Munich
English Garden
Laid out in 1789 at the north end of the city, this enormous park was designed to evoke the English countryside. The Isar River is diverted into the park, small little streams bubble through the woods. Have a picnic, go for a bike ride, pedal boat on the lake.
Picnic in the park - The English Garden is the perfect place to have a picnic. Grab sandwiches or sausages from the delis nearby, or there are also snack bars in the park. Spread out your picnic or, like local Munich families, bring along cake, juices and coffee ("kaffee and kuchen") for an afternoon snack.
Pedal boating - Rent pedal boats "Ruderboot"on the Kienhasseloher See, the big artificial lake. On a warm summer afternoon, it's quite relaxing to sit back under a shady awning and let the kids pedal around the lake (don't run over the swans and ducks).
Go for a bike ride - If you've rented bikes at the train station, it's just a short distance to the park. Miles of bike paths to explore.
Chinese Tower (Chinesicher Turm) -
Biergartens aren't bars, they're more like open-air cafes and definitely a family affair: probably the best spot to catch Bavarian gemütlichkeit (friendliness). Along with beer, soft drinks, they are also a place to sample Bavarian dishes such as bratwurst (sausage), spätzle (noodles), and apfelstrudel (apple pastry).In summer at the Chinese Tower, there are open air concerts - the band is situated on the upper levels of the pagoda. You can join all the other families, listening to the music.
Christmas Market - During December, at the Chinese Tower is a large Christmas market, snack on cookies and hot chocolate, shop for lovely wooden toys, carousel for toddlers.Playground - Near the tower is a playground with climbing structures, slide, teeter-totter, bouncy things.Horse carriage ride - Sit back and relax while you clip-clop around the English Garden. You can find the carriages at the Chinese Tower. In winter, a carriage ride around the garden, snow shining on trees and grass, is delightful.
