Future Trip to Germany

While I agree with the previous poster who said that Germany is easy, I'm afraid I must disagree that there is no difference in driving. There are indeed some differences in the laws, for instance the right-of-way rules, that could be confusing and dangerous if you are not familiar with them. I think it's always a good idea that anyone planning to drive in an unfamiliar country try to investigate the basic rules of the road. Perhaps you'd have no problems, but that might be owing more to luck than anything else.

Hi Larry,

We wrote a "report" of our trip that included the Rhine, Mosel, Rothenburg (RR) and Bavaria. We stayed 10 nights. Thought you may find it of interest:

www.fodors.com/community/europe/moselrothenburgbavaria-report-with-photos.cfm

Another thought is to concentrate on the area "south" of Munich. You could split your time between these three area's, which would cover a lot of "must see's" and easily fill 10 days:

Salzburg/Berchtesgaden area

Mittenwald/Garmisch area

Fuessen area

Salzburg/Berchtesgaden/Salt Mine Tours/Koenigssee boat trip/Jennerbahn cable car, even "Mad" King Ludwig's Neues Schloss (Herrenchiemsee), etc.

Mittenwald/Garmisch/Zugspitze/Luge ride in Garmisch/Ettal Monestary/"Mad" King Ludwig's Linderhof Palace/Oberammergau, even Innsbruck, etc.

Fuessen/Neuschwanstein castle/Hohenschwangau castle/Tegelberg cable car and luge ride/Wieskirche/Zugspitze from the Austrian side (in nearby Ehrwald, Austria), etc.

We find driving in Germany/Austria as easy as driving at home. There are differences of course. Signage is different, roads are not designated as east/west and so on. With a little "homework" it's easy. Everyone's different though.

Hope this helps.

Paul

A river tour may not be a good option for you, since some tour companies have age requirements and might not welcome your kids. The general age of people taking river cruises tends to be older, and the pace is slower. I have no experience with rail tours, but the couple of bus tours I have been on (not in Europe) have been great - and I'm mostly an independent traveler. You learn a lot more on a tour than you would if you went on your own, and all of the housing and transportation arrangements have been made for you. If you're really dead set against driving, that might be the way to go.

Considering your time frame, I would almost recommend the Rhein/Mosel and Black Forest option, but going to Germany and not seeing Neuschwanstein, .... I don't know. As for the Romantic Road, I think that Rothenburg and Fuessen are the most interesting. Noerdlingen is also interesting, but pretty much a smaller, less touristy version of Rothenburg. All those towns are pretty easily accessible by train.

Besides the castles, there are a lot of nice, scenic places down in the Alps (Mittenwald, Garmisch, Oberammergau, ...) but I'm not sure how interesting those places are for kids.

By the way, rail is really good in southern Germany, particularly Bavaria. Your kids will travel for free with you on any German Rail train, and there are all-day passes for regional trains, called Länder-Tickets. Each state has one, and they are about €30 a day for up to five people.

Don't worry about the "stresses of navigating through a foreign country" in Germany. Germany is the EASIEST place to travel. I found there was almost no culture shock, no language barrier, no differences in driving (well, don't cruise in the left lane on the highway)...in fact I have no desire to travel in Germany again because it almost didn't even feel like being in a foreign country (I'm not bashing Germany here! I'm glad I've been). So if that's why you're considering a tour, don't. It's so easy to travel independently in Germany. Seriously, all you need is a guidebook.

That said, I'd pick the Alps/Romantic Road. The Rhine was disappointing to me. I didn't think it was very scenic. There are some cute towns, but there are cute towns elsewhere in Germany too. I do prefer the Alps in Switzerland or Austria but I think you can have a nice time in the Bavarian Alps. Salzburg is so close to the border I'd encourage you to dip into Austria too. With 10 days, you have time.

Thank you all for the extensive responses. They will all help us ultimately decide where to visit and which tour to take. I definitely want to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. Rothenburg, Fuessen, Mittenwald, Garmisch and Oberammergau are also on my list, as is Salzburg Austria (my wife and kids would love to see "sound of music". I will be picking up some of Rick's books and research the German motor vehicle laws if I decide to go the independent tour route.
Again, thanks for the help.
Larry

Over the years my husband I have made several trips through Germany, driving each time. There is so much flexibility, there is very little difference from the US, and with four people it will be most likely be cheaper to drive.

If I were traveling with children I might consider the following:

Neuenschwanstein and the area surrounding

Dinkelsbuhl on the Romantic Road - it has a children's festival each year (Kinderzeche) and the whole town participates to reenact the children saving the town from Sweedish invaders

Therme - these are public indoor /outdoor "pools" throughout Germany that are open to the public for a fee per 2 hours; many towns where the name begins with "Bad ...." suggest that there might a therme; look them up on the internet to find more information

Burg Eltz - If you decide to go to the Mosel this is a castle worth visiting

Unless you are a family of outdoor lovers and the children are use to hiking, I would forgo the Black Forest for Bavaria. If you get into a small town in Bavaria you are most likely to experience a greater variance in culture.

Hi Larry,
I just returned a few days ago from 10 days in Germany. I almost always travel by train in Europe, but due to the shorter days, I opted for a car to minimize potential downtime in train stations. I drove everywhere without feeling stressed (heed the left lane cruising advice posted earlier), although a navigation system is definitely worth the investment. I brought my own (Garmin nuvi275)but my rental car provided one also. I traveled to Nurnberg, Rothenburg, Fussen, Ettal/garmisch/ oberammergau, Munich, and Salzburg. If you're really into wine, then the mosel/rhine area is great, but your kis may not like it as much. The black forest has some great open air museums that your kids should love. Ludwigs castles? You can't possibly miss them. We visited all 4 (hohenschwangau, Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, and Herrenchiemsee), and they did not disappoint. There is tons of hiking around Linderhof that your kids may enjoy. Rothenburg was my favorite city, lots of hiking available there too. Salzburg? Definitely worth a visit, your kids will likely enjoy the Fortress there as well. Have fun!

Since you have an 8 and 10 year old, my vote goes for the Rhine, somewhere between Wiesbaden and Bonn. There are so many castles to see from a boat tour, driving by car, or even by train. Better yet, tour some of the castles themselves (Marksburg is wonderful; my 11-year old got to open the castle gate with a huge key).

We took our two kids (a little older, 14 and 16) to Germany last summer. We had the most fun in the Fuessen area. We actually stayed in Hohenschwangau, and we walked to both castles and to Tegelberg (we walked to the bottom, and rode up). We stayed for two days there, but easily could have spent another day or two. We liked Rothenburg, where we spent one day/night. My kids were not as thrilled with Cochem on the Mosel, although it was at the end of our trip and the weather was not great. We spent only about half a day in Munich, but really enjoyed that. There are places to see in Munich that tie in with Ludwig's castles, which we found interesting. So I guess my advice would be to concentrate on Bavaria and maybe even parts of Austria. We rented a car and had no problems, but going again I would take the train more and drive less. Even with the car, we tended to use it just to get from one area to another, and then used buses/trains for short trips.

My kids were 7 and 11 when we last had them in Germany. They loved the Night Watchman's tour in Rothenburg. We also loved Neueschwanstein. There are lots of little family vacation spots in that area where families come for health vacations -- bikes, etc. We'll have them (now 10 and 14) in the Rhine, Mosel area this summer.

Wow, more great responses. My list of places to visit is growing, not including the activities as well (cable car, Kinderzeche, etc). I think alot of these things can be done in 10 days.
Thanks again, you all gave me alot of options and ideas.
Larry

Right from the start of your letter I thought of Salzburg and our FABULOUS sound of music tour. Bob's tours is the one. It's in a small van rather than a big bus. the small van can get into small areas and the service was wonderful. your whole family will love this one.i can't say enough about that tour. All of our pals heading that way are putting that on their must do lists.

I'd also recommend looking into staying in apartments. They usually cost less than hotels and B&B's, plus you get access to your own kitchen and washer and dryer and a little more room to spread out. You can do a search for "FeWo", which is the slang term for vacation apartments in Germany. There's some in farmhouses, which is a fun idea.

"FeWo" stands for Ferienwohnungen (Ferien=vacation, Wohnungen=apartments), and you will often see that word instead of FeWo. Either way, it is a more economical place and many have one or two bedrooms in addition to a sofa bed. Unless the Ferienwohnungen are combined with regular guest rooms, they probably will not include breakfast, so you'll have to do some shopping and learn to use a German coffee maker.

Some will not rent for less than a week, others will rent for a few days at a higher daily price and might include an Endreinigung (final cleaning charge).

Also in Rothenburg they have a Night Watchman's Tour that my friend said was great-with a 3 and 8 year old. I think it's every night at 8 or 9 in the summer. Check Rick's book to doublecheck. I think farther south is more beautiful, and more stuff for kids, and I've lived here for 5 years.

Lois said, "with four people it will be most likely be cheaper to drive."

WRONG!

I've carefully analyzed driving vs. public transportation for my last four trips to Germany, and it has always worked out that driving is 2-3 times more expensive than buses and trains. Two people could probably use the same cars, but trains are only about 1½ times more expensive for two, so would still be less. For four people and all of their luggage, you'd probably need to rent a bigger, more expensive car, and if you are using local/regional transportation and Länder-Tickets, trains/buses would be no more expensive than for two.

In Bavaria, for example, four people could travel all day on trains and regional buses, and in the metro districts, for just €28, total. You can't rent a car for that.

Salzburg is an awesome place for kids, if you guys decide to go there. The fortress is fun, and make sure you stop by Hellbrunn and do the tour of the fountains. And your kids will learn who Mozart is, and maybe get an idea that he was actually a composer and not just the guy from the chocolate.

Thanks for the input and additional options. It's amazing how fast I get responses on this site. Believe me, I am saving every penny I can. As you said I do have time to plan and tweak the trip. I am sure the DVD and books I will order from this site will only help as well. Once I make a basis for the trip, I can begin looking for places to stay. I was thinking of staying near the Frankfurt area for the first portion of the trip, Triberg area for the middle portion and Fuessen,Oberammergau or
Garmisch for the final stretch... I also don't want to stay in big posh hotels. I want to stick with credible mom and pop places if I can. Any recommendations anyone?

I have actually began to map out some areas of where I would like to visit. I have also made up my mind that I will be renting a vehicle for the trip. I know it is more expensive but I will hopefully enjoy the freedom, not have to wait for trains or buses and change direction if I decide to. I will also most likely be able to be in Germany for 14 full days! Lucky because I have a big itinerary already as follows:
Germany / Austria Itinerary

Arrival
Frankfurt (Flight In)

Day 1
Frankfurt (Senckenberg Museum)
(Alte Oper)

(Zoological Garden)

Day 2
Dinkelsbuhl (Kinderzeche)

Rothenburg (Christmas Village)
(Nightwatchman’s Tour)

Day 3
Wurzburg (Residence, Church, Hofkirche, Bacharach, Fortress)

Day 4
Gengenbach
Schwarzwald

Day 5
Triberg (Clocks, Waterfalls, Museum)

Day 6
Rust (Europa Park)

Day 7
Lake Titisee
Gutach (Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum)

Day 8
Fuessen (Castle)
(Marketplace)
Tegelburg (Luge Ride)
(Cable Car)

Day 9
Nueschwanstein (Castle)
Hohenschwangau (Castle)

Day 10
Oberammergau (Ettal-Abbey)
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Luge Ride)
Mittenwald

Day 11
Berchtesgaden
Salzburg, Austria (Mozart’s House)
(Sound of Music)

Day 12
Hallstatt Austria (Salt Mine Ride)
(Boat Ride)

Day 13
Munich (Hofbrauhaus am Platzl)
(Haxnbauer)
(Marienplatz)

Final Day
Munich (Flight Home)

Let me know if this seems not only feasible but good to do while we are out there. Since I have 2 kids, moving around will be more fun than sitting the whole time.
Thanks for your assistance so far...

I didn't see your updated itinerary when I wrote this or the next post. With kids, I'd skip Wurzburg (though my wife and I love it -- our kids and friend's kids did not)

Driving in that area is a piece of cake. Make your choices between rail and road based on 1) needs for flexibility, and 2) cost. Be sure to factor in parking in car costs. You will probably find that, even with 4 traveling, rail will be cheaper.

All the following recommendations were done with kids between 2 and 16 (plus some big kids that were 35, 55 and 62...)...

On the Rhine...
Reinfels Castle!! It is a truly mediocre site with just adults, but totally rocks with little kids. Let them run around and blow off some steam. Make sure to do the mine tunnels -- my son still brings up "...that time we went under the castle..." 5 years later! More Rhine in next post...

This earlier tip: "Fuessen/Neuschwanstein castle/Hohenschwangau castle/Tegelberg cable car and luge ride/Wieskirche/Zugspitze from the Austrian side (in nearby Ehrwald, Austria), etc. " is, in my opinion, the absolute MUST DO with kids that age out of any site to see in central Europe. I, like Lee, prefer trains -- but for the trip to the Fussen countryside, even if a car is more expensive, it can give you the option of a picnic in the countryside, etc...

Salzburg -- tour the castle, look at the city from above, eat in the outdoor market, catch a concert (and let the kids slip out early once they've seen it

For the Rhine area, we have found that kids do not hold up well to the boat ride to see the castles -- the day just gets too long. Doing the train ride summary, using Rick's description of what's coming next, etc... was much more fun for them. We did it going in one direction, then as coming back got off the train to see a few. As I said before, Reinfels is the one still talked about years later -- go to Rick's link for the best castles to read up on the others.

Also, if you do a Reinfels day, and if you like wine, St. Goar is, in my opinion, the place to get a glass of local Rhine wine. It is the unique sweet white wine that typifies that part of Germany.

Finally... in my opinion... Kids + Tour = Frustration. You've got time to educate yourself and provide the kind of flexibility that helps kids enjoy the trip. Perhaps do some 1/2 day organized tours -- but keep it to a minimum. When traveling overseas with kids the traveler's axiom of "slow down, do less, and you will enjoy it more" goes double.

For Day 1 in Frankfurt and your age kids, I would skip the Zoo and the Alte Oper. The Senckenburg is a good choice, but you might also want to consider the Kinder Museum which is all about life underground in Frankfurt, or the Verkehrs museum which is filled with old trams and trains for the kids to crawl on. If you go just a bit north of Frankfurt towards Bad Homburg in the Taunus mountains, you can visit the Saalburg, which is a reconstructed Roman fort and a great area for kids to explore. Very near to here is Hessen Park, a wonderful Open Air museum. This is perfect for kids.

http://www.saalburgmuseum.de/english/home_engl.htm

http://www.hessenpark.de/

http://www.verkehrsmuseum.info/

http://kindermuseum.frankfurt.de/english/index.html

Larry,

if I may put my two cents in:
skip the Black Forest region altogether on this trip!
Reconsider the Romantic Road, or at least narrow it down to a few stretches of it.

If I may completely break out of the constraints of this board:
consider renting a vacation apartment in the Allgäu region (Bavaria, Germany).
http://www.go-allgaeu.com/en/index.html

You will have everything your adult and children hearts could possibly desire, you will have little to no stress, but all avenues open to take day trips into Austria, Switzerland or Munich, should there be a rainy day or a bout of boredom.

I have traveled with kids extensively. Ten days are nothing, given jet lag and a tiny dose of culture shock.