Travel report from family M.
The M. family reports on their first major cycling trip together. They decided to go on a family tour around Lake Constance in the summer. With their one-year-old son in a bike trailer, they explored various towns and attractions around Lake Constance in five stages.
We are a family of three with mom, dad and a one-year-old child. We recently bought a new bike trailer and have already tested it on short bike rides.
Our son Oskar seemed to like it, but we are still very excited to see how he and we will cope with the longer distances. We will be on the road for five days.
Personally, I'm very happy not to have to transport the luggage myself! However, I'm also very excited about the accommodation, as we have no idea what it will be like.
The travel documents we received were great! Everything was nicely put together: The itinerary, the hotel list and the vouchers for the pre-booked and reserved things such as parking space rental, ferry trips and admission to museums.
Day 1: Arrival in Constance
We booked the journey with an extra night in Constance to make it more relaxed for us. We drive about 3 hours to Constance, so we can start our vacation there very casually.
We use the voucher for SEA LIFE right at the beginning. As it turns out, this is a good plan, because it's pouring with rain.
The hotel where we are staying (Hotel Graf Zeppelin) is nice and cozy. The breakfast is great!
Our conclusion: We would again plan an arrival day without a direct start on the bike - that relaxes everything a bit.
Day 2: Constance - Überlingen
Today we first cycle from Constance to Wallhausen, from where we take the boat to Überlingen.
After we have parked our car in the booked parking lot, we finally set off. The advice from the RADWEG-REISEN team on site is very friendly. We cycle along beautiful paths: along the Rhine, in the forest, next to the lake...
The island of Mainau was too expensive for a short visit and didn't seem quite so suitable for us with a one-year-old child. Instead, we discovered a super cute village store in Wallhausen with a small seating area. We enjoy a small lunch snack there. We pass the time until the ferry ride on the playground at the lido.
We then take the ferry to the beautiful town of Überlingen. From there, more idyllic cycle paths lead us to Unteruhldingen, where we visit the pile-dwelling museum. The playground next door is also perfect for us. On the way, we notice that the people here are very friendly and helpful.
We finally reach our destination: the Hotel zum Pilgerhof. Our bums are aching... after 30 km on a hard mountain bike saddle.
We are pleased that the hotel has a restaurant - and even more pleased when we see that you can sit there directly by the lake in the warm evening sun and round off the day with a good meal.
Our conclusion:
- 30 km is enough for the first stage
- Our child also sleeps in the trailer
- The Lake Constance region is simply wonderful
Day 3: Überlingen - Friedrichshafen
After a delicious breakfast, we continue on towards Friedrichshafen today. First we cycle through the cute little town of Meersburg and then past the vineyards until we reach Immenstaad - our first destination - after just 15 km. We don't cycle much today, because from here we continue directly by boat to our main destination today: Friedrichshafen. The vouchers in the travel booklet are very practical, but have now all been used up. So we have to come up with our own program today.
The weather is now wonderful for cycling, but still too cold for swimming. The hotels are getting better every day - at least that's the feeling. Today, at the Hotel City Krone in Friedrichshafen, there is a popcorn machine and an indoor pool, both of which we make use of. We visit a very nice and, above all, delicious Italian restaurant on the waterfront for dinner.
Our conclusion: not having to drive so far on the second day really does the bum a favor - but maybe it's just me being such a "wimp".
Day 4: Friedrichshafen - Lindau
It's a shame that we have to drive on. We slept well and the breakfast is delicious again! So we drive on to Lindau. It's a pleasant route that takes us past the cable suspension bridge in Langenargen, which is probably the model for the Golden Gate Bridge. We also cycle a lot along the lake again, through very pretty villages and past lots of fruit trees.
After visiting the cute island town of Lindau and taking a longer break at a playground, we cycle the last 3 km to Zech (Lindau) to our hotel for today, the Hotel Nagel. The increase in hotels continues. The bike storage is very good, lockable, large and covered. We like it even better here. There is a heated outdoor pool and a burger restaurant! We're looking forward to a splash around and dinner!
But before that, we discover a romantic natural beach, lie in the sun and even take a dip in the water. For this reason, we skip the pool.
Our conclusion:
- The cycle paths are wonderfully signposted
- You don't really need a cycle map
- I'm glad I brought padded cycling shorts with me
Day 5: Lindau - Arbon
Today could be exhausting. The kilometers that we practically saved after Friedrichshafen will now be made up. The route booklet says approx. 45 km to 55 km - I'm excited. After just over half the route, after sunny country lanes and leisurely forest paths, we find a playground in Altenrhein to take a break.
We then take a look at the Hundertwasserhaus and cycle a few kilometers further to have lunch. There is a lovely spot on the lake with a huge ship to play on. Our destination is now practically around the corner.
The Hotel Wunderbar is located directly on the lake and is very stylishly furnished. Unfortunately, the bicycle parking area is not covered and cannot be locked. The little town of Arbon is lovely and the ice cream is very good. We completed the route without any problems and our junior also did well.
Our conclusion: If someone cycles past you up the mountain, there's nothing to be ashamed of - there's usually a motor involved.
Day 6: Arbon - Constance
Today I'm heading back to Constance. I have to say, the Swiss side of Lake Constance is really beautiful too! The last 34 km are a bit up and down again, but you can see the lake a lot and we're really lucky with the weather again. We enjoy the last stretch, but are also looking forward to the finish.
In the end it was 162 km and 12 hours of riding time.
When we arrived at RADWEG-REISEN in Constance, everything went smoothly and in a friendly manner. The luggage is already there! Incidentally, the luggage was always already at the hotel when we arrived - it was never at 6 pm! Really well organized and highly recommended!
Our conclusion:
- With our child, the vacation comes to an end at exactly the right time.
The constant hotel changes and having to go out to dinner every evening and sit still no longer suit him. We are proud of how well he coped and are also looking forward to getting him back into everyday life. - It was a wonderful and varied experience.
We would love to go on another vacation like this with RADWEG-REISEN. Not necessarily next year, but definitely soon. Then maybe we'll take a look at the northern part of Germany.
