Munich question

From Munich? That'd be tough. If you have a car, you could do Linderhof, Oberammergau, and/or Garmisch [all of which I recommend] more easily than getting to Füssen, seeing the castle, and getting back.

Do you have a car? We took a Viator tour from Munich to the castle, and it was an all-day affair. The tour did include Linderhof Castle and a short stop in Oberammergau.

If you have a car, and if you have a reserved entry time, yes. But you'll get back to Munich well after dinner time. You probably won't have enough time to see Hohenschwangau or the Wittelsbach museum, however.

..... and once you get there, the actual tour inside the "castle" is about 30 minutes, as I recall.

I was considering the best of Europe in 14 days tour for our family. (boys 24 and 19). In Munich we have a half day trip to Dachau with the afternoon open. I am wondering about taking a Viator day trip to Linderhof and Neuschwanstein instead. I have been to all, but none of my family has.
It is their first European trip and trying to get the best overall experience. Thoughts?

I would skip Dachau and do the day trip instead. Your sons might not truly appreciate Dachau or, worse, it may have a traumatic effect on them. The "castles" will probably be more fun for them.

Thanks for the input everyone.

Agree that Dachau is not good for boys -- but young adults of 19 and 24 should be able to handle actual history, not just made-up castles. However, you know your kids best..

cc,

If you don't want to organize the tours on your own, you could also use Radius Tours for organized trips to both Dachau or Neuschwanstein.

I disagree that Dachau is not appropriate for men their age. I first went when I was 14, was back again in my early 20s and have returned several more times since. I took away different things at different ages. There is a reason why so many school groups visit the site and the lessons are just as important and relevant now in the age of ISIL, Boko Haram, Somalia and Syria as they ever were.

Neuschwanstein would be fun and could easily be done in a day but I wouldn't be too quick to pass up the opportunity to expose young men to some of the lessons Dachau can provide. What about a morning at Dachau and an afternoon at the BMW Museum or Nymphemburg Palace?

You might also consider going to Munich's new NS Doku-Zentrum, which just opened last May on Briennerstraße, on the site of the Third-Reich-era Nazi party headquarters. It would be a somewhat less intense experience than going to Dachau itself (though still powerful), but would also provide more historical context. Adjacent are Führerbau (Hitler's office building where the 1938 Munich Accord was signed, and now repurposed as the High School for Music and Theater); and the ruined foundation of one of the Nazi "honor temples". Historic Königsplatz is just across the street.

Agree totally with Chris about Dachau. It's never too early to teach and mold your kids. Doing it now is much easier than later when minds are made up.

Another vote for Chris' suggestion about visiting Dachau. Your boys are adults, so should be able to handle the subject material. One of my Sons was about the same age when he visited Auschwitz, which is a somewhat more intense experience.

"we have a half day trip to Dachau with the afternoon open."

Are you going really early and using an audio guide? The first English tour is at 11:00 and takes 2½ hours, so you are not going to get out much before 2 PM. You'll get out too late to go to Neuschwanstein unless you are staying in Füssen overnight.

I'd find something closer to Munich for an afternoon trip (perhaps even just Linderhof). If you can spare the day, doing the tour to Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Oberammergau would be a full day but fun/well spent.