Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the best places for a family vacation in Germany. Its location in the Bavarian Alps makes Garmisch a top skiing destination, but there’s much more than snow sports to keep you entertained.
There are masses of fun things to do in Garmisch with kids whether you prefer outdoor activities, adrenaline-pumping rides, or beautiful historic sites.
In this blog post, I’ll share my pick of the best activities and best places to visit in Garmisch. I’ll also let you know some of the activities I wish we could have fit into our family vacation to Garmisch last summer.
Tackle The Garmisch Kletterwald
If you’re looking for things to do in Garmisch with kids aged 5 and up, the climbing ropes course at the Garmisch Kletterwald is a great experience. The word “Kletterwald” means climbing forest, and this is the largest climbing forest in Bavaria.
A range of climbing elements up to 55 feet high are combined in 13 courses designed for everyone from beginners to experienced climbers. You’re attached to a safety harness so you’re totally safe at all times and it’s great fun as a family activity.
My sons both loved it, and it was my older son’s favorite place to visit in southern Germany. My youngest kid stumbled off a platform at one point and although he was happy to carry on, it gave him a bit of a shock at the time.
You can read more about our visit in my full review of the Garmisch Kletterwald.
The Kletterwald is a seasonal activity and generally opens between April and October, so check the website before you travel.
Soar On The Flying Fox
If you’ve ever wondered what flying would feel like, you’ll love the Flying Fox zip line, a sister activity to the Kletterwald. It looked too intense for my 8 and 10 year olds but would be great for thrill-seeking teenagers and adults with a head for heights!
First, you’re strapped securely into a harness and hooked up to the zipline 130 feet above the ground, before speeding at up to 45 mph over Garmisch Partenkirchen. You’ll enjoy a beautiful view of the town and its Olympic ski jump, while the Alpine peaks provide a stunning backdrop.
Flying Fox is located on the outskirts of Garmisch, just a 5 minute walk from the Skistadion train station. There’s no need to book in advance, but check the opening hours before you go.
Take A Boat Trip On Eibsee
Beautiful Eibsee (Lake Eib) is located at the bottom of Bavaria’s Zugspitze mountain, around 5.5 miles southwest of Garmisch. You can easily hike around the lake in 2-3 hours, stopping off to sample local specialties at the Eibsee Alm hotel restaurant.
Eibsee is one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany, and the turquoise waters and mountain views are stunning. In the winter, the lake is mainly frozen but I visited with my older son in summer, when you can go swimming and rent a SUP, row boat, or pedal boat.
We rented a pedal boat for 30 minutes and took it out around the Lake. You could rent a boat for an hour but I think that would have been too long for my son – pedaling the boat was pretty tiring. But the views were super pretty and I definitely recommend the Eibsee as one of the best things to do in Garmisch with kids.
The Eibsee and the Zugspitze cable car share a parking lot. If you’re feeling energetic you could visit the Zugspitze in the morning and then spend the afternoon at Eibsee.
Conquer The Zugspitze
At 2,962 meters above sea level (almost 10,000 feet), the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest peak and one of the most popular things to do in Garmisch.
You can travel up Germany’s highest mountain on the nearly-100-year-old Zugspitzbahn cogwheel train, and it takes around 30 minutes to reach the Zugspitzbahn base station from Garmisch Ice Stadium train station. Alternatively, you can take the 10-minute cable car ride from the Eibsee parking lot to the mountaintop.
Once you’re at the top, you can enjoy the views from the viewing deck, visit an exhibition at the mountain station, or go sledding, even in summer. The long toboggan run on the glacier can also be used all year if the snow levels are suitable. In winter, you can ski, snowboard, and even stay in an igloo village.
Visiting the Zugspitze is a fantastic day out for the whole family but try to visit on a sunny day for the best views over Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.
Remember that the temperature will be colder and windier on the mountain, so wear light layers to keep warm.
Enjoy The Beautiful Partnachklamm
The Partnachklamm is a narrow river gorge just south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, carved through the Reintal valley by the river Partnach. The gorge is about 2300 feet long, 260 feet deep in places, and dates from the Triassic period.
In the summer, the gushing waters of the Partnach mountain stream rush through the gorge. In winter, the rock walls are covered in ice sheets and icicles that turn the gorge into an ice palace.
There are various walking trails so you can choose one that suits your family. You’ll also find several places to get refreshments including the Hanneslabauer Gasthaus (mountain inn). If you don’t want to hike through the gorge, there are also walking routes through the surrounding forest.
It’s essential to wear sturdy walking shoes as the Partnach Gorge can get very slippery. You might also want to take a light raincoat or poncho as there are a couple of waterfalls along the way. The hiking routes aren’t suitable for strollers, so take a carrier for babies and toddlers.
A German friend recommended this activity, but unfortunately we missed our chance. The Partnachklamm is incredibly popular in the summer, so it’s essential to get to the Olympic Village parking lot by 9am or in the late afternoon.
We arrived around 11am and the parking lots were completely full, so we eventually gave up and went to Lake Eibsee instead.
Go Skiing, Hiking And Mountain Biking
Garmisch’s location in the Bavarian Alps is perfect for outdoor pursuits like skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and tobogganing.
Whether you want an easy hike for small children or something more challenging, you’re sure to find a suitable walking trail across the mountain valley, all with breath-taking views of the towering Alps.
In the fall, your hike or bike ride will be accompanied by the sound of cow bells. In winter, skiers can try out some new things like cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
If you’re a keen skiing family, you’ll surely want to visit the Garmisch-Classic area, an amazing ski resort based on three mountains: Hausberg, Kreuzeck, and Alpspitz. Most ski runs on Hausberg are easy to moderate, making it ideal for beginners and families, and you can book skiing lessons on the Alpspitze.
The Alpspitz mountain is a popular location for summer hiking or winter skiing and snowboarding. The Alpspitzbahn cable car takes you to the top of the mountain, where you’ll find a restaurant and a new observation deck, AlpspiX, with stunning views of the valley and mountains.
If you’d like to end your visit to Alpspitze with a fun hike, a family-friendly hiking trail leads you down from the Alpspitz to the Hochalm or further on to the Kreuzeck. If young hikers can’t face the full walk back, a cable car runs from the Hochalm up to the Alpspitz and you can travel back down to the valley from there.
It’s easy to explore Garmisch independently as a family, but if you’d prefer to travel with an experienced guide, you could book a guided tour of the Garmisch area. This Zugspitze tour takes you on a hike between two mountain lakes, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim.
If you’d prefer to stay in Garmisch town, you could also book a walking tour of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This takes you on an easy walk around local highlights like the Olympic Ski Jump and the Lűftl folk art paintings on the colorful houses of Ludwig Street.
Explore The Historic Linderhof Palace
Linderhof Palace is one of three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the one he spent most time in.
Schloss Linderhof was built between 1863 and 1886. It has a stunning design inspired by the Palace of Versailles, although it’s much smaller than the French palace. The spectacular gardens make a lovely picnic spot, and there’s a bistro and gift shop near the ticket kiosk.
Although Linderhof Palace is a beautiful place to visit, I don’t think it would interest our 8 and 10 year old boys. However, younger kids would probably enjoy playing in the beautiful gardens, and teens might enjoy the palace if they were interested in history and architecture.
Linderhof Palace is around 30 minutes away from Garmisch if you have a car, and around 90 minutes away if you’re using public transportation. If you have access to a car, you could combine your visit with a trip to Ettal Abbey, a short drive from Linderhof. This is another beautiful building but not really worth visiting with younger kids.
Have Fun At The Sommerodelbahn
Sommerodelbahn (Summer Toboggan Run) is a great place for kids to burn off some energy during your visit to Garmisch Partenkirchen. This 2800 feet long toboggan run whisks you at high speed through 12 bends on a course that drops 135 feet.
My kids were a little bit scared of the speed and didn’t want to try out the toboggan run. If your children aren’t keen, they might prefer the giant trampoline, climbing tower, and adventure playground with swings, slides, and a sandpit.
Once your kids have exhausted themselves on the play equipment, the whole family can enjoy relaxing with a cold drink in the beer garden.
Take A Day Trip From Garmisch
If you’re spending a few days in Garmisch, why not explore the local area with one of these day trips:
Berchtesgaden Salt Mine
Going underground for a salt mine tour doesn’t sound like a great time for kids. So, you might be surprised to discover a lot of fun things to do at the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine just outside Salzburg in southern Austria.
First, you’ll take a traditional mine train deep underground, then slide even deeper below the earth’s surface on two long miner’s slides. The second slide takes you to the glittering Mirror Lake, 425 feet below ground, and you’ll travel on a raft across the lake, which reflects light like a vast mirror.
The Berchtesgaden Salt Mine looks like a really interesting place and we were really looking forward to our visit. Unfortunately, our plans changed so we weren’t able to go.
This attraction is a two hour drive from Garmisch, but don’t let that put you off visiting. If you’re used to driving in the US, driving in Germany will feel very familiar, especially on the Autobahn (highway).
Automatic cars are usually available but most rental cars in Germany are manual (stick shift) transmission. If you don’t drive stick shift, remember to request an automatic car from your car rental company.
Schloss Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein Castle is the most famous castle in Germany, and around 1.5 hours drive from Germany. It’s said to be the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle, and is well worth visiting.
Once you arrive at Neuschwanstein , you can take the short hike up to the castle or start your visit with a horse and carriage ride. You’ll get great views of the castle from the “Marienbrücke” (Mary’s bridge). The bridge spans a deep gorge, so it’s not ideal for anyone afraid of heights!
It’s a good idea to book your Neuschwanstein Castle visit in advance as the castle gets booked up quickly, especially in the main tourist season. For quicker entry into the castle, you can book a Skip the Line ticket including a free audio tour.
The nearby Hohenschwangau Castle was the childhood residence of King Ludwig II and is also worth visiting.
Munich
Munich is Bavaria’s biggest city and also around 90 minutes from Garmisch.
There’s plenty here to entertain the whole family including visiting the Hellabrunn Zoo, exploring the Deutsches Museum, relaxing in the green space of the Englischer Garten (English Garden), or touring the Olympic stadium in the Olympiapark München.
If you have more time, check out my 2-4 day Munich guide!
Innsbruck
The beautiful city of Innsbruck is over the border in Austria, around an hour from Garmisch. This is a wonderful place for a day trip if you don’t have access to a car, as it’s very easy to reach Innsbruck by train.
Here you can explore Innsbruck’s historic Old Town, which is incredibly pretty, see local wildlife in the Alpine Zoo, or take a trip on the Innsbruck Cable Car.
Is It Worth Visiting Garmisch With Kids?
As you can see, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a fantastic spot for a family holiday at any time of year. The Alpine scenery is stunning and there are activities to entertain the whole family.
Choosing your favorite things to do in Garmisch from this list of attractions and activities will make planning your perfect vacation in Bavaria easy.
