second destination from Munich

Rothenburg is only about 3 hours away by train so if you are looking for something easier to reach than that you will be quite limited. Obersdorf could fit the bill at just under three hours from Munich. I've never been there myself but it is often recommended on this forum.

DJ

Where else are you going in exploring Bavaria? Rothenburg is worth an overnight and not that hard to get to, but not worth 3-4 days. Salzburg would seem the easiest choice for "another country to the south". The Rhine Valley is a worthwhile destination, but not if you have to come back to Munich to depart.

The Alps sound good, but northern Bavaria/Franconia could also be nice with Nurnberg, Bamberg, maybe even Wurzburg as places to see in that area.

I'd say base in Salzburg or even St. Gilgen, which is 30 minutes from Salzburg and situated on the beautiful Wolfgangsee. Visit Salzburg from St. Gilgen. It would be a nice contrast to your stay in Munich.

Paul

Landshut, Burghausen, Regensburg and Passau all make interesting day trips from Munich.

Landshut has a huge and colorful Altstadt and an interesting castle overlooking the town. I was actually disappointed by Salzburg's rather small and monochromatic Altstadt after visiting Landshut.

The main reason to visit Burghausen is the castle, which depending on how exactly you define the word, could qualify as Europe's largest.

Regensburg also has a rather large Altstadt, and sits on a scenic location on the Danube.

Passau...imagine the geography of Pittsburgh covered in Bavarian Baroque architecture.

Thanks for all the great trips on day or one overnight ideas! I am looking to add a second destination worth staying 3/4 nights after we leave the Bavaria area.

We are going from Munich to the Rhine River Valley in June. I have booked train tickets and it will take us a shade over 5 hours to get from Munich to St. Goar with two train changes. I think you could spend three nights in that area. Another option is Paris. There is a direct rain from Munich to Paris that takes 6 hours and arrives at 12:35 in Paris. If you have already been to Paris, other options to consider would be Vienna or Prague or Budapest.

Are you going to see Neuschwanstein? I enjoyed seeing 4 castles in that area and rodelbanning ( sp?). Our family liked Budapest, the baths are fun in summer and the food where Rick directs you, away from the crowd's is very good and relatively inexpensive. I prefer the culture in Vienna to Budapest; Prague was third to my liking, ecept the castle and the history there.
Also a vote for Regensburg as a side trip from Munich- cathedral, charm, famous bridge, sausage haus, BMW factory.

Tourists have yet to discover Ingolstadt, a charming, friendly town about halfway between Munich and Nürnberg. There are many historic buildings in the old center, including the former Anatomy Building of the University of Ingolstadt, now the German Museum of Medical History. Gardens in the courtyard are made up of medicinal herbs and plants. The building was the setting for Mary Shelley's original 1818 novel Frankenstein. Tours are available of the Audi factory, just outside the old center. Ingolstadt self-guided walking tour available here.

Second Franconia: Nürnburg, Bamberg, Würzburg and Coburg are all top sites close together and not in the Munich/Salzburg/Neuschwanstein tourist crush. These are on the main Munich/Berlin or Munich/Frankfurt rail lines.

Pam,

It would help to know where you'll be after the "second destination". Are you flying out from Munich? One possibility that comes to mind would be Salzburg, with side trips to Hallstatt and Berchtesgaden. You could also head down into the Dolomites to Bolzano or Castelrotto. There are lots of possibilities.