We have learned over time that the best travel moments often come from the flexibility to pivot. Because sometimes your backup plan doesn’t just salvage a disappointing day but rather becomes a highlight of your entire trip.
We’ve all been there: you’ve got your itinerary locked down, you know exactly what you’re going to see, and then—without warning—the weather has other plans. When we took our trip to Germany this past fall, we knew we were trading smaller crowds and more camping options for cool, cloudy, and potentially rainy weather.
We still believe we made the right choice by traveling through Germany in late September and early October. But sure enough, rain and clouds conspired to derail our visit to the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest point. The tickets are pricey at 75 Euros each. Jessi had been there before and knew that we should only spend that money if we knew we would see the fantastic views from the top.
One of the reasons we decided to rent an RV for our trip was to maximize flexibility. And this was a perfect case for it. Rather than being continually frustrated by the weather for a few days, we rerouted and decided to do something else. We then targeted a day later in the week for the Zugspitze when the forecast was for clear, sunny skies.
Plan A: The dream that got clouded over
The clouds had been somewhat relentless for a week or so at this point. We persevered, even taking the trip up to Kehlsteinhaus, Adolf Hitler’s mountain retreat often referred to as “Eagle’s Nest.”
We had hoped the clouds would break if we just got high enough up the mountain. But that certainly was not the case.
The supposed stunning mountain vistas? Invisible. The green valleys below? Completely swallowed by clouds. We knew that if we were going to pay premium prices for the Zugspitze experience, we needed actual visibility. Otherwise, we’d just be paying for the privilege of looking at more cloud formations.
Plan B: Hiking in Bavaria
This is where having rented an RV for our German adventure proved to be genius. Unlike travelers locked into pre-booked hotels and rigid schedules, we had control. We could go where the weather was better. We could pause. We could say, “Forget Plan A for now, let’s create Plan B instead.”
We pointed our camper toward Berchtesgaden National Park. We had been trying to visit some national parks on this trip, and we figured we could at least check one off, even if there wasn’t much to do there. But boy, were we wrong!
After chatting with a park ranger about some hiking ideas, we set off on a mountain trail, hoping to make the best of another cloudy day.
When the unexpected becomes unforgettable
What followed was a hike that Jessi and I agree is a highlight of our entire month in Germany and Austria. It was not our usual well-planned trek because we had not plotted out any details. Were we hiking 1 mile or 10 miles? Was this considered moderate or difficult? And how does that compare in Germany to what we’re used to in the U.S.?
In the end, what should have been a 2- to 3-hour hike turned into a 6-hour expedition, but not because we were struggling. We just couldn’t stop stopping. There were so many videos and pictures to shoot, places to stare at amazing views, and a small farm to enjoy an incredibly fresh lunch of bread, cheese, vegetables, and milk.
We had packed peanut butter sandwiches, per usual, but decided to take one more curve in the trail before we broke them out for our midday meal. That’s when the farm appeared. It was storybook Bavaria: a small farmhouse surrounded by mountains, looking out over a valley and lake, with cows meandering in the pasture.
So we sat in the mountains eating simple, perfect food, surrounded by the sound of cowbells echoing across the valley. This wasn’t on any itinerary. This wasn’t in any guidebook. This was pure serendipity born from a willingness to change course.
Following our amazing lunch, we picked our way back down the mountain, arriving at our campervan with just 3 minutes to spare on our paid parking time.
You can see the video about this hike at our YouTube channel here.
Relearning a lesson we already knew
And a few days later, with blue skies all around, the Zugspitze was still there. It was spectacular and worth the wait. But it wasn’t more stunning than what we found when we let go of our original itinerary. It was just stunning in its own way.
You can see the video about our visit to the Zugspitze here.
Travel plans exist for a reason—they give structure and help you make the most of limited time. But the moment you treat them as laws instead of guidelines, you start building frustration into your trip. You miss the quiet gift of spontaneity.
Whether you’re renting an RV (which admittedly gives you more flexibility), planning a road trip, or even navigating a month-long vacation in a foreign country, the same principle applies: leave room for Plan B. Leave room for the detours based on a local’s recommendation. Leave room for the unexpected hike that turns into the story you’ll tell for years.
The best travel stories rarely come from the things you planned perfectly. They come from what you discovered when your original plan fell through, and you were flexible enough to say yes to something different.
To see our Germany series on YouTube, head to the Playlist here.
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