bruce1701

This is my first posting so I apologize in advance if I bust posting etiquette and for my poor spelling of German words.

I've nearly saved enough frequent flyer points to be able to afford to take my family to Germany. The ages of the kids are between 11 and 25. Due to school (middle and college) we'll be going in early summer once school gets out - I've tentatively earmarked 7 - 18 June 2015. I'm hoping that time frame allows us to beat the masses of people that head for Bavaria in the summer.

I've visited Germany a handful of times by myself (for work) and have also read a great deal of input on this forum to arrive at a rough itinerary. I'm a retired military guy and can use the Edelweis Lodge, but I'm not convinced that I want to go that route. I'm sure it's great, but I kind of want my family to get a true German experience. Make sense - I'm on the fence right now? Here it goes.

- 7/8 June:
Fly into Munich and rent a car/van, drive to Garmisch and stay there as a home base (lodging recommendations for the family?)
- 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 June:
Day trip to Neuschwienstein, Munich (taking the train), Oberamergau, Fussen, N. Italy, hike the nearby Gorge, visit the Zukspitz and seek white water rafting (too much, anything that I sorely missed?) I figure I can use the Edelweis Lodge tour packages to support my itinerary there, whether I lodge there or not.
14 June:
Drive to Hallstadt and stop at Bertchesaden/Konigsee en route, overnight in Hallstadt (recommended lodging and things to do?)
15 June:
Spend the day at Hallstadt, in the late afternoon leave for Salzburg and and overnight there. (recommended lodging)
16-17 June:
While at Salzburg do the Salt mine, ice caves and Sound of Music Tour
18 June:
Head to Munich Airport and depart.

So...there it is. As others on this forum have attempted, I'll be trying to please a variety of ages and interests so need a little adventure thrown in to the mix. I'll be on the lookout for local fests and hit them as we can. I'm totally flexible from a places to visit perspective. As for lodging, I'm looking for "nice" at a reasonable price. Your input, recommendations and guidance will be greatly appreciated....and used.

Bruce

nytraveler

You need to tell us what you mean by a "reasonable" amount - a specific amount in euros per night - keeping in mind that there are 6 people and you are unlikely to find anyplace that can put you in one room - even if you could somehow all share on bath. IMHO you need at least 2 rooms - based on the size of most places in europe.

For Garmisch you might look at an apartment (but make sure there are beds for 6 people) other than that you can search hotels for family rooms - but I doubt there are many (any?) that will put 6 adult size people in one room.

bruce1701

Thanks for quick response. I just looked up the lodging rate at the Edelweis Lodge and it would be $189.00 U.S. which I think equates to about 140 Euros. That room rate would be a room that can accommodate six (2 x queens and a pull-out sofa). I guess that would be within my ballpark of "reasonable." I have one kid who may not make it, so I might be able to pare my number to five.

pja1

Hi Bruce,

In a lot of very nice family owned/run Pension's, B&B's and the like, you can get 2 rooms with breakfast buffet included for under that price in Germany and Austria.

Just a few examples of places we've stayed very close to where you want to base:

In Mittenwald, 20 min. from Garmisch:

http://www.schwalbennestl.de
http://www.schwalbennestl.de/preisliste.html

Our friends liked their stay here in Mittenwald:

http://www.edlhuber-mittenwald.de
http://www.edlhuber-mittenwald.de/pr...l-edlhuber.php

In the Berchtesgaden area, less than 30 min. from Salzburg by car:

www.mayringerlehen.de

www.friedwiese.de/enska/isl.htm

Our friends loved this place:

http://www.grubenlehen.de/index.html
http://www.friedwiese.de/enska/isl.htm

Paul

flpab

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p522803

live like a German has places also. I was just trying to get you something central in town.
We are retired military and have stayed at the resort several times. We always do the cabins as we like it a lot better but they are going to use a lot of them for employees. They sold the building in town they used for dorms or gave it back to the town and now are housing all employees on the base or at the lodge. It is not like it use to be. I am happy we don't have as many deployed combat soldiers needing a place to go for R&R but it has changed the resort. An example was several years ago over 100 soldiers were checking in one afternoon. All the restaurants were up and running, many tour options etc. Last trip we ate once at the lodge as they were not open for many meals. Food quality was down also imo. We were going to rent in town last trip but where we wanted to stay was booked. We will plan better next trip. I would rather be where the shops and restaurants are. Price wise t really is about the same and you would have much more room and could cook in for some meals. You can still do the tours and go on base and the lodge.

bigtyke

Apartments for a group that size are common and for less than 140E. with a car you don't have to stick to the tourist towns. Consider a town off the beaten path. to find places, visit the town website - most are www.(town name).de

Some good info at the trip reports at www.bensbauernhof.com

bruce1701

Terrific input on lodging. I'll have to dig into these options today with a little research. Picking the right place is sort of balancing act - my wife and I would love quaint, quiet, and culture of a gasthaus, while my kids, I'm sure would like to be able to walk around a town a bit - a little more action. Perhaps there's something among the recommended websites that touches each of these criteria. I can just hear my 11 year old squawking about the wonderful aroma of a freshly fertilized field.

So...how about some of my thoughts on things to do? As mentioned, there are plenty of day trips organized by the Edelweis Lodge and so we'll take advantage of guided tours to enhance then experience. My wife questioned me last night on my thought of day tripping to Italy. I guess it would be a few hours there and back. Should I try to spend the night there?

Bruce

bruce1701

Paul,

The places you recommended looked awesome! I wanted to start singing... The hills are alive..." I guess I'm going to have to pull out my German headstart language instruction, though, as the sites are exclusively in German. I once inadvertently ordered 8 biers, when I was trying to ask for "another."

Bruce

Cowboy1968

If you need a little adventure thrown in for your kids, you will find tons of outdoor activities in that area.
It starts with mountain bikes (rent), to ziplines, to serious whitewater rafting on river Inn.

It's hard to say which type of accomodation is right for you.
You'll find tons of vacation rentals in the whole area. But you have to make up your mind if you want the privacy and space of a house (and the possibility or threat of self-catering) for those days or the quaintness of a farmstay- and then usually not much in immediate walking distance.
Or if you want to stay in Garmisch proper (which is the only place in the region that you can call a town until you hit Innsbruck) in a hotel in 2 or more rooms, have less space, but all kinds of restaurants and beer gardens in walking distance.

Re. the day trip to No. Italy.
That depends where the trip will be going. If it goes to, for example, Verona, you will experience Italy (if only for a few hours). If it goes just to South Tyrol, you will experience a grand part of the Alps, but within the same setting (style of villages, houses, countryside, language) as in other German-speaking parts of the Alps.

bruce1701

Cowboy,

Thanks for the input. Re: Italy, would just seem a shame to be so close and not visit. Who knows, we may never have this chance again. If I do commit to staying a night there, do you have a recommendation on a place...and something to do? I like the thought of going somewhere that's more "Italian."

Bruce

Cowboy1968

I can only say what the "usual suspects" for a weekend in Italy are for people here in this neck of the woods (Munich/ Upper Bavaria) and that would be Lago di Garda and/or Verona. Which will be 3.5 hrs from Garmisch. Your choice if you consider it worth it.

flpab

we went to Balzano one day, two hours away. Very pretty ride and village.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g...Vacations.html

I am 60 but am like your kids, don't put me in the boonies. I like to go out and have a drink, walk around and enjoy the shops and concerts in the park. I think I got cabin fever this last trip being on base. I had a broken foot which didn't help.

bruce1701

Thanks for the input Cowboy and flpab. Looking at some of the lodging recommendations, looks like I'll be able to beat the military lodge, by at least price, maybe not some of the creature comforts. What ever will my kids do without their electronics! . The Fraundorder in Garmisch gets a lot of good comments on this site. I dropped them a inquiry to check on prices. I also learned of Summer luging as an activity for my kids...they'll like that I think. Along with white water rafting, and some hiking they should be okay.

Bruce

coffeequeen

Hi Bruce,

Two of the places I recommended do have German only website, but English is spoken at them. You'd get by. Our favorite out of the bunch may be the Mayringerlehen by Berchtesgaden, as we love seeing the animals there. Goats, cows, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, etc.

What may be of interest in Northern Italy is Reifenstein Castle/Castel Tasso. This is right by the very charming old town of Sterzing/Vipiteno. They're both about 40 minutes from Innsbruck, so under 2 hours from Garmisch or Mittenwald.

http://www.suedtirol.info/en/Destina...in-Castle.html

http://www.suedtirol.info/en/Destina...in-Castle.html

In Bolzano, I think the entire family would enjoy the "Ice Man" exhibit at the Museum of Archaeology.

http://www.iceman.it/en/node/226

http://www.iceman.it

Oh, from your base in Garmisch or Mittenwald, don't miss Linderhof Palace.

http://www.schlosslinderhof.de/engli...ce/history.htm

Paul

coffeequeen

Hey Bruce, I mistakenly posted under my wife's "Coffeequeen" name above.

bruce1701

Thanks Paul. I thought my wife was the coffee queen Great input. Would like your thoughts concerning the latter swing of my itinerary. I thought I would leave G-P to visit the Austrian sites around Hallstadt and Salzburg, staying in each, 1 and 2 nights respectively. I was planning on hitting Berchtesgaden en route. Does this make sense? I haven't been to any of these sites, just based my tentative itinerary on an eyeball view of the map.

Bruce

flpab

You will be in Partenkirchen with the Fraundorder but love that area and close to the Wank. It was a fun night eating there. We use to go all the time to this Ludwig's Restaurant to eat but they closed and it is a Greek restaurant now on that street. There is a grocery store on the street also. It was part of the Roman road.

pja1

Hey Bruce,

For the Berchtesgaden area, Salzburg and Hallstatt, with a total of 3 nights, don't switch hotels (2 nights and then 1 night). Changing places takes up time and these places are all within 1:30 of each other.

Just our experiences: We've based in the Berchtesgaden area for a total of 18 nights during our trips in '06, '07, '09, '10 and '13. From either the Pension Mayringerlehen or Pension Friedwiese (my 2 recommendations above) we visited Hallstatt, which is 1:30 away. Easy day trip. Nice drive.
Salzburg is less than 30 min. away.

You could also look into:
Konigsee 10 min. away
Jennerbahn cable car (next to Konigsee)
Rossfeld Panorama Road above Berchtesgaden
Sommerrodelbahns (luge rides) by Berchtesgaden or by Hallein, Austria
Salt Mines in either Berchtesgaden, Hallein, Austria or Hallstatt
Eagle's Nest
"Mad" King Ludwig's Herrenchiemsee Palace (1 hour away between Salzbug/Berchtesgaden and Munich)
Hohenwerfen Fortress
A lake cruise in the Salzkammergut. We drove to St. Gilgen (1 hour away), saw the town, got on a lake ship and went to St. Wolfgang. Nice day out.

These are just some suggestions. What I'm trying to say is there's so much to see based in this area, you'll have no trouble filing a 3 night stay.

Oh, I think the entire family would love the Sommerrodelbahns (luge rides). There's one at Tegelberg, just a mile or so from Neuschwanstein. One in Garmisch. One just above Berchtesgaden and another near Hallein, Austria. There are others, these are just the ones we did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbBfqhegdY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEzMUbOnMAQ

Paul

Russ

Complete accommodations listings for Garmisch:

http://booking.gapa.de/garmischparte...mmodation/list