Europa park and where?

[StrangewaysHereWeCome]

DC2 is a theme park fiend, and so we're considering a trip to Europa Park this summer. I, on the other hand, can take or leave a rollercoaster, and so I'd like to find somewhere else to travel on to after say 2 nights/3 days at the park. My H will be coming and he's very Zen about driving anywhere, so can either go by train or hire a car. Has anyone done this and where would you recommend?

Europa Park is great. We lived not too far away when our kids were teenagers and they went there with a group of friends once or twice every summer.

A nice area nearby is Colmar and the Vosges, just the other side of the Rhine.

Or drive down through Switzerland to the nearest Italian lakes (Maggiore/Lugano/Como).

Great, thank you - I hadn't even thought of the proximity to Northern Italy! Glad to hear that the park is worth a trip. We live within a reasonable distance of Alton Towers, and in her view nothing else in the UK quite matches that, so we're casting the net a little further afield.

From what I can recall, it’s not too far from the Black Forrest, if you like that kind of thing. We holidayed in BF area when DS was 6, lots of pretty little villages with playgrounds, some gentle walking and our tourist tax let us use village lido for free. We had considered going to Europa Park as part of our holiday but decided it would be a bit overwhelming and went to Funny world (?) instead.

if you rate Alton Towers, you will be blown away by Europa Park - it is in a completely different class.

There is also Rulantica next door which is fun and equally well organised.

I would strongly recommend going in the last week of the UK school holidays (if you’re in England) and timing Europa Park for after the French schools have gone back. EP is right on the border and draws a lot of custom from France.

You’re really spoilt for other options after you’re done with the parks. Hochschwarzwald is fantastic value if you book accommodation with the Red Card. And is lovely, scenic and so driveable. You get loads of free activities included like e biking, cable cars, boat trips, paddle boarding, even electric car rental. 30% discount off Badeparadies Schwarzwald - indoor water park and grown up spa for older kids and adults.

Colmar (France) is lovely, as is Vosges/Alsace or you could even head south toward Annecy or further afield. Switzerland is great but phenomenally expensive. Italy is a good call also but it would mean a very, very long drive home at the end.

if your going in the summer Lake Constance is not too far and very beautiful and there will be water sports available- there is also a toboggan ride and other outdoor activities in the Black Forest area. Heidelberg is a Beautiful city and Munich isn’t a huge distance in the other direction with neuschwanstein castle not far from there either. We also visited the Rheinfall, Basel and Freiburg - really interesting part of Europe where you are so close to so many borders! Europa park is really great! Worth reading up on some rides before you go as it’s a big park and there are lots of rides!

Thanks again! We won't be driving from the UK as we living in the North so it's too much faff. But that means we're happy to travel further when we're there. Outdoor activities are great, interesting cities even better from my point of view. DC2 will definitely read up and come up with a plan of action for any days in the park.

Can I ask if you decided where else to go? We are also planning to go to Europa park this summer and would like to follow that up with a week somewhere else. Have thought about Lake Constance or Black Forest area.2 kids age 16 and 13 and hoping to hire a car.

Europa park is excellent ,the hotels are amazing even if you don't stay in one you can look around them all. They also have mini shows and entertainment.
As pp said make sure you book as much time as you can in rutlantica it's huge and the hotel next door is stunning, look around .
Shleping around ugly old Alton towers is nothing compared to this place you will love it op. I went on two or three rides only make sure you go on Arthur ,the indoor boat ride

@Mumof278 no, I am the queen of dithering and we're not sorted yet! I think we are thinking of basing ourselves in Strasbourg initially as I will probably only want one theme park day, and would like to have somewhere interesting to explore on public transport while H and DC2 do a couple more days at the park. Perhaps Munich afterwards as we all really like Germany but none of us have been to Munich? Do you have any initial thoughts as I might steal your ideas ?

We’ve been looking at places around Triberg or Lindau but in the very early stages of planning. We spent 10 days in Garmisch Partenkirchen last summer - so much to do and see in that area and we included a day trip to Munich and also went to Innsbruck for the day. It was a great holiday and so am feeling the pressure to find something equally fab this year 😆

On the days you're at the park I'd stay close by in Rust, as the park opens late and there is stuff going on/to see around the park hotels in the evening. It's a lovely park. We went one summer and then travelled on to Austria and Switzerland by train. Strasbourg also a good shout by road or train. Colmar looks lovely.

Europa park is amazing. Go see the Black Forest. Walk in to the forest and discover the hidden cottages, bird watching dens, bothies and imagine you are in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Visit Baden Baden. Go and have breakfast in Germany, then pop over to Switzerland for ice cream then have your dinner in France. Explore Frieberg. Take the free local trains and explore.

We flew to Basel, hired a car, went to freiburg that day which is lovely. Only there in one day trip and want to go back. We stayed 3 days in Strasbourg which is a lovely little city then we went for a day in colmar on the way to hotel colosseo at europapark staying 3 nights. Colmar is fab and I'd absolutely stay there. We saw the colmar statue of liberty and the gallery about its creator Gustav Eiffel. The kids played on the park in colmar.

The 3 nights in europapark we got there at end of the day to be early for the next day (they offered us free evening park visit). Day 2 we did rutlantica which you have to do, it's so good. Day 3 we went back to the theme park and stayed until 3pm before driving for a meal and quick scoot round basel before getting a later flight out. Basel was great and went to a classy food market where I had the best seafood pasta and dry white wine.

The hotels and restaurants at europapark are brilliant. We ate at the bell Rock buffer one night: expensive but fab. Another night we went to casa antica in rust. The rutlantica Hotel looks amazing so next time I want to try the cocktail bar there but I'll probably eat in the Spanish or Portuguese hotel as its easier to get to and both look lovely .

I wish I'd had time to do a bit of spa and pool going in hotel colosseo. We visited and it looked great but ended up prioritising the theme park.

All these suggestions are brilliant, thank you. I'm not sure about staying in Rust though, as DH and DC2 will going to the park on more occasions than I will, and I'd like somewhere nice and easy to get around by public transport for the days when I'm on my own.

Hi op

Europa park is fantastic we did the two day ticket with rutlantica sandwiched In between. My DW isn’t really a ride fan but came all three days and loved it.

You can walk around the gardens and sit by the fountains in the park no need to do the rides. DW found a cafe in the France section sat in a boat drinking coffee eating cake while we went upside down. Don’t miss the cedar roasted salmon in Iceland and our favourite was the oriental restaurant that has the pirate ride going though it.,

Frieberg is close and is a stunning place. Have a great time.