At the beginning of summer this year, we bought the NiederÖsterreich Card.  There are so many things to do in this little part of the country!  Lower Austria is overflowing with lakes, nature parks, trail hikes, so many that there’s no way we could climb every mountain or ford every stream.  The card gave us tons of ideas for some pretty cool road trips out of Vienna.

Rax-Seilbahn.  A gondola ride and a hike through the cloud cover, for cocoa and hot bowls of soup.

The Donau Tower in Vienna

Seegrotte, an old gypsum mine used to store weapons during WWII that now offers boat tours of the largest underground lake in Europe.

Automobilmuseum Aspang

The town of Retz, for wine, vineyards, wine, and more wine….

Train rides through rolling hills, on old clackety tracks.  Our first time in a dining car!

Daddy Camp at the Wiener Linien Museum, Clock Museum, and the World Beach Volleyball Championship.

The Volleyball Championship was an incredible energy fest.  We’re not sure if we’re more blown away by the athletes, the choreography of the DJs, or the fact that Austrians drinks liters of wine spritzer at sporting events.

Mönichkirchen Mountaincart und Rollerbahn

The new experiences to be had in lower Austria seem to ooze from every fold of the map.  Even on the quiet days when we stay close to home, there is always a new flavor of ice cream to try, or some new angle to see.

Putting a sweater on the cat was also a new experience.  Gus is a good sport.