Overnight in Friedrichschafen, Germany, Along the Banks of Lake Constance

If you're looking for a quaint little town along the banks of a beautiful lake that happens to straddle the borders of three countries, Lake Constance (or Bodensee in German) is a perfect place to spend a quick evening.

In July 2019, I was visiting Germany with my friends and family, as we spent a few days in the Black Forest area near Baden-Baden to meet and get to know (or reconnect) our German relatives. After spending a few days in the area, sharing stories and generally navigating the language barrier, it was time to pack up and continue on with our journey. Our next destinations were picked out by my cousin / my bff's mother-in-law (did I tell you the story of how my bff met her future husband at my family reunion in 2010? That's a story for a different day!), who has visited this corner of Germany a few times throughout her lifetime. Lake Constance was one such place, and to accommodate our future travel to Neuschwanstein and the Zugspitz, we picked Friedrichschafen as a perfect halfway point.

Though we had a nice time in the town, our goal of seeing and doing a few of the highlights did not quite turn out to plan. Still, follow along for a quick venture around this charming "seaside" town at the bottom of Germany.

First things first - our real plan. We were aiming to drive to Friedrichschafen, and then take the ferry to Mainau, a small garden island off the coast of Konstanz on the other side of the lake. We had heard that ferries there went out regularly, but by the time we arrived in Friedrichschafen, the timings were not going to work out for us to get there, enjoy ourselves, and then get back. Having sat in a lot of traffic on our way into Friedrichschafen, we knew driving back in that direction seemed like a bad idea. We opted instead to enjoy a day by the lake in Friedrichshafen instead, taking a well-deserved break from the craziness of a busy schedule.

After navigating our way to the hotel - which is a teeny bit tricky since it is located in a pedestrian-only area, and the GPS was a bit confused - our group decided to head out for a lunch along the sea. We grabbed tables at s'Wirtshaus am See. Their menu was actually pretty eclectic, with typical German fare (think pretzels, sausages, etc.) as well as other interesting dishes. I opted to go with the vegetarian curry because at some point I needed something other than German sausages, and was missing the types of food I generally eat at home (which also explains my opting for Indian take out later that evening). We had glasses of wine or cocktails/beer and a small meal, enjoying the sunshine, nice views, and pleasant atmosphere.

After we ate lunch, we decided to stroll along the waterfront, admiring the views. We made vague plans to check out the Zeppelin Museum a little later (which was also foiled by us showing up within 30 minutes of their closing), but otherwise we really had no real plans to stick to.

Below you can see one of the main landmarks of the city, St. Nikolaus Catholic Church, whose spire you can see from almost anywhere.

The church is located in front of the Buchhornbrunnen, a fountain popular with children. Only opened in 2001, it features lots of animals and other unusual sculptures.

Back at the waterfront, we spotted the Moleturm, a twisting staircase tower that offers incredible views of the city and lake, as well as vistas of Switzerland across the lake. However, we did not yet go to climb it, but would make our way there later in the afternoon.

There appeared to be a lot of different boating activities on the lake, and though we didn't partake in any ourselves, we did enjoy watching others do so.

Our group admiring the swans and other birds swimming in the lake.

Lots of zeppelin sightings throughout the city, and you can even take tours in them as well! We did not use this service, but for those who are interested, this might be an option to experience a flight in a zeppelin for yourself.

Off in the distance, you could catch glimpses of the local evangelical church towers. This was an area of Friedrichshafen we didn't check out, but in a future trip, I would take a walk over here to the Schloss-Steg, the jetty in the bottom left of the picture, and admire the views from this area of town.

One thing we had noticed on our way to lunch was the seaside fair. Sadly, it was not operating on the days we were there, though that would have been a fun surprise, and it might be something I would plan for next time I was in this neighborhood.

Following are scenes from around the city center.

My friend Eileen and her husband (also my cousin) decided it was time to ascend the Moleturm. It's located on a little pier near the ferry terminal and is free to enter.

Below, the view from the pier looking back towards the lake front from which we came and where we had eaten lunch a few hours before.

Eileen and Peter on our way to the top.

Views of the surrounding German countryside.

It's not a hard climb - about 8-9 stories - but the view from the top makes the effort worthwhile.

After taking in the views from the Moleturm, we grabbed some coffees and decided to head back to the hotel to rest for a little while and talk story. We visited a few shops along the way, including a bookstore where I picked up some unusual reading materials (always a fave activity of mine to do when abroad), but also some children's books (for the former preschool teacher in me).

Later in the evening, Peter, Eileen and I decided to take another stroll along the seaside to watch the sunset and admire the beautiful scenery under the late evening light, as well as a few more closer looks at the fair stalls.

Below, you can see Switzerland (though it's quite hazy) off in the distance. Sometimes, when the lighting and clouds were just right, you could catch glimpses of the towering snow covered mountains of the Swiss Alps.

Throughout the day, ferries shuttled back and forth through the waters, whisking residents and tourists to locations across the lake. On a future visit, we would be sure to double check the ferry times and allot more time in general for a visit to be able to access some of these features.

A small glimpse of the moon as twilight descended on Friedrichshafen.

And, just like us, a boater returns to port after a fun day of exploration.

Overall, even though we didn't do a whole lot, and even though our original plan was foiled, we still had a great time wandering a quaint seaside community and taking it easy. The next day, Eileen and I would visit the Zeppelin Museum (discussed below), and then depart for Schloss Neuschwanstein, and then on to Austria for the evening.

Zeppelin Museum

Few things are more iconic and more heartbreaking than the horrific Hindenburg disaster in an airfield in Lakehurst, NJ in 1937. The iconography of the ship in flames captured in black and white images is captivating, and coupled with the infamous audio recording of Herbert Morrison's "Oh, the humanity!", one can't help but imagine how utterly devastating seeing the explosion in real life must have felt. And while the Hindenburg is the most famous (to Americans, anyway) of Germany's flying Zeppelins, the story of the aircraft, from its introduction to its abrupt end as a means of passenger travel is a fascinating one in itself.

And for those who take a trip to Friedrichshafen and are interested in learning that story, a visit to the Zeppelin Museum should be on your list of things to do. What I found particularly interesting is that you got to step foot in a replica zeppelin and see what it was like on the inside. Having seen the iconic images of the explosion many times, I had a hard time quantifying what exactly was happening inside the ship - where did people eat, sleep, work, relax? At the museum, you get a chance to find all of that information out for yourself.

Climbing up the ladder into the airship, you then enter into the dining room / lounge where guests would be able to eat, drink, and watch the scenery go by. Looks more comfortable and relaxing than current air travel, that's for sure!

You also get a chance to see the inner structure holding the aircraft together, as well as the hydrogen tanks that would keep the ship afloat.

You also get to take a peek into the living quarters for guests, including single rooms and doubles that used bunkbeds. Each room was small, but included a sink for freshening up. I wouldn't say the rooms were luxurious, but by comparison to a coach seat on a plane these days, I would take one in a heartbeat.

Besides the replica of the zeppelin, the museum also offers history of the airships, from their humble beginnings, to their international travels, to wartime usages and slow demise in popularity after the Hindenburg disaster. However, they are still used today, and Americans will certainly recognize the Good Year blimp as an iconic one still flying in our own skies.

Upstairs there was also an area for exploring science related topics, mostly geared towards children, though Eileen and I had to try out a few of the experiments ourselves.

Eileen and I grew up about 20 minutes north of Lakehurst, the scene of the infamous fiery ending of the Hindenburg. I remember discovering this fact - that the scene of this accident had happened so close by to where I grew up - not until midway into my teens. Of course, the incident is so famous and it was something well known in my childhood, but the connection to the locality somehow escaped my notice, and I can't remember a single teacher ever making mention of it. Either that, or I just wasn't paying attention that day. Both options are 50-50. :)

I think this was one of the main reasons my friend and I were so keen to visit this museum, with our own local connection to the tragedy, even if it is somewhat hidden to all our other fellow Ocean County residents.

Though we breezed through the museum, it was really an interesting place. I have always been fascinated by these massive airships, certainly seeming like a much more comfortable way to fly than what we currently use for commercial aviation. It seems that the accident and World War II ensured the slow demise of these strange vessels that floated through the skies, whisking travelers across the ocean. If you find yourself in Friedrichshafen, be sure to spend some time in this museum and contemplate the possibilities.

Website: Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen

Hotel City Krone

Located in the heart of Friedrichshafen, Hotel City Krone is a perfect hotel for having easy access to all the sights of this quant seaside little town. Finding it can be a little tricky with a car, as it is located in a pedestrian only area, so be sure to ask for directions and pay close attention as you near the town.

I booked a Premium Belle Etage room (149€ for July 2019), and it was more than comfortable for the night stay. The rate included a free breakfast, and I will say the offerings were quite substantial. Almost all members of our party stayed here, so it was perfect for a larger group of people as well. If I were to come back to Friedrichshafen, I would look to stay here again.