'We want to tour Germany without boring our daughter'

Last year, René and Andy Reed, of Mission Viejo, Calif., went to Hong Kong and were dazzled by the bustling city. The year before that, they enjoyed a peaceful driving tour of southwestern England. For both trips, their daughter, Jenna, stayed behind with friends and relatives. But after a recent vacation to Washington, D.C., where all three Reeds had a great time, Andy and René felt that Jenna was ready for her first trip overseas.

Touring the medieval villages, castles, and gorgeous countryside along Germany's famed Romantic Road seemed like a good fit. "We want to focus on a small portion of the country and not rush too much," René wrote to us. "We're looking to see as many sights as possible but at the same time have an easygoing, relaxing trip."

Andy bought a few guidebooks and did some Internet research to put ...