Lake Constance area- hotel, biking and more advice needed
 

A long time ago I posted about needing info for a biking adventure and someone, (Bilbo?), suggested the area around Lake Constance. It never dawned on me that I could combine a bit of biking and seeing spring flowers in abundance in that region so after doing a bit of research- that is where we'll be headed in May.

We will take an evening flight into either Zurich or Munich depending on price. We will be travelling by train to our destinations. The rest of the itinerary would be like this:

Day1/Night one- Zurich or Munich
Day 2- Travel to the Lake Constance area- sightsee.
Day 3- Mainau island- one day.
Day 4-Lake Constance area
Day 5-Zurich
Day 6-Zurich
Day 7-Travel day

My questions are:
1. For the German portion of the trip, which town is the best place to park ourselves for three nights?
-Not a must, but I would like to be able to rent bikes in this town and use the bikes to get ourselves to the ferry to Mainau. It may make most sense to do Mainau on one of the non-travel days of the German portion.
-This is a trip with school aged kids and I am not interested in 5 -star but somewhere quaint and with a view would be nice.
-Is either Konstanz or Meersburg of preference (on either side of the lake)? Or towns nearby? What are the feel of either of these or the places you may recommend?

2. Can you recommend a bike rental place or are they plentiful and easy to find?
I was thinking a few hours or day bike trip would be plenty. And maybe that would be only on one of the three days.

3. Recommendation for hot springs spa?
I thought of this as I was doing a bit of reading. A trip to a hotspring could make for a fun afternoon. Is there a hotel with hotspring- to kill two birds with one stone.

4. Birthday dinner?
Would like to find a nice place for a birthday dinner. Scenic, good food. Recommendations are welcome!

Maybe there is even a hotel, with good memorable food, bikes, hotspring and within good distance to Mainau all in one? Wouldn't that be a bonus!

After Germany is Zurich and there we will be staying with friends so no planning is needed.

Thanks everyone!

Thanks! The wiki site included a link to Meersburg with lots of information about the town.

Do you fly in from overseas? Otherwise check flights to Friedrichshafen, Memmingen, Altenrhein, Basel, Stuttgart rather than Munich.
You may have a look at
http://www.bodensee-radweg.com/en
http://www.bodensee.eu/?lang=2#/en/A...ling/index.htm
http://www.bodensee-info.com/html/la...nsee_-_1_.html
http://www.st.gallen-bodensee.ch/en/...-sport/cycling
http://map.veloland.ch/?lang=en

Hi Fi,

You might find my trip reports helpful.

Ira Visits Zurich, The Bodensee, Alsace and Paris – May 2008
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=35136218

Ira Visits Europe – May, 2007 (Salzburg, Fuessen, Bodensee, Burgundy, Alsace)
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...2&tid=35014078

>Maybe there is even a hotel, with good memorable food, bikes, hotspring and within good distance to Mainau all in one?<

I can highly recommend the http://www.hotel-schreier.de/hotel/ in Lindau.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

Neckervd-Thanks for the great links! I intend to check them out this evening. As far as the flights go, I was not aware of the possibility of flying into Memmingen or Altenrhein (don't know where they are) so will also add them to the research list and also check the map.

Ira- Ooh, I like your trip reports and selection of places to stay and dine. Curious, so when in the Bodensee area you stayed in Lindau both years. Why Lindau and not some other place?
I will look more at Lindau too as I do more research.

In regards to cycling- I looked at a neat little three day/two night bike tour that sounds intriguing and would be appropriate for the family. They stay one night in Lindau, next in Rorschach/Arbon and open on the third night. They take your luggage and meet at the hotel which are of superior quality. They do not make a specific stop to Mainau but we could add that.

Hmmmm, I might be trying to add too many things in a short time. And then we visit our friends in Zurich at the end of the trip.

Back later!

Hi F,

>Why Lindau and not some other place? <

A: We liked the Schreier very much.
B: It is convenient.
C: It is an historic old town.

I like Konstanz very much. It has a very central location, with excellent transportation and cycling trails in all directions. Also, the town has a very beautiful old town, lots of sights, a very nice lakeside promenade and wonderful spa.

If you're interested, check out my pages on the region on Virtualtourist.com:
Konstanz: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/b0dc/
Island Reichenau: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/65f6/
Kreuzlingen: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/a8d0e/

I.

We'll be traveling to Konstanz this week and apart from the hotel which is booked we'll be winging everything else from bike rental, dining and sightseeing. I am looking forwatd to a nice time in Germany and Switzerland!