets into full swing on Friday 7/21 and Saturday 7/22 (fireworks that night.) Scroll through the photos using the arrows:
http://lifestyle.volksfreund.de/partypix/detail/cme530884,3589728.html

So I could see maybe half your time in this area - perhaps at the end if you want to get in on the local Fest.

BELGIUM... It's not far from Trier to Bastogne and the Ardennes mountain towns if you have an interest in WW II history.

OTHER CHOICES... Mainz and Speyer are interesting and inviting cities as well. Speyer's Technik Museum might be a big hit. Mainz is very close to FRA airport and would be convenient at the end of your stay.

All,

Thank you for your suggestions. I am still trying to figure out how to order my 7 days.

Day 1 - Arrive into FRA and leave for Ghent by Train. Spend the night in Ghent
Question - is this doable? We arrive around 1 PM.
Day 2 - Visit Brussels (hit the Tin Tin spots to address my son's interest + would like to keep it a light day to recover from travel)
Day 3 - Visit Bruges / Explore Ghent
Day 4 Check out & go where
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7 - Arrive into Frankfurt area so we can depart on Day 8
Day 8 - Depart FRA

Looking for suggestions on day 4,5 & 6. Germany or elsewhere? We are totally open.

Just wondering... If you have one week only, and part of your family wants to see Belgium, another part wants to see Vienna... why on earth are you traveling to Germany? You are going to waste nearly two of those precious vacation days just traveling to and from Frankfurt.

Have you booked those flights yet? If not: Have you checked out flights to Brussels? And return flights from Vienna?

When in a country for only a few days then visit that country instead of trekking all around. When landing in a country (from USA) never plan to jump on a train straight away and head out. What if your flight is delayed 2 hours, 8 hours, 24 hours...then what will you do?

Unless the US military is flying you to FRA for free, you should not visit Belgium. I think that museum-wall versions of Belgian comic art won't be that interesting to a 12-year old anyway. The farthest you should go is the Middle Rhine (KD boat castle viewing from Bingen to Boppard). If desired, train to Koblenz and then Cologne, which has plenty for young people, including a few Roman ruins. If absolutely necessary, Brussels is a two hour train ride from Cologne. But Aachen would be a better use of their time, if they appreciate European history.

As others noted, if you got a deal to fly to Germany, visit Germany. If you got a free flight to Los Angeles would you take them to Las Vegas?

Mention of Vienna suggests you have never been to Europe before. Please don't do that on such a short trip. Borders are no longer an issue in Europe, but you are not chosing between San Diego, Los Angeles, and Anaheim. You're chosing between Utah, Illinois, and Oregon. Please use Google Maps to get some distances.

Hello Anna, Tim, and Tim:

Thank you for your input. I have since realized that it is not feasible to visit all of these places. My son is quite crazy about Tin Tin and is very excited to see the birthplace of Herge. I am on a business trip and staying longer to make a vacation out of it so I couldn't make an open jaw trip.

I would like to visit the following places (not sure what order I should follow)

Day 1 - Arrive in FRA -
Day 2 - Bingen - St. Goar boat as recommended by Russ in another thread
Day 3 - Go to Brussels for a day (is it possible?) or
Day 3 - Go to Munich (how and from where?)
Day 4 Munich
Day 5 Munich
Day 6 Munich
Day 7 Munich -> FRA
Day 8 Depart from FRA

I think some day trips are possible while in Munich to see G-P, Nymphenburg etc.
Is it possible to include a day trip to Salzburg?

Thank you

How did Munich get in there now?

You can do that, sure. If it is going to be enjoyable for all of you is a different question. You are going to spend a considerable amount of that precious vacation week on the road. But if that's what you all agree you want, by all means, go ahead.

If I had only a week, I would go either west or southeast from Frankfurt, but not both. Once you are so far west of Frankfurt, why not visit those cities that have been recommended to you above, like Cologne and Aachen?

If that's really not enough for a week, you might add places like Trier, Speyer, or Heidelberg. Or another day in Belgium once you are there.

Thank you Anna. I added Munich based on what I read RS guidebook. The book says a 5 day trip can include Munich and Bavaria so I thought I may be able to wing it. I understand it may be difficult and too hectic. I will have to rethink my itinerary.
My kids usually love their time in European cities. Should I head from FRA to Munich and stay there for the whole week with couple of day trips?

May be this is for another topic, but is it easy to get vegetarian (eggs OK) food in Germany?

The book says a 5 day trip can include Munich and Bavaria so I thought
I may be able to wing it.

Sure you can, if you don't mind spending a considerable amount of time on the road.
It's certainly not for me to say what someone else finds enjoyable. I can only speak for myself: For me, that would be way too much time on the road within such a short vacation.

Should I head from FRA to Munich and stay there for the whole week
with couple of day trips?

You should head into the direction of your family's top priority, and I don't think I understand what that is yet. Brussels or Munich? Or something else altogether?
Make your decision about that, and then go from there and think about what else you can accomplish in that region within your time limits.

is it easy to get vegetarian (eggs OK) food in Germany?

No problem at all, with the craze for vegan and gluten-free going on, it's all over the place.

"The book says a 5 day trip can include Munich and Bavaria so I thought I may be able to wing it."

Unfortunately, Rick does indeed say this. Munich isn't a separate place from Bavaria. It lies within Bavaria. And Bavaria is big. Bavaria also includes Nuremberg, Würzburg, Bamberg, Regensburg, Berchtesgaden, Passau, Rothenburg, and Lindau and a whole lot of other places. So the notion that anyone could handle Bavaria in 5 days is absurd and reveals a peculiar understanding of geography on Rick's part. Who knows? He may think of "Bavaria" as shorthand for the "Bavarian Alps". Here's a map of Bavaria:

https://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Germany_Bavaria_250-338.jpg

Or maybe he has Bavaria confused with Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern.) But Bavaria has been about the same size or larger for 1000 years or more.

Just to give you an idea the distances we are talking about here: I see you are located in Santa Clara, CA. Now imagine you have friends from overseas who are arriving at San Francisco airport and will be staying for a week.

Your friends want to visit a museum in San Luis Obispo and then move on to Eureka from there. Get the idea? ;-)

Would you recommend that route to them? It's doable, sure, but is it enjoyable?

Just another thing to consider: the jetlag. You say that you are simply extending a business trip, but in case part of your family is coming directly from California, they are going to have a nine hour time difference in the unpleasant direction. They are going to be exhausted and feel like they have to get up in the middle of the night for the first two days. Just something to keep in mind.

Thanks Anna, Russ, Lubitsch for your input. I will choose to stay in one place for the entire week to make it easy. I will have to decide where that is yet.

Thank you all for your valuable guidance. Given the short time we have and our conflicting interests in multiple places in and around Germany, we modified our trip to go to Barcelona for a week instead. I hope to spend 2-3 weeks in Germany/Austria/Belgium in the near future.