alise007

My husband is going for SAP training and I will be joining him the last week of September with out 16 month old toddler.

We are staying at the Hotel Ifen
http://www.hotel-ifen.de/

DH will have a rental car and there is some sort of shuttle from the hotel (I think they can get me to the train station). I have been to Heidelberg on a previous trip (toured the castle) but since it is close I know we will end up there at least 1-2 days while he is in class (Mon-Thurs)

We are celebrating our 5th anniversary and plan to fly to Prague the last weekend or Berlin. On our previous trip we did Amsterdam, Munich and the Koln/Dusseldorf area (where DH was working).

Is a day trip to Stuttgart doable with toddler and stroller on train? I am interested in going to see Zoo Wilhelma

thanks in advance...and yes, I am insane for traveling with a toddler! I am expecting our 2nd child in 2008 so this may be the last chance for a while and DH is already paid for....so want to take advantage of it! At least we fly back together!

quokka

A day trip to Stuttgart should be doable (I don't have kids so no personal experience). It involves two changes, though - in Heidelberg and in Stuttgart because you'll need some kind of public transport to get from the train station to the zoo.

If a diefferent zoo will do, there is an easier option: Take the S-Bahn (S3) from Wiesloch-Walldorf (the train station is named the other way round for whatever reason) to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof. The zoo in Karlsruhe is conveniently located next to the train station, you leave the station, cross the square and you're there. No changes, a 20 minute S-Bahn ride will take you there.

The zoo in Karlsruhe is not as big as the Wilhelma but not bad either. Local toddlers seem very happy with it. They've got all the usual candidates from elephants to polar bears, a children's zoo, playground, a pretty park, and you can do a boat ride on the lake.

alise007

perhaps I can do Stuttgart with DH when we have the rental car on Sunday. IT looks like the Wilhema is open that day but I can't find exact hours/days listed on their website.

I plan to use Taxis to get from the train stations to my destinations. But the Karlsruhe zoo might be a nice trip for just the toddler and I while DH is in training one week day.

Thank you! DH is on his way now and let me know if he sees any other interesting options for us.

quokka

Wilhelma opening hours on their website: http://www.wilhelma.de/en/somm/anfahrt/oeffnungszeiten/

What else?
How about the palace and park of Schwetzingen? http://www.schloss-schwetzingen.de/e...en/249363.html

Speyer can be reached on the S3 from Wiesloch Walldorf - old town, cathedral, aquarium, technical museum, museum of history.

The Neckar valley has a lot to offer - places like Neckarsteinach, Hirschhorn and, of course, Bad Wimpfen (I have to admit that after 5 years in Karlsruhe I still haven't made it there), a boat ride...
Or see the monastery in Maulbronn: http://www.kloster-maulbronn.de/en/m...fo/285984.html, then drive up into the Northern parts of the Black Forest.
I think I'd rather use the days you have a rental car to explore the countryside than going to a place like Stuttgart that's well connected to the train network.

alise007

I had seen the page with the hours listed but got confused with all the ticket offices and then some place was closed on Sunday but couldn't figure out what the Pragstrasse was???

I am used to 1 time covering the entire zoo! Thanks!

I will have to be able to return each day with the rental car to get DH from his training. So I will have at most from 9-4 to go exploring with the tike.

The palace looks great! Especially if I have nice walking weather to explore the gardens --even if it is autumn.

Aquariums have been a big hit too! Thanks for the ideas.

Hans

alise: getting from the SAP training centre to the hotel Ifen is easy, at least if the weather is okay and he doesn't mind walking for a few minutes. I don't think that it's really neccessary that you get him every afternoon with a car.

altamiro

>A day trip to Stuttgart should be doable (I don't have kids so no personal experience). It involves two changes, though - in Heidelberg and in Stuttgart

Itīs late maybe, but there are 2-hourly direct trains from Wiesloch-Walldorf to Stuttgart, these are also the cheapest. You will still have to take the subway in Stuttgart.