How to Plan a Family Trip to Germany

[rohny jones]

While you may love to explore new places, there is something very special about Germany. It is filled with some natural sceneries right next to towns that look like they've come straight from a fairytale.

However, if you travel to Germany without planning your trip first, you may end all caught up. Even though Germany and North America are quite similar, many radical differences can disorient experienced travelers.

In this article, we present some important tips that you should use when you are planning a trip to Germany with your family.

Keep some cash on yourself

This is something that you will now expect. After all, Germany is so ahead in technology and is the biggest producer of high-performance cars. However, it is not so developed locally in terms of financial gateways.

Hence, you may experience that several places in Germany will not accept your credit card. Even the number of major shops in central train stations will ask for cash. So in case you are traveling in Germany, make sure that you have some cash to spare (Wikipedia has some good information about German Currency)!

As an added tip, keep some coins with you for smaller purchases such as water or drinks.

Coins will often help you when you want to urinate. Yes, that's true! You may even have to pay to urinate in public restrooms that can cost up to 50 cents. This even applies to restaurants like McDonald's. However, they will provide you a coupon that you can use for a future purchase.

So go and use the washroom before buying your Big Mac at McDonald’s.

Look for transport options

In case you are planning to visit Germany with family, we recommend that you rent a van vs. a traditional car rental as soon as you arrive at the airport. The extra space in a van will come in handy during long road trips.

Do remember that road trips are best enjoyed in case you have your car. After all, it allows you to travel on your terms.

However, if you want to rely on public transport (which can be a hassle at times), try to look for a group discount on train/travel tickets. For instance, a one-way ticket for bus is 2.80 in Munich. However, if you buy a group ticket for 5 people for three days, you can take unlimited trips in lesser than 30 Euros. Which means that you will only pay 6 Euros for one person, in a family of 5.

If you do not plan out your transport beforehand, you may end up spending more than you are supposed to!

Remember that Sundays are off-days

Sundays are strictly considered as an off-day in Germany. This is because on this day, literally, everyone rests. Hence, most of the retail stores, malls, and supermarkets will stay closed on Sundays. Some restaurants will be open, however. Nevertheless, you will not be able to run any errands if you have to. So plan out your activities in advance, and get everything sorted out during the weekdays.