Stops between Harz and Freiburg.
 

Hello! We will be driving from Wernigerode to Freiburg this summer with 2 little ones in the backseat. I anticipate one longer stop. Does anyone have a must see on this route? I see Heidelberg as an easy stop, but something less traveled maybe?

You could drive along the Rhine Gorge and stop in a smaller riverside town like St Goar, St Goarhausen, etc for lunch and a stroll or overnight. (between Koblenz and Bingen/Rudesheim the best part of the Rhine).

Going down the Rhine would be going out of the way. The Harz mountains are basically in central Germany: "its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia." Any good guidebook should indicate towns of interest along that route. For scenery while driving, specify a scenic route between Freiburg and a town in the Harz region on viamichelin.com

Overnight in Rothenburg ODT ?

((B))

Check out Alsfeld or Marburg.

I'm with Trophywife007 - I'd suggest somewhere like Alsfeld too (nice town), but you might push it even further south, otherwise your second day's driving will be a long one. Maybe Heidelberg? Or even Mainz, although that is a little out of your way.

Lavandula

We are trying to get the entire drive out of the way in one day. Just to limit us to one day of misery with children in the car instead of two. It doesn't matter if we take the entire day and make a number of stops. I will check out the suggestions. Thanks!

Baden-Baden, not far from Freiburg/Breslau is a gem - an old old spa town - velvety parks, stately old casino that once was a watering hole of the rich and famous in the 1800s - something different - great walks - an old abbey or monastery that brews potent liquers. Very famous in Germany.