My 3 Favorite Sensory-Friendly Spots in Munich

Part 1 of a Three-Part Series

Read the intro to this series here.

Europe is known for its ancient beauty, diverse culture, and deep history. I did not have the opportunity to go to Europe until I was 29. As a child, my family traveled near and far, but our travels never took us to Europe. I had dreamed of being immersed in countries with incredible ties to history that I had only read about in books. I had hoped that one day I would be able to travel with my children, wherever my husband and I were able to take them. Once the opportunity to travel to Munich came up, after a great deal of reflection, we decided to take the plunge!

When my family travels, whether locally or miles away, I need to do research on what places are beneficial for both of my children and will be the most positive experience for my family. Any family with a loved one with special needs knows that the preparation can be overwhelming. Our family’s experience in Munich showed me that—although it is different from other families’ experiences—it is possible to explore and reap the benefits of traveling abroad. Today, I’d like to share with you my family’s favorite spots, especially ones that were sensory friendly and comfortable for both of my children, in hopes that you will also experience Munich and all it has to offer!

Here are my top 3 sensory-friendly places to visit in Munich and some sensory takeaways I learned.

• Hellabrunn Zoo – the first Geozoo in the world and within Munich city limits (and they have elephants!!!!)
  • Spacial Needs – 99 acres of zoo spread throughout a garden like atmosphere; even when crowded, it is extremely spread out 
  • Vestibular Needs – there are 4 playgrounds with various types of equipment located throughout the zoo
  • Visual Needs – it is shady throughout most of the zoo so the sun light is not overwhelming
  • Auditory Needs – even though it was crowded when we went, the zoo was extremely peaceful and quiet due to the dense foliage of the zoo
  • Sensory Respite Spaces – there are plenty of benches and areas to sit throughout the zoo that were not overly crowded for sensory respite spaces
  • Wheelchair Accessibility – many pathways paved with wood chips are present  in the play areas and along smaller trails off the main paved pathways

*IMPORTANT TO KNOW the parking lots fill up quickly, and there is a great deal of walking involved from other parking areas.

• Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (Traffic Center) – Large transportation museum in the heart of Munich
  • For those who have children with cars/trains/buses as a preferred interest, this is a great option for automobile fun! 
  • Spacial Needs – the museum is spread out through numerous buildings so it does not crowd easily, especially during the week
  • Vestibular Needs – there is a children’s section with a play area (but it does close a half hour prior to the museum closing)
  • Tactile Needs – interactive transportation opportunities spread throughout the museum; however, you can’t touch most of the modes of transportation (which became frustrating for both of my children by the end)
  • Auditory Needs – it does echo throughout the large rooms so headphones might be necessary in some areas
  • Wheelchair Accessibility

• Top of Germany – Zugspitze Peak in the Alps (about an hour outside of Munich)
  • This is an ABSOLUTE MUST SEE if it is possible and appropriate for your family! 
  • Spacial Needs – this is a site that does get crowded; however, the cable cars leading to the top of the mountain and back down run every 10 minutes so it is a quick in and out. The cable car was the only tricky bit as they do put as many people as they can inside. But! Everyone was so nice and let my son head to the windows so he wasn’t overwhelmed and could see the views!
  • Tactile Needs/Vestibular Needs – there is a second cable car you can take to the glacier below the peak. My kids had a snowball fight and that helped greatly with some regulation during this excursion! Snowball fight on a glacier? Check that off the bucket list!
  • There is also the Lake Eibsee (a glacial lake) below where the cable car drops you off. My kids dipped their feet in, and my son could have stayed there for hours playing with the rocks and staying in the water.
  • Wheelchair Accessible

*IMPORTANT TO KNOW – There are a lot of safety precautions that need to be taken as you are on top of a mountain peak with guardrails. If this is not for your family or you are uncomfortable, there are plenty of lakes to visit in the countryside of Germany with views of the Alps without the risk of injury or cause of anxiety.

Overall, I was very intentional in how we navigated these locations. We did not go to everything I had researched due to weather and how the kids were doing each day. I wanted us to have options; so while leading up to the trip, my son saw pictures and we discussed possible excursions we would go on, I did not want to overbook the entire vacation. I made sure that we had “low-key days” in between big days of sight-seeing, and also made sure we were back in our hotel around 5:30PM to wind down and keep our nighttime routine as close to normal as possible. Plus, any parent knows that when you’re on a trip with your kids, you are more exhausted than they are! 

Feel free to reach out to me at most.au.some.journey@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @most_au_some_journey to learn more about planning a sensory-friendly excursion with your family.