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Short Trip to Germany novice traveler dad with daughters

Novice traveler Dad needs help…..My daughters (14 and 15 years old) want to go to Germany during fall break. Would be traveling from the U.S. to arrive in Munich on Monday morning October 7th and have to return home Friday maybe Saturday October 11th or 12th. Not a lot of time so I would like to make a very efficient and fun trip for my to teenage daughters. They both want to pay their respects at the Dacahu Memorial and tour some castles, just not sure which is the best order to schedule those and anything else we could enjoy together.

Any ideas of the best way to enjoy as much as possible in basically 4 days would be much appreciated? Also from what I a have learned is that hotels are very expensive on the 7th in Munich but become cheaper later in the week, maybe we could stay somewhere that we are sight seeing? I here the trains are the way to go? I would be grateful to any ideas or ways to help my daughters fall in love with Germany.

Thank you for sharing, I have learned a lot from the information and look forward to visiting Germany!

Respectfully,
Mark

Posted by
2188 posts

From Mark to Mark I would recommend something which does not really fit in but I know that a lot of teens like it. On Friday 11th the Festival of Lights will start in Berlin. You can walk around the whole evening through Berlin and can see fantastic illuminations. Maybe you can switch return flight starting from TXL or SXF?

Be a little bit careful with Dachau Memorial. Even adults who are very empathic and are less able to build up a distance between what they see and experience have personal issues after such a visit - even if Dachau Memorial restrict it to a minimum age of 14.

Bavaria state has a wide choice of castles and palaces.

Posted by
613 posts

Rent a car and get out of Munich as fast as possible.

Newschwanstein (Fussen) is the most famous castle in Germany and its not a castle. Its a palace (and the model for the castle at Disneyland).

Going S from Munich, see Wieskrick and the castles (palaces near Fussen. In Munich, see Dachau & the Rezidence, then take the Romantic Road N to Rothenburg o.d.T and Wurzburg (both a castle castle and a palace.
The Michelin Green Guide is essential for your trip.

Posted by
2487 posts

Alternative is to go straight from Munich airport to Regensburg with the hourly direct train, taking 1h15. A perfect first taste of Germany, more relaxed than busy Munich and with possibly less expensive accommodation.
The train is indeed the way to go for visiting cities. Use the train planner of the Deutsche Bahn for schedules. The so-called Bayern-Ticket gives unlimited travel on regional trains (not IC or ICE) for EUR 39 for the three of you. On weekdays only after 9:00; Saturdays and Sundays no time restraints.

Posted by
855 posts

Munich airport is actually quite a way out of the city, but there are direct trains north to Regensburg as another poster suggested. A great place. Unfortunately it is in the opposite direction from the Hohenschwanngau - Neuschwanstein area which is south.

https://www.bahn.de/en/view/index.shtml

Check out the travel times between destinations, since with only a short week you don't want to spend much more than an hour or two a day traveling.

Although the famous castles like Neuschwanstein get most of the press there is lots to see elsewhere.

https://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/index.htm

This site also explains about how to get to the castles, timed admissions, etc.

For the 7th to the 11th you will probably have to pick either a northern route like 7th-Regensburg (about 1 hour) - 8th- Nuremberg ( about 1 hour) - 9th back to Munich (about 1 hour) - 10th- Dachau; Or, a southern route like 7th Fussen (3 hours) - 8th-Garmish-Partenkirchen (2 hours) - 9th-back to Munich (1.5hours) - 10th Dachau.

Dachau was labor camp and is appallingly evocative of the Nazi era. I took a full day to get over my visit. It is easy enough to access by S-bahn from downtown Munich so that is easy enough. S-bahn to the local train station and then catch the Dachau site bus. If you go to Nuremberg, in addition to excellent historical/art museums, it has a fine Documentation center (accessible by S-bahn again from in front of the train station) that traces the origin of the Nazi movement.

Most cities have excellent websites for finding places to go and things to do such as:

https://museums.nuernberg.de/nuremberg-municipal-museums/

https://tourismus.regensburg.de/en/about-regensburg/more-sights-to-explore/museums-galleries.html

In my opinion trains are the way to go. It is only a week, so pack light, take great walking shoes/trainers/sweater/raincoat and have a great time.

Posted by
3044 posts

I would go with trains. In the first place, you get to have a much closer experience with Germans than in a car by yourselves.

I would rent one hotel, and stick with that.

I would get your daughters involved in the planning of where to go and what to do. Plan 1 morning activity, 1 evening activity.

Consider staying in a hostel. This can be inexpensive and you can get a private room. There will be a lot of young people there. Your daughters would enjoy that. My wife and I (65 and 69) stayed in 4you Hostel in 2017. We had a private room. We went to the breakfast with everyone. There were school groups there doing the wacky things that HS school groups do, but we had a nice time. I checked on prices - you can get a triple room for about 96 E/night. Including March 7, which includes private bath.

https://www.the4you.de/en/munich/

Yes, Dachau will be difficult. My parents took us there when I was 9 or so (we lived in Germany). I don't remember a huge problem for myself from it, but it made me interested in the 3rd Reich and in WWII.

Posted by
27063 posts

Some travelers have a great deal of difficulty staying awake on their arrival day due to a combination of jetlag and sleep-deprivation. I have a lot more trouble now, at 67, than I did on the trips I made in my 20s and 30s, so there's hope for the youngsters; try to keep them from staying awake all night watching movies on the plane. I would certainly not recommend planning to drive that first day. I would also avoid pre-purchasing any tickets for October 7th. That day is better spent outdoors, trying to get your body on the local time schedule. I'd research the availability of just-show-up walking tours in the afternoon on October 7.

Try really, really hard to fly back on Saturday rather than Friday. Four full days in Germany is a lot better than three!

Posted by
124 posts

Mark,
Get a hotel in central Munich and stay there. You really don't have time to see anywhere else, In my opinion. There's plenty to do in Munich for 4 days. Spend the first day at the English Garden, as some have noted staying outside can help with jetlag. If you wish you can add the Bavarian National Museum nearby. My daughters 12 and 14 went this past July and they liked the Residenz, Alte Pinakothek, Pinakothek der Moderne, shopping, surfers in the English Garden, and just walking around the Alstadt. Supplement any teenage angst with copious amounts of ice cream, there are stands on just about every corner. When you need a beer, remember biergartens are a family affair. Eat some nurnbergers and kartoffelsalat for me. I haven't visited Dachau, I'm not big on being sad, so I can't help with that. If you must get out of Munich, you can take an easy day trip to Salzburg by train. You won't need a car, the S-Bahn will get you to town from the airport and the train system in Germany is very nice.

You and your girls will love Germany, I hope Y'all have a great trip!

Posted by
850 posts

OK, you really don't have much time, but you want to keep the girls happy and make them want to travel as they get older. The biggest thing you can do is build that desire. You can easily spend the whole time in Munich. I've spent months there and haven't seen the whole city. It's a little short on castles, but there's so much other stuff...

Plan at least half a day at Nyphenberg Place. It's a German Versailles; amazing buildings, fantastic gardens (which should be in fall colors when you're there), and great art. It's also a "real" palace, where the nobles from all over the world met and waited on Royalty's whims.

If the girls like art show them the Alte and Neue Pinokotecs (the Old and New Art Museums). There are half a dozen museums within the same area (Egypt, etc) so if they're having a good time they can run from one to another. If they like science or seeing how things are built hit the Deutsches Museum on it's island in the middle of the river. Enough museums...

Dachau...let me start by saying it's important, and I think everyone should see it. But it's seriously depressing and can give you nightmares. I've been several times (once on my own, the other times just showing friends around Munich), and It's usually good for drinking afterwards. I'd pass this trip.

Castles - There are several right in and around Munich, but they're more the Schloss type (large defensive houses) and probably not what your girls are thinking of. If you had more time I'd make a couple other suggestions, but since you don't here's what I think the girls will like best; go to Nuremberg for a day. It has a great castle, it's a really pretty old city, it's got the old walls, open air market, and good food they will like. I've laid out an easy tour in a previous thread: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/organized-tours-of-nuremburg and I think it would work for you. Plus it's a simple train ride to and from, no need for anything other transport. Don't go to Fussen, it's crowded and seriously over-rated.

(On an aside, if Munich is too expensive the day you fly in, consider flying into Nuremberg and out of Munich. Castles and city one day, stay overnight, and train to Munich in the morning. If you want to do this I've recommended hotels in Nuremberg before also.)

Shopping: The main walk thru old Munich is basically off limits to driving, and it's a major shopping zone. So is much of the old part of town. In Nuremberg the best shopping is along the river down to the Trodelmarkt (an island in the river with shops). Most shops close at 6pm. Walking around and window shopping is good at night.

The Victual Market (in Munich) is a series of open shops that specialize in food, and it's the best place to grab and go (or to sit outside if the weather's good). Plan to eat breakfast (which may not be what the girls expect) at the hotel. Eat at an Imbiss (snack stand) during the day. (Germans eat their big meal at noon, so restaurants are crowded then). You really should hit at least one beer garden just so the girls can say they've done that. Hofbrau Haus is the most famous, but the food's not that good. Try the Lowenbrau or Augustiner places; they serve stuff other than beer. The one in the English garden is good too. Remember the menu is posted outside, so you can pick and choose. (Let the girls pick a couple small places so they can see something a little different; hole in the walls can be really good.) Try to find a jazz cellar one evening. If the girls like music they can be fun. if the weather's good there's usually street musicians out and around the main tourist areas. Munich has a major reputation for musical students.

It's going to rain while you're there unless you're incredibly lucky. Plan accordingly. Don't overpack. remind the girls you're only going for a week. Last, Munich is pretty easy to navigate if you use the Marienplatz and churches as landmarks. But a good map on the smartphone is helpful.

Posted by
72 posts

Please take in to account some jet lag - arriving Monday morning and hitting the road, you are bound to burn at some point. I would try and stay in Munich if possible, and you can do day trips from there. I looked at the rates for starting at the 7th and they are incredibly high. You could also head out to Garmisch south of Munich. Charming little towns in the Bavarian mountains. Take them to the top of the Zugspritze, the Partnach Gourge, the train up the tracks to Mittenwald, the trams up to Lake Eibsee, ad so much more. Then make your way back to Munich for your last three days (assuming you are allowing at least 5 nights. There is much to do in Munich and there are tours to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich that can be pretty reasonable if you don't want to do it on your own. I agree for this short stay - train it all the way. A Bayern train ticket will be your friend.

Posted by
6628 posts

"...any ideas or ways to help my daughters fall in love with Germany."

You don't accomplish that by taking them to concentration camps and Nazi museums.

Since it's less pricey in Munich at the end of your trip, spend 2 days there - you have dozens of good choices. Palace? Visit Nymphenburg. Lots to see and do, and right in Munich (don't waste a whole day just getting to Neuscwhanstein for a 30-minute tour!)

For the first couple of days.. from MUC airport, take the train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and enjoy the mountains and small towns nearby.

Fraundorfer Inn Bavarian evening

Mittenwald (easy and cheap train ride from G-P.)
Guide to Mittenwald
Karwendelbahn Mountain lift in Mittenwald

Posted by
3835 posts

I don't have anything to add to what others have said, but did want to extend a hearty welcome to the forum.

Posted by
5697 posts

You're the one who knows your daughters -- all the other comments apply to what posters expect about generic "teenagers".

Dachau is indeed sad and thought-provoking -- I saw it in the company of someone whose father had been imprisoned there and I needed several hours to recover. If your daughters said this is important to them, then a visit may be appropriate but you can cut the visit short if you sense one or both of them are overwhelmed.

Posted by
980 posts

Any ideas of the best way to enjoy as much as possible in basically 4 days would be much appreciated? Also from what I a have learned is that hotels are very expensive on the 7th in Munich but become cheaper later in the week, maybe we could stay somewhere that we are sight seeing? I here the trains are the way to go? I would be grateful to any ideas or ways to help my daughters fall in love with Germany.

I just returned from a week in Munich and here is my advice:

  • With such a short trip just base in one location/hotel as moving around will eat too much into your travel time. I'd also add to pick a hotel in a good location for what you want to see rather than trying to save money on something a little farther away, again this will save you precious vacation hours. If you pick Munich I usually recommend somewhere near the S-Bahn trunk line between Ostbahnhof and Hauptbahnhof.
  • Trains are the way to go here. As a Germany novice traveler there is no reason to rent a car for such a short stay as you will be able to reach more than enough places by train. If staying in Munich the two most likely tickets you will need are either the MVV group day ticket, for local Munich travel, or a Bayern Ticket, for locations outside Munich area. You can easily purchase either of these using the DB Navigator App.
  • In addition to the suggestion from the other posters, I (like Russ) would also recommend one day down in the foothills of the Alps. I'm partial to Tegernsee. It’s about an hour south of Munich and a great mix of foothills, lake and villages. The lake has several small villages surrounding it which are joined by bus, a foot/cycle path and ferries across the lake. It can be accessed from Munich using the BOB train (they have a combo BOB-MVV ticket). Since it is a touristy area there is a lot of good infrastructure for visitors. There is a great Brewery/Restaurant right on the lake, Bräustüberl Tegernsee. If the weather is nice you can take the cable car up Wallberg and hike to a hut in the mountains for nice lunch.

Have fun,

DJ

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you everyone for all the advise and great ideas!!!! You have such great knowledge of the area.
I have been crazy busy trying to just get out of town:) My duaghters and myself are on our way to Germany! Girls are so excited....unfortunatley don't have anything schedule yet:/ All I did get accomplished was booking a hotel next to the s-Line by the Osbauhnof for all 4 nights. Hopefully we can still find some fun and interesting things to do not to far away but maybe one Day-trip I hope.

I'm going to throughly read all you have shared and open to other suggestion as well.

Posted by
980 posts

a hotel next to the s-Line by the Ostbahnhof

Well done, that is my preferred area when staying in Munich so I can recommend the following if you find yourself with a free afternoon:

For a late afternoon walk around Haidhausen, settlement since 808AD (older than Munich), here is what I would suggest:
Starting at Ostbahnhof, start by going strait out across Orleansplatz, check out the fruit and flower sellers. Continue up Wörthstrasse through Bordeauxplatz (Haidhauser Augustiner is on your left, recommended for lunch or dinner) and admire the gardens in this long leafy square. At the end of the Platz take a right on Metzstrasse then a left on Preysingstrasse to see some historic houses (and Gaststätte Zum Kloster, great restaurant) including a relocated alpine hut that is now the HQ of the Munich Alpine Youth Club. Keep walking down Preysingstrasse and right before Fruchthalle on the right head down the alley to Johannisplatz (the square around the church). Check out the small parks on both sides of the red brick church then head strait out from the church on Chorherrstraße, cross Inner Weiner Strasse and walk to the back of Weinerplatz to get a nice view of the maypole with the front of the church in the background. If you started in the late afternoon it's probably time for dinner so in the back corner of Weinerplatz is the entrance to the Hofbräu Keller Biergarten. Eat inside the beer hall or outside in the Biergarten depending on the weather (but check out the inside if you don't eat there). After dinner you can head back to Johannisplatz and catch the 21 tram back to your Ostbahnhof (or your hotel if it is on the tram line) or walk back along Kirchenstrasse passing the Alte Haidhauser Kirche (old Haidhausen Church) along the way (there has been a church on this site for over a thousand years) to Orleanstrasse, take a right on Orleansstrasse to head back to Ostbahnhof.

The 21 tram that stops at Ostbahnhof snakes through Haidhausen (Google maps can show you the route) so if you go for a walk you in the neighborhood you can use it to get back to the Ostbahnhof using the Airport-City-Day ticket you bought when you came in. It then heads down Maximilianstraße to the city center with a stop at the National Theatre so you can take this tram to get to the city center with the nice view instead of taking an underground SBahn or UBahn.

DJ

Posted by
19092 posts

I love Munich. It's a great place to visit. With so few days, I'd focus mostly on Munich.

Dachau Memorial is part of Munich proper, so It could be a day trip. You can easily do it yourself. Get a Munich XXL Group Day Ticket for €16,10. It's valid for all of the transport conveyance in the inner two zones for an entire day. It will cover the round trip S-Bahn and bus to the Memorial. Admission to the Memorial is free; a 2½ hr guided tour cost €3,50 per adult. English tours start at 11 am and 1 pm. There is also an approximately 1/2 hr film. You can tour on your own of with an audio guide for €4 (€3 for students).

You can probably find enough to do in Munich with the time you have. If you want to do anything else, I would do a day tour to Füssen and the castles. Use a Bayern-Ticket (all day ticket for regional trains and buses in Bavaria); it will cover both the train to Füssen and the bus out to the castles at Hohenschwangu. It will cost €39.