Bavaria or Lake Bled for a family holiday with boys?

[Helpaladyoutplease]

I'm thinking of holidays for next year, my boys will be nearly 7 and 9 by then. Currently torn between Bavaria and Lake Bled. I've been to neither before. Any recommendations from people who have been as to which you might suggest? Keen on exploring, castles, bike rides, etc

I loved lake bled. Very beautiful and lots to do if very active. Slovenia was reasonably priced as well. Haven’t been to Bavaria for years but imagine Slovenia is cheaper. If I went back to Slovenia I would travel round a bit rather than a week in lake bled.

Whereabouts in Bavaria?

Otherwise, Bled is great, although really, really popular at the moment, but with good reason - there is a lot to do, nearly everything within walking distance, and free/cheap shuttle buses to reach most of the main sites that aren't walkable. Zipline Dolinka, the toboggan on Straza, the Waterpark at Grajska Kopalisce, SUP rental plus family friendly options for rafting /canyoning/paragliding - it's family holiday paradise!

If you want Bled or Bohinj or Kranjska Gora book early for the summer - February /March at the very latest.

There is easily enough to keep your kids busy in Bled for a week (with maybe couple of excursions - eg Lake Bohinj /Ljubljana /Skocjan Caves) for a first visit... Although Slovenia does have a lot to offer, and the vast majority of tourists focus only on the north west and the coast.

Where in Bavaria?
It's a big place!

Either work for kids with willies. Or even kids without them! HTH

Sounds like hell on Earth. Why do people need zip lines and such in beautiful places?

Can I throw in another suggestion, Lake Annecy in France. It’s a lovely lake surrounded by mountains. You can swim in the lake, cycle around it, day trip to Chamonix etc.

I was listing the activities OP's kids are most likely to be into. Have you been? Definitely not hell on earth!

Done both with kids, I would probably go with Slovenia but honestly both places are great, maybe do the other one the following year! Bled is truly stunning, we went when the kids were 7 and 10, flew in and out of Zagreb so only had 5 days in Slovenia, which we split as one night in Ljubljana and 4 nights in Bled. We hired a car for our Bled days went to Skocjan caves and Predjama castle and also did shorter trips closer to Bled, like Vingter gorge, Vogel cable car at Bohinj, walked around the entire lake and up to the castle and rowed out to that island with the church in the middle of the lake. There are some great view points a short uphill walk at Eastern end of the lake. Lots of organised activities available like rafting and zip lining from Bled, the zip lining was really enjoyed by our kids. We did a Bavaria road trip over the most recent May half-term, kids are now 11 and 14 and our itinerary probably more adult focussed as the trip was for my birthday (we did a trip for them at Easter). This is maybe why I think Slovenia would edge it as our Bavaria trip was quite sightseeing heavy. We did 4 of Ludwigs palaces, the alpine coaster at Obermaggau (a favourite of the kids), went up Zugspitze (beautiful but very expensive trip) and on the last day did wieskirche & Dachau concentration camp. We moved around and slept in 3 different hotels rather than having a single base, loosely based on one of the Lonely Planet itineraries.

Thing is are kids into stuff like that? Don't they just want a normal holiday.

Everyone's normal holiday looks different surely? Mine definitely enjoyed 4km of zip lining.

We loved Slovenia with our 2 DS who were 16 and 12 at the time. Lubjliana was fab for a few days with the River, the Castle and the furnicular railway. Lots to see and do there. We spent 8 days at Bled, again there’s lots to do with the lido, walking/cycling around the lake, the castle, row boat to the island, the mountainside dry tobaggan run etc. There’s another lake that’s quieter you can get to by bus too, Kake Bohinj I think there’s a cable car round that way.

Lake bled is one of the most beautiful natural locations I’ve ever seen. I could look at it for hours

Austria is better than Bavaria for an activity holiday. Somewhere like the Saalbach-Hinterglemm area has hiking, biking/MTB, zip wires, a high ropes park, Alpine coasters (at nearby Leogang, Saalfelden and Kaprun), lake swimming and sailing at Zell am See, a silver mine at Leogang, limestone caves at Lamprechtshohle, white water rafting at Lofer, a few castles - all in a stunning mountain environment.

Fly to Salzburg and rent a car - or a 13-hour drive from Calais or Hook of Holland. If the guys are into cars, break the journey at Stuttgart and visit the Mercedes and Porsche museums.

Austria is very very expensive compared to Slovenia. There are lots of activities but they cost a small fortune. Look up the prices of some of those suggestions.

Yes, that's true. Saalbach is very expensive.
I live near there in a village which used to be a cheaper alternative. Now the camping site here costs nearly €100 a night for a pitch for a tent!

Bavaria is cheaper than Austria.

Mine are. We’re going to Slovenia this summer and I’m taking note of these activities. Mine absolutely love things like zip wires, alpine coasters etc. having lots of fun and excitement is a normal holiday for them

I've been to both. Whilst Bavaria is stunning in parts, I'd go to Lake Bled with a family (which is lovely by the way). We took DD when she was eight and she enjoyed the ferries, swimming (there are a couple of calm spots, although DH went in with her as she couldn't swim), she loved the toboggan, and is was easy to walk/cycle around the shore. The grass areas around the shore are great for a picnic/watching the world go by. She enjoyed Bled castle. There's probably other things children would enjoy. We did a coach trip to Lubijiana, it's quite a small city so not too tiring walking around and DH in particular liked it there.

Thankyou everyone for your tips and suggestions! Loads of great ideas and confirmed think it'll be Slovenia! Zip lines, bikes, boats, adventure things like that are right up my boys' street and i'll appreciate the gorgeous views! Xx

What’s a normal holiday? We went to Slovenia and my kids loved the zip line through the valleys, the mountain toboggan, white water rafting. They also found the caves incredible. They (especially my eldest) would be bored just lying round a pool all day. It was one of our best holidays.

Are kids into ziplining???!! And looking at caves and going on a raft?? Have you met kids?

Aww, sweetie! Would you prefer the kids' club at an all inclusive? Just explain to mummy, I'm sure she will understand.

Lake Bled is beautiful, but absolutely rammed with tourists. Well and truly on the backpacking/interrailng trail. I’ve stayed at both recently and much preferred Lake Bohinj. It’s just as beautiful, but also peaceful, in a way Bled no longer is. There are two or three villages dotted around it. Loads to do there too: wonderful swimming, boats; non-motor water sports; waterfall trails; and you can take the cable car right up to the ski area, which is lovely for summer walks; chairlifts open if you want to cover more distance without hiking! I’d rent a house/cabin there, in either Ribcev Laz or Stara Fuzina ( they’re close together: an easy stroll along lake/over meadows).

@Lucia573 Bohinj is also very, very busy in summer, you'd do well to find a cabin there now for peak season! Maybe for 2027. Also, Ribcev Laz/ Stara Fuzina are the very busiest part of Bohinj where all the tourists congregate - basically the same as Bled only with less facilities.

If you want alpine peace, rather look at Koprivnik/Gorjuse, or for proximity to Bled, Bohinjska Bela or Radoljvica. Or, better still, to avoid tourists altogether, head for central/eastern Slovenia.

However, for OP's purposes, Bled ticks all the boxes and so long as you give yourself long enough to relax and explore beyond the most publisized sites, you will find peaceful places too around Bled (70% of the tourists just want to just rush through, see the lake /castle/Vintgar Gorge and get back in their cars) the fact that it's busy can work to your advantage (lots of activities /facilities /infrastructure to deal with it).

However, either way, if OP wants to go this summer, they need to book it ASAP.