Germany, 3 weeks, family of 5, 12K

Posted by georgebk on 09/15/14 06:12 PM

3 week, Germany and surroundings for 5 people (3 teenage boys), 12K
It can be done. Oldest leaving for college, husband retiring from military. We had to take a momentous trip. However, we had an ace in our pocket. We flew Space A military flights in and out of Ramstein for free. But we rocked our itinerary to max sights and togetherness. Each breakfast we grabbed extra fruit, bread, jams, snacks, hard boiled eggs whatever they had. Carried a water bottle from states and bought snacks/sandwiches on the road or in grocery stores for lunch. We are not tourist trap people and like to stay away from most of it. We parked free when we could and hiked a lot.
Day 1 – flew to Ramstein and rented a car. We stayed on base in VIP quarters. Expensive by Germany standards, but it was a nice perk. $260/nt. Dinner at Hotel Rosenhof.
Day 2 – drove to Trier, Luxemburg (walked the wall, American and German cemeteries), early dinner in Mettlach at Saarschleife. Souvenir store down by river at mouth of the pedestrian walkway best in all of Germany. Buy your stuff here and then forgo all the shopping rest of time. Villeroy and Boch outlet nice if you’re into it. Germany won the World Cup this night so we were up parting with the locals in Kaiserslautern.
Day 3 – Rhine region, rented bikes for St. Goar/ Bacharach area. Castle, dinner at Hotel Restaurant am Markt and drive to Baden baden. Stayed at Hotel Restaurant Deutscher Kaiser.
Day 4 – breakfast, leisurely walk thru park. BATHES. Do it up right! This was the best nap I ever took. Yes, we did the combo naked bathes. Not a big deal at all. Especially when my naked 16 year old is doing handstands in one of the pools. No, we aren’t the ugly Americans. It was fun. Drive to Staufen. Dinner at Kornhaus. Stayed at Zum Hirschen. Boys enjoyed Faust haus.
Day 5 – stupid drive day. We walked around Staufen and hopped in car. Drove towards Zurich but popped off so boys can say they did ‘boots on the ground in France’. 8 minutes in country – 2 taking silly pics, 6 messing with gps! Drove thru Switzerland to Liechtenstein. 60 euros to say we drove in Switzerland. Some road side stops for views, snacks etc. We into Liechtenstein, bought picnic supplies and drove up to a park/hikeway across from the castle. It was gorgeous that day and we laughed and enjoyed company. Drove and stayed in Pinswang – best decision! Dinner and stayed at Gutshof zum Schluxen. Stayed 2 nights with her. Dinner was ok – service really bad.
Day 6: early hike to Neuschwanstein from behind the hotel. Then up to Mary’s bridge, then up past the danger signs. Lunch with carried picnic fixings at the base of tourist central before hiking back to hotel. Used our tourist cards from the hotel for the 2 hours of free pool time in Ruette. Eat dinner in Ruette – can’t remember where, but I took pics of it so it must have been good.
Day 7: hiked up and around Ehrenberg castles. Drove to Biberweir for the Luge. Yes it was fun. And yes on the 3rd time down, one kid was launched and bloodied. Drove to Garmish. Stayed at military lodge Edelweiss. Dinner at Mukkefuck.
Day 8: breakfast at Edelweiss sucked. We checked out and found a condo in Partenkirchen via homeaway. Landhaus Pitzer. It was expensive (215/nt) and worth every friggin penny! 4 nights here was wonderful. Rented boys bikes that day and sent them off. We walked around town. Nighttime there was a Weisse Nacht street party in old town. Don’t miss Ruhl bakery while there. Sells all goods for 50% off at 5 pm. We stocked up.
Day 9: We went canyoning with Feelfree in Austria. Ask for James. Great small group! Activity. Very fun. Kids really enjoyed it. Wished we went back for their ‘extreme’ version (longer/ bit more adventurous)
Day 10: Dachau & BMW world
Day 11: Munich and Andech’s monastrary. Do not miss this. Dinner at the monastery! Best beer in the world.

Posted by georgebk OP

09/15/14 06:14 PM

3 posts

Part 2:
Day 12: Drive to Berchtesgaden: Stayed 3 days with Peter at Gasthof Schonfedspitze. 086522349. Not a Rick Steves recommendation but should be. Just outside town. We ate at his place twice – good decision. Especially the BBQ. Did Saltmines. Stupid, touristy, expensive. I’d skip.
Day 13: first bus up Kehlstein. Don’t sleep in and sit in lines. Get up and go. Best views and no crowds. Lunch in port at Konigssee. Took boat full trip out past St. Bartholoma. Hiked around. Boys swam in the Obersee. Drinks at the little farmhouse. Fun relaxing.
Day 14: Salzburg. I had to get my sound of music site picture fixes. We found the gazebo and reenacted a few scenes. Gardens and park nearby. Boys ran about a bit. Did Rick Steves walk thru Salzburg. Late lunch/Dinner at St. Augustine’s monestary. Again a great decision. Went to natural pool our hotelier told us about back in Berchtesgaden. Cheap and fun. Easy enough.
Day 15: long drive day to Rotenburg. Even if there is traffic – stay on the autobahn. The bird’s fly scenic way took forever. Stayed at Pension Poschel. Great breakfast! Bosporus Café really does have fantastic Doner’s. Night Watchman’s tour fun.
Day 16: Drive to Nurnberg. Nazi Documentation Center in am. Stayed at Hotel Keiml. She did our laundry and the rooms were fantastic. (Staircase not that long!) Breakfast great. She then brought in plastic bags and ordered the boys to make sandwiches and take more snacks for the road.
Day 17: Drove to Prague. Stayed at the Hilton for 2 nights. Paid for the upgrade to the executive lounge. Free breakfast, snacks, food and booze just about all waking hours. Wandered about for a bit, then back to hotel for hot tub, pool, exercise and a lot of free booze! Too much.
Day 18: walked to castle. Fish pedicure, free Sandeman’s Europe tour. Pleasant enough. I’m worried I didn’t tip guide enough. More free booze at hotel.
Day 19: drove to Berlin. Yes it was far, but husband had been there during the East Berlin days so we went. No European trip is complete without a hostel stay so we did it to say we did it. Actually, very comfortable, clean and cheap. Hotel Transit Loft. Did the free Sandleman’s Berlin tour as well. Eat a jelly donut from the Dunkin Donuts under the Bradenberg gate. Come on, you have to. Dinner at Vietnamese place down the street from hostel. Very swanky and cheap. Enjoyed looking around the area of town that used to be East Berlin.
Day 20: Nightmare day. Had planned to stay in Berlin longer and maybe slowly make our way back to Ramstein. But that was not in the cards. We had to drive 6 hours to Ramstein for a flight the next day. This is how it is with Space A military travel. Stayed at the VIP quarters on base. Dinner out in town with colleague.
Day 21: up, ate breakfast, turned in rental car, hoped in the cargo bay of our C-17 back home!

Careful of speeding in small towns. 2 tickets in the mail so far. What we wished we could do differently: splurge on the tandam hang gliding. 2nd longer trip canyoning.