Animal excursions for families

Curiosity and a sense of adventure: a trip by train is the ideal opportunity to go on a discovery tour and get to know something new. From insights into the history of toys, to the fascination of domestic and exotic wildlife, to German cultural assets from the Puppenkiste - Bavaria offers a varied program for the whole family that can be discovered easily and relaxed by train.

We have compiled the best excursion destinations in Bavaria for you, which will make young explorers:in wide-eyed. From a day at the zoo to a visit to the toy museum, there is something for every age. Get on board now and go on a journey of discovery by train!

Augsburg Zoo

Augsburg, the third largest city in Bavaria after Munich and Nuremberg, not only offers many historical sights such as the cathedral or the Fugger and Welser Adventure Museum, but also has a special highlight in store for young animal lovers: the Augsburg Zoo. This is home to over 1,200 animals and is even one of the 20 largest animal parks in Germany. Here you can experience both native animals such as donkeys or dwarf otters and exotic companions such as elephants, monkeys and lions up close. The secret star of Augsburg Zoo, however, are the calicoes. They live in their own climbing area in the zoo and like to climb around above the visitors' heads.

In summer, seal feeding takes place daily at 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. at the seal enclosure, where you can look over the keepers' shoulders and watch the fur seals and harbor seals feed. In addition, the Augsburg Zoo offers a very special attraction: the Zoobähnle. On weekends and during the vacations, you can take an adventurous ride on the small, fee-paying train, which takes you over bridges, through tunnels and past waterfalls. On Sundays and holidays, there is even always a real little steam locomotive driving around the zoo grounds. Climb aboard once and you'll feel like Luke the locomotive driver.

Augsburg Puppet Show

Which brings us to the second excursion highlight in Augsburg: the Augsburger Puppenkiste. In the puppet theater, which is known all over the world, not only heroes like Jim Knopf and Lukas der Lokomotivführer make children's eyes light up, but also animal stars like Urmel aus dem Eis or Puss in Boots. Puppeteers who have mastered their art to perfection and lovingly designed sets bring the little heroes on strings to life in an instant.

For a closer look at the elaborately designed puppets, it is worth visiting the puppet theater museum "Die Kiste", which is located above the theater premises. Here you will find the most famous puppets of the Augsburg Puppet Boxes such as Urmel aus dem Eis or Jim Knopf and Lukas der Lokomotivführer in their original settings. The stars of the Augsburg Puppet Box enchant not only theatergoers, but also viewers in front of the television. In two small cinemas that are part of the museum, you can rediscover the best-known TV series with the wooden heroes together with your children.

Nuremberg Toy Museum

The next destination for young explorers is located in Nuremberg. The Franconian city, known worldwide for its bratwursts and gingerbread, has also been called the city of toys for more than 600 years. As early as the Middle Ages, countless doll makers and later also manufacturers of tin figures and tin toys settled here. No wonder that Nuremberg today is home to one of the most famous toy museums in the world. From wooden and tin toys to dolls and department stores to Playmobil and Barbie, the Nuremberg Toy Museum retells the history of toys. The audio tour of the museum lets you delve even deeper into the history behind the toys on display.

Franconian Open Air Museum Bad Windsheim

The Franconian Open Air Museum with its approximately 100 buildings, which include farms, mills, breweries, noble castles and handicraft houses, takes you on a journey into the past. Here you can experience first-hand how the rural Franconian population used to live and work. And what would a farm be without animals? Pigs, horses, sheep and cattle of old breeds, which were kept by farmers hundreds of years ago, await animal lovers young and old at the museum farm and the museum sheep farm. On Sundays and during the Bavarian school vacations also on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the Franconian Open Air Museum offers its own changing children's program for fun and excitement. In a playful way, the children learn about animal husbandry and which products are obtained in the process.

The varied leisure activities in Bavaria for families offer numerous highlights for animal lovers and young explorers. Plan your next day trip with children now simply by train.