Mudpie Fridays >> Bodensee >> 15 Things to do in and around UnterUhldingen on the Bodensee

15 Things to do in and around UnterUhldingen on the Bodensee

When we visited Lake Constance and The Bodensee for Easter we stayed in UnterUhldingen. A sweet little village right on the shore of Lake Constance, which is the largest lake in Germany and the second largest in Central Europe. Located on the German side of the lake it makes for a cheaper holiday than its Swiss and Austrian neighbours. Full of modern holiday apartments and a handful of restaurants it does not have the pretty half-timber buildings you see elsewhere. But there was a surprising amount to do in the immediate vicinity.

UnterUhldingen on the Bodensee seemed very popular with German holidaymakers but has seemingly passed the British by. The whole holiday we only came across a handful of English holidaymakers.

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Things to do in and around UnterUhldingen on the Bodensee

We spent 7 days on the Bodensee and should we decide to visit the German side again it is likely that we would stay in the same village. Partly because it was quiet and serene but also because there was plenty to do. It is a great place, worth visiting, I have added 15 of them below!

Jump on board a boat to the Flower Island of Maniau

The village has its own harbour area where you can catch the local ferry boats to different places on the lake. We decided to take a boat trip to the closest, which is to the Island of Maniau. Which is also known as the flower island. It costs 30€ for a family return ticket and there is so much to do on the island. The boats run every hour and the crossing takes around 15 minutes. It was very pleasant taking the trip across the crystal-clear waters. During our crossing we saw a Zeppelin in the sky which had launched from the Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen.

I thought we would only need half a day on Mainau Island but we ended up staying for all of it. We visited when the tulips were in full bloom and it was really pretty. The boys loved the play areas, there’s a butterfly house and plenty of places to eat. Entrance to the gardens cost 24€ for an adult with children under 12 going for free. It is possible to buy a combined boat and entrance ticket at the harbour or you can buy online tickets in advance. Since numbers are limited. You can read more about our visit here – Island of Mainau – The Flower Island

Pfahlbauten Museum

The Pfahlbauten Museum, also known as the Unteruhldingen Open-Air Museum, is located right in the village centre. This unique museum is dedicated to showcasing and preserving the history of prehistoric pile dwellings, also known as stilt houses. Which were constructed on the shores of ancient lakes and rivers during the Neolithic Stone Age and Bronze Age. A UNESCO World Heritage site you can catch glimpses of them from the shore or when on a boat ride. If you want to visit the archeological site and lake dwellings then the cost is 10€ for and adult and 6€ for a child. You can find out more, including opening times on the Pfahlbaumuseum Unteruhldingen website.

Mini Golf

Much to the boy’s delight there is a mini golf course made up of 12 holes located in amongst the restaurants. Next to it is a beer garden. Happy kids and happy parents. It costs 5.50€ for 12 holes. Expect to pay around 8€ for a bottle of wheat beer and a large glass of wine. Although the course does go into the shade quite quickly the beer garden remains in the sun for a lot longer. I can imagine it will be very popular later in the season. Even though it was Spring when we visited and so the time of year when we lose the sun early it was still nice sitting outside.

Table Tennis

If you have a ping pong ball fan then bring your own paddles and balls. We saw table tennis tables at various locations around beautiful Lake Constance so it appears to be a popular pastime. UnterUhldingen has two tables in the gardens in front of the pebble beach area.

Play Area

The play area looked like it was modelled on the pile dwelling museum since it was right next door. It was very good. Made almost entirely from wood there is plenty of opportunity to climb, balance and slide. The boys always enjoyed spending some time running around and on the swings. We would go most evenings. There are also some Hammocks on the other side of the harbour which were also very popular with the boys.

Car and Tractor Museum Bodensee

A great rainy day activity Car and Tractor Museum exhibition is a journey through 100 years of city and country life. With 350 vehicles from automotive history – cars, motorcycles and tractors. Giving you the opportunity to experience the development of means of transport up close. The museum also runs a number of interactive tours and there is a restaurant on site as well. In the centre of the village, there is an old red tractor that the boys enjoyed climbing on and pretending to drive. A family ticket for two adults and their own children up to age fifteen costs 15€.

The Reptile House

We visited the Reptile House on our last day as the boys has seen in our travels and were desperate to try it out. Easily within walking distance of the shores of Lake Constance. it is located on a small industrial estate on the main road into the village. A family ticket cost 16€ for two adults and two children. I would allow around an hour for your visit. The highlight for the boys was the python that was not in a glass cabinet but happily hanging around on a branch. Meaning that you could touch him if you so wanted. Only Charlie was brave enough to give it a go. Not particularly large it makes a good rainy day activity. If you are driving there is plenty of parking facilities.

Watch the Sunset

This has to be my favourite thing to do and in UnterUhldingen Bodensee we got very good views of the sunset. Although the weather was changeable when we visited we only managed to catch it twice. I would imagine in the Summer months you will get a stunning sunset each night with views of the lake. One place we found where we enjoyed sitting and watching the world go by is the frame of a house overlooking the water with the snow-covered Swiss Alps in the background.

Paddle in the Lake

When we visited it was a bit cold to go into the lake. But there is a small grey pebble beach area which allows easy access to the lake for swimming and paddling. The boys enjoyed throwing pebbles into the water and looking for skimming stones. There were also ducks who were happily taking bread. I think because of the time we visited, it was very peaceful. Not so sure it would be quite so peaceful in high season since it’s a popular destination.

Hire Pedalos

In the small marina, you can hire pedalos or tretboote (paddle boat) as they are called. With brightly coloured deck chairs they look very inviting. Prices start at 10€ for 2 people or 15€ for 4 people for half an hour. Up to 45€ for 2 people and 50€ for 4 people for three hours.

Hire Boats

At the same point in the marina, you can also hire motor boats which seems like a popular pastime on the lake. Prices start at 40€ for half an hour and go up to 175€ for three hours. So I guess it depends on how athletic you are feeling and on the option you take. During our visit, we did not see anyone partaking in water activities but I can imagine in the Summer it is a popular pastime.

Volleyball Net and Sand Pitch

As well as the table tennis tables we also saw a lot of volleyball nets and pitches around the area. UnterUhldingen is no different. It appeared overnight as it was not there when we arrived. Perfect for teens to let off a bit of energy. I guess they are maintained by the local town.

Catch the bus to Meersburg

Meersburg is s small medieval town which is a ten-minute bus ride from UnterUhldingen Bodensee. Your hotel should be able to give you a card which will allow you to ride for free on the local bus network. As a way of encouraging people to drive less which is especially important during the busy Summer month. Meersburg makes a lovely day out with its half-timber historic buildings in the old town and Old Castle. We found a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by with a glass of wine and had a wander around Meersburg Castle on a self-guided tour. It was a great way to learn more about local history and one of the oldest inhabited castles. Read more about our visit Day trip to Meersburg and Meersburg Castle.

Affenberg Salem

A ten minute drive away is a must for animal lovers. Not only is it the only place we found nesting storks which the region is well known for. But you also get the chance to get up close to a whole troop of monkeys. Around 200 Barbary Masques roam freely in a wooded area, probably one of the best nature experiences we have done. There is also a lake and a herd of fallow deer. Free parking on-site and a fast food restaurant. Plus an amazing play area makes it a really good day out with kids. We visited on our way home so could only stay for three hours. But you could easily spend the whole day it was one of the best things we did during our stay. A family ticket costs 42€. Read more about our visit – A visit to Affenberg Salem.

Petting Zoo

If monkeys are not your thing then there is also a petting zoo – Haustierhof Reutemuehle which is also around a ten-minute drive. There are around 200 different animal and bird species in the adventure farm. There is also a lot of play equipment for children to enjoy. Prices are 11€ for an adult and 5.50€ for a child. You can also buy food for the animals at 2.50€ a bag.

We had a lovely week’s stay in UnterUhldingen on the Bodensee. And got up to so much. Have you visited? I would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.