What are you doing this Summer?

Hi! 
I have put together a list of "local"  field trips I want to take my children on this year, and have researched everything within driving distance, that's both fun and educational!

 Since summer is here, I know lots of families have some free time, and are looking at having some fun (affordable) family days aside from the usual Vacation-ing we all do here in Europe this time of year, So i thought i would pass along my treasured list! If you know of any new families to the area, feel free to send this link on.  ( Sorry my dear state side buddies! this post is just for the local mamas!) =)
Some of these places you Mamas may already know about, and others I hope you will check out and enjoy with your kinders.  Please post a note if you did get to visit any of these places, I would love to hear about it!

Make sure to keep this book-marked!


Dinos, Volcanoes, Nature & More!

• Senckenberg Nature Museum-  located in Frankfurt -   This has some great Dinoasaur stuff! check out the highlights section. There is to much to share! they also have a Cinema, including a dinosaure in 3-D. They have Temporary Exhibitions, so be sure to check the dates.  Museum also has a resturant and gift shop.

• Dino Data Base- Europe : This is a complete list of all the Dinosaur/Nature Museums in Europe. There are several here in Germany, the above listing is the closest. 
• Archaelogie - Speyer Museum
• Sea life Center - Fancy diving beneath the sea without getting wet? You'll come eyeball to eyeball with everything from shrimps to sharks, and learn tons of great stuff from SEA LIFE experts. So go on, take the plunge and visit your nearest SEA LIFE centre soon! SPEYER is the closest:
• Volcano Park -Learn about volcanoes in one of our museal facilities. Discover the many natural, cultural or industrial monuments by foot or bike. Learn, how a volcano is born, what a cinder cone is or how the Romans used raw materials of volcanic origin more than 2.000 years ago.
• Rock Digging& precious stone Mine- Idar oberstein : The precious stone mine „Steinkaulenberg“ is the only mine in Europe open for visitors. ( we loved this visit! tons of fun! )
• German Gem & Minerals Museum - Idar oberstein
• Train Museum, Neustadt

• Bare foot Park
• Transport Museum- frankfurt Around thirty restored exhibits originating from Frankfurt, including the world's oldest preserved tram (dating back to 1884), an impressive steam engine (1900), a horse-wagon (1872) and additional exhibits from various decades, provide a chronicle of over 125 years of Frankfurt's local transport history. All the vehicles were collected before the Second World War and maintained so well as to reflect their original condition. Brightly polished metal, creaky wood benches and starched uniforms spanning the past 80 years impart an extraordinary ambience.
• Children's Museum - Frankfurt
• Keltendorf Steinbach - German village museum
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  Gutenberg- Museum Mainz It is one of the oldest museums of printing in the world and attracts experts and tourists from all corners of the globe. Daily demonstrations of the Gutenberg printing press. All year round there are demonstrations on the hour at 10 and 11 am and at 12, 2, 3 and 4 pm of the Gutenberg printing press in the basement of the museum. MAKE SURE TO VISIT THEIR CALANDER for amazing workshops!!!
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  Dinosaur Park - Kaiserslautern - Tons of fun.. and local!
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  Technik Musuem - Speyer-more than 3,000 exhibits from all areas of technical history on more than 30,000 sqm of indoor space and in our open air ground. The exhibitions include a genuine CONCORDE from Air France and the Russian Tupolev TU-144, more than 300 classic cars, 200 motorcycles, 40 racing cars, the largest permament formula-1 exhibition in Europe, 60 airplanes, 20 locomotives, and much more
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  Dynamikum - Moving Things- Science center Pirmasens. this place was so much fun! A MUST for all ages~!!!
  
  
  
  
  

Zoos

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  Kaiserslautern Zoo - small, but great local outing 
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  Frankfurt zoo - great polar bear exhibit
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  Opel Zoo located near frankfurt, At Opel Zoo, visitors can watch giraffes, hippos, elephants and zebras almost as if they were in the wild. This 27-hectare landscaped zoo in Kronberg near Frankfurt also has circular paths and trails, adventure playgrounds and a petting zoo. And if you've always wanted to ride a camel, this is your chance to try out one of these "ships of the desert". excerpt from
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  Metz Zoo - very nice zoo! one of our favorites. but a bit pricey.
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  Karlsruhe Zoo
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  Affen and Vogelpark (monkey & bird park)Hagen is the "monkey and bird park, a recreational paradise of 80.000 square meters. You can find over 180 different species, petting zoo, an indoor hall, a garden café, BBQ huts and a lot of games for kids.

• Amusement Parks
  It seems that almost every amusement park has an animal petting zoo, or wild park attached... so as you check these places out... make sure to visit the furry friends of God's world.
• Freizeitpark Lochmuhle Since the "Lochmühle" started out as a farm, the relation between men, animals and nature means a lot to us. A lot of native species still live here. THERE IS ALSO AN AMUSEMENT PARK ON PROPERTY
  
  Learn about life with nature by several means: Our agricultural museum will show you everything about the daily life on a farm. The natural history room has a collection of animals on display. You can watch a running mill wheel at the "Lochmühlenplatz" or take a ride through the planted vegetation of our agricultural learning path with our newly built tractor track railway.ts can choose from about 150 playing and exercising items, romp along a river´s natural course or on meadows, play with indigenous animals in the petting zoo and even watch baby chicks hatch with a bit of luck. Our offer is rounded off by the possibility to picknick and barbecue in groups of all sizes.
• Kurpfalz-Park Anima wild parkl, rides, pirates, climbing and much more.
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  Tripsdrill Park and wild animal paradise
   

• Fort Fun Adventure Land- western theme
• Europa Park - fantastic themed hotels too!
• Holiday Park
• Freizeitpark Klotten- Cochem
• Eifel Park
• Playmobile Fun park - 3 hour drive
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Extra Fun Day Trips

• Wawi Chocolate Factory - Pirmasens
• Easter Egg Museum -
• Largest Easter egg market
• Titanic Exhibit - Till August 2010 - wiesbaden
• Planetarium- Mannheim
• Luisen Park- Mannheim.. this is a family favorite. we love this place. click for photos they have a fanstastic butterfly house too! you can read more about this place under my section for field trips.
• Indoor Sled/Ski Hill Metz France OPEN YEAR ROUND! and located in the same spot as the metz zoo and sledding is the
• IMAX 3D Theatre Metz-  for show times click here - Currently palying Dinosaurs in 3-D  Lions 3-D Grand Canyon Adventure 3-D
• Bostal See -  near Baumholder! So close! Best man made lake with a GREAT beach in the area! plan to spend the day. ( resturants, parks, boats, )

• Homburg Caves
• Rose Garden - Zweibrucken
• Wild park- Potzberg ( local)
• Yabadoo - Mehlingen- (local) Indoor play center... Tons of fun!
• High Ropes Course- Baumholder ( local)
• Adventure Rope Park - Homburg (local)

I am not even going to get into all the Castles around here. TO many to list! -)


Fun Swimming Pools

• Calypso - Saarbrucken
• Monte Mare- Kaiserslautern - wave pool, innertube slides, outdoor childrensplay, and indoor childrens play. resturant.

And that doesn't include the amazing things to do in Holland, and France! Dont' forget Strawberry picking season too! (Rodenbach has a patch )

I will included ONE more thing but it's not in Germany - but drive-able!...  Noah's Ark Replica! It travels Holland, and every year it's way up north.. much to far to drive. BUT I just saw that it is currently only 1 hour and half from the German border!!! We are SO going! For all the information click here

Phew! I know there are more, If you think of anything else I can add to this list.. please leave a comment in the comment box.

Have fun this summer!