We have attempted to visit this picturesque little town a few times, and it seemed to always get pushed back. Well, we finally made it!
I have to admit that I wasn't in any sort of rush to make it to Garmisch.
A lot ("a lot" is an understatement) of US military personnel and their families make the journey to this place, often, and I'll explain why at the end of this post. I guess I just wanted to be different than the rest of the sheep, but I knew I would have to go eventually.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a really cute town. Every building there reminds me of what I pictured Germany to look like; Cuckoo clock looking houses, half-timbered shops. There are ski lifts, ski resorts, mountains, lakes, rivers, and of course beer!
It reminds me of a German-ish themed resort area that we've visited twice: Gatlinburg, TN. Of course, I am sure this city was established long before Gatlinburg...
But Garmish is also home to a small US Army duty station. The population of people stationed there is minuscule. It's definitely not Ramstein AFB sized, and the Garmisch PX is the size of a closet.
I will give it this much: Although on the small side, their commissary is REALLY nice and clean! But the beauty of being stationed in Garmisch, I assume, isn't the mouse hole PX or the four pump gas station, it's the glorious mountain view!
After settling into our accommodations, we ventured out to find the Partenkirchen Gorge. The weather was iffy, but we're always up for gambling, and I'm glad we did.
We parked in the Olympic Stadium parking lot. Whether it was the cloudy sky, or the ominous past of this particular stadium, it felt creepy walking through it to hit the gorge trail head.
And now for a brief history lesson because I know that many people who have/will visit the area would have no clue otherwise:
The town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen was host of the 1936 winter olympics. That's basic Wiki knowledge.
But someone infamous was there...
A happy, and seemingly friendly Hitler welcomed people to the stadium from 28 countries around the world, of all ethnicities, religions, ect,.
This was while he was busy cultivating concentration camps (called labor camps until the war started) and promoting the harsh segregation of Jewish Germans in his land.
For reals.
History even tells us that the signs posted around the stadium area, and within the city, that read "No Jews" & "Jews not allowed", were removed temporarily for the games, in fear of insulting visitors from other countries, but the swastika flags waved throughout the town on every flag post.
When the Führer arrived to kick off the games, shouts of "Heil!" boomed through the stadium. As the athletes passed their host in his Führer box seat, many of them gave the infamous Hitler salute as a sign of respect to their host.
Though, at this time in history, Hitler was well liked around most of the world and the Nazi regime was in its infancy. Swastikas weren't offensive and Hitler wasn't a mass murderer, just yet.
Kind of interesting to ponder that someone who was so well admired became a poster child for hate only a few years later...
Okay, so back to the gorge.
After gawking at the creepy stadium, we found our way to the gorge's trail head, and our adventure began!
And then with my wet hair and our soggy clothes (because yes, it did rain at some point), we posed for some quick pics to prove we actually visited and made it to the other side!
One thing to note for readers that plan to find the cable car:
The car (or gondola) is automatic, and there are no attendants at the top.
You open it yourself, get in, and slowly inch your way down the mountain.
If you think you've scored a free ride...nope.
At the bottom, an attendant opens the door and escorts you to the counter to pay.
Signs at the top explain how much they charge per adult/child. I think it was about €2 per kid, and €3 per adult. Don't quote me.
Also worth noting: You can ride the cable car up, if you want to start your journey through the gorge backwards. But remember, if you go backwards, you won't pay your gorge entrance fees until you reach the beginning.
We made it down, but realized it didn't take us to the trail head. Just set us on the path near the gorge entrance, which was no big deal.
We made our way to our accommodation, ate dinner, played in the heated pool, got some sleep, and woke up to a new day.
Our hotel/resort sat next to an open field where loads of locals jog, ride bikes, and walk their furry companions.
Friends of ours made their way up to Garmisch on the same weekend, and before our visit, I was asked to snap a few pics of their family during our trip. With gorgeous scenery, I couldn't say no! Plus, I have been out of the portrait game for so long that I was excited for the challenge. I think they turned out pretty good :-)
I really wanted to go up to the peak, but we opted to save the experience for a more stable-weathered time of year; like summer.
Although the morning looked beautiful, there was a chance of rain, and darker clouds began moving in before we left.
The Zugspitze cable car is not a cheap one. It would cost our family over €200 to go up and down the peak. I don't mind shelling out for experiences, but I don't exactly want to shell out for crap ass weather and be stranded on a mountain top.
We waved goodbye to Garmisch, and headed to a near by city to check out some randoms. All of that in my next (and much shorter) post!
I'm SUPER stoked to be leaving Germany in a few days for a week's time!
Kind of scared, because this is our first 'actual' road trip; meaning we won't just park the car in one destination and ride a subway/train around. We will have to drive around to see every site on our list. Eeeek!
Oil change tomorrow, 10,000 point safety check, and hopefully smooth sailing!
****For my military/interested readers***
I did mention I would touch base on why Garmisch attracts military families like birds flocking south for winter:
Garmisch has one of four special places in the world: An Armed Forces lodge & resort.
Yep, a resort for only military folks, their families, and some DoD civilian contractors (I'm not going to list details about eligibility, but you get the point).
Where are the other four, you ask? Seoul, South Korea, Florida state, and Hawaii state.
I'm kind of surprised there isn't one in Alaska or Japan. Just saying.
Anyway, we booked a room for one night at the Edelweiss Resort in Garmisch, just to see what the fuss is all about. Tons of people come back from it talking VERY highly about the facilities, the food, the experience. Even more people make it a point to visit often. Neighbors of mine go once a month.
I know I will burst someone's bubble saying it, but we weren't 100% impressed. Call me a snob {or a realist}, but I've stayed in nicer places throughout Europe! Maybe it was the hype talk about it, or maybe it's just not that great?
Edelweiss has a bitchin' lobby that reminded me of The Great Wolf Lodge. I really dig that it had a buffet restaurant (because it's been awhile) and the decor is pretty darn nice throughout the facilities on the ground floor. And that's about where "nice" ends.
The rooms are basic and laid out strange. I've seen equivalent rooms in two star hotels. The food is 'okay' and some of it is army style (umm, I don't prefer powdered army eggs for breakfast, but maybe others do?), and as nice as the massive jacuzzi is, it was lukewarm and full of drunk single soldiers.
I paid $170 for one night, which is not inclusive. Meals, drinks and extras cost $$$.
I've stayed in better for $170 a night.
In Edinburgh, Scotland, we had a 5 star, 3 bedroom/2 bath serviced apartment that was amazing, overlooked the city, and cost about the same per night!
Another thing that busted my buttons: Friends of ours went up the same weekend (the friends in the photos above). I'm not complaining about them, at all. I just think the rooms rates are dumb.
My one night was about the same price as their two night stay (rank was not a factor). We did book a "Junior suite" because we have a party of six, but their "standard" room was bigger! Both our room and theirs had two queen beds, but ours had the addition of a sleeper sofa. So I guess I paid extra for a damn couch in a smaller room? Bogussss.
And that's why it's hard for me to love Edelweiss.
All in all, would I stay there again? Not likely. Knowing that I can book a nicer room in the area, but still use the resort's facilities for a tiny fee (pools/jacuzzi) I don't see the point.
Edelweiss isn't listed on any sites like Tripadvisor, Trivago, Booking, etc, therefore you cannot read reviews. This is why I am honestly writing my own here.
My ratings:
Decor/atmosphere: 9/10 The lobby is beautiful. That cannot be denied.
Food/dining: 6/10 We ate breakfast and dinner at Market Station. Some selections were good, some not so good. Also had a night cap and 'meh' nachos in Ziggy's bar/lounge. Our order took FORVER at the lounge.
Pool/Jacuzzi: 6/10 The pool was swarming with unattended children. The jacuzzi is nice, but not hot in the least bit and it was crowded.
Room comfort: 7/10 Beds were comfy. Room small for six people. Bathroom was really nice.
Location: 8/10 Kind of a far walk to main part of town if you're looking to hit a few pubs to drink, see some stuff, and not drive back drunk. BUT I gave it an 8 because the resort sits on the edge of town away from tourists, and has a glorious unobstructed mountain view!
The mountains and atmosphere of Garmisch are what make the city of Garmisch special, not the resort.
That's my story and I am sticking to it!
I do encourage any/all military readers to go see and stay, and conjure their own opinions, but keep in mind that if you travel often and far enough in Europe, you will probably end up like myself. I find that it's the people who generally book low end hotels/hostels around Europe and who don't get out much that think this Edelweiss is the bee's knees. Yes, I said it.
I have to admit that I wasn't in any sort of rush to make it to Garmisch.
A lot ("a lot" is an understatement) of US military personnel and their families make the journey to this place, often, and I'll explain why at the end of this post. I guess I just wanted to be different than the rest of the sheep, but I knew I would have to go eventually.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a really cute town. Every building there reminds me of what I pictured Germany to look like; Cuckoo clock looking houses, half-timbered shops. There are ski lifts, ski resorts, mountains, lakes, rivers, and of course beer!
It reminds me of a German-ish themed resort area that we've visited twice: Gatlinburg, TN. Of course, I am sure this city was established long before Gatlinburg...
But Garmish is also home to a small US Army duty station. The population of people stationed there is minuscule. It's definitely not Ramstein AFB sized, and the Garmisch PX is the size of a closet.
I will give it this much: Although on the small side, their commissary is REALLY nice and clean! But the beauty of being stationed in Garmisch, I assume, isn't the mouse hole PX or the four pump gas station, it's the glorious mountain view!
After settling into our accommodations, we ventured out to find the Partenkirchen Gorge. The weather was iffy, but we're always up for gambling, and I'm glad we did.
We parked in the Olympic Stadium parking lot. Whether it was the cloudy sky, or the ominous past of this particular stadium, it felt creepy walking through it to hit the gorge trail head.
And now for a brief history lesson because I know that many people who have/will visit the area would have no clue otherwise:
The town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen was host of the 1936 winter olympics. That's basic Wiki knowledge.
But someone infamous was there...
A happy, and seemingly friendly Hitler welcomed people to the stadium from 28 countries around the world, of all ethnicities, religions, ect,.
This was while he was busy cultivating concentration camps (called labor camps until the war started) and promoting the harsh segregation of Jewish Germans in his land.
For reals.
History even tells us that the signs posted around the stadium area, and within the city, that read "No Jews" & "Jews not allowed", were removed temporarily for the games, in fear of insulting visitors from other countries, but the swastika flags waved throughout the town on every flag post.
When the Führer arrived to kick off the games, shouts of "Heil!" boomed through the stadium. As the athletes passed their host in his Führer box seat, many of them gave the infamous Hitler salute as a sign of respect to their host.
Though, at this time in history, Hitler was well liked around most of the world and the Nazi regime was in its infancy. Swastikas weren't offensive and Hitler wasn't a mass murderer, just yet.
Kind of interesting to ponder that someone who was so well admired became a poster child for hate only a few years later...
Okay, so back to the gorge.
After gawking at the creepy stadium, we found our way to the gorge's trail head, and our adventure began!
The official entrance to the gorge is about a 20 minute walk from the Olympic stadium. Between the trail head and the entrance, one strolls along a paved path lined by the Partnach river and cute Bavarian restaurants.
You can't miss the entrance to the gorge.
There is a nominal fee for entry: For two adults and four kids we paid €18
Once we paid, we were greeted with a darkened rock tunnel and an intense sound of rushing water. It's super hard, even with a wide lens and large sensor, to capture the entire path of the gorge. Some spots are narrow and covered above by rock formations; other spots are more open.
 |
| The last time I saw my family until the end of the trail. I always fall behind! |
At the end of the 'hike' through the paid portion of the gorge, we were greeted with wading pools of sparkling blue water. I was almost tempted to jump in considering we worked up some sweat beads although it was a chilly day. I managed to fight the feeling and marvel at it from a dry distance.
I am obsessed with shooting moving water. It's my new fav thing since our visit last September to the Triberg waterfall (Germany's tallest). Took me awhile to get it right, and I am still learning. It's harder than it looks.
Hint to my photo happy friends:
Jack your aperture up, ISO doooowwwn. Focus on a still object, not the water.
And bring a tripod or really steady hands. I almost never have my tripod when traveling, but I can generally find a place to rest the camera or I squat for handheld photos with my elbows resting on my thighs.
 |
| It looks like blue tinted milk! |
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| We found some snow at the end. Odd, considering this was the ONLY place we saw snow on the ground throughout the entire city! |
I remember a friend telling me about the next thing we saw after her first visit. I completely forgot about the conversation until I saw it for myself.
Apparently, visitors to the area stack rocks in a shallow area of the river.
Some people claim it's a way of trail marking.
Okay, maybe it used to be before legit trail signage was placed near the stacked rock area.
I call it a trend. Or just something to do. Or a drug meeting spot.
Kidding, kidding.
Anyway, the kids wanted to make a few of their own, so they did.
And then with my wet hair and our soggy clothes (because yes, it did rain at some point), we posed for some quick pics to prove we actually visited and made it to the other side!
Thank goodness for being prepared and well read.
Several bloggers have mentioned that they were told of a cable car that can haul the family back down to the trail head, but not a single blogger could ever find it (at least in the dozen I had read). Most, if not all, of these bloggers are Americans living in Germany: Expats, military, contractors, etc,.
This. Is. Hilarious.
I found it as soon as we exited the gorge!
There is a sign folks -a mother truckin' sign- that points to the Bergbahn.
Berg= mountain
Bahn= train
So we followed the signs, all uphill. It was a 10 minute walk before we reached this colossal, posh hotel named Graseck, with nude folks hanging out in the outdoor hot baths.
Where the hotel meets the trail, another "bergbahn" sign led us around the corner, and voila, a cable car!
 |
| Not the hotel. Just a cute house in its own mountain top neighborhood. |
 |
| Alas, the cable car! |
One thing to note for readers that plan to find the cable car:
The car (or gondola) is automatic, and there are no attendants at the top.
You open it yourself, get in, and slowly inch your way down the mountain.
If you think you've scored a free ride...nope.
At the bottom, an attendant opens the door and escorts you to the counter to pay.
Signs at the top explain how much they charge per adult/child. I think it was about €2 per kid, and €3 per adult. Don't quote me.
Also worth noting: You can ride the cable car up, if you want to start your journey through the gorge backwards. But remember, if you go backwards, you won't pay your gorge entrance fees until you reach the beginning.
We made it down, but realized it didn't take us to the trail head. Just set us on the path near the gorge entrance, which was no big deal.
We made our way to our accommodation, ate dinner, played in the heated pool, got some sleep, and woke up to a new day.
Our hotel/resort sat next to an open field where loads of locals jog, ride bikes, and walk their furry companions.
Friends of ours made their way up to Garmisch on the same weekend, and before our visit, I was asked to snap a few pics of their family during our trip. With gorgeous scenery, I couldn't say no! Plus, I have been out of the portrait game for so long that I was excited for the challenge. I think they turned out pretty good :-)
After we finished up the quick 'non-pro' session, I stuck around and let the clouds move on by and finally snapped my coveted photo of Zugspitze (Germany's highest mountain/peak).
My goodness. It was hard to walk away. I could stare at the mountains all day!
Although the morning looked beautiful, there was a chance of rain, and darker clouds began moving in before we left.
The Zugspitze cable car is not a cheap one. It would cost our family over €200 to go up and down the peak. I don't mind shelling out for experiences, but I don't exactly want to shell out for crap ass weather and be stranded on a mountain top.
We waved goodbye to Garmisch, and headed to a near by city to check out some randoms. All of that in my next (and much shorter) post!
I'm SUPER stoked to be leaving Germany in a few days for a week's time!
Kind of scared, because this is our first 'actual' road trip; meaning we won't just park the car in one destination and ride a subway/train around. We will have to drive around to see every site on our list. Eeeek!
Oil change tomorrow, 10,000 point safety check, and hopefully smooth sailing!
****For my military/interested readers***
I did mention I would touch base on why Garmisch attracts military families like birds flocking south for winter:
Garmisch has one of four special places in the world: An Armed Forces lodge & resort.
Yep, a resort for only military folks, their families, and some DoD civilian contractors (I'm not going to list details about eligibility, but you get the point).
Where are the other four, you ask? Seoul, South Korea, Florida state, and Hawaii state.
I'm kind of surprised there isn't one in Alaska or Japan. Just saying.
Anyway, we booked a room for one night at the Edelweiss Resort in Garmisch, just to see what the fuss is all about. Tons of people come back from it talking VERY highly about the facilities, the food, the experience. Even more people make it a point to visit often. Neighbors of mine go once a month.
I know I will burst someone's bubble saying it, but we weren't 100% impressed. Call me a snob {or a realist}, but I've stayed in nicer places throughout Europe! Maybe it was the hype talk about it, or maybe it's just not that great?
Edelweiss has a bitchin' lobby that reminded me of The Great Wolf Lodge. I really dig that it had a buffet restaurant (because it's been awhile) and the decor is pretty darn nice throughout the facilities on the ground floor. And that's about where "nice" ends.
The rooms are basic and laid out strange. I've seen equivalent rooms in two star hotels. The food is 'okay' and some of it is army style (umm, I don't prefer powdered army eggs for breakfast, but maybe others do?), and as nice as the massive jacuzzi is, it was lukewarm and full of drunk single soldiers.
I paid $170 for one night, which is not inclusive. Meals, drinks and extras cost $$$.
I've stayed in better for $170 a night.
In Edinburgh, Scotland, we had a 5 star, 3 bedroom/2 bath serviced apartment that was amazing, overlooked the city, and cost about the same per night!
Another thing that busted my buttons: Friends of ours went up the same weekend (the friends in the photos above). I'm not complaining about them, at all. I just think the rooms rates are dumb.
My one night was about the same price as their two night stay (rank was not a factor). We did book a "Junior suite" because we have a party of six, but their "standard" room was bigger! Both our room and theirs had two queen beds, but ours had the addition of a sleeper sofa. So I guess I paid extra for a damn couch in a smaller room? Bogussss.
And that's why it's hard for me to love Edelweiss.
All in all, would I stay there again? Not likely. Knowing that I can book a nicer room in the area, but still use the resort's facilities for a tiny fee (pools/jacuzzi) I don't see the point.
Edelweiss isn't listed on any sites like Tripadvisor, Trivago, Booking, etc, therefore you cannot read reviews. This is why I am honestly writing my own here.
My ratings:
Decor/atmosphere: 9/10 The lobby is beautiful. That cannot be denied.
Food/dining: 6/10 We ate breakfast and dinner at Market Station. Some selections were good, some not so good. Also had a night cap and 'meh' nachos in Ziggy's bar/lounge. Our order took FORVER at the lounge.
Pool/Jacuzzi: 6/10 The pool was swarming with unattended children. The jacuzzi is nice, but not hot in the least bit and it was crowded.
Room comfort: 7/10 Beds were comfy. Room small for six people. Bathroom was really nice.
Location: 8/10 Kind of a far walk to main part of town if you're looking to hit a few pubs to drink, see some stuff, and not drive back drunk. BUT I gave it an 8 because the resort sits on the edge of town away from tourists, and has a glorious unobstructed mountain view!
The mountains and atmosphere of Garmisch are what make the city of Garmisch special, not the resort.
That's my story and I am sticking to it!
I do encourage any/all military readers to go see and stay, and conjure their own opinions, but keep in mind that if you travel often and far enough in Europe, you will probably end up like myself. I find that it's the people who generally book low end hotels/hostels around Europe and who don't get out much that think this Edelweiss is the bee's knees. Yes, I said it.
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