Things to do in Stuttgart

I loved Stuttgart earlier this year! There’s a paternoster elevator there to go check out. There are the Mercedes factory tour and the Porsche factory tour and the museums for each car brand- you might be too late for factory tours since you’re there now but if you’re a car fan, it worth a try. The Mercedes museum is especially well-done.

And Sarah Dealy - a common poster on this site - runs a little tour company. We did a walking tour and dinner with her. She’s a great host for her adopted city - she’s American - and it was a blast to discover Stuttgart with her.

http://stuttgartsteps.com/

Look at what Marcopolko has to say on the tripadvisor germany forum

I lived there a few months and also did my Army Reserve two weeks at Patch Barracks a few times.

Aside from the Mercedes and Porsche Factories, there is not much to see.
The second biggest Oktoberfest in Germany is there, but it pales compared to the one in Munich.

geovagriffith seems to have little interest in the cultural diversity and the natural beauty of Stuttgart and its surroundings. It is not the first time that he/she disqualifies Stuttgart like this. For a better picture have a look at this https://www.stuttgart-tourist.de/en

Well, some years ago when we asked our hotel clerk in Munich where we could get spaetzle for dinner, he told us to go to Stuttgart! So there’s that. Safe travels.

Marco Polo on TA has 100s of posts with all the wonderful things you can see and do in Stuttgart, from palaces to vineyards. The city has a lot to offer.

I think Sarah has sadly moved back to the US and is no longer doing tours, but she can surely offer tips about things to see and do there.

In regards to Ms. Jo’s comment about Sarah moving back to the US - I recall she mentioned a male tour guide that offered similar services that she liked. Perhaps she would respond to an email query with the name of that guide.

Stuttgart is great. At Volksfest, I definitely recommend the "tent" that is actually an entire village. The year we were there it was a Tyrolean Village. This year it may be French Alpine. But it is the best place to hang out at Volksfest because it is so varied.

The Mercedes Benz museum is wonderful. Really stellar. Maybe less visited is the History Museum Württemberg, also very well done. At the very least, visit the Celtic exhibit and the recreated Wunderkammer or Chamber of Wonders. It also has a really good museum restaurant. Fantastic food. Alte Kanzlei, I believe is the name. Nearby is the Württembergische Landesbibliothek or state library. Pull up the website and see if they have a temporary exhibit of interest. They do a nice job with their exhibitions. If you are foodies, head over to the neighborhood around Schwabstrasse. Many choices, including a wide swath of international cuisine.

You are in a terrific city. Enjoy!!!

Also, if you are looking for an easy daytrip, we enjoyed Herrenberg, straight out the S1 line. Cool central square of half-timbered buildings and medieval fountain. Good photography opportunities if you are interested.

I would recommend a day trip to nearby Esslingen, a town whose manufacturing base was well away from the town center during WWII, so the city was largely spared Allied bombing. It's gorgeous.

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions. We had a fine time there. The Cannstatter Volksfest is quite different from Munich's Oktoberfest (which we did earlier in our journey) but we did enjoy it. Didn't care for the "carny" atmosphere along the midway but the tents were fine and we really liked the "village" area, quieter and better food options. We stayed at the Abalon Hotel Ideal, near the old city center, great location and really nice hotel. Did the Mercedes museum, great for the history of the automobile & society (I had been there before). Esslingen was a great recommendation, easy access via S-Bahn. Spent a full day there, hiked up to the fortress for great views of the city and a nice biergarten, walked around town and had some tasty wine at the Weinkeller Einhorn (Unicorn wine bar). One caution - the Hauptbahnhof is undergoing a major reconstruction so it's quite a hike to get between regional trains and the S-Bahn or to get to either from the front of the station.

Ah, no mention of my main reasons in the past for visiting Stuttgart which is mecca to Porsche fanatics: The Porsche Factory Museum ... If you plan well advance, you can also get a factory tour. All in all a nice visit for sports car fanatics.