When we returned home from Europe last summer, we decided we wanted our next big trip to be a trip back across the pond. We started our research and found Germany is one of the top countries that cater to families with young children. Due to a water polo tournament we had heard about from previous years, we were interested in visiting the Munich-area in mid-to-late September, right at the start of Oktoberfest. We started planning the itinerary but once we started looking at the cost of the flights and hotel rooms, we decided flying to Munich during that time was unreasonable. We were looking at $8,000 for only 4 flights if we wanted to fly direct. No thanks…

In February, Austen mentioned April as an alternative since the direct flights were half the price. After researching further, we found the weather, although a little cold and rainy, made more sense and there was a festival called Frühlingsfest, or Spring Fest happening during late April. We had never heard of the festival but found that it’s often referred to as “Oktoberfest’s little sister” in that it has the same vendors, rides, and good times but at a much smaller scale with only 2 major beer tents instead of the 17 at Oktoberfest. A similar vibe as Oktoberfest without the same expenses or crowds? We were sold.

Travel Tips for Bavaria

Before we get started with details about the trip itself, we felt there were a few things to highlight if you plan on traveling to Bavaria:

Day 1: Traveling to the Black Forest from Munich

After a 10 hour flight to Munich, we immediately picked up a rental car and started the drive to the Black Forest where our AirBNB was located for the first leg of our trip. Since we got little-to-no sleep on the overnight flight and decided to complete a 4-hour drive immediately upon landing, we had to make a pit stop about an hour into the drive for a bathroom break and a quick nap. If you find yourself in the same exhausting predicament, Augsburg is a perfect stopping point. After a 10-minute power nap, we woke up refreshed and ready to complete the rest of our journey to the Black Forest. A little over 2 hours after our pit stop in Augsburg, we found ourselves at Hohenzollern Castle where we partook in some pie and explored the castle grounds including the Treasury Room where we saw items like the weapon skirt of Frederick the Great and the Prussian royal crown.

After stopping at the castle, we continued our journey on to the very small town of Tuningen where our AirBNB was located. Although it took us days to figure out the heater and the entertainment system, it was perfect in that it was centrally located to everything we had planned throughout our stay in the Black Forest. We also really appreciated the time the AirBNB owner, Elias spent on making how to videos about different amenities in his home, as well as how communicative he was throughout our stay. We also found an incredible dinner spot called Keyif Kebap & Pizza that we ended up visiting 3 times during our stay.

Day 2: Triberg

The following day, we drove a little over 30 minutes to Triberg which is one of the more popular tourist destinations in the Black Forest region. This is due largely in part to being home of one of Germany’s tallest waterfalls and to both the largest and smallest cuckoo clocks in the world. Since it was during the week in April, we were able to easily find street parking; we heard it’s more difficult to find parking during peak seasons. We immediately stopped for lunch at Tresor where we helped ourselves to the brattwursteller plate (pork and beef bratwurst) and the Schweinerückensteak (pork steak with wild mushroom sauce and egg noodles) while the girls had the more safe bet of fish ‘n chips. Although the bratwurst plate was good, we highly recommend the Schweinerückensteak.

After lunch, we walked up a fairly steep hill (see bring a wagon for the kids in the “Travel Tips for Bavaria”) to get to the entrance of Triberg Falls. At the time of our trip, entrance into the park was 16 euros plus 1 euro for a bag of peanuts to feed the squirrels. Although we did purchase the bag of peanuts, we did not see any squirrels during our visit but heart it’s a fun experience especially for the kids. Note although the paths to get to the falls are not rocky, there are parts of the path that are pretty steep so pushing the wagon with children on board can be fairly strenuous at times. However, the views are worth it.

Around one of the more popular viewing spots of the falls (see 1st and 3rd pictures above), there is a pathway that takes you across the falls and into to the forest area. If you continue on this pathway, you will run right into Greifvogel- und Eulenpark which is open starting April 1 through the end of October (closed Mondays). Throughout the week, they offer different flight shows including the owl show we attended. The entire presentation is in German but even if you don’t speak German, you’re in for an incredible presentation of the birds on site.

After the bird presentation, head back down the hill to the Haus der 1000 Uhren, or House of 1000 Clocks where you will find cuckoo clocks of all shapes and sizes including both the most expensive and smallest cuckoo clocks in the world. If you want to bring one home, just know you will be spending a pretty penny if purchasing a cuckoo clock from this store. Nearby stores do have cheaper cuckoo clocks; you just won’t be able to say you bought one from the more well renowned store.

Twenty minutes from Triberg, you’ll find yourselves in Gutach where there is an excellent alpine coaster, Sommerrodelbahn Gutach. While our youngest slept in the car and us parents took turns sitting with her, our oldest went with the other parent down the coaster. At the end of each ride, she begged to go again. We highly recommend visiting if you like that adrenaline rush and you’re near the Triberg area. Notice you cannot take videos so you’re phone and/or video recording device (e.g., GoPro) has to be put away.

After we had our fill of the alpine coaster, we ventured back the way we came which led us directly to world’s largest cuckoo clock in Schwarzwald, Germany. It’s easy to miss the clock because it’s right at the beginning or end (depending on where you’re coming from) of a tunnel. Although there is nothing else in the area, it’s worth a quick stop just to say you saw it. Per Atlas Obscura, “The clockwork is 15 feet tall and weighs six tons. The cuckoo itself weighs 330 pounds, and the swinging pendulum is 26 feet long”.

Days 3-5: Unterkirnach, Allensbach, and Stuttgart

Unfortunately, the patriarch of our tribe woke up the morning after Triberg and could not move. He pulled a muscle in his back when he gave the stroller one good pull up a ramp at Greifvogel- und Eulenpark. Although he made a true effort to participate as much as he could the following day, the muscle strain pretty much took him out of all activities for the remainder of our time in the Black Forest.

*We felt extremely safe at the indoor playground. You either have to swipe your ticket to get through the doors or if you’re like us and can’t read a lick of German, can call for assistance on a) how to purchase a ticket and b) enter the facility.

The next day, Austen stayed back at the AirBNB while the girls and I drove to Wild- und Freizeitpark Allensbach. The main word to describe this park is “wow”. Whether you have little kids or you’re traveling solo as adults, a visit to this park is a must. This park is home to all kinds of animals including brown bears, wolves, and a bobcat. You can see what the groundhogs are up to, feed the deer, or take the train around the park to see all the other animals. The kids can ride on a carnival-style swing, jump on trampolines, or climb branches to get to a slide. There is just so much to see and do, and was the park was one of the highlights of our trip.

After our visit to the park, we drove to Restaurant Zum Weinbrunnen which is situated right on Untersee, or Lower Lake. The wait staff was extremely accommodating and the food was really good. I got the veal and a guinea fowl to go for Austen. After the girls and I finished dinner, we walked out on the dock to take in the views of the lake as the sun started to set.

During our final day in the Black Forest, Austen’s back was starting to feel a tad better so we agreed when we returned to Munich, we would drive the southern route into Switzerland. Since Stuttgart was still on my list of places to visit in the Black Forest region, the girls and I drove the hour and 15 minutes from our AirBNB to visit the Wilhelma Zoo. The entrance of the zoo is lined with an array of beautiful flowers and from that entrance, the zoo is deceptively small. It’s not. We found ourselves almost closing down the place in order to see most of the animals. Some of the animals were actually already put up for the evening by the time we were walking back towards the entrance.

Due to the longer-than-anticipated stay at the zoo, construction around the area, the long drive ahead, and the bags that needed to still be packed, I decided we would head straight back to Tuningen instead of exploring more of the Stuttgart area. On our way back, we stopped at a gas station to purchase a vignette, or toll sticker which is required to cross the border between Germany and Switzerland. At the time of this post, a vignette cost 40 CHF.

Day 6: Black Forest to Munich – Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Germany

The next day, we departed early to start our journey back to Munich. Although the southern route is a few hours longer, we wanted to see Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Since we would be driving through Zurich, we booked tickets online for a tour at Lindt Chocolate Factory. At the entrance of the building, we found ourselves staring up at the massive chocolate fountain which is “over nine meters tall, with 1,500 kg of chocolate flowing through it”. Since there was some time between our arrival and the tour, we stopped at the on-site restaurant and helped ourselves to hot chocolate and sandwiches. After lunch, we went on the self-guided tour. Although extremely interesting for the parents, it was hard to keep the kids engaged until chocolate was being offered. And at the very end of the tour, they got their fair share of it!

After the tour of the chocolate factory, we continued our journey to Munich through Switzerland. And here, I’ll just leave you with pictures from our journey because words just don’t do the views justice.

The beauty of the southern drive from the Black Forest to Munich is that you can also visit the beautiful country of Liechtenstein. While there, we stopped and took pictures of Kathedrale St. Florin. From the entrance, we could also see Vaduz Castle which is the private residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. During our visit, the entire outside of the castle was under construction. Finally, we stopped at the Liechtenstein Center where we got our passports stamped for 3 euros each, and our oldest got to sit on a throne, wear a crown, and wave the country’s flag. Our youngest, on the other hand, slept through the visit to her 8th country.

After visiting Liechtenstein, we crossed the boarder back into Switzerland and continued our way back towards Munich. Right before we crossed the border into Austria, we purchased another vignette even though we were only in Austria for about 20 minutes before crossing back into Germany. After making the drive from lower Black Forest through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Bavaria, we recommend you take this drive as well. You will not regret it!

Day 7: Salzburg, Austria from Munich

We believe Salzburg deserves its own post as it was one of the highlights of our trip and there was so much to do. With that being said, make sure you check out 24 hours in Salzburg.

Day 8: Munich – Frühlingsfest

After a wonderful 24 hours in Salzburg, we took a train back to Munich. (Side note: the train back to Munich was pretty miserable. The train scheduled to go to Munich right before ours got canceled for some reason so all passengers hopped on our train. It made for a very warm, uncomfortable 3-hour train ride). When we arrived in Munich, we dropped off our stuff at our hotel, stopped at a local store, purchased the girls dirndls, and walked over to Frühlingsfest, or Spring Festival. During our research of the festival, we found that it was often referred to as “Oktoberfest’s little sister” in that it has the same vendors, rides, and good times but at a much smaller scale with only 2 major beer tents instead of the 17 at Oktoberfest. The festival gave us similar vibes as the carnival portion of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with all the rides and food stalls. The best part though? The girls had the time of their lives.

Day 9: Munich – Parks and Biergartens

The following day, we went to French Touch for breakfast. By the time we arrived, there was already a short line outside the door (in rainy weather too!). After breakfast, we walked by Munich Frauenkirche, or the Munich Cathedral before walking towards Hofgarten. On our way there, we passed by Odeonsplatz where both the Feldherrnhalle, Theatine Church, and Residenz Munchen are located. In the square, we also got to enjoy some incredible music by local street musicians.

After walking through Hofgarten, we walked directly to the English Garden 3 minutes away and…took a nap. A beautiful nap. The weather was perfect. The sounds of the stream were soothing. It was glorious.

After our nap, we continued walking through the English Garden until we found ourselves at Chinesischer Turm, which is the second largest beer garden in Munich seating 7,000 guests. We even had the pleasure to sit directly behind the brass band, as well as eat with them when they were on break.

Right around the corner, we found a playground and children’s merry-go-round from 1913. Although the nap was great, playing on the playground and the merry-go-round were the girls favorite part of the day.

After the girls had their fill of playing, we started our walk back to our hotel. To get there, we walked back through Hofgarten and spotted a group of people dancing under the Temple of Diana. Our kids being the dancing aficionados they are, had to join in.

Day 10: Munich – Frühlingsfest Day 2

The next day, we tried to go to Circus Krone but found out we had just missed them being in town. We ended up going back to Frühlingsfest and just like the first day there, had an amazing time riding rides, playing carnival games, and eating pretzels. If you have the opportunity to visit Munich during Frühlingsfest or Oktoberfest, make sure you go up in the Willenborg ferris wheel not only for the experience, but for the incredible views you get of Munich.

Day 11: Munich – Marienplatz and Olympiapark

On our last full day in Munich, we walked over to Marienplatz for our hotel, Le Méridien München which was a 15-minute walk. Marienplatz is famous for its Christmas markets and for the Glockenspiel at Neues Rathaus. Sine we were definitely not in Munich during the Christmas market, we did get to enjoy the clock ring out at 11:00 AM. At the time of our trip and this post, the glockenspiel rings daily at 11 AM and at 12 PM, and from March to October additionally at 5 PM. The night watchman blows his horn while the angel blesses the Münchner Kindl at 9 PM every night as well.

Shortly after, we walked to the Marienplatz train station and to catch the 20-minute train to Olympiapark. Not only was Olympiapark home of the 1972 Olympics but during our stay, it was also home to Sea Life Munich and the Disney 100 exhibit. Our first stop was to Sea Life Munich. If you and your family enjoys going to aquariums, this is a good one in that it allows the kids to interact with the tanks with the magnifying glasses, touch tanks, and the open ocean tunnel.

After Sea Life, we walked over to the Disney 100 exhibit. If you are going to the exhibit during your stay, be mindful of all the stairs it does take you to get down to the entrance; although, we may have missed the stroller/pram/wheelchair accessible entrance. We actually really enjoyed the exhibit. You can spend as much or as little time there as you want. There is plenty to read and see throughout the exhibit, but of course since we had little ones with us, it’s hard to stand and read for too long. The girls really did enjoy the exhibits including Frozen and Mickey. There were also headphones located throughout the exhibit where they would tell you the history or provide music for whichever cartoon you were visiting and those definitely kept the girls entertained throughout.

After visiting Olympiapark, we caught the train back to Marienplatz. We stopped off at Germany’s largest Lego store before grabbing dinner at Augustiner Klosterwirt right outside of the Munich Cathedral. AS always, the food was delicious, the atmosphere was great, and the beer was smooth.

Day 12: Hohenschwangau and Odenthal

During our last day in Germany, we woke up and had breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Irmi. If you’re staying at or near the Le Méridien Munich, this is a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner spot. After breakfast, we were picked up for a private tour by Bavarian Day Tours to Neuschwanstein Castle. We highly recommend Bridget and her tour company. She did a wonderful job explaining the history of landmarks throughout the drive including the Augustiner Brau brewery built in 1328 AD (no, seriously…) and 1/3 of Munich being green spaces due to the very outdoorsy culture.

After a little over 1.5 hours, we arrived at Neuschwanstein Castle in Hohenschwangau. As recommended by Bridget, and greatly appreciated, we brought our wagon along to push the kids in. The walk up to the castle is about 30 minutes and can be pretty strenuous, especially for the little ones. The drive and the walk were worth it though. The one world that encompasses the castle is “wow”. Although the interior of the castle was never finished due to “mad” King Ludwig II’s untimely, widely disputed death in 1886, every room we did see was so intricately detailed from the small tiles on the floor all the way to the corners of the ceilings. There wasn’t a single inch untouched by paint, carvings, or adornments. The castle actually made such an impression on Walt Disney during his visit, the castle became not only the inspiration behind Cinderella’s and Sleeping Beauty’s castles, but also Bambi due to one of the paintings inside the castle. Sadly, we weren’t allowed to take pictures once we were inside so you’ll just either have to take our word for it or plan a visit yourself! You can read more about the history here.

After our visit to Hohenschwangau, we started our trek back towards Munich but stopped off at Freizeitpark Märchenwald first. Freizeitpark Märchenwald is a small fairytale amusement park. Due to the cold, rainy weather, they were about to close the park for the day but Bridget worked her magic and got us in for 1 hour. We had the entire park to ourselves. If the weather was a little nicer and we had more time to spend in the park, I think we would have had a better time. The have quite a few animals on site, as well as a fairy tale forest with little buildings and puppets detailing each fairy tale. If we go back to Bavaria in the future, I would like to visit this park again to get the full experience.

Final Thoughts

Aside from Austen throwing out his back and our youngest informing us she stuck a rock up her nose while we were at Neuschwanstein castle, we loved everything about this trip. Bavaria is an extremely family-friendly destination. We highly recommend this destination if you are traveling with kids under 5. If we come back, we would love to visit in the wintertime because we have heard the Christmas markets are incredible. Bis dahin, wir sehen uns bald, Bayern!