What should I see while I’m there?
Details:
We’re planning on some day trips (possibly multi-day).
We are planning on getting rail passes & will have access to a car on the weekend.
We’re packing pretty casual. Black pants & simple blouse is as fancy as it gets.
Other than that, we’re pretty open to adventure.
Any suggestions?
Two of the best buskers I’ve ever heard were in Stuttgart. Make sure you have enough time for just wandering the Königstraße.
Mercedes and Porsche both have their factories and museums nearby. Interesting stuff if you have an interest in cars; both were racing powerhouses in different eras.
It’s a short train ride to Ulm, site of the tallest cathedral in the world. (It’s not technically a cathedral, so the locals will call it the Ulmer Münster.) For a couple of euros, you can climb almost to the top. It’s not for the faint of heart, or weak of leg, but the views and the stonework are amazing. The last part of the climb looks like this. Even if you’re not up to the climb, the interior is pretty cool, too.
Thanks, Robot Arm.
My brother is over there setting up a new line for Mercedes, so I knew about the museums.
He mentioned shopping @ Königstraße but didn’t mention performers. My aunt & I will definitely check it out. The Ulmer Münster sounds great & the pictures I’m hoping to take will be worth the climb.
Consider taking a day trip to Munich. It’s about two and a half hours by train from Stuttgart and well worth the $60 return fare.
Fish Cheer - We’re probably going to head to Munich for an overnight trip. Oktoberfest starts while we’re there and my brother has friends who have offered us some couches to crash on. 
At the moment, you can watch angry Stuttgarters protesting against the new train station, which is a bit out of character 
The hills around the city and the stairs all over them (Stäffele) are nice for hiking.
Stuttgart has almost no old buildings left, so if you’re interested in them you could also go to Esslingen.
If you’re interested in technological stuff besides cars, there’s a good Technikmuseum in Sinsheim (Concorde, Tu-144) and one in Speyer (U-Boat, Buran), about an hour away by car, possible to do in combination with a trip to Heidelberg.
[Undecided] Adrian - I’m not sure how much hiking we’ll get to. We’re staying in Stuttgart because that’s where my brother is. My aunt is very interested in castles and architecture. We are now planing a jaunt to Salzburg.
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I’m making a list to discuss with her this weekend.
You know you’ll be just a couple hours from Neuschwanstein, right?
That is actually a pretty generous offer, as accomodations in the Munich area during the Big Thirsty are often crazy-hard to come by. (think Mardi Gras in New Orleans x 10)
Prost!!!
I’d second this–I didn’t find Stuttgart to be all that interesting in and of itself. But Neuschwanstein was great, and I wish I’d spent more time there looking around the area.
Robot Arm & flyboy - I’m pretty sure a trip to Sleeping Beauty’s castle is a requirement.
Thanks again to everyone. We had some ideas about what to see, but wanted some opinions about what would be worth it, and what would be a waste of time. I knew this would be the place to ask.
Consider checking out Hohenschwangau Castle as well. It’s within walking distance of Neuschwanstein, and the tickets are sold in the same building. Neuschwanstein is pretty to look at, but really doesn’t have any history as a castle. They started building it in 1869 and there are photographs of it under construction. It feels almost like a movie set. A friend who’s been to both said he like Hohenschwangau better.
