6 Amusement Parks in Germany to Visit

Germany may not have Disney, but it sure LOVES an amusement park! For thrill-seekers and white knuckle-riders, you are going to find everything you want in any one of the parks we recommend. But these parks also offer age-appropriate rides and entertainment for the whole family. After all, every parent knows that keeping the little people happy is the key to a successful day out for everyone!

We’ve independently researched six parks which we feel offer great days or short-stays for families that are all quite easy to reach from USAG Stuttgart or the KMC.

This is a big article with lots of information to cover, so to make it easy for you to find what you need, here’s what we cover:

Not Included

What we don’t include is four other very popular parks in Germany, which are worth exploring, but a little too far from USAG Stuttgart or the Ramstein/Kaiserslautern military community to be included in this round up:

We’ve tried to list as many of the themed areas and key attractions as possible so you can evaluate what you and your family like to try, but honestly… they are ALL worth a visit. The only question is, will you have the time to tick them all off your list in the time that you are stationed in Germany?!

Some of these parks, especially the Theme Parks are so large that multiple days are recommended. They all offer on-site accommodation, or you can of course book off-site in nearby towns. Booking onsite accommodation will usually include discounted park discounts, but do compare against annual passes* which are better value if you are looking to return for more than 4 days either at once or later in the year. 

*Some parks suspended the sale of annual passes during the pandemic but they may be available again now.

Theme Parks vs. Amusement Parks

Themed areas in parks are strong in Germany. There is something brilliantly fun about the rides, kiosks and all the inbetween signs, entertainers and supporting decorative items tying everything together under one cohesive idea. Europapark, Phantasialand and LEOGLAND in particular offer themed areas across their parks, restaurants and hotels which work brilliantly to add something extra special to your experience. 

European parks generally are not about the tallest, fastest, longest rides (although they have plenty of thrilling rides to try) it is about the whole experience and soaking in the atmosphere with the people you are with and having fun. They are mostly on a smaller scale than the parks in America (OK, Europapark is HUGE!), but what they lose in size they make up for with charm. We think you are going to love them!

Europapark, Rust

Nestled in the Black Forest lies one of the world’s most beautiful theme parks and Germany’s largest. Europapark attracts more than 5 million visitors from all over the world every season. It’s a park for all ages from gentle attractions for youngsters to adrenaline-fueled coasters.

Visitors to Europa-Park can look forward to over 100 attractions and shows, across 15 European country themed areas and it now includes a huge water park at a separate site, Rulantica. 

To put the park into context, Europa is like Epcot in Florida (without Mickey Mouse) but just as impressive with different areas themed on countries to explore. You can spend three days there and not see everything. There is sooo much going on!

Europa Park has won “Best Amusement Park” four years in a row in Attraction Today’s Golden ticket Awards. It is run by The Mack family who also manufacture rides and attractions all over the world including Copper Head Strike at Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Whilst a visit during the summer season is certainly ideal, don’t dismiss Fall and Winter. Europapark hosts some fantastic themed days which are really special to experience. Halloween is especially popular and Christmas is magical and includes an ice-skating rink and hundreds of beautifully lit Christmas trees and lights around the park.

Take a look at our own one-minute highlights video of Europapark, which really just scratches the surface of how much there is to enjoy!

Themed Areas & Attractions

Food & Drink 

There are lots of options for either snacking on the go or sitting down to rest and eat well all over the park. Something for everyone, though we would caution vegans to have a back up plan. You can also visit the restaurants in the six hotels around the park too, even if you are not a guest.

Accomodation at Europaland

Multiple day visits to the park must be very popular because Europapark boasts six hotels, one campside and one camping resort! 

Insider’s Tip: They offer a hotel hopper ticket where you pay a flat fee and you can experience 5 of the best hotels. The staff move your luggage each day. It’s brilliant.

• Bell Rock – New England style hotel
• Castillo Alcazar – Medieval Castle hotel
• Colosseo – Italian themed hotel
• El Andaluz – Spanish Finca themed hotel
• Krønasår – Museum themed hotel next to the water park
• Santa Isabel – Portugese Monastery themed hotel
• Camping – bring your own RV or tent and book a spot in the campsite
• Camp Resort – Wild West themed and filled with teepees and covered wagons for your overnight stay. How cool is that?

All hotels are on monorail stops to help you navigate around the park, apart from Krønasår which is linked by a free shuttle bus. 

We think there’s enough to do to justify an overnight stay and 3-5 days in the park if your budget will stretch to it!

Entry Prices

Infants under 4 free

Kids 4-11 €47

Adults 12+ €55

Kids go free on their birthday (up to 12 years).

Find out more at the Europapark website

Getting There

Europark is in Rust which is close to Freiburg im Bresigau. It is an approximate 2.5 hour drive from the Kaiserslautern/Ramstein military community or just under 2 hours from USAG Stuttgart. 

Phantasialand, Brühl

Located between Bonn and Köln in the Nord-Rhein Westphalian state of Germany is one of Europe’s most popular theme parks, attracting over two million visitors each year.

At Phantasialand, you can explore the palm leaves in an exotic jungle, marvel at genuine Chinese pagodas and eavesdrop on the secretive whisperings of the grumpy mountain goblins – in six exciting worlds. 

As a helpful comparison, Phantasialand is a small but perfectly formed version of Disney’s California Adventure (without Mickey). It offers breath-taking theming and unique rides such as the Intamin Blitz coaster – until recently, the world’s fastest multi-launch roller coaster – Taron, which really packs a punch. Because it doesn’t go upside down it’s an ideal thrill for anyone with a fear of roller coasters but dying to try a proper white-knuckle ride!

There is plenty here for the entire family to stay entertained and amused, not just the thrill-seekers!

Themed Areas & Attractions

Food & Drink 

There are plenty of fast food or restaurant options including vegetarians and vegans.

Accomodation at Phantasialand

We think there is more than enough in the park to justify a multi-day trip, so if you are planning to do that, you could try out some of the on-site hotels. There are three themed hotels within with the park:

• Hotel Ling Bao – far eastern theme
• Hotel Matamaba – an African safari theme (the African buffet here is highly recommended)
• Hotel Charles Limbergh – an adventurer’s theme

Entry Prices

Infants under 3 free

Kids 4-11 €44.50

Adults 12+ €54.50

These are peak summer season prices. Prices for the winter season are cheaper, but some attractions are closed.

Find out more at the Phantasialand website

Getting There

OK, so Phantasialand is a bit further away from the military bases than the other parks we are recommending in this article, but it is considered one of the best theme parks in Europe so we felt it was worth including on this list.

Phantasialand is located between Bonn and Köln and takes around four hours to drive there from USAG Stuttgart and 2 hours 45 minutes from the Ramstein/Kaiserslautern military community. For those based in Wiesbaden, it’s just a two hour drive.

LEGOLAND, Günzburg 

LEGOLAND is one of the most popular and multiple award-winning theme parks in Germany and it’s so easy to see why. It’s a feast for the imagination as every inch of the park has something interesting to see. 

It’s aimed at families with children aged 2-12 but we think big kids will love it too. James certainly did when he visited it earlier this year under the guise of taking his young son, Eddy!

The park boasts 144 themed rooms, a campsite, a magnificent castle complex and the unique Pirate Island Hotel, designed with a total of 1,500 LEGO models. 

Fun fact: More than 57 million LEGO bricks have been assembled in the whole park. If you put all these LEGO bricks together, it would result in a 1,767- kilometre long chain. That’s enough to go from North to South Germany twice!

Themed Areas & Attractions

*There are one or two attractions listed here that have an additional fee – but most are included in the park entrance fee.

Food & Drink

There are several restaurants and snack options throughout the park that cover almost all food cravings. They boast that the oriental restaurant Fata Morgana Kitchen especially caters for vegans. You can also visit the restaurants in the park’s hotels too – the buffets are great value! It’s a good idea to pre-book.

Accomodation at LEGOLAND

The onsite holiday village is a fun way to get more out of your visit as you can continue to explore some attractions after the park has closed. It’s not cheap, but an overnight stay is a real treat!

• The Pirate Island Hotel
• Castle complex with Knights‘, Dragons‘ and Kings‘ Castle
•  72 cottages (themed rooms include pirates, knights, racers, adventurers and
  Egyptian)
• Campsite with 165 pitches and 39 themed camping barrels (14 wildness and 25 pirate themed)

Entry Prices

Adults & Children 3+ €42 booked online

Infants under 3 free

Find out more on the Legoland website.

Getting There

Legoland is situated in Bavaria on the A8 halfway between Stuttgart and Munich. It’s approximately a 1 hour 20 minute drive from USAG Stuttgart and just over three hours from Kaiserslautern/Ramstein military communities.

Legoland is open between April and early November each year. 

Holiday Park, Haßloch

Holiday Park is one of Germany’s most popular but smaller theme parks. It’s situated in the Pfalzerwald and offers more than 30 attractions and a unique combination of shows and live acts to ensure a full day of fun for all ages. There is an awful lot here for younger children to enjoy whilst the big ones are enjoying some of the white-knuckle rides so it’s a great family day out. It’s a great all-rounder.

Attractions

Food & Drink

Lots of fast food, grilling and restaurant options with particular reference to vegetarians. We recommend vegans take back-up snacks.

Entry Prices

Prices are by height not age:

Over 1.40m €38,50

1m – 1.39m €33,50

85cm – 99cm3 €14,50

Under 85cm free

Find out more on the Holiday Park website.

Getting There

Holiday Park is located close between Mannheim and Speyer is just an hour’s drive from Kaiserslautern/Ramstein and about 1 hour 20 minutes from USAG Stuttgart.

Holiday Park is open all year round. 

Tripsdrill, Cleebronn

Tripsdrill is a theme park, wildlife park and nature resort all in one so you may want to plan a multi-day trip to this one.

Less than an hour from Stuttgart and in the midst of vineyards, forests and orchards lies Germany‘s first ever theme park: Tripsdrill. 

The history of Germany’s first adventure park began in 1929, when Eugen Fischer inaugurated the first old mill. Today, Tripsdrill is an adventure park with more than 100 original attractions, a wildlife paradise with around 50 animal species and a nature resort with exceptional overnight accommodation. The family-run business offers fun for young and old. Tripsdrill has been honored several times as the best adventure park in Europe with the European Star Award.

Attractions

Food & Drinks

There are several cafes, snack huts and restaurants here all serving local, German food. You are also encouraged to bring picnics and there are several places allocated around the park for this.

Accomodation at Trips Drill

Luxurious but close to nature – glamping is the order of the day (or rather night). Spend a night or two deep in the forest in one of the amazing tree houses or shepherd’s huts for the ultimate Hansel & Gretel experience. You’ll be able to listen to the wolves of the nearby wildlife park whilst you drift off to sleep… if you can!

Entry Prices

Infants under 4 free

Kids 4-11 €31

Adults 12+ €37

Find out more at the Tripsdrill website

Getting There

Trippsdrill is situated about 45 minutes drive from USAG Stuttgart and 1 hour 55 minutes from the Ramstein/Kaiserslautern military community. 

Tripsdrill is open until December.

Best Kept Secret – Kurpfalz Park, Rotsteig

This park has been recommended to us many times by locals in the Rhineland-Pfalz area. Whilst it’s not an adrenaline-type adventure fun park, it has a lot to offer a family on a day out and combines some really great playing areas for younger kids alongside wild animals. 

This is a small and relaxed park where you don’t need to run around planning your day to ensure you fit everything in. In fact this Kurpfalz Park really feels like a local secret, so let’s not tell too many people about it!

Attractions

Food & Drinks

There is an imbiss-station (fast/snack hut) and a restaurant on the lake, both of which we believe only accept cash payments. However, our recommendation is to pre-book a grill area for €25 and have a proper day out with friends and family, which we think is a great option (you must call in advance to book this). 

Kurpfalz Park Tip

You can bring your dog to this park as long as you keep him/her on the lead (they are not allowed in the falconry display area). They are of course not permitted on any attractions

Entry Prices

Adults €16

Children 4-14 €14

Infants under 3 free

Family days are Fridays (except on public holidays) where children under 14 get 50% off when accompanied by a fully-paying adult. 

Please note that it is not possible to book tickets online and the park only accepts cash payments only.

Find out more on the Kurpfalz Park website.

Getting There

Kurpfalz Park is located close to Wachenheim and Bad Dürkheim and is just 55 minutes from Kaiserslautern/Ramstein and about 1 hour 50 minutes from USAG Stuttgart.

Kurpfalz Park is open between late March and early November each year. 

Entertainment & Shows

Most of the parks we have listed offer a varied program of entertainment and live or interactive shows that take place throughout the day. They offer a great opportunity to sit down, rest and enjoy some air conditioning whilst being entertained or more importantly having the kids entertained. The performances can be relied upon to be really good quality, offering something for everyone.

We have not listed the live entertainment for each park as they are often seasonal and subject to change, but each park’s website will detail what is available on your visit and many offer apps to help you plan and navigate your visit.

COVID-19 Information

Each state (Bundesland) in Germany adheres to its own guidelines relating to COVID-19 protocols and these theme parks are spread across several different states. Please check on the park websites for the most up to date information before you leave home. Although everything has opened up again, and most places do not even require negative tests or vaccine certifications at the moment, fluctuating infection rates mean things change daily to be prepared. Booking in advance is still currently essential, even with an annual pass.

Used Car Guys

Pre-Owned Vehicles in Germany

Need a new-to-you vehicle to get to one of these fabulous parks we have recommended? Visit our online showroom to view our latest inventory of used cars available. We offer a click and collect service during Corona times to reduce contact, maintain social distancing and comply with host country Covid regulations. Check out our inventory here >