This is the itinerary I've come up with, I'd like to know what you experienced travelers think. One of the things I was wondering is if I should cut 1 night off Fussen and have 3 nights in Munich. Help is appreciated.

Leave LAX April 28

Arrive in Frankfurt at 11:10am April 29,rent car and drive to Bacharach on the Rhine River,54 miles, about 1 hour, spend 3 nights.

BACHARACH

4/29 Day 1: Check into Hotel Kranenturm, explore the little town and eat. I’m sure we’ll be too drained for anything else.

4/30 Day 2: Take the train to Boppard (Roman Town) (24 minutes) and catch the little choo choo Rhine Express train Rheinallee square. It will take us on a little tour of Boppard then drop us off at the Vierseenblick chairlift. We will take the ride, enjoy the view at the top and have cocktails and a light meal to celebrate our arrival in Germany. Then depending whether we are there on Sept. 15th or 22nd we will catch a boat back to Bacharach

5/1 Day 3 We will catch the K-D boat at Bacharach pier at about 10:15 and ride all the way up to Braubach. Go to Marksburg Castle. We will take the 90 minute tour then head back to the pier where we will catch the train to St. Goarshausen. Gp tp St. Goar andl take the mini train to Rheinsfeld Castle and to explore the underground mines.

BACHARACH TO WURZBURG 120 MILES
WURZBURG TO ROTHENBURG 42 MILES
BACHARACH TO ROTHENBURG – 160 MILES- ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS

5/2 Day 4: Try to visit Wurzburg, or Miltenberg on the way. NOTE: Bacharach to Wurzburg is 120 miles, Wurzburg to Rothenburg is 42 miles. If we go to Wurzbug we’ll go to Marienburg Fortress and the Residenz. You can buy a Bocksbeutel there, it’s an emerald green, narrow necked wine bottle native to the region and used by monks because they were easy to iide under their clothes.
Still day 4
Rothenburg - See city map.The Night Watchman tour at 8:00pm starting at the Toown Hall main entrance. Do the walking tour following the city map. Walk the wall.

ROTHENBURG TO FUSSEN – 154 MILES. ABOUT 2 ½ HOURS

5/3 Day 5: Towns to visit on the way to Fussen. Take autobahn and get off at these towns if time allows, Dinkelsbuhl, Augsburg, Landsberg. Arrive in Fussen and check into hotel. The Wieskirche, amazing style church in the countryside if we have time. Visit Ettal Abbey if not too late between Oberammergau and Garnisch.
5/4 Day 6: Visit the castles, Visit Oberammergau and Garmisch , Mittenwald (towns) visit, Linderhof (castle in Schloss park with beautiful grounds, completed castle of King Ludwig II), Visit Ettal Abbey if not too late between Oberammergau and Garnisch.
5/5 Day 7: Reutte, the Zugspitz (highest mountain in Germany)go early in the morning.

FUSSEN TO SALZBURG – 133 MILES. ABOUT 3 HOURS

5/6 Day 8: Arrive in Salzburg, check into hotel and visit the city of Salzburg

5/7 and 5/8 Day 9 and 10: Visit Berchtesgaden, also Eagle’s Nest and the Salt mines, Lake K0nigsee, village of St. Wolfgang

5/9 Day 11: Visit Halstatt, St. Gilgen, other countrysights

SALZBURG TO MUNICH – 90 MILES. ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS

5/10 5/11 Days 12 and 13
Drop off car
Asamkirche
Residenz
Marienplatz
Frauenkirche
Theatinerkirche
Deutsches Museum Maybe side trip to Dachau

Day 12 5/12: fly home

I can only comment on a section of your itinerary, as we have yet to make it to the Rhine area.

St. Wolfgang and St. Gilgen are both on the same lake (Wolfgangsee) so you will want to do them both on the same day, probably the same day you do Hallstatt as they are on the way.

Day 4 looks a little hectic. Visiting both castles should take up almost the whole morning, even if you get one of the first tickets in the morning. Visiting Garmisch (which I personally would skip in favor of more time in the other towns, but just my opinion), Oberammergau, Mittenwald and Linderhof in one afternoon/evening would be really pushing it.

I personally think most of your itinerary looks fine. I liked Munich but thought that two days was more than adequate, but obviously that can depend on the person.

Tracy

Please consider a day to do nothing about day 6. Plan to do Zugspitze either day 6 or 7, based on the weather (will you be able to see from the top)
Take day 6 and 7 and combine some things.
5/4 Day 6: Schloss Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, and Linderhof
5/5 Day 7: Zugspitze early morning, Ettal Abbey, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Oberammergau.
Drop Mittenwald (or G-P) and Ruette. My personal opinion is Ruette is a place to stay, not visit. Sorry.

You have done your research and planning well. The Eagles' Nest may not be open that early in the year. It wasn't open on May 15th when I tried to visit a couple of years ago.
Depending on the route you choose to take, you could stop in Oberammergau and Garmisch on the drive from Fussen to Salzburg - that would let you take pressure off of seeing them with all the other stuff on Day 6.
Fussen is nice enough, but if it were me I would take the extra day in Munich.

derekflint, I do believe you are right regarding the Eagle's Nest. We spent a week in Berchtesgaden last year, arriving on May 8th, and the Eagle's Nest did not open until after we left. That being said, you could get some nice views by taking the lift up to Mt. Jenner, which is right next to the Konigssee.

Tracy

Thank you for your help. The towns that I've put down as part of my itinerary are not a must, I'm sure we'll be playing it by ear once we arrive and do what we want, I just wanted something to kinda follow.

What's really important to me is the time frame in each city, that's really what I want opinions on, like if we should stop in Wurzburg on the way to Rothenburg and arrive Rothenburg later in the afternoon, will 1 night be sufficient. Is there enough to do in the Fussen general area for 3 nights and 2 1/2 days, I'm thinking there is but not quite sure. If we go to Munich is a side trip to Dachau a must or not, how long would that take?

Yes, I would stop in Wurzburg on the way to Rothenburg, you should have time for an hour or 2 there and still have plenty of time in Rothenburg. JMO, but I would skip Augsburg, and maybe add in Nordlingen, although it is similiar to Dinklesbuhl. You might consider driving a stretch of the romantic road in the north, there are alot of pretty little towns there.

Also, even if Eagle's Nest is closed, go up to the area where Hitler's house was, there are various places to eat near there with great views. (You can walk to the remains of Hitler's house, just ask someone at the museum/gift shop for directions).

Dachau can be done in half day. It just depends on your interest level if it is worth it. I was glad to experience it, but it is what it is.

I took Mittenwald and Reutte off my itinerary and I added Nordlingen.

I changed St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Hallstatt to be done in the same day.

Does anyone else have opinions on 3 nights in Fussen or 3 nights in Munich. Also, is that too much driving, should we take the train for any part of this trip.

You should try to squeeze Mittenwald in, if only for an hour, it is very pretty. All of these places are pretty close together.
As far as where to spend 3 nights, it just depends on if you like a big city or a small town.

I agree with Bob. I personally would choose three days in the Fussen area over Munich, as I think the whole area is stunning and I prefer the countryside and the small towns. However, Munich is nice as well, and you could certainly fill three days if you wanted to. I think its just a matter of personal opinion.

Tracy