German summers can be very temperamental. One day can be warm and sunny with the next being pretty darn cold and grey. This makes it hard to plan things such as lake visits, picnics and swimming. This past weekend however, we decided that despite the un-summer like weather we were having, we would go to Tegernsee and rent a boat. So that we did! We bundled up and enjoyed the day, clouds and all.

Tegernsee, like many of the lakes in Bavaria, is accompanied by beautiful views of the Alps. Of course a sunny, warm day to go along with a boat trip would be ideal…but I wouldn’t rule out doing something like this on a cloudy, cool day. There were a couple of advantages. One being that the lake itself wasn’t as crowded as it normally would be on a Sunday afternoon as well as we were easily able to park at the boat rental shop, which normally in this area can be a hassle.

All the boats on the lake are electric. The rental fee was 18 Euros an hour and they are about as easy as anything to drive. Only thing you have to watch out for is the weather, as in this area it can change quite rapidly. So if the wind picks up and it starts to get a little choppy, head back to shore.

So even if the German weather is not cooperating, this can be something you may still enjoy! Bring along a few layers and a picnic and spend a little time out on the peaceful Tegernsee taking in the gorgeous views. The drive is about 45 minutes away from Munich and trains are easily found going to and from this area with the Deutsche Bahn.