There are playgrounds, and then there are Pirate playgrounds. When my husband suggested a jaunt to…read moreAmberg to visit the Piraten Spielplatz with our children, I was skeptical. An hour drive for a PLAYGROUND?? Then I remembered we were the parents of small children, and thus the selection of weekend activities are pretty much limited to playground/zoo/children's museum/bier gartens so what the hell, I thought, we'll give it a whirl. I'm so glad we did, because it was definitely worth the drive. We found a small park platz a few hundred meters from the playground itself (although since it was Sunday we did see people parking in adjacent businesses' parking lots). After a short walk, we entered what can only be described as heaven for children. The main play area features a pirate ship surrounded by water that is, at its deepest, maybe 2 and a half feet, or a little over half a meter deep, and is surrounded on two sides by a sandy shore, and on one side by a small hill with various hiding niches and small masonry walls, perfect for children to clamber all over and explore. There are two rafts on pulley lines that the kids can use to reach the pirate ship, or if they're smaller or nervous about falling in the water, a small bridge as well. The main water area is sizable, and although it was busy it didn't feel overly crowded or chaotic like, say, Playmobil Funpark on a Feiertag. Separate from the main play area is another water playground that is shallower, and more suitable for babies and smaller toddlers, even though it also had a system of water wheels and small ditches to build dams and what not, so also appealing for older children. The water here is from a natural flowing spring, so it really felt like the kids were playing in a wonder of nature. Between the two play areas was a kiosk with ice cream, beer, and snacks for sale, and comfortable tables with umbrellas for seating. Also, not to be overlooked - a toilet! Not a horrible portapotty, but an actual restroom that wasn't entirely unpleasant, given the number of people at the playground. We stayed at the playground for several hours, and when we buckled the kids back into their car seats for the drive home, my husband and I hi-fived each other for our awesome parenting, and made a note to bring up this up in the (hopefully) distant future when we are sitting across from a therapist and our adult children who are enumerating all of our massive shortcomings as parents. We can say, 'Sure, there were a lot of microwaved dinners, and also maybe too much ipad, but remember that time we took you to the Pirate playground in Amberg?' and then we will fold our arms and sit back in our seats, triumphant. Pros: Great playground for children of all ages, snack kiosk, toilets, precious family memories that make up for all of the awful stuff (kinda). Cons: maybe not quite so awesome if it's cold outside

Totally gratis! Yup, zero entrance fee! This is indeed a hidden treasure and I can't believe they…read moredon't charge a penny to access all the coolness that occurs here. It's a zoo, of sorts, but very small compared to major zoos, hence the moniker of "Wild Park," I'll assume. Elk, deer, goats, big horn sheep and plenty other species running about in very large pens. You can buy feed and these guys are as domesticated as they come. Eatin' right out of your hand. There's a large lake that you stroll around and soak up the tranquility. Nice and cool as most of the trails wind through the shaded woods. In addition, there's a snack bar to provide much needed sustenance after an afternoon's walking about. It really is one of the more cool things to see in the area. I just can't praise this place enough. Kids or no kids, you'll like it here, trust me. Cheers!

This was such a fun activity to do while visiting Munich. We took the bus over and purchased…read moretickets for 5.50€ each to see the greenhouse. Since we were visiting in late November the grounds weren't as lively and lush as they would be during spring or summer, but it was still lovely to walk around and see the flowers and space. The actual greenhouse was well worth the price of admission and we saw so many beautiful plants and even saw turtles up close and personal. There were some very relaxing areas with water features that I could have hung around near for hours. It was really nice. We thought that the way they had the plants and greenhouses organized was so cool too. We went through a range of types of plants, areas of the world, temperatures, sights and smells as we explored. You're able to take it at your own pace and you're free to revisit any areas you'd like. They also have some benches around if you'd like to relax a bit. We did walk through a range of temperatures during this, so even though it was cold outside, we ended up taking off our coats and were warm in our sweaters as we walked through. I definitely recommend wearing layers. They have a cafe here as well as special exhibits and right next door is the Castle and Park Nymphenburg. A great place to spend a few hours and we'll definitely have it on our list when we visit during warmer seasons.

I was so happy to finally find this botanical garden. Apple Maps took us to the wrong place. And…read moreeven in December the place was fabulous! EVEN with not a lot blooming outdoors this California gardener loved it. There are so many greenhouses to visit. I saw some amazing plants: Camellias, ferns, cacti & succulents, cycads,water plants and so much more. The ONLY reason I'm omitting one star is the gift shop was super tiny and had no t-shirts! I did buy a magnet but would have spent more if there was more merchandise. I also would have bought a book on the garden if they'd had one in English. But if you enjoy botanic gardens, be sure to visit Botanisher Garten München!