Our Family Visiting Vianden in LuxembourgAlong with the diaper bag comes the camera bag with every family trip for us.

View of Vianden from the Top of the Castle.The higher you go the better the panoramas of the local area.

• Amusement Parks: In Germany our family favorite parks are Europa Park, Legoland and Phantasialand. In the summer there are water rides and splash grounds. From late November through December Europa Park and Phantasialand are decorated for the Christmas season.
• Outdoor Trails and Nature Parks: Here we are a quick walk or short drive away from a trail or park--one actually starts right behind our backyard. Plants and wildlife unique to the area and season show up when you least expect it. So always keep your camera at the ready.
• Castles: You don't have to go very far to find a castle. There are three general categories of castles: preserved and passed down through a family (Burg Eltz comes to mind); restored (Vianden in Luxembourg); and remaining ruins. Preserved and restored castles give you the best opportunity for interior photos and vistas of surrounding villages and countryside from the towers--if you can take your camera inside. Ruins can give you the most liberal access for exterior shots.
• Festivals: Every season in every part of Germany there is a festival to be found on the weekend. In the past year I only found a month or so between January and February where there was no celebration to be found. You’ll be tempted to take photos of everything you see in as wide a shot as possible. Just make sure to close in on those small details, performers, or vendors that catch your eye.

Being Silly at Burg EltzPhotos--especially with family--don't have to be staged to be perfect. Just have to convey the moment you want to remember.