# First ED: Wife and Daughter (6) Recs?



## boothguy (Feb 1, 2007)

Do your homework on any beaches in Italy you're considering visiting - otherwise, you may be in for a surprise. Somehow Europeans think nothing of spreading their towels out on a beach of smooth stones 3-4" in diameter and laying there soaking up the sun, as though they'd never heard of soft sand. On beaches in resort areas where there IS sand, expect to find rank upon rank of beach chairs lined up like the terra-cotta soldiers of Xi'an. You'll pay to occupy one, and the closer you are to the water, the higher the price. As with many other things in Europe, know before you go.


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## stan01 (Jan 15, 2010)

Southwest doesn't fly into JFK, so you would have to switch airports in NY. They mostly fly into Long Island (Islip), but do now also have a few flights into Laguardia. Either way there is no non-stop from San Diego so you would have to change planes on Southwest to get to NY, shuttle to JFK, fly to Dublin, and get on a 4th plane to Munich. Lots of potential for things to go south while on vacation.


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

I too suggest driving up I5 to LAX for a non-stop to Munich on LH. Long distance air travel is sketchy (I fly 170K miles/yr on UA) and nothing would get you started off on a bad foot more than a missed connection. Leave the car at the Parking Spot on Century Blvd - $12.95/day with their discount coupon.

+1 on the luggage check - we picked up our E93 in November and had just the right size luggage to allow top down motoring through Germany :thumbup:

Dik


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## mason (Jun 8, 2006)

jbailey895 said:


> Wow, between the Wiki, this thread, and all the options involved, my head is spinning. I know the search button is my friend, but I have a few Q's and wanted to solicit suggestions. I have a 4/24 delivery of my E93, and I'm bringing my wife and daughter. Wife and I haven't been to Europe in 20+ years (we're both 42, daughter is 6).
> 1. Should I just use a travel agent? I know there's invaluable info here re flights, hotels, etc, but having not flown further than CA to Vegas for the last decade, I don't want to make major mistakes, is there someone you reccomend to set all this up? (and yes, I'm a cheapskate, so if I can save a lot doing it myself, I will)
> 2. Flights: we're in San Diego, I see Lufthansa has direct flights to Muc, but is that even desireable? 6 y/o may go bonkers before we land. . . .We also have free tickets on SW, so was also looking into staying overnight in NY, and then "hopping the pond" from there the next day. I saw flights through Dublin to Muc for only $680 r/t.
> 3. European weather around 4/24: I know it won't be balmy yet, but can I get by without snow tires? I don't want to be unsafe or ruin my msport rims, and obviious family safety is first. Planning to head south towards Florence or Vienna for better weather. . .
> ...


Wow, for a moment I thought you had a 6-persons entourage....Whew. Ok, as far as travel agent is concerned, it saves you time in researching. But it is important that you have an impartial agent. Sometimes agent might steer you to one direction due to certain incentives offered by airlines or hotels.

Second, when I travel overseas, I always prefer as fewer stop as possible. If I were you, I would not stop in NY.


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## wolfgang0524 (Sep 5, 2008)

For a good car seat solution, check out RideSafer Car Seat Travel Vest. We've used these for a number of years and they work out great for traveling. 

I think the beaches in Italy and southern France probably sound a lot more fun and romantic than you will find them to be. There are better beaches in California or Mexico or Hawaii. It all depends on what you are into, but Europe has so much to offer in the way of architecture, history, culture, landscape, and food; I'd skip the beaches on this trip.


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## zoltrix (Mar 14, 2007)

sites like expedia and travelocity *are* travel agencies, really.

They offer packages, suggestions, discounts on multiple purchases, customized deals, etc. Plus a real phone number with a live person.

So, I think the old school travel agencies are mostly gone, to be replaced by these sites.


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## JimD1 (Jun 5, 2009)

I personally really like the Kayak feature of showing you the days in advance that has resulted in the lowest fares for a particular routing. Fares are not typically cheapest the earliest you buy the ticket. They start out higher, go down for awhile, and then go back up again. Waiting a long time to book the flight makes me nervous, however. But I think it's good information to have. Since you are buying 3 tickets, this will be a major expense.

If you want to save money and add hassle you can look at booking a flight on one of the discount airlines in Europe, like Ryan air. You have to do this through their website, however. One of my engineers is a British citizen and says they get the job done but seating is tighter and luggage could be an issue.

I considered ED last year and started the research but gave up and just did PCD because I was doing it by myself (LOML is in heaven now) and I did not find what I thought was a good travel agent. Later I googled something like "European Driving Vacations" and found at least one site that looked like it could be very helpful. If you use them to book the hotels, it cost you nothing. If you just use them to make suggestions and book it yourself, it cost $50 or something like that. Advice here is great but it can be a bit overwhelming, at least that is how I saw it. 

I would mess with the airlines yourself because local knowledge is not so important and dollar differences are large. But hotels and where to go, I think you need advice about. And a European travel agent may provide a line of defense against forgetting things. If I had done this, I planned on gathering input here but the option of also getting some travel agent input cheaply/easily might have let me do ED.

Jim


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

wolfgang0524 said:


> For a good car seat solution, check out RideSafer Car Seat Travel Vest. We've used these for a number of years and they work out great for traveling.


This may or may not be legal in Germany - I would advise checking if it's TÜV approved first.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Thanks, hadn't even considered the implications of a legal car seat, anyone know the general rule/limits, is it age or weight, etc?


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

How important are hotel reservations? So many here plan well in advance, and I tend to like to improvise, are the rates that much better booked well in advance, or can I just walk in, ask for a room, and get the same price? ED 4/24, only staying 7-10 days, so I'm a bit intimidated by the precision planning of others. Some of our destinations may be weather-contingent, but most likely will keep to Muc, Salzburg, and maybe Vienna. Getting a lot of good maps/info from others who've done this route, but should I book the hotels ahead? I'm guessing eliminating choices will actually be easier, and better for the budget. . . thanx again.


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## guppyflyer (Oct 26, 2006)

jbailey895 said:


> Thanks, hadn't even considered the implications of a legal car seat, anyone know the general rule/limits, is it age or weight, etc?


Here ya go:


> Can you please explain German car seat regulations for children?
> German law requires children up to 12 years of age who are less than 1.5 metres (59 inches) to ride in an approved car seat or booster. If all other restraints are being used by other children, the child may ride in the back seat with a seat belt. Children under three years of age may not be in a moving vehicle without a suitable car seat, and no rearward facing infant seats are allowed in the front of a vehicle which has an airbag.
> These laws also apply when riding in a taxi. If you are in Germany on vacation, it would be wise to bring your own seat for a very young child and inquire in advance about car seats for other children who are traveling with you.


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## luxun54 (Sep 24, 2005)

jbailey895 said:


> How important are hotel reservations? So many here plan well in advance, and I tend to like to improvise, are the rates that much better booked well in advance, or can I just walk in, ask for a room, and get the same price?


With hotels, you will do better on price, choice, quality, location and amenities (like parking) if you book in advance. As you might expect, rooms in an especially nice or interesting hotel, reasonably priced, conveniently located for sightseeing (and especially those with parking in the older areas of a city) will tend to go fastest. With your wife and daughter, you don't want to be dragging around from place to place, you don't want to choose between a crummy or overly expensive place, and you don't want to take time away from the great sites that you travelled all that way to see.


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

Another option is to stay on the outskirts of the cities in a Gasthof, i.e B&B, and take public transit into the city center. You can usually get a room without a reservation, it usually includes breakfast. You do need to confirm that it includes a private bath, if that it is a requirement which I would think it would be as you are traveling with your wife and daughter. I find staying in Gasthofs allow you to experience more culture as you often get a chance to interact with the family that owns the business.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Thanks guys, guppy, appreciate the childseat info, not sure if its better to bring a booster or try to buy/rent one there. Luxun, I agree that its better not to "wing it" with wife and kid in tow. As a single guy travelling in Europe, I never knew what was next. This I guess will all have to be planned out.


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## need4speed (May 26, 2006)

My wife, 8 year old daughter and I did an ED last August. 
As stated before a direct flight avoids layover delays. One thing about traveling with young children, unless you are very lucky they will be exhausted for your first day there, for us it was better not to plan too much. Also the subway in Munich is a great way to get from the airport and then around the city. It was so easy to use and so nice, as well as inexpensive. As someone who has never lived anywhere that had a subway or much public transportation, I was amazed.
Neuschanstein and Nymphenburg were both a must see, The area around Berchtesgaden was fantastic. Innsbruck was awful. I don't know if we just hit it wrong, but it looked like Belfast from the 70's. Complete with riot police with machine guns, nazi and anarchist grafetti all over the place and a whole lot of skin head looking people walking around. This was in the historic area.
You will need a car seat. The Germans don't mess around when it comes to following the rules. My daughter stoped needing to be in one shortly before we went, so we took it with us and threw it out in Munich just before we came home. 
I also got an e93. Of course the best way is to see what will fit in one at your dealer. It wasn't possible for me, so I got the trunk measurements and planned using them. I can't remember what the total was, if you need the measurements let me know I will post them here. We took one large and one small suitcase two duffle bags and a lap top bag. It all fit in the trunk with the top up. We put the stuff we bought in Europe in the back seat and seat well. You can fit a fair amount in a e93. My favorite part of the trip and my daughter's was the Grossglockner and my wife's was Lake Kongisee. Good Luck, it is a great trip. N4S


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

very cool, thank you need. 
OK, tentative flights, now I need hotels/destinations:
4/19: LAX to Rome:
4/20 arrive rome, check in, chill
4/21
4/22
4/23: Rome to Muc, arrives 19:05 Marriot or Sheraton via Priceline?
4/24: Welt at 10:40 to pick up new baby, no tours so local spin through town?
4/25: Salzburg? Need Hotels
4/26: More Salzburg
4/27: 
4/28rop off @ Harms, Kiminski Hotel prior to departure?
4/29: Depart 15:45 arrives LAX 19:05

Obviously, have a lot of filling-in to do. I've delegated Rome mostly to wifey, but any suggestions welcomed. Originally was going to try to do Vienna after Salzburg, but may reconsider for Castles and Baden-Baden. Still researching, Wiki and posts here great. Any suggestions quite welcommen.

Cheers,
Joel


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

If the weather is good, stop at Berchtesgaden either on your way to or from Salzburg. Take a trip up to the Eagle's Nest. The view is absolutely spectacular.


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## CarSwami (Oct 2, 2005)

I did ED three years ago to get an E93 with my Mom and two sisters! So I know what you mean about making sure the luggage fits in the trunk. I laid down two rules: (a) everyone was allowed only one piece of luggage, and (b) the luggage had to be the "squishable" kind so that we could mold it to fit in the trunk. I visited my local BMW dealer and took the measurements of the trunk, so we knew ahead of time if the luggage was going to fit or not. I also reminded my Mom and sisters that they were most likely going to buy "stuff" in Europe, so they needed to make sure that we had some free space in the trunk. Sure enough, they bought a lot of Bohemian crystal ware in Prague, so they were truly glad that there was space in the trunk to store everything.

A few of us (Guppyflyer being one) did ED in early May 2007, and the only snow I saw was at the top of the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden. We were in Europe for about 12 days, and I think that the only day it rained on us was the first day! But who knows what the weather will be like over there this year. I've been to England twice since last Christmas, and it has snowed on both occasions. I've been regularly going to England for the past 15 years and I had never experienced snow there until 2009-2010!

I posted a series of articles here on Bimmerfest after my ED in which I described our visits to Prague, Vienna and Salzburg.

Finally, I agree with everyone else on this site. Make your own reservations, use Priceline (I got fantastic deals everywhere), and take a good English to German phrase book! And enjoy the experience.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Very cool guys, thanks for all the advice, both public and private.

Are either the Sheraton or Marriot "nice" enough to stay for a few days? Based on limited time, I'm thinking stayin the night in Muc after Rome, and Maybe another day before heading to Saltzburg, staying there a night (maybe 2?) I think I could only squeeze one more destination comfortably into this trip, should it be the castles? Do people stay in Berctesgaden? I really need to map this out a bit more, but all the advice is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Joel


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## luxun54 (Sep 24, 2005)

jbailey895 said:


> Are either the Sheraton or Marriot "nice" enough to stay for a few days?


I'm sure they're both very nice, very standard, and probably pricey. Hotels are a matter of taste; when I travel on business, I spend enough time in big chain hotels, so when we're on our own, we tend toward smaller and quainter.


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

If you are going to stay in Munich for a few nights and use it as a base for driving day trips, find a hotel that has convenient parking. If you plan to use public transportation in and around Munich, a hotel downtown near the main train station would be convenient. I just returned from a quick 3 night ED trip and stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott downtown. It was nice, very convenient and when the room was bundled with my flight I ended up paying less than $80/night. I booked through Travelocity.


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## stan01 (Jan 15, 2010)

Since your flight home isn't until 15:45 you could easily spend your last night in Berchtesgaden, Fussen, or Garmisch, drop the car off at Harms before lunch, and head to the airport by taxi/car service . No reason to pay a premium for the Kempinski Airport hotel when your flight is that late in the afternoon. Munich is one of the nicest airports in the world so killing a little time there eating lunch is almost enjoyable. 

Alternatively you could turn the car in the day before and stay downtown near the Munich Haptbahnhof so you can see Marienplatz at night. You can take the S-Bahn straight to the airport.

When I am looking for a hotel or inn in a new place I always head straight to TripAdvsior to review the highest rated hotels and peruse the reviews. It has never steered me wrong and I have found some great places to stay that I otherwise would not have known about. I try to avoid American chain hotels in Europe. Hiltons and Marriotts are the same around the world. They are nice and predictable, but ordinary. Go with the flow and go native. I would never stay in a German hotel that lacks a breakfast buffet.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

I noted that the Marriot and Renaissance are the two recs (from wiki and posts) if we're staying in Schwabing, which sounds like a fun party of Munchen. Priceline seems a gamble when you don't know which place they're actually going to book until its too late, and I don't see many non-chain hotels in Priceline. Do most of you "bid" on your city and take whatever hotel comes up based on a "*" rating? 4 stars seems plenty for us, and the $65-70 range seems great. I don't mind chain hotels (I don't travel much), wifey would probably rather have local flavor, but clean and safe are big priorities. Should I just do 2 nights, Center City North, $70? As for booking in Salzburg and/or Bertchesdag (sorry for spelling) priceline or Frommers and deal directly with the hotel? Is it adviseable to call and "haggle" directly with the hotel? I note several hotels online prices are $400 and up, but through priceline they're a fraction, but tend to be the big chains. Thanx for input,
Joel


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

Pretty sure if you select 4* city center north there are only 2 possibilities, Marriott or Renaissance. Others can confirm this. I enjoyed staying downtown as there is a lot to do and see right in the city center and convenience to public transportation is a big plus. Do you plan to spend much time at The Welt? You can easily spend an entire day there, even more if you do the factory tour, museum and eat a meal.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

I would, but my pickup is a Saturday, and the wife and daughter will probably only tolerate so much "car stuff". I like the idea of Schwabing being central and near university, sounds more lively, though with a 6 y/o, not expecting many late nights carousing the adult faire.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

rmorin49 said:


> Pretty sure if you select 4* city center north there are only 2 possibilities, Marriott or Renaissance..


There are at least 2 other hotels that people have posted about when bidding city center north.


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

JSpira said:


> There are at least 2 other hotels that people have posted about when bidding city center north.


I stand corrected as I am trying to recall my ED of April 2007 when I used Priceline.

To the OP: Give Travelocity or one of the other internet travel sites a try bundling your airline tickets and hotel. You will get lots of options from which to choose, ranging from "small, homey" hotels to large chains and exclusive 5* facilities.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

jbailey895 said:


> I like the idea of Schwabing being central and near university, sounds more lively, though with a 6 y/o, not expecting many late nights carousing the adult faire.


I hope you realize that Schwabing is not a small area and the Marriott and Renaissance are not near the Uni or Münchner Freiheit but several U-Bahn stops away. It´s still a good central area however to stay in.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

I have reserved through the BMW/LH deal currently, unless i can find a better deal. Since wife likes Italy, we're using the flexibility of the LH special to go to Rome first, through Muc, then back to Muc, but this prevents the hotel/flight combo. I didn't find anything cheaper to both countries using Kayak, vayama, etc. Since I need to buy 3 tickets, it came out to just over $3300 for all three, LAX-Rome-Munich-LAX. So now I'm piecing together the hotel portions. Not a cheap trip, but hopefully forever memories.


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## stan01 (Jan 15, 2010)

$1100 per person (including taxes and fees, it sounds like) for an itinerary with multiple legs /stopovers like you are describing is not bad. I am paying $940 for a SAN-MUC roundtrip in April. It would be about 50% more in the high season (summer) and about 20% less if you had gone in January during the dead of winter.

One last check would be the United website. Sometimes United code share flights operated on LH equipment are cheaper when booked with United than when booked through LH. Not always, but I have seen it several times.


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

jbailey895 said:


> Wow, between the Wiki, this thread, and all the options involved, my head is spinning. I know the search button is my friend, but I have a few Q's and wanted to solicit suggestions. I have a 4/24 delivery of my E93, and I'm bringing my wife and daughter. Wife and I haven't been to Europe in 20+ years (we're both 42, daughter is 6).
> 1. Should I just use a travel agent? I know there's invaluable info here re flights, hotels, etc, but having not flown further than CA to Vegas for the last decade, I don't want to make major mistakes, is there someone you reccomend to set all this up? (and yes, I'm a cheapskate, so if I can save a lot doing it myself, I will)
> 2. Flights: we're in San Diego, I see Lufthansa has direct flights to Muc, but is that even desireable? 6 y/o may go bonkers before we land. . . .We also have free tickets on SW, so was also looking into staying overnight in NY, and then "hopping the pond" from there the next day. I saw flights through Dublin to Muc for only $680 r/t.
> 3. European weather around 4/24: I know it won't be balmy yet, but can I get by without snow tires? I don't want to be unsafe or ruin my msport rims, and obviious family safety is first. Planning to head south towards Florence or Vienna for better weather. . .
> ...


My $.02 on the subject:

Do your own research, there is a ton of info on the internet.
I would recommend a direct flight if possible. 6 y.o. is not a baby, so it's not that difficult to deal with them at that age (I realize, kids are different of course). I've traveled overseas with my two kids since the youngest was 2.5 y.o. (he is 8 now and a seasoned traveler  ) Layovers are difficult, so I would avoid them if possible. Try to have an entertainment plan for your daughter. We used to buys some simple games, toys that can be used as surprises when things starting to get rocky, etc. But in general, I think you will do just fine with two adults and one 6 y.o.
We have traveled last summer from SFO to MUC, rented a car at MUC and drove to Lucca, Italy (not too far from Florence). It's doable with kids, etc., but if you do decide to go this route, stay a day or two in Munich or for a night on your way to Italy. We stayed in Bresannone (Brixen), Italy, which is about 2.5 hours or so of driving from MUC (charming little town). We did the leg Lucca-Munich in one shot on the way back and it took about 6 - 7 hours or so. Doable, but not that easy...
If you are going for about a week or so, IMHO, one carry on per person is doable, but it really depends on your ability to travel light of course... You will need a booster and it's easier to just take one with you (you can also buy one in Munich, but why waste time looking for booster there?).

Most of all, have fun and enjoy every minute of your adventure! :bigpimp:


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## ddtan (Apr 28, 2006)

In Salzburg check out the Pension Sallerhof just outside town to see if it is something you would like. It's about 3-4 miles out of town in a nice residential neighborhood, and more like a bed and breakfast than a hotel. We stayed there and enjoyed it.


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

If you´re staying two or three nights in the Salzburg area there´s plenty to see:

Salzburg Old Town, castle, Mozart museums, Sound of Music tour or dinner etc
Berchtesgaden is an easy 30-minute drive
See Hallstatt, it´s salt-mines and/or ice caves will be enjoyed by your daughter and she´ll love the Summer toboggans runs such as in Strobl.
Take a paddle-steamer ride from St. Gilgen to St. Wolfgang and then the old steam-powered cog-railway train up to the top of the Schafberg for amazing views.
or the cable-car at St. Gilgen up to the top of the Zwoelferhorn.
See the Summer-home of empress Elizabeth (Sissy) at Bad Ischl
Drive up to the Gosau lake for close-up viewing of the Dachstein glacier, or take the cable-car from Obertraun.

You may want to consider renting an apartment (with great views, free internet and in case of bad weather, plenty of DVDs, lots of my own daughter´s toys and games and dozens of English TV channels) - www.stgilgen-apartments.com as a change from staying in hotels.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Thanks John, the apartment looks pretty nice, but the "check availability" link leads you to an Irish Hotel finder. . . The rate per day is reasonable, but the cleaning fee is 50 Euro total, or per day?


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

jbailey895 said:


> Thanks John, the apartment looks pretty nice, but the "check availability" link leads you to an Irish Hotel finder. . . The rate per day is reasonable, but the cleaning fee is 50 Euro total, or per day?


Oops, thanks for pointing that out, I´ll get that rectified today!
The 50 euro cleaning fee is a one-time charge for the end-of-stay cleaning, paid directly to the on-site cleaner.
Otherwise the apartment is not serviced, ie a self-catering apartment, although a daily clean & tidying, or whatever is required, can be arranged with the cleaner.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

I'm debating going from Salzburg to Vienna, or backtracking and doing Fussen, is that a day-trip from Muc or do I want to stay in Fussen? Vienna is an extra 3 hrs, is it better to stay a couple days in Vienna, or return to Muc from Salzburg and do Fuseen? any other Muc-centric trips I should consider? its a work in progress, so still exploring options, thanks.
joel


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## b-y (Sep 14, 2004)

jbailey895 said:


> I'm debating going from Salzburg to Vienna, or backtracking and doing Fussen, is that a day-trip from Muc or do I want to stay in Fussen? Vienna is an extra 3 hrs, is it better to stay a couple days in Vienna, or return to Muc from Salzburg and do Fuseen? any other Muc-centric trips I should consider? its a work in progress, so still exploring options, thanks.
> joel


Several short answers, all based only on personal opinion:

Fussen: easy day-trip for one castle, but long day to see both. While I did them both in a day-trip years ago, now I'd stay overnight if I planned to see both.
Vienna: too far and too much to see for a day trip.
Salzburg: I have done a couple of day-trips from Munich, plus one longer stay in John Lance's apt in St.Gilgen. Entirely your preference.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Anyone booked Munich with priceline lately? I tried the center city north 4* $65 and $71 with no luck today, how high should I go tomorrow? Also need Salzburg and Fussen recs., more or less on the cheaps, we're trying to budget $150 or under a night for Germany.

Danke and Cheers,
Joel


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Priceline bidding on a Munich hotel, I'd like to do the Marriot or Renaissance as described, I read a couple other threads that say don't limit it to Center City North, and I still may get the two mentioned, does anyone else agree? I'm trying to book for 4/23-4/28, looks like the availability is slim.
Thanx again,
Joel


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

OK, time to play "Rate my Route"
Since this is a family forum, it shan't contain breasts or inappropriate language. First timer, so go easy on me:

Hotels booked today, so I'm pretty much committed, but comments welcome 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108981152512841552957.00047fbe604033e6aefa8&z=8


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## Northcar (Sep 21, 2005)

You have gotten a lot of good advice so I'll try to avoid duplication. On the car seat issue I don't think the E93 has a tether hook so you will want to make sure the car seat you use can be attached by the seat belts. In Germany it is (or at least was) illegal for a child to ride in front so that option is out. As to fitting of luggage I'll try to find a link to one of my old threads showing how we were able to accomodate 2 adults and 2 college age kids in our E93 while on European Delivery.

OK, here is the refernced link. I have even included measurements and info about luggage that will fit perfectly that you can get from Rick Steves website. Make sure you scroll down to see the whole thread including photos of the bags in the trunk at posts #18 and #19. You will note on the second page of the thread I describe the additonal two bags that also were able to fit.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190224&highlight=e93+luggage


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## AggieKnight (Dec 26, 2008)

I didn't read the entire thread, but it sounds like the advice you're getting is pretty darn good. I did search for this rec that I'm about to give you, so if this is a repeat, I apologize.

With a wife and 6 yo, there is one place that I strongly recommend you visit - the Steiff Welt. Steiff is the inventor of the Teddy Bear (in fact, inventory of stuffed animals with movable parts). Their museum (1.5 hrs NW of Munich IIRC) is awesome, and has production qualities on par with Disney. You actually watch a show and take a little ride through a "world of talking stuffed animals". We went on my ED, and my wife loved it. 

I know its a little out of your way, but well worth it.

Cheers,
Aggie.


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## gesoffen (Jun 18, 2004)

Most other have chimed in with appropriate info. All I'll add is that your 6yo will probably handle the flight better than you or your wife. They fit in the seats, they are easily amused, can fall asleep when they're tired and handle the jet lag pretty easily. Not to mention the planes/airports will all be a new and exciting experience for them. I have a 6yo that has been to Germany 6 times and a 3 yo thats been 3 times. Both travelled when they were as young as 6 months old. Granted, we flew from our home outside of Washginton DC so the trip was a few hours shorter but the kids would have had no problem with a trip of longer duration.

As mentioned earlier:
- Pack a few plane friendly activities (not too noisy, not to many parts to lose, etc)
- Pack a few new things and make sure you save them for the trip itself.
- If you can, get a set of over the ear head phones (the style with cups). The kids ears are too small for the buds and the headphones that seat on top of the ear lobe are about useless with all the back ground noise.
- Go direct if you can but also try to get favorable seating arrangements.
- Don't rely on the airlines inflight entertainment systems for primary entertainment. Between out of order equipment, and out dated equipment, its not worth the risk.
- Do a few kid friendly activities while you're there


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

cool guys, thanx for all the good info. Getting the flights and rooms were the biggest stresses, now I can start planning the fun stuff, so thanks for all your input, its appreciated.


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## MichelleJ (Apr 30, 2009)

If your wife and daughter like sparkly things like most of us girls, make a stop in Wattens, Austria, and visit the Swarovski Kristallwelt. Skip the museum (it's freaky) and just visit the huge store outside the museum. It'll break up the drive between Salzburg and Innsbruck.

Just outside Salzburg you'll find Schloss Hellbrunn, home of the gazebo from the Sound of Music and the building used for the front of the Von Trapp house. It's also the location of a really fun attraction called the "trick fountains". I'm not sure if they're open in April (check the website), but if it is, you should definitely go there. The kids in our tour group that day LOVED it, and we adults thought it was pretty amazing, too.

The drive from Berchtesgaden to Worgl is really pretty, btw.


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## Jen&Mike (Mar 2, 2009)

You have gotten all the good advice, just want to add that we did an ED with three kids (12, 9, and 2) last summer and all went well. I think you will be amazed at how well the six-year-old does with the flight and the jet lag. Germany is a very family-friendly country. 

So relax and have fun planning!  (but don't plan too much... )


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Great advice, thanx. Anyone know where I can buy a booster in Munich? Do they have Costco's, Target, Walmart etc? Since we're flying to Rome first without the car, I figured I didn't want to lug ours around. I'd like to pick one up in Muc, but I fly in Friday night at 5 pm, and pick up the next am at 10 am, so I'm not sure when exactly I'll be able to grab one. if they have them in the Welt stores, I'm sure they're mucho Euro, but thought I'd ask to see if anyone else has picked them up in Muc. 
Cheers,
Joel


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

jbailey895 said:


> Great advice, thanx. Anyone know where I can buy a booster in Munich? Do they have Costco's, Target, Walmart etc? Since we're flying to Rome first without the car, I figured I didn't want to lug ours around. I'd like to pick one up in Muc, but I fly in Friday night at 5 pm, and pick up the next am at 10 am, so I'm not sure when exactly I'll be able to grab one. if they have them in the Welt stores, I'm sure they're mucho Euro, but thought I'd ask to see if anyone else has picked them up in Muc.
> Cheers,
> Joel


I did some research on the subject last summer before our trip with two kids to Europe. While you can find a few stores that carry car boosters, the whole idea of relaying on product availability, store hours, etc. seemed full of variables for me to take the chances with such plan. Ended up bringing our own...

You can also consider something like these two products available on amazon.com if you don't want to carry booster during your trip:

http://www.amazon.com/RideSafer-Car-Seat-Travel-Vest/dp/B000MGWEII

http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Traffic-Systems-GD10101GWB-Travel/dp/B0034CKJZC/ref=pd_sbs_ba_5


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## yamilrx (Nov 25, 2004)

jbailey895 said:


> Wow, between the Wiki, this thread, and all the options involved, my head is spinning. I know the search button is my friend, but I have a few Q's and wanted to solicit suggestions. I have a 4/24 delivery of my E93, and I'm bringing my wife and daughter. Wife and I haven't been to Europe in 20+ years (we're both 42, daughter is 6).
> 1. Should I just use a travel agent? I know there's invaluable info here re flights, hotels, etc, but having not flown further than CA to Vegas for the last decade, I don't want to make major mistakes, is there someone you reccomend to set all this up? (and yes, I'm a cheapskate, so if I can save a lot doing it myself, I will)
> 2. Flights: we're in San Diego, I see Lufthansa has direct flights to Muc, but is that even desireable? 6 y/o may go bonkers before we land. . . .We also have free tickets on SW, so was also looking into staying overnight in NY, and then "hopping the pond" from there the next day. I saw flights through Dublin to Muc for only $680 r/t.
> 3. European weather around 4/24: I know it won't be balmy yet, but can I get by without snow tires? I don't want to be unsafe or ruin my msport rims, and obviious family safety is first. Planning to head south towards Florence or Vienna for better weather. . .
> ...


1) I always use the internet. I feel bad for travel agents but they've been cut out unless you have extra cash for them. I use expedia, travelocity and others.
3) Weather will be perfect unless you are unlucky. It should be in the 40-50's or even 60's. I did ED March 08 and had no snow tires and got some snow without any issues. I did get snow in Munich but i did all highway driving w/out problems.
4) One week is plenty as Salzburg is close but Vienna may be a bit far from what I remember going from Innsbruck Austria.
5) We did 4adults and 2 kids from Munich to Annecy France to Barcelona and finally Madrid with luggage for all. We were tight but managed. I do a lot of travel with my kids to Europe now 8 and 11 and we have never had any issues. They've been travelling since 6months.

Good luck and enjoy.


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## yamilrx (Nov 25, 2004)

jbailey895 said:


> Great advice, thanx. Anyone know where I can buy a booster in Munich? Do they have Costco's, Target, Walmart etc? Since we're flying to Rome first without the car, I figured I didn't want to lug ours around. I'd like to pick one up in Muc, but I fly in Friday night at 5 pm, and pick up the next am at 10 am, so I'm not sure when exactly I'll be able to grab one. if they have them in the Welt stores, I'm sure they're mucho Euro, but thought I'd ask to see if anyone else has picked them up in Muc.
> Cheers,
> Joel


They don't have Costco or Target but they have Wal-mart or even better Carefour. I would buy a cheap booster and just leave it at the airport so you don't have to carry back. I also took a cheap $10 strollers and then leave to a beggar or someone on the street. The same stroller there is 100 euros or so but my little one would always ask to be carried and the stroller was a lifesaver to my back.


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## Kamdog (Apr 15, 2007)

Vienna is beautiful and wonderful, but, IMO, too far and not right for a 6 year old.

Hallstatt is not only gorgeous, but it is small, and you can do the sights on a day trip from Salzburg. You can go out throught Bad Ischl and come back via Hallien and get a pretty loop ride for yourself. If the family likes the Sound of Music movie, the tour is worthwhile. If you have never seen the movie, rent the DVD, just for the scenery, if not the story and the music.


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## jel014 (Jul 19, 2009)

First off congratulations!!

I recently did a Euro Delivery around Oct/Nov with my 5 year old and we didn't encounter any problems.

1) It really depends on you. We found it easy enough to book flight, hotel etc... all through online travel sites and trip advisor. We found that somewhat cheaper then using a travel agency of american express. If you're short on time or don't have enough time to plan things out then you might want to use AMEX or something.

2) My daughter had no problem flying 12-15hours with the direct flight. I picked a flight that leaves at night, so she slept 80% of the way there. The rest of the time she watched cartoon on Lufthansa (United) and Lufthansa gave her some puzzles to do. Keep in mind my daughter flew a lot since she was a baby so she's probably use to it. We typically don't like stopovers because you have to drag all your luggage to check out, then stay a night or two at wherever, then drag all your luggage back onto the plane then head to the final destination. With the way security check is these days, it was just too tedious.

4) You can easily do Salzburg in one week I think (not sure about Vienna). Can probably do some of the black forest drives in Germany as well.

5) I had a e90 and it wasn't an issues at all, but if you are going to have your top down most of the time, you might be able to fit a roller back there and you'll have to stack the rest of the luggage on one of the rear seats. (One great advise from someone or from wiki was to take all the luggage you are going to take, to the dealer and test them out on a similar vehicle)

Have fun and ask lots of questions. I got tons of help from this forum which make my trip real fun and easy. :thumbup:



jbailey895 said:


> Wow, between the Wiki, this thread, and all the options involved, my head is spinning. I know the search button is my friend, but I have a few Q's and wanted to solicit suggestions. I have a 4/24 delivery of my E93, and I'm bringing my wife and daughter. Wife and I haven't been to Europe in 20+ years (we're both 42, daughter is 6).
> 1. Should I just use a travel agent? I know there's invaluable info here re flights, hotels, etc, but having not flown further than CA to Vegas for the last decade, I don't want to make major mistakes, is there someone you reccomend to set all this up? (and yes, I'm a cheapskate, so if I can save a lot doing it myself, I will)
> 2. Flights: we're in San Diego, I see Lufthansa has direct flights to Muc, but is that even desireable? 6 y/o may go bonkers before we land. . . .We also have free tickets on SW, so was also looking into staying overnight in NY, and then "hopping the pond" from there the next day. I saw flights through Dublin to Muc for only $680 r/t.
> 3. European weather around 4/24: I know it won't be balmy yet, but can I get by without snow tires? I don't want to be unsafe or ruin my msport rims, and obviious family safety is first. Planning to head south towards Florence or Vienna for better weather. . .
> ...


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Actually, we've watched SOM probably 30 times (and yes, I'm secure in my manhood). My daughter loves it, so we'll definitely do the SOM tour while in Salzburg. The trick fountains are closed until May, as is Eagle's nest in Berchtesgaden, so we'll spend some extra time yodelling in the hillsides. I think I'll try whatever big chain store I can find in Munich, I'm sure boosters can't be that rare or expensive (wonder if Munich has a Craigslist?) nah, I'll splurge, she's my only daughter 
Thanx so much for everyone's input, I really feel like I'm going with a couple hundred friends instead of my family of three. Cheers ;-)


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## MichelleJ (Apr 30, 2009)

If you run out of things to see and do in Salzburg, you can check out some of these activities in the surrounding area:

If you decide to drive to Hallstatt, you could check out the salt mine that's right above the town. It opens for the season on April 24th. You take a funicular up to the top of a mountain, hike up the mountain a bit more, then go through the mine on a guided tour. There are long slides inside that are pretty fun. http://www.salzwelten.at/ There's another salt mine outside Berchtesgaden (open year round) that's similar, though I haven't been to that one: http://www.salzzeitreise.de/

Just south of Berchtesgaden is the Konigssee. It's beautiful. You can take a boat ride across the lake, get off at Salet, and take a short, level walk through a little woods to get to another lake where you can see a waterfall at the end of a valley. http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/lakes/objects/koenigss.htm http://www.seenschifffahrt.de/

A short drive south of Salzburg is the town of Werfen and its castle Hohenwerfen. They have the coolest falconry show I've ever seen. They're open Tues-Sun in April, and the falconry shows are given twice daily. http://www.salzburg-burgen.at/en/werfen/


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## adc (Apr 1, 2003)

First advice - no stops. If you take an overnight flight from San Diego, your daughter might actually have a chance to get a full nights sleep. My son only got about 5 hours (flying from the East Coast) and he was pretty tired the next day.

_Edit:_ Children's benadryl night syrup also works wonders on international flights. 

Second advice - definitely go for a baggage test. But restrict yourself to a top-up test, because in April you will not do any top-down motoring on European highways (between major cities). Typically you will get between your main destinations in comfort with the top up, then leave the luggage at the hotel and explore local sights with the top down, weather permitting.

We did ED last summer with some friends who picked up a 128i vert and they have 2 kids (5 and 8). So it's definitely possible with just a little care.


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## yamilrx (Nov 25, 2004)

_Edit:_ Children's benadryl night syrup also works wonders on international flights. 

As a pharmacist I can tell you to beware of the opposite effect with benadryl. I suggest you test it once before if you haven't had to give it to her. Pediatricians also use atarax for its sedative effect but at 6 yrs old the overnight flight is enough for 4-6hrs of sleep. The next day you may need to take it easy on the little one.


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Thanx yam, my daughter is very anti-drug (yeah, already at 6). She won't even take one of those strips without a serious battle, but I agree both that it may help her on the flight, and that we should do a test-run first. We paid a bit more for non-stops, so that should help. I still haven't found a lead on a good place to buy a carseat in Munich, we're getting in at 4:30 pm Friday, staying right next to the airport (Nh Munich Airport) and pickup up next day at 10 am, so I cut myself a tight window. I was hoping to sneak out and do some quick shopping. Any ideas?
Thanx,
Joel


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

jbailey895 said:


> I still haven't found a lead on a good place to buy a carseat in Munich, we're getting in at 4:30 pm Friday, staying right next to the airport (Nh Munich Airport) and pickup up next day at 10 am, so I cut myself a tight window. I was hoping to sneak out and do some quick shopping. Any ideas?
> Thanx,
> Joel


Since it appears that you are set on trying to buy a child seat locally, check out info in this discussion on the subject:

http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t126211.html

Good luck! :bigpimp:


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## Kamdog (Apr 15, 2007)

jbailey895 said:


> Thanx yam, my daughter is very anti-drug (yeah, already at 6). She won't even take one of those strips without a serious battle, but I agree both that it may help her on the flight, and that we should do a test-run first. We paid a bit more for non-stops, so that should help. I still haven't found a lead on a good place to buy a carseat in Munich, we're getting in at 4:30 pm Friday, staying right next to the airport (Nh Munich Airport) and pickup up next day at 10 am, so I cut myself a tight window. I was hoping to sneak out and do some quick shopping. Any ideas?
> Thanx,
> Joel


Have you asked BMW if they rent them?


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## adc (Apr 1, 2003)

jbailey895 said:


> I still haven't found a lead on a good place to buy a carseat in Munich


Is there any particular reason why you are not taking the carseat from the US?

We have Recaros in both our cars and on our last 2 Euro Deliveries have taken them with us to Europe.

- Just march with it through security without any issue
- At the airplane door give it to a flight attendant (legally at least the Recaros cannot be used on airplanes, they lack an FAA sticker). If you want to and the flight attendent doesn't object, you can use it in the airplane - we did, figuring out our 6 year old son would have a much better posture in this seat compared to the standard airplane seat, and the seatbelt fit much tighter.
- If you give them the carseat, you will get it back at the airplane door in Munich (best this way to make sure it doesn't get lost on the way).
- Best of all, it doesn't count as an extra baggage.

At least the Recaros are very light weight and have a handle on top so they are easy to carry around.

Just a thought...


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