Northern Germany, Peenemunde and what else?

You'll be pretty close to the beautiful island of Rügen, with it's white cliffs and charming old villages (plus some less-than-charming towns from the DDR-era, and the Nazi-built resort of Prora). If you decide to visit, consider staying in the beach resort town of Binz. Public transportation exists on the island, but it's much easier to explore by car.

Bad weather scuttled my plans to visit the old Baltic port of Stralsund and Greifswald, but I understand they are quite attractive.

Rügen Island has much to offer if you like hiking, natural beauty and the ocean. The beach about Prora is delightful with a FKK stretch if that's your interest. Binz is a very tidy, almost too beautiful, resort town. Stralsund is very much worth some time. Bonus: the entire area seemed to lack significant numbers of tourists from North America.

I'm fond of Lübeck, a Hanseatic city that's a joy to walk around, and full of medieval history. I also find the marzipan made there to be the best in Europe.

Also, yes, not many Americans visit northern Germany, which is a shame. I lived near Hamburg many years ago, in a town south of the Elbe, and I find the landscape to be flat, lovely, and sublime, filled with water foul and beautiful rural architecture. There is an astounding crane migration in October, unfortunately we just missed it when we were there.

I also like Lüneburg, yet another Hanseatic city, and the heath fields, a natural/agricultural national park. Google Lüneburger Heide.

Have a look here:
http://i.imgur.com/9BcKenL.jpg

That's a map of Germanys highlights according to Baedeker, Germanys most popular travel guide. As you can see, the Baltic coast is one of Germanys highest-rated regions.... and also Germanys most popular summer destination. Mostly because of the beaches of course, but also because the area offers many sights. Four cities, Lübeck, Wismar, Stralsund and Greifswald, are World Heritage Sites. Lübeck is the biggest and most important one, but I like Stralsund the most. The capital of the state, Schwerin, isn't a World Heritage Sites but offers a very pleasant old town surrounded by lakes and a 19th century fairytale castle. A few kilometers to the east is Güstrow, a preserved privincial town with the most beautiful Renaissance castle of Northern Germany, and to the south Ludwigslust, a small 18th century village with a large park and a nice castle.
Peenemünde is on Usedom island, which offers a 40km long beach and the Three Imperial Spas, probably the best examples of the so called Spa Architecture. Other examples are on Rügen, Germanys most beautiful and diverse island. Binz is the poshest and most popular resort on the island, but Sellin is quite nice too (and cheaper). To the west of Rügen is Hiddensee, a very quiet car-free island popular among German artists. To the southwest is the Darss peninsula, which I like the most. No posh resorts but fishermens villages with colorful houses and more unspoiled nature. The west beach is often billed as one of the worlds most beautiful beaches.

You should search the internet for any festivals or special events that are scheduled for your visit. That might tilt the decision on which towns to visit.
I spent a few nights in Lübeck in May 2014. I lucked out in timing because the annual Hanseatic Days fair was going on downtown. The fair had historical displays, special foods & entertainment in the many stalls lining the downtown sidewalks from many of the Hanseatic towns

I visited the Historical Technical Museum in Peenemünde 5 years ago. I have walked around with double feelings as it is the birthplace of space travel, but happened under a wrong regime. Volunteers run the place with the little means they have as the German gouvernment likes preferring neglecting the place, so it´s a sad and odd place as you will see.

Some 15km south in Anklam is absolutely worth a visit the Otto Lilienthal Museum. He made aerodynamics of planes possible and so did a fundamental contribution to the final breakthrough of aviation later with the Wright brothers. The museum is not big, but gives insight about the person of Lilienthal and aerodynamics. The manmade hill where he did his numerous testflights can still be visited in the Lilienthalpark in Lichterfelde south of Berlin.

Hi,

"Our interests are history, museums of all types, pretty towns...." Great that your itinerary is focused on North Germany. I would recommend also, as suggested above, the town of Lüneburg, just ca one hour south of Hamburg. It came through the war intact, was spared the devastation, and quickly occupied by the British. Look for the history museum there next to the brewery. True, that you won't find any Americans there. Lüneburg fits the bill as a lovely town to walk in, relax, unwind, etc. I first went there as a day trip from Lübeck in 1971, same feeling and vibes then (ie, in the '70s and '80s) as well as now.

As far as tech museums like that in Peenemünde, I would suggest going to Strasund (you can catch a direct train from Berlin Hbf) to see the Marine Museum, if you're interested in naval history. Otherewise go from Hamburg. Aslo similar museums in Wilhelmshaven and Bremerhaven (to see a U-Boat museum) if you intend to go northwest Germany.

I would suggest towns in Schleswig-Holstein to see more museums on war history, culture, etc if you interests should lie in that direction.+
What about Schwerin, a direct shot from Hamburg Hbf.

Thanks to all for the great info! We're rethinking this trip and will probably postpone it a few years until we have time to do a longer road trip

Consider this !!!

We found ourselves flying into Hamburg on a trip into Germany, and we found a circle drive trip just delightful !

We went to Celle, Goslar, Wernigerode, and Quedlinburg. We were just enthralled with the cobblestone streets and pastry shops.

The Harz Mountain area is just a treasure that I never hear much about.