Oberland to Stuttgart, Is Colmar worth it?

So you are leaving Lauterbrunnen mid afternoon and if you go as quick as you can you will be back in Stuttgart between 6 and 8 pm and you want to add 3 hours to that? Not me - but if that's your style have at it.

Plus, with all the road construction on A5 and A8, you will be driving on one of the most Stau-prone sections of German Autobahn.

The standard route from e.g. Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland region to Stuttgart is not via A5 and A8 and doesn't even touch the French border remotely. It's via Lucerne, Zurich, Schaffhausen and Singen (A81 on the German side). There are plenty of sights along that route, like e.g. Stein am Rhein. You could even side-trip to Mersburg at the Lake of Constance... The drive without stops would be around 3 hours and 40 minutes. So you could easily spend 3 hours somewhere nice that day...

Our itinerary includes Rothenburg, Wurzburg, Munich, Salzburg, Hallstatt, Fussen, Varenna, Milan, Interlaken, Paris, and a flight to Barcelona. We are hoping to experience as many different cultures and places in our very quick stay. With that it mind, I'd like to ask the experienced masses out there which route they would recommend for a drive with a two hour stop. Interlaken, Bern, Colmar, then cut throught the Black Forest to Stuttgart or Interlaken, Lucerne, Zurich, Schaffhausen, to Stuttgart

I've already tried to convey my POV, but I will try again. I have been to all of the places on your list except Spain. I frequently drive Alsace, the Black Forest area, throughout Switzerland and the area you are asking about. I previously answered based on your Original Post saying you would be leaving the Berner Oberland after a morning/afternoon. Is that still true? If so, how late into the night are you willing to get back to Stuttgart after your journey? Andreas is right to highlight Stein am Rhein, and I will highlight the Brunig Pass on the route to Luzern as well as the lovely cities of Basel, Bern, and the towns on both sides of the Rhein as it goes North. Those places are all worthy of stops and visits, but they would take some time, time that I am concerned that you will have in short supply. After you have spent an afternoon, night, and morning/afternoon somewhere in the BO (hopefully above Lauterbrunnen in Muerren, Wengen or Gimmelwald for maximum wow factor) if you are like most people you will be reluctant to up stakes and head back north. I would expect to (and I would expect you to) head straight back as I would be tired. The simple route is Interlaken - Bern - Basel - A5 - A8. That isn't a hypotenuse but it is all motorway and if there are no stau events (tailbacks often for no apparent reason, sometimes for construction or accidents) it can be very simple. The route over the Brunig Pass that Andreas suggested is very scenic but can be tiring even though direct. You pays your money and takes your choice. I take it that you are arriving into Switzerland from Austria? If so you will likely go over the Brunig Pass from Luzern on the way in from Austria.

Nigel, Thanks for your help with this. Seeing as this will be my first trip to Europe I really appreciate you experienced folks out there helping us newbies. We are actually coming from Varenna, Italy. We will arrive in Varenna from Fussen Germany/Reutte Austria. And yes we plan on spending the night in Gimmelwald or Murren. My wife and I love to see as much as we possible can in a day and don't mind arriving at our hotel/other accomdations late (11:00 PM to 1:00 AM is fine). I realize not everybody likes to vacation that way, but we do.

My suggestion is to leave Muerren in time to stop in Lucerne for lunch (if you want to go that way), then head past Zurich, pit stop for a snack in Meersburg, stop in Tuebingen for dinner (while you wait for the traffic to settle), then head into Stuttgart in the evening.

Kathy's advice seems sound. Tuebingen is a great town, close enough to Stuttgart that the drive after dinner won't be too long at all, but it's generally outside the crazy traffic area. Actually coming into Stuttgart on the B27 (the road that connects Tuebingen to Stuttgart) is a scenic and nice way to avoid the craziness on the A8 and the A81 (depending on where your friends live in Stuttgart, of course...in which case said craziness may not be avoidable. But keep in mind there's major construction on the A8 outside of town right now and there is always congestion there)

I know Rick Steves recommends Colmar, but I just didn't find it exceptional enough to justify the extra time. If you're going to be going through that area and want to stay overnight, then Colmar is fine and mostly walkable.

"...don't mind arriving at our hotel/other accomdations late (11:00 PM to 1:00 AM is fine)." This could be a HUGE source of trouble for you! Unless you're staying at the large, international business hotels or perhaps at the highway motels, you'll find many a door locked by 11:00pm, and often earlier. And I mean locked out - no number to call, no one to come let you in. Seriously. "Do NOT confuse seeing as much as possible with getting most miles with the longest route in a given amount of time." I have nothing to add to that. OK - except...assume you'll return. I've zipped through a few places in the States like you want to do, but I'd never do that in Europe. For instance, I love Colmar; I wouldn't stop if I couldn't stay for 2-3 days. Popping in for an hour or so isn't the answer to "We are hoping to experience (emphasis mine) as many different cultures and places in our very quick stay." It's called a 'drive-by'. Hey, I've planned my first trip before, too - we ALL have - and we understand your enthusiasm! But listen to these posters; they've been there, done that, and some of them even live and drive there...don't think you can do better ;-) I don't want to slow you down to a snail's pace, but don't try so hard to add charms to your charm bracelet. These places will all start looking the same...and that would be a shame. Now, aren't you glad you've asked? ;-)