Garmish or Neuschwanstein Castle form Munich

Let the weather decide for you. If it's clear, Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It it's overcast or raining, the castles at Schwangau.

Hey Les, There is no "better" place to see out of the 2 you mention or whatever else I can suggest. It really comes down to what your priorities are. Have you always wanted to see Neuschwanstein? If not, "Mad" King Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee Palace may be a good option. It includes a boat ride on the Chiemsee, as the palace is on an island. http://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm Paul

Thank you all for your comments. When we leave Munich we will be going to Salzburg for 2 days then we are going to Venice for 2 days before crusing the Adriatic out of Venice and then going to Rome. We are going to Munich for Oktoberfest first but we were looking for things to do while in Munich. We plan on going to Dachau and then we had ond open day for your suggestions. Thanks so much for all your feedback.
Les

Since you are already going to Salzburg, go to Garmish. You won't be disappointed. It's a short hop on the train, and the town is quite charming. You can also catch the train up to Mittenwald for a couple of hours as well. We found Garmish to be one of our favorite places in Germany.

Les, if you decide to go to Garmish, you could visit a mountain gorge in the park there. It is called Partnach Klamm, if I recall. You can reach it by taking a bus from Garmish train station to the ski stadium, the ride is no more then 10 minutes, and through the stadium there is an entrance to the park. The park and gorge are beautiful, you can spend many hours there, if you like. Another cute Bavarian town I liked not far from Munich, was Oberammergau. After you stroll the town, you can take a bus from their train station to the Linderhof Castle. It is located in a beatiful park as well.
Zugspitze mountain can also be reached from Garmish, however do it on a clear day, and start early as it is time consuming.

Even though it was built relatively recently, Neuschwanstein in an icon. How can you visit Germany and not see Neuschwanstein? Neuschwanstein is not that old; it was built at the same time as the Eifel Tower. Would you go to Paris and not see the Eifel Tower.? (OK, I did, but I'm not your ordinary traveler. I was in NYC 13 times without seeing the Statue of Liberty). As for Garmisch-Partenkirchen, I've been there three times (once just to change trains). I have no interest in going back. If it's the best place you've been to in Germany, you haven't been to many places. Oberstdorf and the Kleinwalsertal, for example, would be much better, but perhaps a bit far for a day trip.

I agree that Neuschwanstein would be your best bet. I've been twice and love it. The castles (Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein) are beautiful and walking to each is just as exciting. The Marienbrucke (Maria's Bridge) is a great place to view beautiful scenery. Garmisch doesn't do much for me. If you were skiing, then I'd say Garmisch. I also second the previous post about Oberstdorf and the Kleinwalsertal. I am actually biased to this area as my dad was born in Riezlern, Austria (one of four small towns that make up the Kleinwalsertal). It is a beautiful area. I will be visiting next September with my dad, his wife and my husband. We can't wait! Happy Travels!