Outrunning My Feet
Outgrowing My Shoes
• Germany •

A short Frankfurt trip full of fresh air, river views, pee flavored beer, and a few very on-brand mishaps.

We only had one day in Germany, so we figured the best way to decide where to be was to take the airport train into the city center and start walking. Admittedly, I have a travel accident in 2023 where I ended up stranded in Frankfurt for a day which led me to have some nasty feelings about the city as a whole. But, we decided to give it another chance in the name of cheap flights and a major European airport hub. Before we knew it, we were totally charmed by it. While it wasn't our favorite of the backpacking tour, it was a nice clean city. It is worth noting that the stereotype about Germans being...strange..is true.

July 9, 2024
Frankfurt
Day trip, river walk, city wandering
Frankfurt city view
Not every memorable stop needs a full itinerary. Sometimes all it takes is a city center, a sunny day, something local to eat, and a story you still laugh about later.

The quick snapshot

Dates
July 9, 2024
Where we stayed
Day trip only — no overnight stay
Trip style
Quick city stop, walking, local food, river views, and light exploring
Overall rating
6 / 10
Getting there

How we got into Frankfurt

Getting there

Travel: Flew in from Paris

Travel cost: $124.00

Rental car: None

Arrival notes: Overall it was pretty simple, and one very helpful man pointed us in the right direction to get into the city center. Apparently, all you have to do is stand at the ticket terminal a bit too long with a confused face and someone will assume you're American, begin speaking to you in English immediately, and show you the ropes. Shortly after that, we boarded the train and got comfortable. Side note: We're generally pretty stellar about public transit. The train went a few stops, stopped entirely, everyone got off, and a cleaning crew got on. We assumed it was everyone else's stop since my Google maps wasn't interested in helping. A few short minutes later, people got back on and the train started going...the other way. That's right, we went back to the airport. Luckily, we noticed rather quickly and got off on the first stop to self correct.

Recommendation: Yes, I would do it this way again. It was a short flight from Paris, and honestly those in flight Biscoff cookies make the whole trip worth it.

Food + drink

Where we ate and what we ordered

Local bites

What we ordered: A frankfurter sausage and beer. It came with some sort of egg/mustard mixture (pictured above) and a pretzel.

Best surprise: Realizing very quickly that a frankfurter in Frankfurt is definitely not the same thing as the ballpark hot dog I am used to.

Would I do it again? Nah

Notes: I wish we would have tried a bit harder to find a real restaurant. This was a pretty small place along a river and they were pretty open about not caring whether we enjoyed the food or not.

Food notes

Best drink: Water on the plane

Best food memory: While I didn't like it, trying the frankfurter where it actually belongs was a cool thing to mark off of the bucket list

Overall vibe: Casual, local, and good for a wandering day

Takeaway: Even a one-day stop feels more fun when you make room for at least one very location-specific bite.

For next time

  • I honestly do believe that Germany has good food and good beer. Next time we go, we'll explore outside of Frankfurt. I'm super interested in Berlin, and have several friends who love the party scene there. Maybe we can convince one of them to give us a tour and show us where the good stuff is!

Overall food take

It was not an elaborate food stop, but it did give us a taste of the city and something specific to remember it by. Also, shortly after we finished eating Aiden decided to take a stroll along the river. I stayed put and did one of my discussion posts as I hadn't finished college at the time. While I was typing away and responding "Wow! Great post!", Aiden was being yelled at by a German man. He claims that the man started yelling at him in German, came closer, and whispered "Get out." I truly could not stop laughing when he told me and I'm giggling right now writing this.

Daily notes

What we did, day by day

Day 1

Date: July 9, 2024

Main plan: Fly in from Paris, take the subway into Frankfurt, walk around the city center, eat a frankfurter sausage, drink some beer, and explore the river and architecture.

Best part: The architure in this city was spectacular and definitely something worth noting

Worth repeating? Yes, but I want to get out of Frankfurt a bit more

Favorites

Best part: Walking through the city center with no real rush. A beautiful day with fresh air, river views, and a city that was easy to explore on foot.

Best little moment: The accidental reverse train ride that somehow became one of our funniest travel memories

What I’d recommend

If you only have a day, head straight into the city center and walk as much as you can. Grab something local, sit for a beer, follow the river a little, and let the day stay simple. Frankfurt worked well for that kind of easy exploring.

What I’d skip

The only thing I would skip is assuming the train situation is obvious. We figured it out eventually, but not before accidentally giving ourselves a very funny detour.