Stuttgart was such a fun surprise for our family. We used Böblingen as our home and we are recounting from a few trips we have taken here over the last few years, which gave us easy access to Stuttgart while also putting us close to some incredible family day trips. From castles and chocolate to underground mines and German beer gardens, there was something different to do every day. And if I had to pick our favorites, LEGOLAND was our absolute favorite, with the mine a very close second!
1. Spend the Day at LEGOLAND Deutschland 🧱❤️
LEGOLAND Deutschland in Günzburg was our family’s favorite stop! If you have LEGO-loving kids, this is absolutely worth making a full-day adventure. There are rides for all ages, enormous LEGO displays, Miniland, playgrounds, shows, and tons of interactive attractions. Our kids could have stayed all day—and honestly, we probably could have too! It is a little farther from Stuttgart, so plan for a full day or consider staying overnight nearby.
2. Go Underground at Hella-Glück-Stollen ⛏️
The Hella-Glück-Stollen at Besucherbergwerk Neubulach was a very close second on our list of favorites. Going underground into an actual historic mine made this feel like an adventure rather than a museum visit. We walked through the old tunnels and learned about the area’s mining history, and the kids loved the feeling of being somewhere completely different from anything they had experienced before. If your kids like caves, tunnels, trains, or anything remotely adventurous, put this one high on your list!
3. Have a Biergarten Day in Böblingen 🍺🥨
One of our favorite parts of being in Germany was experiencing the Biergarten culture with our kids. In Böblingen, Waldbiergarten am Wasserturm is a great family option, with a wooded setting and space for kids to play. Brauhaus Schönbuch is another good choice, with traditional German food and a large outdoor beer garden. For something a little different, seegärtle sits right by Oberer See and makes a nice spot for a relaxed family meal. There is something so quintessentially German about sitting outside with a giant pretzel while the kids play nearby!
4. Explore the Black Forest 🌲
The Black Forest was exactly what we pictured when we imagined visiting Germany—dense green forests, winding roads, little villages, and plenty of opportunities to get outside. We loved being able to escape the city and spend time hiking and exploring. With kids, you can make the Black Forest as active or relaxed as you want, from an easy forest walk to waterfalls, adventure parks, and summer toboggan rides.
5. Visit the Mercedes-Benz & Porsche Museums 🚗
Even if you aren’t a huge car family, Stuttgart’s car museums are worth experiencing. The Mercedes-Benz Museum and Porsche Museum are both incredibly well done, and there are enough unusual, colorful, and futuristic cars to keep kids interested. Of course, if you have a child who is obsessed with cars, you may need to plan for significantly more time than you expected!
6. Make a Chocolate Stop at Ritter Sport 🍫
A trip to Ritter Sport’s Bunte Schokowelt in Waldenbuch was an easy family win. Let’s be honest—telling kids you’re taking them somewhere to learn about chocolate is a pretty effective way to get them excited about sightseeing! The colorful displays and chocolate experiences make this a fun stop, and naturally, everyone leaves wanting to buy a few extra bars.
7. Hike to Urach Waterfall 🥾💦
If your family likes hiking, head to Bad Urach and make the trek to Urach Waterfall. We loved that this wasn’t just a walk through the woods—the kids had a real destination to work toward. The forest scenery is beautiful, and arriving at the waterfall makes the hike feel like a little adventure. Bring water and snacks and allow plenty of time to enjoy the area.
8. Climb a Tower for the Views 🗼
We found that anything involving climbing was automatically more exciting to our kids. We took the kids up the Schonbuchturm near Herrenberg, which was a wild climb with awesome views over the northern Black Forest. Alternatively the Stuttgart TV Tower gives you incredible views across the city, while the Killesberg Tower offers a more adventurous climb. Killesberg is especially good with younger kids because you can turn the visit into an entire outing with the park, playgrounds, gardens, and miniature railway. Separately
9. Spend a Day in Tübingen 🏘️
Tübingen was one of those places where we were happy to simply wander. The colorful half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets make the town feel like a fairytale, and the Neckar River adds to the charm. We enjoyed exploring the old town, checking out the castle, and watching the traditional boats on the river. It was a nice change of pace from some of the bigger attractions.
10. Visit a Fairytale Castle 🏰
Of course, we couldn’t visit Germany without adding a castle to our itinerary! Schloss Liechtenstein is a great, easy option nearby with great space for kids to run around (see the photos). Ludwigsburg Residential Palace is another easy option from Stuttgart, especially with kids because you can combine the palace with the beautiful gardens and other family attractions. For a more dramatic experience, Hohenzollern Castle is perched high above the surrounding countryside and looks like it belongs in a storybook. The journey there and the views from the top are part of the experience.
❤️ Our Stuttgart Family Favorites
If we were planning this trip again, we’d put LEGOLAND, the Black Forest and the mine at the top of the list. LEGOLAND was hands-down our favorite, but the Hella-Glück-Stollen was a surprisingly close second. The mine was one of those experiences that we weren’t sure what to expect from—and ended up being something the whole family talked about afterward.
We also loved having Böblingen as our base. It gave us easy access to Stuttgart while making it simple to get out into the surrounding countryside. Between German food, biergartens, castles, forests, cars, chocolate, and underground adventures, Stuttgart turned out to be a fantastic family destination—and one we’d happily visit again.
