vsntr

Hi
This is our first trip to Germany and we are taking our 3 young boys (11,8,6) and we will be flying in and out of Frankfurt March 13-23. Top 4 things I'd ike to accomplish

Visiting the Porsche factory :
Driving on the Nuremburg ring:
Staying overnight at a castle:
Driving parts of the romantic road
definatly overnight at Rothenburg ob der tauber:


Best for us I guess to cover the frankfurt Munich corridor
Where I need help is info on either B&Bs or inns that will accomodate 5 of us in one room without costing an arm and a leg.
Thanks in advance .

vsntr

oh. also any advise of car rental would be great keeping in mind that there will be 3 kids in the back. From what I understand I should go with a disel ?

Russ

Advise on car rental: If cost is a factor, you'll need something big and expensive for 5. Maybe rent for a few days and use the train in Bavaria - a Bayern ticket gives your whole family a day of train travel there for 27 Euros. Kids don't generally like sitting in the back seat for long anyway.

Advise on accommodations: We try to rent an apartment for a couple of days wherever we stay; it'll usually set you back around 50 euros or less in non-urban areas:

www.accommodation.de

Also, after the Nurburgring, head to Cochem: great town with its own castle and falconry show, Moselbad water park for the kids. Burg Eltz Castle is nearby (amazing, good tour.)

Castle stay in the Rhine area: Try a family room w/ private bath at the Diez hostel or the Bacharach hostel, both in castles, won't cost too much, price includes breakfast for all. These hostels are run by the official German Hostel Association (DJH).

cpeicott

I did much the same trip with my kids several years ago- loved it!
We used Auto Europe- they got us a car, booked our hotels and gave us maps to get from one destination to another- worked out great!

annhig

Hi vsntr,

with 3 kids, I would try to cut moves down to a minimum. so in 10 days, I suggest just two - Munich and somewhere else.

if they are anything like mine, your kids will appreciate having a "home base" much more than endlessly miving between hotels. also if staying 5 nights, you might find an apartment which you might prefer when travelling with kids.

you could get the train back to Frankfurt at the end of the trip.

regards, ann

Grcxx3

In Rothenburg - be sure to take the Night Watchman's tour. There is also a neat Medieval Criminal Museum - with all sorts of cool torture devices. My boys were a little older than yours - but they loved it all.

vsntr

Thanks I am checking out the link for the accomodations. Question on the rail ticket you mentioned can I use that from Stuttgard to munich and or Munich to Frankfurt ?

vsntr

In terms of stops I am currently thinking
Frankfurt:Wurzburg:Rothenburg ob der tauber- Stuttgard-day trip: Munich

So basically I need accomodations in
Wurzburg ( 2 nights)
Rothenburg ob der tauber ( 1 night)
Munich ( 2 nights)

and the rest of the time in Frankfurt where I think I have worked out the accomodations.

wolfmisc

Hi vsntr,
the Bayernticket and all other socalled Laendertickets are a good idea if you have some time. Because you can use regional trains with them only. But the really cost 27 Euro only for parents and any number of their own kids. Just check the website of bahn.de and look for Laendertickets.
I am not sure if you can use the ticket for the whole journey. Because you are planning to visit 4 federal states. Frankfurt is in Hessen, Wuerzburg as well as Rothenburg and Munich are in Bavaria, Stuttgart in Baden-Wuerttemberg and finally the Nuerburgring (dont mix it up with the town of Nuremberg)in Rheinland-Pfalz
. And the tickets are valid for just 1 day.
Regarding accommodation try the websites of the cities you want to see. Just (name of the town).de. There should be an English version. And starting with 5stars down to pensions and youthhostels everything is normally stated there.
I would propose to do Frankfurt to Nuerburgring and then Stuttgart (Porsche) by car. This can be done in 1 day. Try to get a Golf TDI. For your few days you are not carrying a lot of luggage, I think.
And the Golf (or Rabbit) easily takes 2 adults and 3 kids.
From Stuttgart to Munich and then over Rothenburg and Wuerzburg back to Frankfurt is doable by train.
Or go after leaving Nuerburgring (having a nice castle nearby) to Mosel river and look for an overnight in a castle there.

Cowboy1968

Most rental car companies do not let you limit your reservations to diesel vehicles.

And (IMO) every company excludes driving on "roads not designated for public use", i.e. race tracks.

So, when you want to do the Nürburgring, you should either know that your insurance will not cover any damages or hop into one of the race taxis. But when you use a taxi, you won't be able to drive yourself, as you might have already guessed.

I don't know if any of you have actually driven the Nürburgring, but it's not for the faint of heart. And the track itself is not really forgiving with regard to mistakes. You should be a driver who is comfortable to drive 120mph on a regular German freeway, and wants to experience how it is to drive 100-150mph on a winding country road - a rather wide road, but still a really winding road. And you will be doing that in the rather mixed company of experienced drivers and 20somethings who want to see how fast their cars can really go thru that next curve.

I know, I sound like my own mother.. sorry ;-)

Marko

Tagging along for an info ride !

Grcxx3

In Munich, don't miss the Deutsches Museum (not sure of spelling). It's an incredible science and technology museum. We went intending to spend 2-3 hours and ended up having lunch so we could stay longer.

quokka

Another vote for Deutsches Museum (spelling is perfect). There is nothing better for kids.

Gina_07

A third vote for the Deutsches Museum.

Check Ana Hotel in Munich. We did not stay there but heard good things about it and it's in a very good location, too. Have a meal at the Ratskeller.

vsntr

Thanks keep the good info coming. Regarding the track racing I think we are reconciled to the fact that we will go with the taxi. seems like a seperate car rental for the track is too much and for a first time driver there a taxi might be a good way. Even though my husband has been working up his racing skills all year to be comfortable enough to race there
I will definately check into the musuem and hotel in munich.

Zeus

I'm afraid you're leaving a little too early in the Spring for this, but I bet the boys would love this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=I3zm1vkbRAg

This track is near Fuessen. There are quite a few Rodelbahns operating in Southern Bavaria and the Tyrol, but usually not until after the snows melt.

If you're willing to splurge on the lads an actual bobsled ride would truly thrill:

http://tinyurl.com/2xsznc


I think they'd probably enjoy the Salt Mine Tour in Berchtesgaden or Hallein (outside Salzburg).

The Romantic Road and the walled Medieval cities you'll pass through will entertain them.

As for accomodations, check with our resident Bavarian expert, Bavaria Ben. He has some great recommendations for inexpensive places, including actual farms, at:

http://www.bensbauernhof.com/

vsntr

Thanks for the bobsled link my boys love that idea. So far here is where we are
Day 1 Arrival : Frankfurt
Day 2 : Nürburgring staying over doing the Taxi
Day 3 : romantic road Wurzburg - Rothenburg ,staying over in Rothenburg
Day 4 : Stuttgard
Porsche and benz museum
Late night train or drive into munich ?
Day 6 - 7 Munich
Deutsches Museum
Day 8 : Train back to frankfurt
Day 9 : return flight

I need help trying to figure out whether to keep the car the whole time . We are picking up a car in Frankfurt on arrival and plan to keep it until Stuttdart. Can I return it there and not need one in Munich ?
Also any nice places to stay near munich or oenroute from Stuggart to munich especially a castle ?
Thanks much .

Cowboy1968

I'd say you can drop off the car in Stuttgart, and then take the train to Munich. They run at least once an hour.
Unfortunately, I don't know of any castles/hotels on that way.
Thus, I would wait if someone else here knows of any, and then decide if you want to keep the car until you reach Munich (since the castle may not be easy to reach by train), or skip that item and take the direct train to Munich.

Suspaul

vsntr: If you want to stay in a castle near Rothenburg below is a link to Burg Colmberg which is very near Rothenburg. We stayed for 2 nights May 07 and found it wonderful.


http://www.burg-colmberg.de/index_e.html

Hope this helps. Enjoy.
Susan

Russ

You don't need a car for Munich.

I'll be frank. Your plan involves too much ground travel, and definitely too much driving with 3 boys.

At a minimum, I'd suggest this compromise: drive to Stuttgart right after the Nurburgring. Then drive over to Rothenburg from there for R'burg and W'burg, drop car in W'burg, and use the train from then on for a change of pace and some savings.

Better yet, change your whole plan and slow down a bit; skip Munich, which adds unbearably to your mileage. You are already skipping over all kinds of interesting towns, castles, and other excellent experiences as you zoom between the previous towns.