Hello! My family (2 parents and 2 adult-ish children) are traveling to Hockenheim August 4 to 12 for the Formula Student Germany International Design Competition. Our son is on a design team from University of Washington and they're one of the teams competing. I'm looking for accommodations in town and am finding most are fully booked. Does anyone have recommendations for interesting nearby towns that may have accommodations, suggestions on how to get around (rent a car, bus, train?), and things to see and do in the area? Our son will need to attend the competition every day, but we (me, husband, daughter) would enjoy seeing some other things in the area too.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Close with likely enough hotel capacity is beautiful Heidelberg. For bus and train connections check www.bahn.com.
Design competitions are very hard in Europe and especially in Germany. Have some buddies working in the digital labs of large German car manufacturers. Good luck for your son's team.
Just across the river a touch is Speyer. Great town, I'm sure that they will have hotels.
How far are you willing to go each day - or how far is he willing to go (does he drive?)? 30-40 minutes away is the lovely small town of Deidesheim (if you like it I can suggest a very simple but very nice place there) which is on the Deutsche Weinstraße.
Or about 40 minutes' drive the other direction is the beautiful small town of Bad Wimpfen where I have a fav. yet a bit more expensive hotel. Near it is the big town of Heilbronn which will also have many hotels.
Will he be right at the racetrack, or is he in town?
Another choice is Ludwigsburg.
I'm sure your son will be impressed with the Technical Museum in Speyer.