Luisenpark Mannheim is truly one of my favorite spots in Mannheim. Having lived here years ago, I…read moreused to bring my kids on weekends to relax and enjoy nature--and it still holds that same charm today. Originally created for the Bundesgartenschau, the park has grown into a vibrant and well-loved destination for locals and visitors alike. The gardens are beautifully maintained, and there's something for everyone--playgrounds for children, peaceful walking paths, and even small boat rides for a relaxing experience on the water. One of the highlights is the variety of attractions: a botanical garden, a butterfly house, animal enclosures (we spotted cows and reptiles!), and large aviaries with birds--including storks. The Japanese garden and traditional-style tea house add a serene and unique touch that makes the park feel extra special. Even visiting in the off-season was a delight. While it wasn't as lush as in summer, the early spring blooms still made everything feel fresh and beautiful. Overall, Luisenpark is a must-visit if you're in Mannheim. There is a small entrance fee, but it's absolutely worth it for the experience.

Yes!!!! This place is amazing. Pack a lunch or stash some euros aside for food at one of the little…read moreeateries in the park, because you're going to want a full day here. ***WARNING: They don't accept any American credit cards. You MUST have euros to get in, and the closest ATM is a 10 min walk.*** Now once you get in it's a blast from beginning to end. They have huge open spaces of green grass to lounge around on metal lawn chairs or you can bring in your own blanket. There are tons of playgrounds with different themes through out the park. The castle playground built from real stone is exceptional. They have awesome rope climbing webs. The water playgrounds are super cool! Swings and slides are interesting and well maintained here. The plants and animals are super neat. We had a crane scoping us out while we ate our picnic lunch in one of the fields. They have a little penguin exhibit, turtles, guinea pigs!, and a very beautiful butterfly exhibit. There is also a small aquarium. Oh and the boats! The boat ride is a slow leisurely drift through the parks little river. The pelicans came right up to the boat and tried to snatch the tiny persons pink pants right off of the side (they were not on her, but hang drying). There were also a ton of baby ducks. It was super cute. We had such a great day here and didn't even make it all the way around the park!

Just across town, the tall twin spires of the Einhard Basilika pierce the sky. Behind them, the…read moreshorter, more rounded octagonal "Angel's Tower" rises up from the basilica's sloping black tile roof. Built in 830 AD, local lore has it that the basilika was built from the stones of the ancient Roman citadel situated here. The builder was, of course, our old friend Einhard, whose remains are interred inside the basilica. Einhard, it turns out, was quite a lad--local lore has it that he eloped with Charlemagne's daughter, Emma. The emperor eventually came across her when she served him pancakes in an inn. Behind the basilika you enter an expansive 7.5-acre garden. It's surrounded by a long stone wall. Hedi tells me, "The Benedictine monks used plant and herbal medicines extensively and also grew their own produce. The garden still grows fruit trees, and vegetables and herbs that, in their day, were used in the monks' kitchen". There are also farm animals here like sheep, pigs, chickens and so on. Unfortunately a lot of these garden areas are closed for renovation at the moment. There is a cafe located in the garden grounds and there is a shop you can buy things produced by the monastery. Unfortunately the shop was closed due to the renovation. There are many events that happen here throughout the year and is a location for weddings as well. Beautiful place to visit when in town. It's open till 8pm most days.

A gorgeous park in the west end of Frankfurt. Located next to the Palmengarten this is quite a big…read morepark with many kids play areas. Like most parks in Frankfurt they have signs everywhere saying dogs on a line only, which is really unfortunate :-( The Korean garden is located within this park as is a old theatre and a couple of cafes with lots of outdoor seating. Plenty of picnic areas and lots of space to spend a nice warm day. Been here twice and more than likely to come back here again. It's not massive but big enough to spend a day walking around and relaxing on the nice mowed grass areas of the park.

Abutting the botanical gardens this park is laid out in the English style and is a popular place…read morefor all sorts of recreation, walks, cycling, football, sunbathing, picnicking. With so much space there is room for everybody. The grounds were once owned by the Goethe family, later by another famous family the Bethmann-Metzlers. In 1837 the Rothschilds bought the park and built the Grüneburgsschlösschen, little palace, and had the grounds relaid as a park by Siesmayer. The building was destroyed in 1944 and not rebuilt. Recently, as a result of the book fair in 2006, a fine pair of Korean houses have been erected in a quiet corner of the park.