I'm just starting to plan our end of July trip to German. After reading the many wonderful posts here and looking at some guidebooks, I have way too much to fit in our 10 days. Please help me sort through some ideas. I assume we will fly into one airport and out another, two adults, two kids (9 and 11).
We want to fit in Berlin, the Baltic Sea, Munich, Fussen/castles, Alpine HIke in G-P., cruise the Rhine, Heidleburg. I think the Baltic Sea is out - perhaps I can substitute the Bavarian Sea for my aquatic traveller? We aren't big museum people (prefer antiquities to art). We do like to be outside doing things. Unless you tell me that the trains will be easy/quick, we would rent a car in Munich if that makes things easier.
Day 1 Arrive Munich
Day 2 Munich
Day 3 Train to G-P/ hike
Day 4 Train to Munich/Dachau (too intense for the kids?)
Day 5 Rental Car to Fussen/Castles
Day 6 Rhine?
Day 7 Rhine?
Day 8 Back to Munich/Overnight Train to Berlin
Day 9&10 Berlin

Help!

YIKES! This 10 days itinerary feels kind of rushed. I would slow down the pace, specially if traveling in July and two kids on tow. Strongly suggest reconsidering Berlin for another trip and stay in Bavaria-Black Forest-Rhine-Munich (and even may be way too much....). I think the kids would love the GP area and you need to consider staying longer.

As far as Dachau, I would definitely take the kids. Dachau has been kind of sanitized anyway.

For me, planning a trip is like packing - lay out what you want and take half of it! You'll see I dropped Heidelberg! The Berlin part of the trip is important because one child wants an overnight sleeper train and the other is very interested in WW2. Perhaps we save the Rhine part for later and spread this out a bit?

I don't see that as being unrealistic at all. I don't think the Rhine warrants that much time so I would try a stop between Munich and the Rhine. Somewhere like Rothenburg or Dinkelsbuhl.

IMHO I would fly to Munich. Spend a day or two there, THEN rent a car (don't pick it up until you're ready to leave Munich). If they were my kids I'd skip Dachau for now. I'm not sure they could comprehend what exactly happened there and why you're visiting a country that comitted such horrendous crimes.

I would drive on to Garmisch or Oberammergau. Spend a couple nights there visiting the Royal Castles, Oberammergau, Ettal Abbey and the Wieskirche and maybe take a ride through the Alps for a day in Innsbruck. Then spend a night in Rothenburg, Dinkelsbuhl or Schwabisch Hall just so the kids can experience the medieval feel of these towns. Then drive on to the Rhine. Take the kids on a Rhine boat tour. Then head to Berlin.

My kids were great car travelers and I never had a problem with taking them on 3-4 hour rides between tourist sights. The kids and wife would fall asleep in the first half hour so the drive was the best time for me to get some peace and quiet.

Agree with some of the above advice.

I'd stay in Munich the first 2 full days and then rent the car, rather than going back and forth.

Then up to the Rhein for one day (allowing for travel time) and back down to Munich again seems a real waste (even if a kid wants to sleep on a train).

If you really have to go up to the Rhein (I don't know if there's much on the Rhein to impress kids) and to Berlin, then leave from a city up there for your jaunt to Berlin.

So:
1 Arrive Munich
2-3 Munich/Dachau
4 Rent car and drive to G-P
5 Castles
6-7 Drive to Rhein and visit
8-9-10 Train from Frankfurt or other city and Berlin stay. Your first night in Berlin you can simulate a night train for the youngster--only let him use half of his bed and shake it vigorously now and then.

Really, I can't think of any compelling reason to go back and forth to Munich so much; i.e., to G-P and back; to the Rhein and back. That's a lot of travel time when you and the kids could be doing something besides sitting in a car or train.

As to Dachau--it just depends on the kids. Some would be ready, some wouldn't. As you are uncertain, perhaps next trip would be better.

On your G-P/castles drive, they might enjoy Herrenchiemsee as it requires a boat ride.

Thanks for all the input. After further discussion with my travel partners, it turns out that the Baltic Sea is a must. Also, we've decided not to do Dachau this trip. So I think that means
Day 1-2 - Munich
Day 3-5- Rent car; GP/Castles
Day 6- Overnight Train - could we get up to the Baltic Sea? I'll plug into one of those rail websites.
Day 7 - Baltic Sea
Day 8/10 Berlin. Any suggestions for a tour guide specializing in WW2?

Also, any idea for sporting events we could attend? I appreciate that the World Cup will have just ended.

You are going to be one whipped puppy when you get home! You are flying all over Germany and wasting too much time in travel and not enough to really enjoy the trip.

What area of the Baltic? We have done a Baltic cruise and it was great, but just going to the Baltic to see what?

Your trip reminds me of the people we sometimes run into on our trips...they are moving so fast they cannot remember what they saw yesterday, where they are today and where they need to go tomorrow.

Good luck! Germany is great. You would have enjoyed it at a slower pace. Baltic? What is there to see?

For WWII stuff in Berlin, you might check out BerlinWalks Third Reich Tour.
http://tinyurl.com/hszh4

Mary Fran - Thanks for the link - that's exactly what I'm looking for! Have you used this service?

As to the question, why the Baltic Sea? We are sea people. We dive whenever we can (including Monterey, CA - very cold - and a lake in Oklahoma - too muddy). We like to see the creatures that wash up on shore. Some people want to see very state in the US; some every country in Europe. We want to have a foot in every ocean. I think the Baltic will be off the beaten path. I think we'll end up renting a car in Berlin for this part of the adventure. I suspect we'll end up in Rugen.
I appreciate that we may have too much in the itinerary for now - that's why I need your advice to edit!

>Baltic? What is there to see?<

Well, quite a lot, I should think. Ruegen is a very pretty island - its chalkstone cliffs are famous throughout Germany and have attracted not only tourists, but artists of the calibre of Caspar David Friedrich.

The city of Stralsund has a wonderful Gothic cathedral; Rostock features a nicely restored Old Town section. Bad Doberan has one of the most important gothic cathedrals in the whole region around the Baltic Sea. Luebeck is a true gem. The beaches in the areas of Darss and Fischland near Rostock are pristine - as are the beaches on the island of Usedom. Many of these are secluded and seperated from the roads by small forests. So the Baltic coast is definitely not a bad place to visit IMHO (and millions of Germans would agree, I presume, as Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, thw two states bordering the Baltic Sea have become highly frequented holiday destinations).

Granted, there aren't any beer halls and no mountains, no lederhosen either. But just because a considerable number of toursits wants to see that cliché confirmed upon their trips to Germany, that is not to say that the outlined features are typical of Germany. In fact it would rather be quite enjoyable to experience the diversity of the country by also paying regions a visit that are not the primary destinations (for whatever reason) for American tourists.

That said, I am not sure whether the Baltic Sea is a really fun diving place as its ground is rather sandy and not nearly as spectacular as a dive in e.g. the Caribbean might be.

With reference to the intinerary, I would suggest travelling to Berlin first (after Munich), and then make the drive to the Baltic coast - factor in about 2.5 to 4 hours, depending on where you want to go (with 4 hours covering the northern tip of Ruegen).

Have you checked the dates of your trip to Munich with the dates of the World Cup? It might be a conflict and you could rearrange your trip to accomodate.

World Cup will be over by the end of July.

How committed are you to the Alps? You might want to spend three days in/around Munich (don't miss Dachau) then catch a night train to Hamburg. See the Baltic coast, then head to Berlin for the remainder of your trip.

Hmmm, I may just need to add a couple of days to the trip. I really want to see the Alps and I think the tourist police crack down on you if you don't see Mad Ludwig's castles. I like the Hamburg idea...

kymom, no, I haven't used the BerlinWalks tour yet but plan to do so when we are in Berlin in May. I'll post a review about it after I return. I noted on their site references to positive things about their company in Let's Go and Rough Guides (or maybe it was Lonely Planet). Whatever, the price looks right and it appears to be a pretty professional operation.

I felt that it was important to visit Dachua while I was in Munich. My children at the time were 4 and 7, and I did shield them from areas that I thought might be too disturbing. My husband & I took turns touring while the kids remained outside in a courtyard area. Now that they are closer to the ages of your children, I think a visit would be appropriate, but you need to make your decision based on the sensitivity levels of your kids. If you do visit, try to have a lighthearted activity planned later in the day.