8 day Drive trip in Germany

Debbi,
We just returned from Germany last week. We read RS book and go! We (my husband, 2 kids and my dad) loved Berlin. We walked everywhere! We were there two full days and could have easily added two more. We also saw Dresden (a long afternoon) and Gorlitz and Bautzen (both in RS book). We stayed at the Westin Berlin (149-199 Euro) and Westin Bellevue Dresden (149 Euro) both very well located. In Gorlitz we stayed at the Hotel Sorat (99 Euro for a huge triple room in a central location!!!! including breakfast). We also went to Rothenburg where we stayed at the Hotel Markstrum, which is wonderfully located and included breakfast. We had a rental from Europcar that was a VW van, so we had lots of room with 5 people and luggage, although we could not go faster than 140K unless going downhill:-) Good luck and if you have any questions, feel free to email me! Deanna

Deanna,
Thank you for the info. We need to get his book and see where he recommends going. I have heard him speak and know that he recommends places not so touristy. But if you have never been there tourist places might be first to see. Did you go further down to Munich or Neuremburg? It sounds fairly expensive to stay places!
Debbi

I have found www.hotel.de (de for Deutschland) to be an excellent resource. They list hotels in all price ranges, have pictures and good info. Most German cities and towns have good websites, often with an English version, tourist information for eating and sleeping, events and sightseeing, and also webcams. I would start with a couple of guide books and a good map of Germany. Triple A probably has a map, a good bookstore would have one for sure and your library would be a good resource, as well. Then you can select a route from Berlin to Frankfurt and check out possible stopping places on the internet and decide on side trips, depending on your interests. Parking in Berlin is not completely impossible but I would use public transportation or cabs there and get the car on the way out of town. I'd reserve a car with airconditioning. Someone on this forum will suggest car rental companies. By the way, I think you will be happier not going on a scheduled tour. With a car, you can set your own schedule and linger at the places you like. In all German cities and places of interest you will find nice restaurants, often with outdoor seating, for a relaxing time out and in smaller towns the parking is easier.

Brianna,
Thank you for your help. I have had two replies from women in GA! Thank you for the southern hospitality.
Does Germany seem to have wheel chair access throughout that there is in the US?
Thank you,
Debbi

I recommend that you do not use Rick Steve's Germany as your only source. He has some good recommendations for places to stay (well, minus Reutte, that I can't quite figure out), but the book glosses over large sections of the country. Particularly because your trip starts in the north (of which Rick's book covers very little), I would recommend supplementing your research with other travel guides, like The Rough Guide or Lonely Planet.

Also realize that depending on your itinerary, a rental car may not be the best option, even with one passenger in a wheel chair. Particularly in large cities, you may find it easier to maneuver a wheelchair onto public transportation than to find wheelchair-acessible parking.

I'll second Tom's recommendation for getting Rick's book plus another one. Something along the lines of Lonely Planet or Frommer's is good to go along with Rick's book. His books are good for paring down all of the information and giving good recommendations for essentials -- getting around, where to stay, things like that. But if you're wanting to venture out of places that he recommends, you'll want something with more information.

Rick's guidebooks have accommodation recommendations in different price ranges.

If you are getting a rental car, realize that gas costs about 3-4 times what it costs here. And that parking can be difficult over there. We've always gotten the smallest car that we can fit in (and about half the time gotten a free upgrade).

Since it sounds like your mother-in-law has limited mobility, I'd recommend going it alone without the structured tour. If she needs to rest, that may not be an option without leaving the tour.

Debbi, wheelchair access is limited but there are usually people willing to give you a helping hand if you need it. Be sure to pick a hotel with an elevator. The quote James from Ansbach mentioned infuriates me but it's a fact of life that there are ignorant and insensitive people everywhere and assuredly not everyone in Germany feels that way. I think your mother-in-law is lucky to be able to travel with you and I hope y'all will have a fabulous time!

There have been some helpful info on this blog. I lived with a German mother and her relatives so I get the attitude that some can display. I have heard mostly good about the people in Germany. We just will be kind and not try to fake speaking German.
We can not see any other way of traveling over there than a car with our luggage (for 4) and mom-in-law. She can walk just not very far or for long. I was hoping that we can see sites without having to leave her in the room or not going at all to some sites.
What are the best sites to see between Berlin and Frankfurt (including Munich) if you have only a week. Should we spend more than one day in Berlin and Frankfurt?

You may wish to review the website below regarding tourism in Germany for disabled persons, elderly persons, and those with limited mobility. From there, you can link to many other resources that appear to be very helpful, such as the National Tourism Coordination Agency for all People.

http://www.cometogermany.com/ENU/infocenter/accessible_travel.htm

Also, Rick Steves published Easy Access Europe…covers the Rhein region and Frankfurt. Without the protections of the ADA like we enjoy in the U.S., you may find some access to be a little more difficult, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a fantastic trip with your mother-in-law. Here’s a link to Deutsche Bahn’s information regarding assistance for disabled customers. You can travel by rail to all of your destinations with assistance.

http://www.deutschebahn.com/site/bahn/en/travelling/services/handicap/handicap.html

Enjoy your holiday!!!

Michael,
Thank you for these web sites. We are still checking and even though it is expensive to rent a car it may be the only viable way to get around Germany easily with an elderly person.
We think we will start in Berlin, then to Dresden, Nuremburg, Munich, Lucerne, Heidelburg, Frankfurt and a short Rhine cruise. Any city we should discard or add with only 8 days?
Where is the best place or city to take a trip down the Rhine from and is it worth it?
Any of these cities worth two nights and others worth only a drive through?

Ok, a couple of things. I have never, ever heard of this attitude that James has presented about older people in wheelchairs. I am astonished! Just cause one single German says this is so, is not enough grounds to say this is a common attitude here. It is not.

Germany has very strict guidelines for building accessible buildings. It is of course difficult when you are dealing with very old, historic buildings, so sometimes it just is not possible.

Debbi, you have suggested 8 places to visit in 8 days. This will not be a fun trip for anyone. Berlin is huge and worth way more than one day! Perhaps 4 at a minimum, and add a day or two on there if you want to visit Potsdam or Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Dresden is nearby and should be given a couple of days. This leaves you with a either a couple of days to travel the Rhein area or a day or so in Heidelberg or Frankfurt. Munich is no where close to any of these cities. If you have your heart set on seeing Munich, you might need to re-think your trip a lot. It is at least a days driving time between Berlin and Munich. So divide your 7 days between those 2 cities, leaving time to get to Frankfurt. Munich is at least a 4 hour drive from Frankfurt if you don't get into any traffic jams.

Here are two wheelchair travel websites for you.

http://www.wheeladventure.com/

http://www.globalaccessnews.com/linksnew.htm

Oh yeah, James I know where you are coming from there. Have carried my stroller a number of times up and down the stairs to train stations. It is a work in progress for sure with a loooong way to go.