Baden Baden to Frankfurt / Which Road?
 

Hi, as part of out trip next month, we'll be driving from Freiburg thru Rust (+Europa Park) and arrive to Baden Baden at night (or somewhere in the area, if anyone has a better suggestion). The following day, we're driving from Badenx2 thru Heidelberg and getting to Frankfurt at night. Question is- which road is the nicest and scenic from Heidelberg to Frankfurt? ie. Drive straight close to the France border or drive east thru Neckarzimmern and then north to Frankfurt?

Thx!

I see two scenic options:

1. Bergstraße - the road along the foot of the Odenwald hills, a wine region with views of the Rhine plain and several pretty old towns (Ladenburg, Weinheim, Zwingenberg), a few castles, and the World Heritage site of Lorsch.

2. A bit longer and more winding: through the Odenwald hills. I'd recommend a stopover in Michelstadt.

BTW, there is no border to France parallel to the road between Heidelberg and Frankfurt. Louis XIV and Napoleon did their best to secure the entire left bank of the Rhine for France but they did not succeed.

I like both quokka's options and agree with her assessments.

If it were a gorgeous fall day, I'd probably choose #2, taking the B37 through Neckargemünd and Neckarsteinach to B45to Michelstadt.

In Michelstadt, we have had lunch at Drei Hasen (www.dreihasen.de) and it was excellent traditional German food with great service. Just up the street on the same side is the most fantastic chocolatier/patisserie...the name skips me, but WOW!

You didn't ask about Freiburg to Baden-Baden but...if it were me, rather than going A-5 I would go through the Black Forest via the B-294 to the famous B-500 to descend into Baden-Baden.

quokka & klondbike- thanks for the tips! Going from Freiburg to Baden-baden- we're actually stopping at Europa Park. So should we still take the 294/500 route to baden baden?

I forgot you were doing Europa Park, so the B500 isn't reasonable.

If you are needing excellent restaurants on the way, 2 very close by are: http:
www.hirsch-berghaupten.de/index_e.htm and
www.hirsch-berghaupten.de/index_e.htm

I would go out of my way for either of these gourmet German-with-French-savoir-faire restaurants.

sorry...the 2nd is: http://www.hotel-sha.de/schwarzwaeld...estaurant.html in Achern.

thx. Should I make reservations to hotels in advance during my entire trip?

B500 looks great, I guess I can still drive from Europa Park thru it. would that be too much?