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Have I mentioned how much I love Bayerisch-Eisenstein?

Maybe I said something about when I talked about my stay at the lovely Bavarian Forest Holidays apartments.  Or perhaps I talked a little about it when I talked about skiing at Arber Mountain.  This little Bavarian village right along the Czech border is definitely charming – and a place you’ll want to return to again and again.

But if you thought that this village was only worth visiting in winter, think again.  There are a myriad of activities to tempt families during the summer months.  And so when Margaret and Martin from Bavarian Forest Holidays invited Chet and me to visit again this summer, I jumped at the chance.  And I was thrilled at all the great events and activities to choose from.

Visit Arber in the Summer

This isn’t just a ski mountain.  Arber Mountain also a great nature preserve.  Take the gondola (or space ship, as Chet called it) up to the top and wander around the various paths.  It’s a great view and your kid will love scrambling up all the rocky peaks.  You might have a bit of a heart attack when they suggest sliding down the mountain but the kids will have a blast.

Take a hike in the Bayerisch Wald

The Bayerisch Wald (Bavarian Forest) is a gorgeous national park full of playgrounds, nature paths and great hiking.  Find a trail and wander – it won’t be too long before your child is enchanted by this spectacular landscape.

Check out the wildlife enclosures

One great thing about Germany are the Tiergartens – or natural zoos.  The Bayerisch Wald has two wildlife enclosures within the national park that you can wander among.  The one that we went to is only about a half hour’s drive from Bayerish-Eisenstein and has a great 7km path where you can see bears, wild boar and wild cats in their natural habitat.

Visit the Village Train Museum

The Localbahnmuseum is out of this world.  Bayerisch-Eisenstein converted its old train yard into a museum that houses a ton of old train engines and cars.  I knew it was a hit as soon as we walked inside and Chet exclaimed, “Mom, it’s Percy!”  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so star-struck.  Extra points to the museum for allowing kids to jump up into and around the engines for the total 3-D experience.

Glass-blowing – why not?

If you love to shop, you definitely need to check out the Grenzglashuette in the village.  This great shop has all kind of cool glass knick-knacks and a fantastic cafe/restaurant attached.  But to convince the family to go, check out the fun glass-blowing demonstration held from 1:00pm-4:00pm in the cafe.  Your kids can watch while you shop – win/win!  And your child may just get the chance to make some glass of his own.

But this captures only a few of the many activities available around this village.  So winter or summer, Bayerisch-Eisenstein is definitely a fantastic holiday destination.  You should check it out – your kids will be glad you did!