Two Questions

When you search online for a room - or look up any suggestions you get here - you shouldn't type in "Rothenberg" with two e's or you'll end up looking at somewhere you don't want to go. "Rothenburg ob der Tauber" is the destination you are after.

1-2 hours from Munich airport... in which direction?

Thank you for the correction. Leaving the airport we would be heading to Rothenberg. Thanks!

The last time we visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber we stayed at Hotel Burg Gartenpalais inside the wall. It doesn’t have parking, but we got lucky and got one of a few free parking spaces across the street from the hotel. There is additional parking outside the wall. Rather than drive in Munich we stayed at Hotel Burgmeier Dachau, outside the city center, and took the train into Munich. We enjoyed our stay at both hotels.Rothenburg is best seen after the day trippers go home. Walking along the wall is enjoyable.

I’ve never been to Rothenberg so can’t help if that’s the one you mean.

www.froehlich-rothenburg.de/en
Nice apartment located near church and marktplatz. great price. I‘ve stayed twice and am scheduled for next summer.

There are several towns along a route from Munich airport to Rothenburg odT that are noted in my road atlas as "particularly scenic". Freising is right by the airport, Eichstaett is about 1 hour away, but the most interesting appears to be Weissenburg in Bayern, about 1 1/2 hours from the airport. Like Rothenburg, it is a walled city with most of the walls and towers still intact, and an old city hall on the main square and full of half-timbered buildings. Unlike Rothenburg, it is still a working city with a lot of light industry and a mainline railway station outside the walls. Might make an interesting contrast with the touristy town of Rothenburg odT.

Rothenburg itself is only about 2 1/2 hours from the airport, but give it 3 for getting oriented.

Everyone and Everyone Else goes to Rothenburg.

Sam's suggestions (Eichstätt, Weißenburg) are interesting towns too.

Try Pappenheim if you really want small. There are several places to stay and to eat of course. But it's pretty quiet there.

Pappenheim Is a dreamy little place surrounded by nature in the Altmühl River Valley (famous for its white cliffs, archaeological finds, and its recreational biking opportunities and dominated by its hilltop castle. It's about half way between Munich and Rothenburg as the crow flies.

It would be easy to visit all three of these towns as they're so close to one another. Each one has a distinct feel to it.

The second link is in German but provides lots of visuals.

Thank you for the correction. Leaving the airport we would be heading
to Rothenberg. Thanks!

Heh-heh. Funny.

Thank you for the correction. Leaving the airport we would be heading
to Rothenberg.

So you are going to Rothenberg, then. Not Rothenburg (ob der Tauber ). That makes a difference. I cant make any suggestions on what to see or do, since I've never been there. But Ulm is a bit over 1 1/2 hours from Munich. Stuttgart would be about 2 1/2 hours from Munich. It's only 4 hours drive from the Munich Airport to Rothenberg.

Should you change your mind, and decide instead to go to Rothenburg odT, it is only 2 1/2 hrs drive from the airport.

The English Wikipedia has an article on Rothenberg, so make sure you read that before you type the word into your GPS. :D

At least you can be sure you'll be the only tourist there. ;-)

We like the Gasthof Goldener Greifen in Rothenburg. It is less upscale than many but has good atmosphere and a friendly staff. Prices are usually reasonable. There is a small parking lot at the back of the hotel.

For small towns near the MUC Airport we have enjoyed both Landshut and Freising. The airport can be easily reached by bus, train and taxi from Freising if you want to ditch the car a day early.

Thanks everybody will check into all this information.