Munich sits close to the Alps, and a lot of good family days start with a train ride or a short drive out of the city. This list gathers the places we'd go for a full day out: lakes with swimming spots, mountain summits with cable cars, royal palaces and theme parks. Check the season before you go, since some are summer-only and others are best in the snow.
Blomberg, a mountain near Bad Tölz, has three sledding runs graded like ski slopes. Beginners and small kids start on a short practice slope by the valley station, then move up to a 1 km run with its own tow lift beside the Blomberghaus mountain inn. Confident sledders ride the chairlift to the middle station for a 2 km run lined with safety fencing and groomed every night.
Freilichtmuseum Glentleiten is an open-air village of almost 70 historic farmhouses, workshops and mills from Upper Bavaria. Kids can look inside old parlors and workshops, meet rare-breed farm animals in the pastures, build dams on the water play trail in the mill valley, and send balls down the forest marble run.
The old houses give cover in rain or strong sun.
Therme Erding is a thermal spa and water park with more than 300 real palm trees around its pools. Kids head for the Galaxy, 28 slides adding up to over 2,850 meters, including four children's slides for over-3s and two gentler ones for toddlers.
The 34-degree wave pool runs from gentle ripples to surfing swells up to two meters high. The sauna and wellness areas are for ages 16 and up.
Herrenchiemsee is a 240-hectare island in Lake Chiemsee, a 20-minute boat ride from Prien/Stock. King Ludwig II built his New Palace here as a copy of Versailles, with a gilded Hall of Mirrors and fountain gardens.
The state rooms are seen only on a guided tour, so younger kids may get more from the gardens, the Old Palace museum and the shaded 7 km trail around the island.
Bavaria's third-largest lake is a long, narrow stretch of water southwest of Munich. In Herrsching, an eight-kilometer lakeside promenade has lawns, playgrounds, jetties and sports fields along the shore.
From June the water is usually above 20°C, warm enough for a swim. Historic paddle steamers cross between the lakeside towns, and a forest trail of just under two hours climbs to Kloster Andechs.
Lake Starnberg (Starnberger See) is Bavaria's second-largest lake, a glacial lake stretching 21 km and up to 128 m deep. Families swim and paddle from its shores, rent boats, or ride the excursion boats that run in spring and summer.
A bike path of almost 50 km circles the lake away from main roads. An electric ferry crosses to the Roseninsel, an island off Feldafing.
Tegernsee is a 6.5-kilometer lake in the Bavarian foothills, ringed by the towns of Gmund, Tegernsee, Rottach-Egern and Bad Wiessee, with the Wallberg behind. The water is drinking-water quality, and most of the shore is public.
Kids can swim at lakeside lidos, ride the passenger boats between villages, or rent a pedal or rowing boat.
The only palace King Ludwig II finished sits in an alpine valley, ringed by terraced gardens and a gilded fountain that shoots a jet of water every 30 minutes from spring to fall. Inside, a 25-minute guided tour passes mirror rooms and gold Rococo halls.
In the park, the Venus Grotto is a fake stalactite cave with a shell-shaped boat and colored lights, built as a Wagner opera set.
Neuschwanstein is the 19th-century castle King Ludwig II built on a crag above the village of Hohenschwangau, with the Alps behind it. Inside, a 30-minute guided tour in English or German leads through 14 rooms, including the Throne Hall, a man-made grotto and the Singers' Hall. Afterward kids can see the old kitchen, then walk to Marienbrücke, the footbridge with the classic view of the castle.
Zugspitze is Germany's highest mountain, at 2,962 meters. A cogwheel train climbs from Garmisch-Partenkirchen past Lake Eibsee and through a 4.5 km tunnel to the glacier plateau, home to the country's highest church and, in winter, a family toboggan run.
The Gletscherbahn lifts you on to the summit platform and its golden cross. The record-breaking cable car drops two kilometers back down to Eibsee.
Wendelstein is a Bavarian Alps peak with two ways up: a cog railway from Brannenburg, running since 1912, that climbs 1,217 meters through meadows and forest, or a seven-minute cable car from Bayrischzell.
At the top, kids can walk down 82 steps into Germany's highest show cave, climb the wooden play area, and walk past Germany's highest church to the Gacher Blick viewing platform.
Märchenwald im Isartal is a woodland fairy-tale park in Wolfratshausen, south of Munich, with more than 20 fairy tales told through over 260 moving figures, from Snow White to Hansel and Gretel.
Between the scenes are gentle rides: a small railway, a balloon ride, a vintage car track, a ladybug carousel and horse and wild boar riding tracks, plus a slide area, climbing garden, maze and a baby playground.
Allgäu Skyline Park is a big amusement park in the Bavarian countryside, with rides sorted into thrill rides, family rides and a kids' section. Younger kids get the Kids Farm play area, a pony ride, a digger school, trampolines and a water playground. Older kids head for the Sky Dragster coaster, the log flume and the Allgäuflieger swing tower. Each ride posts its own height and age minimum.
LEGOLAND Deutschland is a LEGO theme park with 68 rides and attractions in 11 themed areas and more than 58 million LEGO bricks. Kids ride the Fire Dragon and the interactive 4D LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, then wander the miniature landmarks of MINILAND.
Covered attractions like Temple X-pedition and LEGO Studios keep a wet day going, and the holiday village next door turns it into a two-day trip.
Munich sits close to the Alps, and a lot of good family days start with a train ride or a short drive out of the city. This list gathers the places we'd go for a full day out: lakes with swimming spots, mountain summits with cable cars, royal palaces and theme parks. Check the season before you go, since some are summer-only and others are best in the snow.
Blomberg, a mountain near Bad Tölz, has three sledding runs graded like ski slopes. Beginners and small kids start on a short practice slope by the valley station, then move up to a 1 km run with its own tow lift beside the Blomberghaus mountain inn. Confident sledders ride the chairlift to the middle station for a 2 km run lined with safety fencing and groomed every night.
Freilichtmuseum Glentleiten is an open-air village of almost 70 historic farmhouses, workshops and mills from Upper Bavaria. Kids can look inside old parlors and workshops, meet rare-breed farm animals in the pastures, build dams on the water play trail in the mill valley, and send balls down the forest marble run.
The old houses give cover in rain or strong sun.
Therme Erding is a thermal spa and water park with more than 300 real palm trees around its pools. Kids head for the Galaxy, 28 slides adding up to over 2,850 meters, including four children's slides for over-3s and two gentler ones for toddlers.
The 34-degree wave pool runs from gentle ripples to surfing swells up to two meters high. The sauna and wellness areas are for ages 16 and up.
Herrenchiemsee is a 240-hectare island in Lake Chiemsee, a 20-minute boat ride from Prien/Stock. King Ludwig II built his New Palace here as a copy of Versailles, with a gilded Hall of Mirrors and fountain gardens.
The state rooms are seen only on a guided tour, so younger kids may get more from the gardens, the Old Palace museum and the shaded 7 km trail around the island.
Bavaria's third-largest lake is a long, narrow stretch of water southwest of Munich. In Herrsching, an eight-kilometer lakeside promenade has lawns, playgrounds, jetties and sports fields along the shore.
From June the water is usually above 20°C, warm enough for a swim. Historic paddle steamers cross between the lakeside towns, and a forest trail of just under two hours climbs to Kloster Andechs.
Lake Starnberg (Starnberger See) is Bavaria's second-largest lake, a glacial lake stretching 21 km and up to 128 m deep. Families swim and paddle from its shores, rent boats, or ride the excursion boats that run in spring and summer.
A bike path of almost 50 km circles the lake away from main roads. An electric ferry crosses to the Roseninsel, an island off Feldafing.
Tegernsee is a 6.5-kilometer lake in the Bavarian foothills, ringed by the towns of Gmund, Tegernsee, Rottach-Egern and Bad Wiessee, with the Wallberg behind. The water is drinking-water quality, and most of the shore is public.
Kids can swim at lakeside lidos, ride the passenger boats between villages, or rent a pedal or rowing boat.
The only palace King Ludwig II finished sits in an alpine valley, ringed by terraced gardens and a gilded fountain that shoots a jet of water every 30 minutes from spring to fall. Inside, a 25-minute guided tour passes mirror rooms and gold Rococo halls.
In the park, the Venus Grotto is a fake stalactite cave with a shell-shaped boat and colored lights, built as a Wagner opera set.
Neuschwanstein is the 19th-century castle King Ludwig II built on a crag above the village of Hohenschwangau, with the Alps behind it. Inside, a 30-minute guided tour in English or German leads through 14 rooms, including the Throne Hall, a man-made grotto and the Singers' Hall. Afterward kids can see the old kitchen, then walk to Marienbrücke, the footbridge with the classic view of the castle.
Zugspitze is Germany's highest mountain, at 2,962 meters. A cogwheel train climbs from Garmisch-Partenkirchen past Lake Eibsee and through a 4.5 km tunnel to the glacier plateau, home to the country's highest church and, in winter, a family toboggan run.
The Gletscherbahn lifts you on to the summit platform and its golden cross. The record-breaking cable car drops two kilometers back down to Eibsee.
Wendelstein is a Bavarian Alps peak with two ways up: a cog railway from Brannenburg, running since 1912, that climbs 1,217 meters through meadows and forest, or a seven-minute cable car from Bayrischzell.
At the top, kids can walk down 82 steps into Germany's highest show cave, climb the wooden play area, and walk past Germany's highest church to the Gacher Blick viewing platform.
Märchenwald im Isartal is a woodland fairy-tale park in Wolfratshausen, south of Munich, with more than 20 fairy tales told through over 260 moving figures, from Snow White to Hansel and Gretel.
Between the scenes are gentle rides: a small railway, a balloon ride, a vintage car track, a ladybug carousel and horse and wild boar riding tracks, plus a slide area, climbing garden, maze and a baby playground.
Allgäu Skyline Park is a big amusement park in the Bavarian countryside, with rides sorted into thrill rides, family rides and a kids' section. Younger kids get the Kids Farm play area, a pony ride, a digger school, trampolines and a water playground. Older kids head for the Sky Dragster coaster, the log flume and the Allgäuflieger swing tower. Each ride posts its own height and age minimum.
LEGOLAND Deutschland is a LEGO theme park with 68 rides and attractions in 11 themed areas and more than 58 million LEGO bricks. Kids ride the Fire Dragon and the interactive 4D LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, then wander the miniature landmarks of MINILAND.
Covered attractions like Temple X-pedition and LEGO Studios keep a wet day going, and the holiday village next door turns it into a two-day trip.
