Clear days are for the mountains. An easy ride from Munich, the Bavarian Alps and their lakes give kids cogwheel railways, snow at the top in July, jetties to jump from, boats between villages and a winter sled run. King Ludwig's castles sit among them for gray days. Here's what we checked, from the Zugspitze glacier to the paddle steamers on the Ammersee.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Clear days are for the mountains. An easy ride from Munich, the Bavarian Alps and their lakes give kids cogwheel railways, snow at the top in July, jetties to jump from, boats between villages and a winter sled run. King Ludwig's castles sit among them for gray days. Here's what we checked, from the Zugspitze glacier to the paddle steamers on the Ammersee.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
