This park in Baden-Baden runs along the Oos River and it's just about 1.5-2 miles…read more Manicured, landscaped gardens with a variety of out of the ordinary foliage and trees, bridges, and benches. It's a peaceful and beautiful stroll. Close by you'll find a convent, rose garden, casino, museum, and more. Nice inside the park, it feels you're in another world.

Each morning while in Baden-Baden, a blissful stroll I took on this lovely promenade. Feeling the…read morebreeze, listening to the flow of the river, catching sight of the colorful flowers amongst the lining of captivating plants and trees. A beautiful way in starting a day! CHEERS!

We came here primarily for visiting the stork refuge as we read about of its existence in this…read morepark. I must say we were a little disappointed to be honest--perhaps due to our preconceived notion of what this "refuge" ought to be like... Yes, great efforts are made to restore storks population. However, as a "refuge" it fell short of what we expected. There were four storks (I assumed two couples) kept under a low net (about ten to twelve feet) habitat area. There were several poles with ready-made nest stands, and some of them already had nest built with sticks. That was pretty much the extent of habitat here. You can see a lot more of them in nature here and elsewhere. One of the write-ups was about the incubation of eggs, but I couldn't see any evidence of it during our visit. Oh well, we must've missed the prime season anyway. Nonetheless, the park is very nice and totally free to enter--even the zoo area. Zoo is open during certain hours during the day--they will check your COVID vaccination certificates, and you must wear mask and sanitize your hands before entering. There were many folks running around the park itself, and there was a yoga class about ready to start on a lawn. Flowers around the Orangerie were very pretty and well-cared for. The Rose Garden had some beautiful roses (photos) though it probably was close to the end of its season when we visited here. Parking is free around the park in the designated parking stalls. There are public restrooms--near one of the entrances for nominal cost. If you are in Strasbourg, you must come and visit this great park.

Strasbourg is a hidden gem of a city, and if you're lucky enough to be visiting it, make sure to…read morehead over to the Parc de l'Orangerie while you're there. Part Park, part petting zoo, and part regular zoo, it's an ideal way to enjoy the outdoors in Strasbourg no matter what the season. Although I visited during the late afternoon and during the winter, there was no shortage of activity, as the place buzzed with people and animals alike. After parking, a friend and I slowly meandered around and looked at the exotic birds. I was thrilled to see a Mandarin Duck idly paddling around in one of the ponds -- they're just as delightful in person as when I had seen their photos. A flock of flamingos occupies another pond, and one particular one was quite vocal that evening. A pleasant "tick-tock-tick" of ping pong balls wafted over from one part of the park as we walked around. We headed through the tree-lined walk to see the (enormous!) stork's nests in some of the trees as the Josephine Pavilion, stopping by Gaenseliesl to take her picture. On our way back we heard the unmistakable braying of a donkey from the petting zoo -- it was dinner time and he was eager for the human in the enclosure to come his way with his dinner. As the sun set, the visit to the Parc de l'Orangerie rounded out what could only be described as a perfect day in Strasbourg!

Luisenpark Mannheim is truly one of my favorite spots in Mannheim. Having lived here years ago, I…read moreused to bring my kids on weekends to relax and enjoy nature--and it still holds that same charm today. Originally created for the Bundesgartenschau, the park has grown into a vibrant and well-loved destination for locals and visitors alike. The gardens are beautifully maintained, and there's something for everyone--playgrounds for children, peaceful walking paths, and even small boat rides for a relaxing experience on the water. One of the highlights is the variety of attractions: a botanical garden, a butterfly house, animal enclosures (we spotted cows and reptiles!), and large aviaries with birds--including storks. The Japanese garden and traditional-style tea house add a serene and unique touch that makes the park feel extra special. Even visiting in the off-season was a delight. While it wasn't as lush as in summer, the early spring blooms still made everything feel fresh and beautiful. Overall, Luisenpark is a must-visit if you're in Mannheim. There is a small entrance fee, but it's absolutely worth it for the experience.

Yes!!!! This place is amazing. Pack a lunch or stash some euros aside for food at one of the little…read moreeateries in the park, because you're going to want a full day here. ***WARNING: They don't accept any American credit cards. You MUST have euros to get in, and the closest ATM is a 10 min walk.*** Now once you get in it's a blast from beginning to end. They have huge open spaces of green grass to lounge around on metal lawn chairs or you can bring in your own blanket. There are tons of playgrounds with different themes through out the park. The castle playground built from real stone is exceptional. They have awesome rope climbing webs. The water playgrounds are super cool! Swings and slides are interesting and well maintained here. The plants and animals are super neat. We had a crane scoping us out while we ate our picnic lunch in one of the fields. They have a little penguin exhibit, turtles, guinea pigs!, and a very beautiful butterfly exhibit. There is also a small aquarium. Oh and the boats! The boat ride is a slow leisurely drift through the parks little river. The pelicans came right up to the boat and tried to snatch the tiny persons pink pants right off of the side (they were not on her, but hang drying). There were also a ton of baby ducks. It was super cute. We had such a great day here and didn't even make it all the way around the park!

Why not hang out in the park for a change? There are many of them in K-Town including the lovely…read moreStadtpark. It's a nice alternative to walking in the forst and you'll have a lot more fun people watching!

the best place to enjoy BBQs (in certain areas only), chill out, chat with friends for hours, play…read moreguitar and sing, listen to drummers, play frisbee or just lay in the sun and you can even have a gorgeous view on the castle as it lays on the hill overlooking the oldtown (see in my pics ;-) ) I absolutely love this view!!!! If you should be out till very, very, very early in the morning not wanting to go home to bed yet.....take a warm jumper with you and wait for the sunrise!!! WOW!!!!! A sunrise to remember :-) If you should be there with children there is even a playground area half way down the Neckarwiese!!!