About September 20 our group will be traveling from Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland heading north to Frankfurt before flying home. We'll be stopping overnight in Titisee which is about 15 miles east of Freiburg in the Black Forrest area. Can anyone tell us about Titisee and this area?

Heavily forested (almost all pine trees), rolling hills (we wouldn't call them mountains), lots of vacation spots, reminded us of western North Carolina. Stopped to see the falls of the Rhine at Schaffhausen -- spectacular. Stopped in a small town (Furtwangen) where the industry is making cuckoo clocks. It still keeps good time, ticking away on our living room wall. If you stick to the autobahn you will miss a great deal of the local color and nice scenery -- which would be a shame.

Other than the forest, the lake of Titisee was the only sight that I enjoyed. Of course, there are lots of smaller villages all around the lake, but you can't get out to see them if you are part of a tour group. Good luck.

Titisee is a nice little resort overlooking a beautiful lake. If you get lucky and have a clear day I would recommend a walk around part of the lake and a boatride. The boats come in all sizes to include tour boats and small personal craft (with and without motors). The past two times I have visited Titisee in September the weather was excellent. Traveling with a tour group I'm sure your transportation options will probably be minimal but Titisee itself is a nice place to spend a relaxing day. The bus ride from Switzerland will take about 3 hours so you may not have much of the day left when you get there. If you are leaving early the next morning for a flight from Frankfurt - I wouldn't think you would have much time to think about what to do in or around Titisee - unless you are offered an evening optional trip to Furtwangen or Triberg for shopping... Ben http://www.titisee.de/

From TwoTravelers:
Although I said group when I originated this post, I actually meant there are 4 of us driving a car. So we have the opportunity drive around the area while staying overnight in Titisee.

Now that I know you have a car, just drive around the lake and take any little road that looks interesting. Take the signs for Schluchsee for another little lakeside town. The villages are almost all pleasant and usually not too touristy. Good luck.

And those signs are carved and painted and totally charming.

You will really enjoy driving around the lake. We stopped at a little village on the lake (a little touristy, but I was a tourist too) and had the most delicious Black Forest Cake I have ever had. I remember every bite. It is also a good area to buy a coocoo clock.

Skip the Black Forest and visit Alsace FR - along the Route des Vins stay in Riquewihr overnight.
M

mikemo,

What does your response have to do with the original question?

Curious

TwoTravelers -
We loved the Black Forest! You will enjoy Titisee. As noted, it is touristy but we enjoyed it nevertheless. Great place to pick up your souvenirs because there are sooo many shops.
There are well marked hiking trails, paddle boats to rent, and fabulous little shops to buy picnic items in.
I loved the roads through The Black Forest, so scenic1

I re-checked our journal and saw that Titisee was overcrowded and so we chose to stay in a "zimmer frei" (B&B) in Hauesern (I think that's how it's spelled -- pronounced HOY-sern). Nice home, great nearby restaurant the B&B family recommended.