Garmisch-Partenkirchen Travel Forum

My family including our young daughter will be spending 22-25 December in Garmisch. We don't plan to do skiing or wintersports unless there is a place that we can take our daughter for some gentle sled-riding. What ideas are recommended for activities that weekend? We are also considering a daytrip to Innsbruck (via train?)

We haven't been there in winter but you should look for a sleigh ride. That would be fun for her . . . and for you.

Don't know if spaghetti ice cream is a summer specialty or not. If they have it, it is good and would be a conversation piece. Any small child would love it . . . as would Mom and Dad. In December, hot chocolate might be better. That would be great with some spice bread (ginger bread to us).

Innsbruck has horse and carriage tours.

When you arrive in Garmisch, you might inquire with the hotel clerk what restaurants and other important businesses will be open during the Christmas Holiday, which, in that part of Germany, lasts from the 24th until the 26th. Better yet, you might contact the Garmisch Tourism Bureau now, and see what kind of information and assistance they can provide for you. The clerk, or the tourist bureau would also be able to provide you with information on sledding and sleigh, or carriage tours. Gary

The trip to Innsbruck by train should be fairly easy. Be sure to take your camera, or camcorder, the view would have to be unbelievable, especially as you near Innsbruck. You can look up the train schedule, etc. at http://www.bahn.de. You can go to the Innsbruck Tourism site at: http://www.innsbruck-tourism.at. There is also a link for the Innsbruck Sightseer busses/vans at: http://www.sightseer.at/sightseerflash.html. That would probably be the easiest way to travel with a child, and at that time of year. Gary

Take a look at the Garmisch tourism website -- there is indeed tobogganing in Garmisch, and if I'm not mistaken, they even have torchlight sledding near the Haugsberg. Have fun; my wife and I will be arriving shortly after you leave and plan to do some sledding ourselves!

cscmc, If you will be there on New Year's Day, you might also want to want to get reservations for some of your meals. They have a European Ski-Jumping Event in Garmisch that day, so the town will be very, very packed. Gary

lostsooner55 -- yes, we'll be there for New Years; thanks for thinking of us! We will be staying in a cabin at the Army post, so we'll have access to a microwave and the commissary for food if the Edelweiss Lodge is booked up for meals. Yours is good advice for those dependent upon restaurant meals, though; thanks for mentioning it!