We're traveling as a family in April (four kids, ages 13 to 4.5), and looking for any advice you more experienced travelers can offer. We are do have both time and money constraints, so we've tried to do our best in the short time that we have. We've both been to Europe before, but this is a first for the kids. Here's our itinerary: <BR> 1 - Arrive Zurich by 8:00am, drive to Riquewihr, France (overnight Riquewihr) <BR> 2 - drive to Rudesheim (stop at Heidelberg along the way) <BR> 3 - explore Rhine (stay Rudesheim) <BR> 4 - drive to Salzburg <BR> 5 - explore Salzburg <BR> 6 - day trip to Dachau (stay Salzburg) <BR> 7 - drive to Innsbruck (stay Innsbruck) <BR> 8 - drive to Interlaken <BR> 9 - explore Switzerland(stay Interlaken) <BR> 10 - explore Switzerland(stay Interlaken) <BR> 11 - Switzerland - home <BR> <BR>Of course, this isn't long enough, but we're investing as much as we can in this trip for now...and hoping to do more in a return trip. Thanks for your input! <BR> <BR>

It will be a busy but wonderful trip. The only suggestion I make is not to stay in Interlaken but to stay in Murren or Grindelwald. You can thank me later.

I thikn you have studied a lot. It's ambitious, but I think it will be great. I trust that you will have a seven passenger van; you might even want a nine-passenger van, if any of your kids is over 100 pounds (you don't tell us who is between the 13 and 4 year olds). <BR> <BR>For safety's sake, I think that both adults (assuming that "family" means two parents) should be comfortale driving - - for two reasons - - first, the 2-hour-ish drive your first day, after a transatlantic flight (assuming, once again, that you are coming from North america) and second, you have one very long day - - from Rudesheim to Salzburg. Why backtrack to Dachau on day 6? You have to pass through Munich to get to Salzburg. See Dachau on your way to Austria, not make a 2 hr each way round trip to go back there. Maybe stop in Ulm (night 4) on your way to Salzburg, then go to Dachau early (day 5) and use day 6 for more Salzburg or up into the Alps (St. Gilgen, for example). <BR> <BR>I love traveling with kids. This is a wonderful plan. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

I agree with Patrick about Interlaken. It will be less expensive and more beautiful to move on through Interlaken and head to Grindelwald, Murren, Lauterbrunen or Wengen,(I'd go Wengen or Murren). The settings can't be beat and there is wonderful hiking both easy and hard throughout. Plus, where else can you walk among cows with bells around their necks and see a St. Bernard with an actual barrel under their collar?

I agree with Patrick for looking at Dachau on Youre way to Salzburg. No need to get back, and so, perhaps, You will have a little time in Munich. Anyway, You got a lot of driving to do, no real fun for the kids.

Thanks so much for the input. We did study a lot...we pretty much planned this trip for a year! This board has been so helpful. <BR> <BR>A couple of explanations...we wanted to stay at a farm outside of Salzburg, hense the 3 nights there (making Dachau a day trip). We had to take the minumum accomodation of 3 nights. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll have much time at all in Munich. (All the more reason to do another trip some day!) <BR> <BR>We've heard so much about Grindelwald and the smaller villages of the Berner Oberland, but again were limited to where we could get an apartment for only 3 nights. We'll actually be in Ringgenberg, outside of Interlaken...but we WILL day trip to Grindelwald! <BR> <BR>We wanted "alternative" accomodations to hotels...apartments and farms. Partly, because we are a larger family, and partly because we thought it would enhance our experience. Also, we like the fact that when we tell people here (in the US) where we're staying, most of the places are town names people have never heard of. We intentionally tried to stay off the beaten path.