Favorite day trip from Munich

Not favorite is correct word but i will always remember trip to Dachau a suburb of Muncehen

I'd take the train to Prien am Chiemsee (halfway to Salzburg) and then take the small spur train to the lake shore, take the lake steamer to Herrenchiemsee Island where there's another one of Ludwig's castles, have lunch or afternoon coffee at a lakeside hotel on their terrace and go back in the evening. Instead of taking the steamer to the island, I might go to the Erlebnisbad Prienavera instead, an indoor-outdoor swimming pool set-up.

The Alps and history. The first thing that comes to my mind is Berchtesgaden and the Eagles' Nest. It will be a longer travel time than Salzburg, just under 4 hours from Munich Hbf to the Eagles' Nest, depending, because of bus connection times, on when you leave. If you leave early enough, you can also visit the Dokumentation center at the foot of the mountain, which has exhibits on the Nazi takeover of Germany. And the Alps in Berchtesgaden are spectacular.

Karen, Other than going to Salzburg from Munich which you have alresady visited, I would suggest as a day trip you go in the opposite direction...go see Ulm...less than a one and a half hours away. If you are interested in cathedrals, the Ulmer Dom is one of Germany's most famous along with Magdeburg, Cologne, and others. I have not seen the one in Speyer as yet.

I would defintely go to Fussen to see the castles.

Hi Karen, I'd suggest seeing the Alps in Mittenwald. Very charming Bavarian village, beautiful mountain backdrop and a cable car up to the mountains, the Karwendelbahn. Paul

OK, everyone, the OP said, "we do love history and I would love to see the Alps". I would just barely call the castles history, and Mittenwald, not at all. Ulm, although interesting, is nowhere near the Alps. I think that the only place in Ulm from which you can see the Alps is the top of the 600' high Münster tower. Garmisch-Partenkirchen was the site of the 1936 Olympics, if that's enough history for you, and certainly in the Alps. You might be able to see the Alps, just barely, from Landsberg, and it certainly has history, being the site of the prison where Hitler wrote Mein Kampf. You can see the Alps from Oberammergau, but it's historical significance is only the Passion Play. Nürnberg certainly has history, but is nowhere near the Alps. No, Berchtesgaden is the only really historical place I know of close to the Alps.

The OP said..."and I would love to see the Alps in anyway". Mittenwald certainly fits the bill. While we love the Berchtesgaden area also, Mittenwald is easier to get to than Berchtesgaden.

Karen, If you are determined to view the Alps as well as take in an historical site, then by all means go south or southeast of Munich, as suggested. My suggestion of Ulm neglected to include the Alps part of your post...seeing the Alps doesn't interest me at all...I only thought of the history part you mentioned. Otherwise, should your love of history prove to be greater, then definitely go in the other direction... towards Augsburg or Ulm for the cultural/historical aspects. Being in either Augsburg or Ulm would be a "non-typical tourist day" for Americans coming from Munich.

We went south from Munich toward Fussen and the castles, you start getting into Alp foothills and seeing the Alps ahead of you. I would not choose the castles (although they are interesting) as i have been there/done that. I would suggest Garmish or Mittenwald as your ultimate destination- but my way the journey is part of the experience. Wieskirke on way down is worth a stop, even though on surface may look touristy

Thanks for all the ideas! Just so you know I didn't mean that history and the alps had to be the same place, those are just two things we like. These were all great ideas, we'll have to see which one we can do. Thanks again!!

"I didn't mean that history and the alps had to be the same place, those are just two things we like." In that case, if you go to Füssen, just outside of Munich is the town of Kaufering. There you can take a spur line (6 min) down to Landsberg am Lech. Actually, the first stop after Kaufering, 2 min before the end of the line at Landsberg, is Landsberg Schule, right across from the Mein Kampf prison. Kaufering was also the site of a concentration camp, a satellite of Dachau, where prisoners worked underground on armaments. There are some remains of the above ground living area a few km outside of Landsberg.

You have received lots of super suggestions to which I will add one - Oberamagau, south of Munich. You would love this village, home of The Passion Play.