Middle Franconia

If you can tell us where you will be based wie can provide better information. Middle Franconia stretches from Uffenheim in the West (near Würzburg) to Hersbruck in the east and from Erlangen in the north to Eichstätt in the south - it's a large area for an holiday. do you need tips for accomdation too?

We have booked a place near Dietenhofen.

There is always this spot between Dietenhofen and Nuremberg.
http://www.playmobil-funpark.de/en/

Ok, so you are almost in the middle of nowhere; hope you will have a car. Just to start (more tomorrow: +++ = worth a day trip, ++ = worth 2+ hours, + = worth a stop):

-- Near Dietenhofen: ++Ansbach, +Burgbernheim, +Colmberg, ++Bad Windsheim

-- Day trip to the Altmühltal: over A6 and A9 to exit Altmühltal (maybe after previous stop in +Greding) and from there via Kinding to: +Kipfenberg and +Arnsberg (castles, Roman Limes Infopoint), ++Eichstätt (Cathedral, baroque town), ++Neuburg an der Donau (dto.), +Weißenburg (small medieval town, partially reconstructed Roman castle), +Ellingen (baroque residence)

-- Near +++Rothenburg o.d.T: +Dettwang (Riemenschneider altar), ++Creglingen (altar in the Herrgottskirche, best of Riemenschneider's preserved works), +Schillingsfürst (baroque castle), +Feuchtwangen, ++Dinkelsbühl (medieval towns), Öttingen (small former residence town of two rival counts - right side of the central road (viewed from the castle) half timbered: catholic, right side baroque: protestant ;))

-- Swimming: Brombachsee near +Spalt. Better than Rothsee and Altmühlsee. My preferred beach is in Enderndorf. For lunch go to nearby Ottmansberg: »Noudlsberger Hof«, a small traditional inn with own butcher's (open Do to Sun, neither English nor Standard German spoken but you will find communication easy and warm).

(to be continued)

Sometimes the place you stay can make all the difference with kids. I wonder what sort of place you're staying. Franconia has a lot of farm-stay options like this one in Colmberg:
https://www.farm-holidays.com/holidayfarm/ferienbauernhof-eisner-colmberg/

Also there's a castle/youth hostel with 15 en-suite family rooms, a swimming pool, and other rec. options, not far from the Brombachsee:
http://www.jugendherberge.de/en/youth-hostels/burg%20wernfels268/Amenities

I would strongly recommend a visit to the Franconian Freilandmuseum (open-air museum) in Bad Windsheim:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g198421-d284746-Reviews-Frankish_Open_Land_Museum_Fraenkisches_Freilandmuseum-Bad_Windsheim_Middle_Francon.html

If you are in Dietenhofen late August there is the Nürnberger Volksfest 25 Aug-10 Sep 17. http://www.volksfest-nuernberg.de/

The Freizeit-Land Geiselwind is near Wwürzburg. http://freizeit-land.bayern/

There is a brand new summer Alpine Coaster in Bischofsgrün near Bayreuth (opened last summer). You can also take the gondel to the top of the Ochsenkopf mountain and hike in the Fictelgeberg mountains. http://www.ochsenkopf.info/sommer/alpine-coaster/

-- Immediate surrounding area of Dietenhofen: castles in +Rügland, +Virnsberg (Teutonic Order), +Obernzenn, +Triesdorf, ++Dennelohe (botanical garden), +Hoheneck (nice view into the Aisch valley). Below Hoheneck, in Mailheim, there is the southernmost Franconian winery (eastern edge of the village at the road to Fürth), of Armin Düll. Most wines are inconspicous but the Blanc de Noir is good and not expensive. From here it's a short distance to Bad Windsheim (see Russ' posting; after the Freiland Museum visit Doebler's Brauhaus, a few step from the baroque town hall, and try the »Reichstadt« beer). Swimming: Sonnensee near Flachslanden, ca 10km from Dietenhofen (pub).

-- Near +++Würzburg: +Marktbreit and +Ochsenfurt, ++Iphofen, +Kitzingen, +Scheinfeld (sister castle of Hluboka in Boehmia, Franconian seat of the Boehmian Schwarzenberg family, who was living in exile here during the communist occupation of Czechia)

-- Near +++ Bamberg: ++Schloss Seehof in Memmelsdorf, ++ Vierzehnheiligen (stunning roccoco church), Staffelstein (family-friendly spa), +Ebrach abbey, ++Schloss Weißenstein in Pommersfelden, +Forchheim

Lunch or Dinner (suitable for a family with children): Marktbreit: Gasthof Löwen; Würzburg: Bürgerspital; Weinstube Maulaffenbäck; Uffenheim (between Marktbreit and Rothenburg o.d.T.): Gasthof Adler (the owner worked in France in the 90ties and won several prices and returned to that lonely spot after the sudden death of his father). Near Rothenburg: Brauereigasthof Landwehrbräu Reichelshofen (a bit pricy but worth it); Bamberg: Brauereigasthof Spezial or any other of the breweries (I'd avoid the crowded Schlenkerla); between Bamberg and Forchheim in Hallerndorf: several very nice beergartens on the Kreuzberg (Rittmayer Bräu, Roppelt Bräu, Dorfkeller Liberth, Brauerei Brenner; google for opening hours); Vierzehnheiligen: Klostergasthof. Near Kitzingen: Schwanberg pub (large walking area in the forest, play ground).
More on Franconian breweries from an American perspective here

(We can provide details for that places on request).