If it seems random that we vacationed at a farm in the Rhine Valley, well, it was – in a good way! When planning this itinerary, I noticed we’d be passing through rural areas in Western Germany and started researching agritourism options. After many inquiries (and much Google Translate), we were lucky to find Hubertushof Eifel (@hubertushof_eifel), a family-run farmstay in the Vulkaneifel, a scenic region with lakes created by volcanic activity. To get there was the only time we needed to rent a car on this trip. Dave notes it was similar to driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike: flat, easy, relatively boring, except for cars whizzing past us Autobahn-style.
We learned that these farmstays are a common vacation destination for families within a few hours’ drive. In addition to kid-friendly activities like feeding animals and tractor rides, they had awesome playgrounds and shared toys. They also produce and sell products like jams and eggs. Although we were the only guests who didn’t speak German (others were curious about how some Californians ended up there), we felt very welcome. Jacob especially enjoyed feeding the chickens and rabbits. Sadly he got food poisoning (not from the farm! from some takeaway lunch pizza, we think) which affected his ability to participate in activities. Poor guy. But we still had a lovely, peaceful stay and a much-needed break from the cities, especially with our back patio view of the resident alpacas and cows.
We also enjoyed a classic boat cruise on the Rhine River, sailing round trip from Boppard to St. Goar, viewing picturesque castle ruins along the way.
