Between longer trips, I love to explore Frankfurt and the area reachable within a three hour drive. Below are some of the day trips I’ve been on to help inspire your own trips.

Kloster Kreuzberg

A two-hour drive from Frankfurt to Kloster Kreuzberg rewards you with a brewery and beer hall set in the Bavarian mountains. The Kloster, the German word for a monastery, is still actively inhabited by monks. Not just any monks though. The best kind of monks. Beer-brewing monks. Click here for the full scoop.

Rhine River Valley

The day trip I take almost every visitor on is a drive down the Rhine River Valley. Known for its castles, scenic views, and wine it’s easy to see why the entire stretch of river in this region is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Click here for all the details.

Mannheim

Mannheim is an industrial city about an hour south of Frankfurt. Apparent birthplace of the bicycle and internal combustion engine it’s home to a beautiful water tower surrounded by some great terraced gardens. Mannheim University is located in the city’s old Baroque Palace, which is a treat to see with its gorgeous concert hall. Hit up the central square for the great Turkish food and people watching.

 

Koblenz

Koblenz is a great day trip from Frankfurt, only about an hour and a half drive. We parked downtown near the pedestrian zone and walked down to the park that sits at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The park features a huge and foreboding statue of Emperor Wilhelm on an impressive pedestal.

We grabbed the nearby gondola to cross the river and ascend up the mountain opposite of Koblenz to check out the city’s fortifications. The views of the valley and the river confluence were spectacular. The castle on the hill had some great exhibits on the history of the complex and how Knights were granted this land after the Crusades. Much of the castle was under restoration, but it was possible to walk around pretty freely. The views of Koblenz from the castle were also well-worth seeing.

After some beer at a local brewpub and some awakening tea at Cafe Einstein, we made our way out of the town to Frankfurt.

Darmstadt

Darmstadt is home to a large technical university and many science/engineering firms. The pedestrian area is small but pretty, and the city hosts several museums. If you like sandwiches and wine, check out a restaurant called Vino Central near the train station.

After getting what will certainly be one of the best sandwiches you’ve had, make your way over to the Matildenhohe, a set of churches and buildings to serve the Russian Orthodox population in the area. One of the chapels here is extremely beautiful and local lore says that it is the only place the last Tzar and Tsarina worshipped outside of Russia. Tsarina Alexandra was originally a Hessen princess and lived in Darmstadt.

Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden is gorgeous and well worth a visit. They have a beautiful pedestrian center which hosts many festivals throughout the year. Stroll through their many parks and check out the funicular to take you to a mountain that overlooks Wiesbaden and the Rhine River.

Also check out Italian Alley, a narrow alleyway hosting five or six Italian joints. One of the restaurants is called Ristorante Comeback, and is a favorite of mine when people are visiting. The food and staff are outstanding.

Mainz

Mainz is a fun university town with a beautiful Cathedral. It’s thought that Gutenberg invented the printing press here and started a literacy revolution that changed the world. The town has deep roots as a major player in Roman history and you can find remains of this empire all across the city.

Cologne/Dusseldorf

It’s possible to visit these two cities on separate day trips, but it’s well worth your time spend a weekend in these twin cities.

From Frankfurt, Cologne is about two and a half hours by car. After the long drive, we headed to a traditional Kolsch beer hall to check out the city’s signature beer. Fellow patrons were dressed in military uniforms from the 1800s as part of a celebration of the German Carnival, Fasching.

Pro tip for drinking Kolsch beer in Cologne: the staff of the beer halls will keep bringing you beer in .2 liter glasses until you cover the glass with a coaster.

We took a free, three hour walking tour in Cologne. Among many other things, we got to see Cologne’s incredible cathedral as well as the original cologne store. Their original cologne recipe is still produced and you can try a sample from a fountain inside the store. If you don’t go inside the Cologne cathedral, you’re missing out. The floor mosaics are gorgeous and the three wise men are said to be interred there.

After talking with locals, we learned that Cologne and neighboring Dusseldorf have been fierce competitors for quite a long time. This competition extends even to the two different beer styles the cities brew. While Cologne has it’s Kolsch beer, Dusseldorf has a darker and sweeter beer called Alt. Dusseldorf itself is a very pretty city and it had several parades and performances to celebrate Fasching. Dusseldorf is about 45 minutes away from Cologne, so definitely don’t miss it.

Michelstadt

Michelstadt is set in the rolling hills about two hours from Frankfurt by autobahn. The town is extremely picturesque, as much of the buildings and city walls survived fires and bombings. We visited Michelstadt to check out their Easter Market, which wasn’t exactly the most exciting thing, unless you like ornately decorated eggs. The original town hall was cool to see, as it sits on stilts. The best part of the town was the Michelstadter Rathausbraueri, serving up delicious local beer and great food. We camped out here until our companions were done checking out the Easter Market.

Heidelberg

Another day trip must-see is Heidelberg. The drive is about 90 minutes, and the train from Frankfurt is a little shorter.

From the quaint pedestrian area of the city, follow the signs up the steep hill to check out the famous castle that overlooks the valley. You pay to stand in the castle’s courtyard and on a few of it’s defensive walls, but you must pay extra to hop on a guided tour. The signage at the ticket booth wasn’t clear about the ticket options when I visited in early January 2016, so just ask the ticket salesperson. The views of the valley were impressive, even in the dead of winter. A weird Apothecary Museum is free to see, but unless you’re into that kind of thing, you can safely skip it. Don’t ask me how I know.

We descended the hill back to the pedestrian area to walk around a little before deciding to grab lunch at the Vetter Brewery. The food at the brewpub was excellent, but the beer was not good at all. Their signature “strongest beer in the world” was downright gross. Believe me, I know beer.

After escaping certain beer-related doom, we crossed the gorgeous bridge to the other side of the river. We found a train/road called Philosophers Weg, which zig-zags you up the side of the valley opposite of Heidelberg amongst old houses and vineyards. The views of Heidelberg from this trail were outstanding.

Nurnberg

Another great road trip option is Nurnburg, also spelled Nuremberg. The city itself is beautiful, but has a dark past due to the Nazi’s use of the city for propaganda and as a center of culture. Checking out the pedestrian zone was neat, as there are some pretty churches and market squares. Nurnberg also hosts a castle complex, which was great to see. It has, as expected, commanding views of the city and surrounding area. Make sure you check out the water well demonstration. It sounds weird, but just do it.

We weren’t able to see the Nazi parade grounds and stadium during our day trip, but we did go to the Nurnberg Trial Museum. This museum showcases the preparation for and execution of the war crimes trials carried out here against senior Nazi leadership after the fall of the Third Reich. The museum was extremely well done and is set up in the building where the trials were held.

Last but not least, check out Schanzenbrau brewery for beers and snacks before you leave Nurnberg.

Stuttgart

I didn’t find Stuttgart to be too exciting, except for the Spring Beer Festival I went to check out one weekend. It’s an easy drive or train from Frankfurt to the city.