Short trips from Munich

I'd see if there are any wine festivals in October in the Frankenwein region.
Tom will chime in later with some wonderful small picturesque towns not named Rothenburg.
I'll throw in Kufstein, Austria just over the border (and eligible to use the Bayern Ticket) along the Inn River. We went there to tour the Riedel handblown wine glass factory. For an overnight there, try the beautiful Auracher Loechl, just over the bridge from the train station.
In December, try visiting one of the smaller Tyrolean ski towns, like Ellmau or Scheffau, or what the heck, Kitzbuehel.

You might consider three towns north of München. They are well known to Germans but there is not much of an American presence if that is what you want.

Freising - about 23 minutes by train from Munich - is a small Bavarian town with a nice city center and the Domberg (cathedral on the hill) where the prior pope was ordained. It also has the oldest active brewery in the world - or so it claims.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Travel/Freising-April-06/1402301_pTGGtq

Landshut - 46 minutes from Munich by train - has a wealth of baroque house fronts and a castle. Beautifully walkable town.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Other-2/April-2014-Landshut/38726799_vsK4kd

Regensburg - about 1-1/2 hour north of Munich by train - is an UNESCO world heritage site for its medieval buildings. I love its alleyways and plazas. Roman ruins thrown in as well. I would say it is worth a couple days.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Germany2012-1/Regensburg-2012/22324724_Jmq3LT

This is one of my favorite parts of Germany. Hope you have a good time as well. Gary

I just noticed that you will be there over the Christmas Market Season.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Advent-2010/Regensburg/15028020_t5NQGm

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Advent2012/Freising-2012/27268742_XPCq6D

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Christmas-Markets-2009/Landshut-2009/10635634_WwvXRT

We also really enjoyed Passau over the Christmas Market season. It is at the convergence of three rivers and winter walks along the river fronts were a real pleasure. I would prefer to overnight there.

http://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/Advent2012/Passau-2012/27269752_mTt8bM

I probably bored you with all the pic's but they are better than my gushing enthusiasm. Regards, Gary

I appreciate all the gushing enthusiasm. This is my first trip to Europe so I am anxious to see the Europe of history and the Europe of every day life. My husband is working during the week so the short weekend excursions will be perfect. We will see each town suggested and report back. Thank you for your prompt and knowledgeable response. I am even more excited about my trip1
Annie Kier

If DH is working during the week, he's bound to pick up insider tips from his German colleagues of off-the-beaten-path things to see. So tell him to keep his ears open.

I didn't understand the date at first, but now I do... OK, 3 months? You have plenty of time to see a whole lot.

Somewhat beat me to Landshut.

Burghausen, for the longest castle in Europe, and an attractive Altstadt.

Passau, like a southern German Baroque version of Pittsburgh.

Rosenheim, for just a very pleasant small southern Bavarian city, in the shadow of the Alps. A popular German TV show takes place there.

Lindau, for one of the most stunning views in all of Germany, and even Europe. Go on a clear day.

They're not 'off-the-beaten-path' (for Germans, anyway), but my two favorite Alpine resorts in Germany are Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

For one of the most impressive indoor water parks/spas you'll ever see, check out nearby Therme Erding. The town of Erding is scenic as well, but the preserved area isn't very big.

There are several interesting sites just south of Munich in the lakes region. One of the lakes, Tegernsee is well known as a resort. Schliersee is also an attractive lake and there is a cable car to the top of one of the nearby mountains. A little farther down the line, in Osterhofen (next to last station on the line to Bayrischzell) is a cable car to the top of the Wendelstein. The area from Holzkirchen on is served by the private rail company, Bayerische Oberlandbahn (BOB). You can get to Holzkirchen either on the S3 or by taking the BOB from the Starnberger Bhf (attached to the north side of the Munich Hbf), tracks 27-36.

With all of the time you have, you should consider going to the Oberallgäu (SW corner of Bavaria), to the Illertal (valley of the Iller River), near the ski area of Oberstdorf. Don't wait until December; go early, while you can still hike in the Kleinwalsertal.

@ Gary , nice photos , the old adage " a picture is worth a thousand words " certainly applies

Here's my favorite easy day trip from Munich.

Take S8 southwest from Munich to the end of the line at Herrsching. Walk 500 meters to the pier on the lakefront. Take one of the elegant century-old paddle-wheel steamships across the scenic Ammersee to the authentic, untouristed lakeside town of Dießen am Ammersee. Wallk through Dießen to the ornate Marienmünster abbey (1732) that overlooks the town.

Return to Herrsching, and take Bus 951 (or hike about three miles up into the forested hills) to Kloster Andechs, where the Benedictine monks have been brewing beer since the 15th Century.

Photos here.

I am overwhelmed with the responses. I know have some great spots to explore on my own. I just spent two years in Mongolia where going to the market alone was risky so I am thrilled to be able to do some solo exploring without worrying about my safety . Thanks again to all who have responded. I feel well prepared to see the treasures of southern Germany.

I love Diessen, too.

If you go, visit the Wilhelm-Schwizer pewter store: http://www.zinnfiguren.de/de/index.php They make lovely hand painted pewter figurines, wall hangings and ornaments. This is where I've found some of my favourite and most lasting mementos of my time in Bavaria.

We also went to a Christmas Eve service in Diessen. When we walked out of the church after the late (midnight?) service, there were several gentlemen playing Alphorns. It was lovely and very memorable.

Hi,

I agree with the above suggestion of Regensburg. My other suggestion is a place west of Munich...Augsburg, also a city important in German cultural and religious history.

If you'd like a quick daytrip from Munich and enjoy good German beer, I would highly recommend visiting the Andechs Monastery. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. You can climb up into the steeple and get a beautiful view of the valley and the lake. They have a lovely beer garden that has lots of shade. My husband is very knowledgeable about beer, and in his opinion, Andechs is the best beer he has ever had. We were able to take a regional train out of Munich, followed by a short ride on a bus.

Nice to hear that you have three months and a good list of suggestions to explore.

I have been in Germany a week and have been able to check a few things off my long list. Octoberfest first then an overnight in Salburg. We couldn't make ourselves go inside, the weather was fantastic and the architecture so incredible that we just walked and gawked. Salzburg is so close that we will make a return trip when the weather is bad and see all the art and history they have to offer. Our hotel was 800 years old and built into the wall surrounding Salzburg. It was enchanting. Back in Munich we took in the old and new art museums. On Sunday the entry fee for any museum is 1E so we spent a long time in the bookstore at the modern on Saturday and then came back Sunday to see the exhibits. I highly recommend the cafe at the alt museum, even if it's just for coffee. You will be transported to another time and culture.
Thanks again for all your help. I feel certain we will be able to make the most of our time here.
Annie kier

A couple more suggestions ...

Ingolstadt, about halfway between Munich and Nürnberg, has a quiet, picturesque old center. Among the attractions is the German Museum of Medical History, in an 18th-Century building that formerly was the Anatomy Building of the University of Ingolstadt. Many medicinal herbs and plants are in the gardens behind the building. The building is more well-known in literature than in real life, as it was the setting of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein. The Audi factory is just north of the center, and factory tours are available.

Download an Ingolstadt walking tour here.

Schleißheim Palaces, the Wittelsbachs' summer homes, are in the town of Oberschleißheim, just north of Munich. It's about a 20-minute ride on the S1 from Hauptbahnhof, then a half-mile walk to the palaces. The spectacular grounds are nearly devoid of tourists. On the grounds are moving memorials to locals lost in 20th-Century wars, including many civilian victims of aerial bombing attacks in 1943-45. An easy walk south of the palaces is Flugwerft Schleißheim, the aviation branch of Deutsches Museum, and a must-see for aviation history buffs.

Oberammergau. Lovely town with half-timbered houses with painted frescoes.