A Toddler in Germany

We have had a lot of fun in Germany this summer. 

The weather has been perfect and we have been visiting different places almost every weekend. 

Here are a few of my "sweet spots" which for me is a place where my kid can be a kid, run around and explore and surprisingly, Germany is very kid and family friendly. 

We love going to old town Mainz. 

We visit the Dom Cathedral and Vida loves to chase and feed the pigeons. 

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes, you won't know where to go first. 

This mini sand play area is located right outside the Hyatt hotel in Mainz. 

It overlooks the beautiful Rhine River. You can follow the path to a nearby park and see ducks and swans swimming about. 

     We had lunch in the castle courtyard that is connected to the Hyatt hotel in Mainz.
 This is gated courtyard, which I love so she can run around and not run out to the street. When we stayed in the hotel, I would bring a blanket and toys and we would have a little picnic outside. You don't have to be a guest, you can enjoy the outdoor seating which is connected to their restaurant and bar. Just come through the main entrance. 

Delicious Doner for two please. 

This one is located in Mainz, it's called 'Doner' make sure to order "pommes" that's German for French fries.  It is really tiny inside so we usually get our food to go and head over to the park to eat it. 

Outdoor Aviary at the Rosengarten park in Mainz. 

Parking is free and it's just a short walk from the Hyatt. They have large macaws and very loud cockatiels. When you enter the park you'll pass by a little pond with flamingos.  

Volkspark Splash Park in Mainz 

We didn't know this was here, so we didn't come prepared. We came back the next day with a bathing suit and water shoes. The rocks get very slippery, so be extra careful. A little cafe stand is set up right next to the splash pad, serving typical German food and coffee. 

This park is connected by a bridge you can walk over from the Roengarten. There are a few playgrounds for different age groups and lots of swing, walking trails and on the weekend a little train for kids that goes around the whole park. 

About to enter a 3 level toy store called 

 "kinder Laden" 
we spent two hours in here, bought one toy and no tears. It was a good day.  

Dinner date with Daddy at a fancy Italian  restaurant in Mainz. 

I was nervous my husband had picked such a fancy place but I was so happy to see other children inside. 

We didn't stay long though...eat, get the check,and go! 

We had breakfast and a play date at a kid friendly cafe called 'Lonneberga' in Mainz with our new German friends. 

They have toys, books and a coloring area for the kids. You can order coffee, sandwiches, baby food in jars, salads or delicious waffles with ice cream.

 This place is kid friendly, but you can go if you don't have kids. 
They have a cute seating area outside. The seats are tree stumps with cute little pillows on them, which is so adorable. 

 Weekend mornings seem to be their busiest times. They are closed on Mondays and only accept euros no credit/debit cards

If you are a fan of Pippi Longstockings, you know 
that Lonneberga is where the author, Astrid Lindgren is from. 

We love this Lego section inside Mueller in Mainz on rainy days. 

We visited downtown Wiesbaden to visit the large Cuckoo clock. It activates every 15 mins and it's super cute.

We took a bus and a ferry ride to a little beach called Rettbergsaue. 

You can only arrive and depart off a ferry or boat, which is kind of neat. The beach has a park with lots of trees and even a camping ground.  I don't exactly rent we the cost to ride on the ferry to the beach but I don't think we spent more than €2.50 and only paid once. The ferry schedule is located at the entrance of the park. 

Sadly, my girl is not a fan of sand,  hence her sad face here. We didn't much swimming but our friends did and they enjoyed it. 

The beach has a cafe that serves your typical German style food, burgers, fries, bratwurst Etc. they have coffee and ice cream too. 

We had a picnic lunch under the shade of the large trees in the park. 

We took a day trip to a place called "Ponyland" in Rudesheim about 30 minutes outside Wiesbaden, this place is magical. 
We took a pony and walked on a trail that went around the ranch, we had lunch outside the little restaurant that is a little house. There are chickens and cats running around and it's just so quaint and charming.

 The pony ride is €8 and they also have wagon rides and horses for older kids or adults. 
They also have Helicopter rides. 

So glad they had a little area with mechanical rides. 

Thank you for following along with us. 
We are headed to 3 different pools next week and can't wait to show you all the pictures of these amazing mini water parks. Germans definitely have the cleanest and largest pools I have ever seen. Stay tuned. :) 

-Acsa & Vida