Adventure and Amusement Parks in Bavaria: 16 Tips

Take a break from everyday life and gather new impressions with all your senses. In zoos, museums, with action and fun in nature or by learning exciting things and plunging into mini-adventures. We present sixteen amusement parks and adventure worlds in Bavaria for the whole family. Enjoy and have fun!

1

Savannah and jungle at home: Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich

Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo was founded in 1911. From 1928, it was the world's first geozoo to present animals according to the different continents. A walk through the natural paradise in the Isarauen is like a journey through exciting animal worlds. It leads from the polar regions to Africa, from Europe to Asia and from America to Australia. The diversity ranges from tropical fish to penguins and polar bears!

The park's animals inhabit the spacious facilities in natural communities. Visitors can take part in guided tours, attend animal photography courses or even book a rendezvous with a favourite animal including keeper. The zoo sees itself as an educational and nature conservation institution and supports conservation projects for endangered species. Restaurants with a beer garden, a pizzeria, cafés and kiosks provide culinary delights for visitors.
hellabrunn.de

2

The gateway to the world of football: FC Bayern Museum in Munich

"The round has to go into the square" (Sepp Herberger), and the Bayern fan into the museum of his heart's club! There, inside the Allianz Arena, football fans can relive the club's history, from its founding in 1900 to its current triumphs. "Historical" exhibits, balls, jerseys, photos and more, as well as films and audio documents provide goosebump moments. Legends like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller or stars like Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller tell exciting anecdotes from the world of football and recall special experiences.

You can meet all the current players as life-size photo stops and admire all the trophies and cups as original replicas, for championships through DFB Cup victories to Champions League successes! It is recommended to combine the museum visit with a 45-minute tour of the football arena. In the "Store" you will find everything a Bayern fan's heart desires.
fcbayern.com

3

Fascination Car: BMW World and Museum

Like a whirlwind, the glass and steel double cone spirals up into the air and ends in a free-floating roof cloud. This dynamic and futuristic-looking architecture envelops BMW Welt in Munich, where visitors can experience the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars brands. Customers collect their ordered vehicles here, visitors inform themselves about mobility topics in permanent and special exhibitions or shop in the Lifestyle & Accessory Shop.

Gourmets can indulge their taste buds in a bistro and two restaurants, including the award-winning fine-dining establishment "EssZimmer". From the terrace of the snack bar "Biker's Lodge" you have a great view of the famous Olympic tent roof. A forum is used for events and concerts. The neighbouring BMW Museum presents the most important vehicles from over a hundred years of the company's history. Guided tours of BMW Welt, the museum and the plant are offered.
bmw-welt.com

4

In an armchair through the galaxy: ESO Supernova Planetarium near Munich

As we all know, Bavaria is the centre of the universe and therefore well suited for looking around in space! The ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre opened in Garching near Munich in 2018. Its architecture is reminiscent of a pair of binoculars or, according to the official intention, a narrow double star system. Inside, visitors enjoy exciting space experiences thanks to state-of-the-art visualisation technology!

The shows, such as the "Tour through the Solar System" are projected in a 360-degree dome with a diameter of 14 metres and an inclination of 25 degrees. Up to 109 visitors can be seated inside. As a spectator, you have the feeling of being catapulted directly into the universe! Current events in the night sky are shown as well as the latest astronomical discoveries. Those interested in space can also deepen their knowledge in the exhibition "The Living Universe", including guided tours.
supernova.eso.org

1

Experience antiquity: Pompejanum in Aschaffenburg

Immerse yourself in the lifestyle and habits of the ancient Romans without having to travel far – that’s what Bacvaria offers to its visitors. King Ludwig I, an aficionado of antiquity, had a Roman villa built in Aschaffenburg in Lower Franconia. Court architect Friedrich von Gärtner carried out the lover's project from 1840 to 1848. The original model, the Casa dei Dioscuri, stands in Pompeii (named after the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, the sons of Zeus, depicted there). The city on the Gulf of Naples was buried in 79 when Mount Vesuvius erupted.

The replica in Aschaffenburg on the banks of the Main is an ideal representation of ancient living culture: reception rooms and bedrooms, a kitchen and two dining rooms are grouped around two inner courtyards, the atrium with a water basin and the greened viridarium (garden). The "private rooms" are located on the upper floor. Paintings and mosaic floors decorate the interiors. Roman works of art are also on display: Marble sculptures, small bronzes and glasses. In the garden with fig trees, araucaria and grapevines, visitors can stroll around like the Roman landlords used to, only presumably in jeans and a T-shirt instead of a toga.
schloesser.bayern.de

2

World of Railways: DB Museum Nuremberg

In 1835, the Adler locomotive ushered in the railway age in Germany with its journey from Nuremberg to Fürth. It is only logical that the city is home to the DB Museum with more than 150 historic vehicles. These include showpieces such as a replica of the Adler, the oldest steam locomotive Nordgau preserved in Germany, a world record express locomotive from 1907, King Ludwig II's court train, express locomotive 05 001, one of the fastest and heaviest steam locomotives in the world and much more. A driving simulator and a film ride in the driver's cab demonstrate the work of the locomotive drivers, and areas such as tunnel construction, signals or freight transport are highlighted.

In a large model railway layout, over thirty trains travel through miniature landscapes. In addition, the permanent exhibition "Station Times" uses exhibits from three centuries to show how public life in the stations has changed over time. Special exhibitions complement the museum programme and in the open-air area you can visit a historic signal box. The restaurant-café with terrace invites you to take a break.
dbmuseum.de

3

Play Worlds: Playmobil Fun Park Zirndorf

The Playmobil play figures are iconic. Children can slip into different roles with them and recreate the world in miniature, from pirate ships to children's hospitals. At the Playmobil Funpark in Zirndorf near Nuremberg, the focus is on active play and movement, not rides. In the play worlds with life-size figures, children realise their fantasy and let off steam as pirates, knights or dinosaur researcher. In the newly designed Fairyland, they can pet Playmobil unicorns or search for the golden crystal in large magic shells. In addition, Fairyland invites them to climb and balance.

Dexterity and movement are in demand at many other stations: mini-golf, the balancing course, the go-kart track, the climbing garden, the bouncy cushions, the water playground or the weatherproof play city. The park is ideal for children aged three to ten. With a wide range of gastronomic offers and a hotel.
playmobil-funpark.

4

Let’s bake: Bavarian Bakery Museum Kulmbach

Bread is one of the greatest achievements in human history. The "Kulmbacher Mönchshof" adventure complex dedicates a museum to this cultural heritage. (Two other museums in the complex foces on with brewing and spices). Entertaining and vividly staged, the topics range from sowing to finished bread and from ancient Egypt to the present.

Exhibits such as a 17th century bakehouse a three-storey flour mill or a 1930s bakery demonstrate how bread used to be made by hand. The museum shows the social and economic development of the bakery trade, provides information on cultural and religious symbolism as well as on the historical causes of hunger and hardship. During guided tours or in courses and seminars for groups or families, interested visitors can deepen their knowledge of the subject. Practical tips are given in the bread baking course "How to make real sourdough bread!
kulmbacher-moenchshof.de

1

Experience forest and nature: Skywalk Allgäu

Strolling above the treetops and enjoying the views, that is just one highlight of the Skywalk Allgäu nature experience. It is located near Scheidegg at an altitude of 1000 metres. A 540-metre-long treetop path, accessible by lift, runs 25 metres above the forest floor through high forest. It culminates in a 40-metre-high observation tower. From the top you can see Lake Constance and the Allgäu mountains, and on a clear day you can even catch a glimpse of the tower of Ulm Cathedral!

Climbing enthusiasts scramble around on nets and walls. Back on solid ground, you can experience the world of the forest on an adventure trail with interactive play equipment, fun for families! The little ones can romp around on an adventure playground, train their dexterity on a course or experience animals in the petting zoo. A special area invites you to bathe in the forest: Smell trees, hear forest sounds, feel the wind. Last but not least, the barefoot path promises impressive experiences, for your feet!
skywalk-allgaeu.de

2

Exciting trip to Roman times: Cambodunum Kempten

Fancy a trip back in time? Kempten in the Allgäu makes it possible. The origins of the town go back to the Roman settlement of Cambodunum. Founded at the turn of the century, it experienced its heyday in the first century. It was the first capital of the province of Raetia, which encompassed the northern foothills of the Alps between the Black Forest and northern Tyrol. Kempten is thus one of the oldest cities in Germany, along with Trier and Cologne!

An archaeological park shows excavated and restored remains of Cambodunum. The former centre with its temple district, thermal baths and forum with basilica is clearly visible, exciting to explore on an accessible circular route with an interactive app. Film scenes, 360-degree panoramas, fifteen activity stations and a quiz tour bring ancient everyday life to life. Participation and learning projects are aimed at children, young people and families. Exciting "history lessons" are offered by various guided tours, exhibitions show original finds.
apc-kempten.de

3

Fly and say hi to the sun for me: Allgäu Skyline Park

Get out of the daily grind and into the fun! That's what the Skyline Park promises its visitors with action and rides through the Allgäu sky. The amusement park near Bad Wörishofen is packed with more than sixty attractions: Sky Wheel, an overhead roller coaster, makes passengers' hearts beat faster. In High Fly, a 33-metre-high overhead swing, the brave dream of flying, and in the Allgäuflieger flying carousel, at a height of 150 metres, you come pretty close to the sky!

More relaxed and closer to the ground, on the other hand, you can sail through the air on the chain carousel or float up and down in the four-seater gondolas of the Sky Rider, ideal for families. Refreshment is provided by the white-water ride with a 30-metre-high waterfall or the Sky Rafting, a fast-paced water ride in round boats that rotate around themselves. Young visitors can let off steam on child-friendly rides and playgrounds. A park with trees and meadows invites you to relax. A restaurant and food stalls cater for the physical well-being.
skylinepark.de

4

Cosmic spectacle: Geopark Ries and Ries Crater Museum Nördlingen

What an experience: seeing a cosmic catastrophe with your own eyes, and from the safe distance of 14.5 million years! Such an unimaginably long time ago, an asteroid with a diameter of one kilometre struck between the Swabian and Franconian Alb. And created a huge crater: circular, with a diameter of 25 kilometres and a rim 150 metres high. Today, the Nördlinger Ries is one of the best-preserved large impact craters on Earth.

Viewpoints and nature trails, guided tours and Geopark information centres provide interesting information about the geology, landscape and settlement history of the giant crater, where people have lived since the Palaeolithic Age. The Ries landscape, its towns, castles and palaces, highlights are the historic old town of Nördlingen and Harburg Castle, can also be easily explored on hiking trails or by bike. The Ries Crater Natural Science Museum provides information on cosmic and planetary backgrounds.
geopark-ries.de | rieskrater-museum.de

1

At the sea of forests: Tree top walk Neuschönau

According to Goethe, there is peace above the treetops. In Neuschönau, at the Lusen National Park Centre, however, you might hear shouting from enthusiastic visitors. From when they enjoy the views over the vast sea of the Bavarian Forest and the Bohemian Forest from the tree-top walk. On clear days, even the Alps can be seen on the horizon.

The path leads through the dark green treetops at a height of up to 25 metres over a length of 1,300 metres. Information boards tell exciting stories and interesting facts about the tree species. There are balancing beams and wobbly elements for children. The highlight is a 44-metre observation tower. Because of its overhanging shape, it is also called a tree egg. It was built like a scaffold over a group of fir and beech trees. A large platform with a lattice lounger, the forest island, invites you to take a break in the midst of the treetop world. The entrance is accessible via a lift. There is a forest inn with a beer garden and a café where you can enjoy a bite to eat.
baumwipfelpfade.de

2

Sparkles and shimmers: Joska Glass Paradise in Bodenmais

Glassmakers have been at home in the Bavarian Forest for more than 700 years. Here they found wood as a source of energy and quartz as a raw material. Today, visitors to the Joska Glass Paradise in Bodenmais can experience this traditional craft live in all its diversity. In the forest glassworks, you can see how glowing masses are turned into glass, look over the shoulders of glass cutters and engravers or marvel at the creativity and skills of art glassblowers and glass painters. And you can pick up the glassmaker's pipe yourself and shape your own "work of art"!

Outdoors in the crystal gardens, colourful iridescent animal figures, spheres and other objects inspire garden design. Spectacular glass objects are exhibited in a park. Younger visitors can let off steam with children's glass blowing, painting or on the adventure playground. There are also shopping facilities as well as a restaurant, beer garden and café.
joska.com

3

Beautiful and fragile: Passau Glass Museum

You can enter an artistic world of glass at the Glass Museum in Passau. The city on the three rivers forms the southern end of the Glass Route, which connects glassworks and museums in the Upper Palatinate and Bavarian Forest.

The Passau Museum provides an overview of four centuries of glass art. Around 15,000 glass creations show the great diversity of glass production in Bavaria, Bohemia, Silesia and Austria between 1650 and 1950. These countries were home to the most important glass producers who supplied the whole of Europe with utility and art glass in the 19th century. The objects in the museum, vases, bowls, glasses and more, are arranged according to glassworks. The artistic styles range from Baroque to Biedermeier, Historicism and Art Nouveau to Art Deco and Modernism. The museum has found its place in historic buildings on the Rathausplatz.
glasmuseum.de

4

Green Wonderland: Forest Summit Trail Sankt Englmar

The climatic spa and winter sports resort of Sankt Englmar is located in the Bavarian Forest to the southwest of Viechtach. Walking above the tree tops, you can experience the forest habitat from an unusual perspective at heights of up to 30 metres. The summit path is about 2.5 metres wide and accessible. From the integrated 52-metre-high tower, you have a fantastic view to the south over the Bavarian Forest, the Danube valley and the plains of the Gäuboden region all the way to the Alps.

Children in particular will enjoy the climbing elements. Two "net eyes" provide an unobstructed view into the depths, and those who wish can whiz down two slides back to the ground. There, a two-kilometre-long nature discovery trail with 25 hands-on stations leads through the forest and meadows. Other attractions include a house that stands on its head, a path with optical illusions, an indoor playground and an animal enclosure with llamas, alpacas, black-nosed sheep and kangaroos.
waldwipfelweg.de