Mainz - Unexpected highlight!

After a last minute change in lodging we ended up spending 4 nights in what ended up being one of the highlights of our trip!

How I got there: After our factory tour in Ingolstadt, we drove right through to Mainz. With a stop to re-fuel this took about 4 hours. Our destination was the Hyatt Regency in Mainz. We past by countless quaint Germany towns, countryside dotted with churches and farms each more gorgeous than the next. We arrived late in the evening and found a place to eat before waking up the next day to 3 full days of incredible adventures!

Where I stayed:Hyatt Regency in Mainz. https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/mainz-hyatt-regency-mainz 

The hotel is at the convergence of the Rhein and Main rivers. You will see counless River cruise ships float by and there is a charming walking path that takes you along the length the river.

What I did:

Day 1: My son plays volleyball, loves volleyball and had been away from it for a week and a half. Thanks to Google, I found that Mainz has a beach volleyball court right on the Rhein river. After dinner and checking in at the hotel, we took a walk down to the Rheinstrand Mainz. My son hopped into a game and got some much needed touches. The Rheinstrand is a mix of pop up bars, eateries and a strip of outdoor tables, chairs and places to lounge right on the river. It gets busy during the day but well worth the beachside vibe.

Day 2:

- Sightseeing and boutique shopping in Mainz - Downtown Mainz is filled with fantastic shopping of all kinds, historic sights and an infectuous and lively vibe. Window shop, sightsee then grab a glass of wine (this is wine region) and pull up a seat to people and river watch.

- More volleyball at the beach - daytime gave the Rheinstrand a whole new look! It was bright, vibrant, full of poeple walking the strand and those lounging, sippinjg a drink and watching the barges and boats on the river.

- Trip to Walldorf (where I lived from ages 7-10) - I took a trip down memory lane to a town just South of Frankfurt where my family (dad, mom, brother and I) lived for 2+ years while my parents taught at the nearby Rhein Main Airforce base. I was able to find the home I lived in and grab some much beloved Spaghetti Eis, plus take a walk looking for the love bug.

- Back to the beach at Ingelheim am Rhein - We wanted to find a place to get in the water and swim for a bit. We found a fantastic beach park at Ingelheim where there were dozens of people camped out on beach blankets soaking up the sun. There were plenty of places to swim, lounge and it was dog friendly. A truly beautiful change from hotel pool swimming!

- Dinner on the steps out front of the hotel - everyone heads out just before sunset to enjoy cocktails, food and family all while overlooking the Rhein.

Day 3: [See my separate post on this day alone]

- Bikes, ferries, castles and boats

Day 4:

- Fairytale Road

- A breathtaking ancient church

- More shoping and a last stroll through a must see German city

Where I ate:

• Mainz Hyatt Regency - the breakfast buffet here is truly extraordinary, and it is topped off with complimentary champagne to be made into your mimosa of choice!

• Moctezuma Mexico - Really good Mexican food in the middle of Germany.

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• Weinstrube Hottum