Anyone got a recommendation?
Also, has anyone been to the Mercedes Benz museum in Stuttgart? I'm not exactly a petrolhead but I quite like cars and I do like a bit of history.
Stayed here last June, not far from Stuttgart.
Campingplatz Gruibingen
https://maps.app.goo.gl/C7xohb79qRMa5xJn8
Limited space for tents, but the shower block etc was modern and clean, very quiet area. I was only passing through, so not sure what the surrounding area had to offer
€14 for me, car and tent
Been to Mannheim a few times for work and as such always put up in fancy hotels.
Can't think it's got many reasons to visit, personally...
It's postcode/address system in the centre is strange.
Can’t think it’s got many reasons to visit, personally…
Well, my daughter went to a nearby town on the German exchange, and she wants to go back for a holiday. Any parents of teenagers will understand the desire to go somewhere the kids actually want to go, rather than somewhere they have to be dragged. Will be going other hopefully more interesting places on the way back.
Just looked at the pictures of andy5390's site - they don't half pack you in in Germany, don't they?
Just looked at the pictures of andy5390’s site – they don’t half pack you in in Germany, don’t they?
I arrived late after a 10.5 hour/433 mile stint in the car, and left around 8am the next day (another 9.5 hours/400 miles). I never got to look around the site, as I was pitched about 50m to the right of the shower block. I think the upper portion is for camper vans etc, tents on the lower part
Any tips on when to camp? Is there a way to avoid overlap with German school holidays?
I've taken school groups around the Mercedes museum a few times. The cars were just cars but the history of the company in its geopolitical context on the walls as you descend the spiral is worth the visit, so yes, recommended. I love going shopping along Königstrasse. There's a household wares place that sells very German things. My last purchase was a stainless steel tea pot that's made like a thermos and keeps tea hot.
Sorry no campsite recomendations anywhere near. The nearest I know and recommend are the one in the middle of Kehl if you want to visit Strasbourg on foot and the municipal in Cernay which is a good base for the southern Vosges. The one in Freiburg town is hellish busy with tiny plots, the one near Europa park best avoided. Have a look at the one near Schwaigern, I didn't stay ther but it looked nice enough.
Just looked at the pictures of andy5390’s site – they don’t half pack you in in Germany, don’t they?
Years ago I rode from London to Munich.
In France it was easy to find tiny, basic little campsites for a few € a night. Got to Mulhouse and had fun crossing the Rhein into Germany and then back to France at every other bridge.
First night in Germany I rocked up to a random campsite. Guy at reception charged me 21€ (still remember because it was so bloody expensive....charged me extra for the bike! Think I paid half that in Paris) and handed me a map of the site and said "Hier."..... That was the first time that I had an allocated spot. Rode for five minutes through the seemingly never ending rows of motorhomes and caravans before finding my spot. Half grass, half concrete.... But those shitty bricks where the grass grows through. Was a real shitty night.
Never bothered with a campsite after that.... Just wild camped.
Looking on @park4night I found this in Mannheim. Doesn't look too bad.
https://www.camping-steinachperle.de/Campingplatz.html
We stayed here near Heidelberg once and it was OK with hills for biking and walking. We did day trips to Speyer / Sinsheim Technik museums so maybe feasible for a day trip to Stuttgart? They had loads of topiary bushes to make the pitches which stopped all the crammed together camping.
When visiting the Porsche museum we stayed near Albstadt in some nice modern camping cabins by a water park. Can't remember 100% if they did camping.
Edit. Here
https://www.sonnencamping.de/en/startseite/
And finally Technik Speyer has a gated caravan / campervan park which is in an ok place and very convenient for museum and a nice town.
Some excellent wine from round there.
Raaw bikes are based there. Take one out for a demo. Lots of nice walks and some riding in the forest too.
Eat some wurst.
Can't help with the camping though
Pretty much what Edukator said. Stuttgart is a great city. Merc museum is awesome. Check out the Porsche museum as well if you can.
I would highly recommend the beer festival at the end of September. I’ve been twice now and will be heading back with “work” this year. Imagine Munich but with no vomit or hideous trust fund yanks.
It can rain A LOT. It seems to attract deluges from all directions - like Manchester but with European rainforest on all sides.
Speyer is lush, my lad would happily live in the technical museum if he could. The slide down from the 747 worth the entrance fee alone. The city is full of ice cream parlours, beer gardens and great restaurants. Campsite in the museum is a good shout.
As with all German cities, be wary around railway stations as they are hives of petty, and not so petty crime.
