Cycling along Rhine with kids. asking for advice

[asiermila]

Hi,
Last year we my wife and me cycled from Chur (Switzerland) to Strasbourg with our two kids (3,5 and 6) along the Rhine. We made around 500 km in 20 days. For this summer (August) we are planning to continue cycling the same river for the same distance, but we are wondering where to start.

- One possibility is from Strasbourg ahead, by I’ve heard is a bit boring between Strasbourg and Karlsruhe.
- The second possibility is to start around Koblenz and finisht in the sea (Netherland).

We would like suggestion and experiences about which part of the all route are nice or very nice, boring, busy,….etc.

Thanks in advance

mila_asier

[foxyrider]

Straßburg to Karlsruhe - that's hardly any distance! North from Strasbourg to Mainz is in places not very scenic but boring it's not with places like Speyer and Worms to distract you. You could take a slight detour across to the Weinstrasse to get past Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. Certainly it's less boring than the Dutch leg to the sea.

The Rhein Gorge - that's from Bingen up to Bonn isz always quite busy, it's less so further north. There's plenty to see and do from Roman cities to castles to rail museums and plenty more to keep all the family happy! Even Karlsruhe is a city well worth visiting with great buildings an even a zoo right in the city centre.

Wherever you get, have a good trip

[ossie]

Agree with your second option to the North Sea although I would start further down at Bingen or Mainz as you are missing out on some great scenery south of Koblenz.

Strasbourg to Mainz is quite uninspiring on the whole with the odd exception.

[bohrsatom]

Agree with your second option to the North Sea although I would start further down at Bingen or Mainz as you are missing out on some great scenery south of Koblenz.

+1 this. It would be a huge shame to miss the stretch from Bingen to Koblenz which is one of the best stretches of river I've ever cycled

[hamster]

Did Worms to Koblenz last year in August with the family. Very relaxed and frankly not seriously busy. There is plenty to see so 30ish miles daily is fine.

A couple of the free tourist maps lead you astray with old info, in particular the passenger ferry near Guntersblum appeared on the free map (local knowledge, aha!) but didn't exist any more.

[Vorpal]

I think it depends what you're doing other than cycling.

Rhineland Palatinate has many nature reserves, and the Speyer Cathedral is a UNESCO world heritage site. The Rhine route there also passes through some wetlands that are great for birdwatching.

The scenery is, as others have noted, more interesting along other parts of the Rhine. The section from Bingen to Koblenz is definitely worth doing; I think it's one of the best parts.

However, if I were going with kids, I would research stuff to do that my kids were likely to be interested in, and make my decision based on that.

[asiermila]

Thank you very much for all your advices.

Based on them we have concluded we shoudl start on Mainz or even before in Speyer. I wander what to do after Kobletz, weather to follow the Rhine toward Koln, Bonn and Dusseldorf (which is maybe too industrial) or to cycle along the Moselle.

I will try to find information about tip for kids, but it seems not easy. Our past experience is that a everyday swim in lakes or swimming pools is great.

Thanks again.

[ossie]

Thank you very much for all your advices.

Based on them we have concluded we shoudl start on Mainz or even before in Speyer. I wander what to do after Kobletz, weather to follow the Rhine toward Koln, Bonn and Dusseldorf (which is maybe too industrial) or to cycle along the Moselle.

I will try to find information about tip for kids, but it seems not easy. Our past experience is that a everyday swim in lakes or swimming pools is great.

Thanks again.

I haven't done the Moselle. The advantages of keeping on the Rhine are the excellent and safe paths northwards. Bonn is beautiful and Koln is fascinating, its actually quite rural up to Koln yet the path suddenly puts you right in the middle of the tourist attractions.

North of Koln gets Industrial but its entirely safe and not in anyway overwhelming, however its a short stretch between Dusseldorf and Duisburg and then you are back into the countryside. Plenty to do and see in Dusseldorf.

[asiermila]

Thank you for your word Ossie.

Just another question. How is the stretch between Speyer and Mainz. It is worth to start in Speyer, o better to start in Mainz?

Thanks

[foxyrider]

Thank you for your word Ossie.

Just another question. How is the stretch between Speyer and Mainz. It is worth to start in Speyer, o better to start in Mainz?

Thanks

Depends on whether you want to see the huge transport museum and cathedral in Speyer and the ancient city of Worms or go straight to industrial Mainz. Not sure why there is so much hate for the middle Rhein.

[bohrsatom]

Based on them we have concluded we shoudl start on Mainz or even before in Speyer. I wander what to do after Kobletz, weather to follow the Rhine toward Koln, Bonn and Dusseldorf (which is maybe too industrial) or to cycle along the Moselle.
.

I did the Moselle last year - a very nice ride with some fantastic scenery and plenty of pretty towns and villages. I'm not sure how much fun it would be for kids though, we didn't come across many tourist attractions other than Burg Eltz (Castle) which is well worth the detour and hike. There are plenty of places for ice cream though, maybe that will do .

PS - if you do ride the Rhine from Bingen to Koblenz I recommend stopping off to ride the ski lift at Boppard.

PPS if you want an idea of what it's like to ride the Moselle/Rhine then check out our blog of the trip: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=17982 (Day 7 to 12 covers the area you are interested in)

[Ronno57]

Thank you very much for all your advices.

Based on them we have concluded we shoudl start on Mainz or even before in Speyer. I wander what to do after Kobletz, weather to follow the Rhine toward Koln, Bonn and Dusseldorf (which is maybe too industrial) or to cycle along the Moselle.

I will try to find information about tip for kids, but it seems not easy. Our past experience is that a everyday swim in lakes or swimming pools is great.

Thanks again.

I've cycled parts of the Rhein and hired bikes for a day to cycle the Mosel around Cochem and Tries Karden a few years ago when we camped in Tries Karden. Like the Rhein, the Mosel has a designated cycle path along its route so it's safe from cars etc. If you cycle the Rhein past Speyer (which itself is a beautiful town) there's a really interesting Technik Museum and 12 kms west of Speyer is the Hassloch Holiday Park which im sure your kids would love

[asiermila]

Good point Roono55. Thanks all.