Philip

We are 5 Texans arriving from Brussels. We have 3 that have visited Germany previously. Please tweak our initial itinerary before heading ultimately to FRA for trip home.

Day 1 Plane to Munich from Brussels, pick up rental car
Tour Dachau
Opt 1 drive to Garmisch and check into Das Graseck
Opt 2 drive into Munich and eat at Hofbrauhaus (if selected drive to Garmisch in the morning)

Day 2 Check weather forecast and tour Eibsee and Zugspitze (switch with Day 3 if forecast is bad)
Partnachklamm (or visit on Day 3)
Walk Garmisch and Partenkirchen (more quaint)

Day 3 Neuschwanstein Castle
Tour Fussen
Lunch Il Pescatore in Fussen
Opt tour Mittenwald; or Partnachklamm (instead of Day 2)

Thanks for suggestions.

Macross

I would not drive into Munich. You could park at a train station outside of Munich and take the train. Have you looked at tours of BMW? Munich is a must see for us. We always stay a couple of nights before going to Garmisch. We have given up driving as the public transportation there is top notch. You should get a bus pass free from your hotel in Garmisch. Pick clear day for the mountain and we always like taking the train to Mittenwald. Very scenic and very walkable town from where the train drops you off.

Macross

Hello, I am macross husband and I do all the transportation on our trips, so she asked me to respond.

First off, I'd skip the rental car. Munich, Garmisch, and surrounding areas including Dachau are easy to access via public transportation. Get a Bavaria pass for 5 each day and it lets you ride all public transportation in Bavaria for that day. There are some restrictions, but easy to figure out. Plus the machines have an English option and it's quick to learn. The only possible time you would need a car is for Neuschwanstein Castle and will touch on that below.

We've been to that area many times and in fact, spent Christmas week in Garmisch 2019 with a couple of days in Munich on either end. We had an apartment in the center of G-P with w/weeklong transportation passes and went all over, including Oberammergau & Zugspitze. There are a couple of easy ways to figure out routes. You can go to Google maps, look at where you want to go, look for the little bus/train stop icon, click on it and do "directions", enter where you're coming from, and pick the train symbol. Another popular one is "rome2rio". Try those out.

Your choice of hotel in Garmisch is out a bit, so you would need to either get a car for that time, or rebook somewhere closer in town where there's more to do at night anyway. But, you wouldn't need a car anytime before Garmisch, and only for Neuschwanstein if staying in town.

Believe me, you'll be glad you didn't drive in Munich, and you'll be able to enjoy an Ein Grosser Bier or two at the Hofbrauhaus and not have to worry about driving or who is going to be the DD. Hofbrauhaus is a short walk from Marienplatz which is accessible via the S1 or S8 from the airport, and many others within the city. To be honest, not even sure where you would park around there. It's just a huge PITA getting around that area in a car if you're not a local and don't know where to go.

Macross

One more thing. You can rent a car in Garmisch very close to train station. We did it one time when I had a broken foot.

scrb11

I did Zugspitze and the castles as day trips from Munich.

Can't recall if it was the same day or two different days but it was under $100 per person. That was maybe 7 years ago. You can check current prices on Viator or GetYourGuide some other tour search site.

Only time I drove around Bavaria was to pick up a rental car leaving Munich, to drive into Austria and then come back the night before flying out. IIRC rentals in Germany cost less than those in Austria, though you had to buy the special pass thing to cover freeway use in Austria. Switzerland has the same thing.

Nice thing about having a car is that you have more time if you find something you like. For instance, on the tour of Neuschwanstein, I didn't have time to get to Marienbrucke before having to return to the bus because I spent too much time in the castle itself.

But when I drove there, from Austria where I was staying, I made sure to get there but the path gets narrow and there's a huge crowd on that bridge taking selfies against the background. Wonder how that works out in the covid age.

The alps are beautiful and totally worth going up the Zugspitze. But if you've never been to Munich ...

J62

Ditto on the not driving in Munich. You can upsize to a Maß (Mass) if you want even more...eins, zwei, g'suffa...

If the Zugspitze is socked in, which is frequent (or even if it's not), you can always take a cable car up any number of nearby lower peaks for stunning views of the Alps. A short alpine meadow hike at the summit of those lower peaks, or a 1/2 day trek down makes for a great, local experience.

november_moon

I agree with the others about taking public transport in Munich. Public transport is very easy, but parking there is a royal pain. Driving isn't great either.

Since you have only a partial day and evening in Munich, I would visit the Hofbrauhaus as you plan to since it is so iconic, but I would probably only go for a beer, not for dinner I would eat somewhere else. Hofbrauhaus food is ok, but there are better places very close. Schneider Brauhaus is a great option - really good beer, especially if you are a fan of wheat beers, and the food is good - it's a couple blocks from Haufbrauhaus. I really like Augistiner am Dom, which is right behind the Frauenkirche, about a block from Marienplatz. Andecher am Dom is also there - Andechs is my favorite brewery in the Munich area - and their food is pretty good too.

Philip

DAS GRASECK v. STAUDACHERHOF v. HOTEL ZUGSPITZ

Have sent 2 emails to Das Graseck without replies! So, doing due diligence on two other hotels. Anybody have opinions:

On location.........on food...........Bavarian ambiance............the Spa (do they have hot tubs or steam room?)..............main hotel v. annex..........view............etc.

Thanks Philip

Macross

They are all still closed I believe. Staudacherhof and the Hotel Zugspitz are much better locations. So many great places to eat that are in the area. Go to Mukkefuck for lunch or get reservations for dinner. The best German food and get a side salad. There are some of the best little shops on same side of street.

J62

Personally, I would book something in the town, which is the latter 2 hotels both of which are spa hotels. You can head up into the mountains for a view or hike any time you are there but you may not want to drive any time you go out.

Philip

I think we will stay in town - thanks for suggestion.

Have added Mukkefuck Bistro (after I got through laughing) to our must eat (love its ambiance). What do y'all think of Schloderer Bierstuberl and Kaiserschmarrn-Alm?

Philip

Forgot to ask -- is this a busy tourist time of year - last week of April?

lavandula

Mukkefuck (pron. mookafook) is the word for bad (thin) coffee.

No to your other question, April is shoulder season. You might still find that it's cold in parts - it can even snow at that time of year, admittedly less so in the south of Germany. You won't be fighting crowds in most attractions.

Lavandula

kleeblatt

Ha ha! It could also be the place where mosquitoes mate.

Ashen27

You should check out the Devil's Bridge in Kromlau, Gablenz. Take the train to Weißwasser from Berlin, a little longer if driving from Frankfurt. There are some other attractions in the vicinity as well. Such as the Kulturinsel Einsiedel and the Muskau Park.