You will quickly learn there are two very different ways to experience life overseas as an American living in Germany.

Some move here long term as expats, while others come temporarily through the U.S. military during an overseas assignment. No matter which path you take, both come with their own challenges, from paperwork and culture shock to language barriers and being far from family back home.

But once you settle in, Germany has a way of completely winning you over.

For many Americans, especially those stationed here through the military, this country becomes far more than just a temporary duty station. It becomes one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.

These are my Top 10 favorite things (in no particular order) about living in Germany after more than a decade overseas.

There are definitely things that annoy me about living here, just like anywhere else, but there are also so many experiences that make this assignment incredibly special. The longer I spend living in Germany as an American, the more I realize how lucky we are to experience it.

Here are my top 10 favorite things about Germany:

1. The bakeries

German bakeries are on another level. Fresh bread everywhere (that they swear by), pastries that somehow taste homemade (what a concept) every single time, and Krapfens (aka Berliners) that can absolutely ruin regular donuts for you forever.

Speaking of donuts, did you know the only Krispy Kreme factor (for American military) is located in Grünstadt Germany?

But we’re just scratching the surface.

Germany has an incredible variety of baked goods, and many specialties change depending on which region of the country you are in. One of my favorite parts about living here is walking into a local bakery and seeing shelves filled with fresh breads, pastries, pretzels, and cakes made early that morning.

And then there are the cakes.

“Kaffee und Kuchen” is a long standing German tradition centered around coffee and cake in the afternoon, so you will almost always find cakes and small pastries displayed beside the coffee counter. Every bakery has its own recipes and style, and many local mom and pop bakeries will even take preorder requests for special flavors or custom cakes.

For example, in the small military town of Grafenwöhr, I always order cherry pastries from Bäckerei Konditorei Cafe Bauer when I want to impress visiting family and friends.

My personal must try list:

• Krapfen (German filled doughnuts)
• Nuss Schnecken (nut swirls/cinnamon roll style pastry)
• Quarkbällchen (fried dough balls made with quark cheese)
• Kirschtasche / Quarktasche / Apfeltasche (cherry, sweet cheese, or apple pastries)
• Brezen (traditional Bavarian pretzels, psst… here’s how they’re made)
• Lebkuchen (German gingerbread, especially during Christmas season)
• Classic Käsekuchen (German cheesecake, usually lighter and less sweet than American cheesecake)

Just be careful in the spring and summertime because the bees and wasps love these pastries just as much as we do.

2. The Autobahn

Yes, driving fast is cool, but what really stands out is how disciplined the drivers are. People actually move over, pay attention, and follow the flow of traffic.

For example, one thing Germany gets right every time: the Rettungsgasse (rescue lane). Even when a Stau (traffic jam) drags on for hours, drivers stay disciplined and instantly create a rescue lane for emergency vehicles. This is what organized traffic really looks like here.

Although high speeds are common, once you get used to it, driving here feels surprisingly smooth.

3. Nature is everywhere

Lakes, forests, mountains, hiking trails. You do not have to drive hours to find beautiful scenery. You’ll see this all over Germany, but my favorite place to take in the nature scene is Garmisch – near Edelweiss Lodge & US Military Resort.

Even random weekend drives can end up feeling like a postcard.

4. Paulaner Spezi

If you know, you know. Somewhere between soda, orange, and pure happiness. Most Americans living in Germany become addicted to this stuff way faster than they expected.

5. The safety and cleanliness

One of the biggest things you notice after a PCS to Germany is how safe and clean everything feels. Cities are walkable, public spaces are well maintained, and kids actually play outside everywhere.

Of course, there are always small exceptions depending on where you live, but for the most part, especially within military communities, these are things I rarely worry about anymore while living in Germany:

• Homeless people everywhere (unless I go to Berlin lol)
• People stealing my Amazon packages
• People stealing my lawn mower robot
• Evening parking lot walks back to my car
• Forgetting to shut my garage
• Leaving my car/house door unlocked

6. There is always a fest happening

Wine fests, beer fests, Christmas markets, village festivals. No matter the season, there always seems to be something going on nearby. Germany knows how to bring communities together.

And don’t forget about the local fests, which often times bring in Oma’s baked goods!

7. Germany is incredibly pet friendly

Dogs are welcome in so many places here. Restaurants, outdoor cafes, public spaces. People genuinely treat pets like part of the family.

I even brought my dog into a bar and they had his own selfie station!

8. Traveling around Europe is easy

One of the best parts of living in Germany as an American is how accessible travel becomes. Weekend trips to other countries suddenly become normal life instead of once in a lifetime vacations.

In my opinion, the most affordable way to travel near military bases is through EuroTrip Adventures.

But here’s some additional budget travel tips for a plane, train, & bus.

9. Saunas

Listen. Americans are usually awkward about this at first, but stop being shy and get naked. Once you experience real German sauna culture (which is incredibly relaxing), you start to understand why people love it so much.

But not to worry, there’s also quite a few options for clothed sauna experiences (womp womp).

10. Döner

Cheap, fast, filling, and somehow always perfect after a long day or a late night out. Döner deserves every bit of hype it gets.

One of my favorites is steak döner, which is actually not as common as you would think.

Bonus: Wegbier

One of the funniest culture differences has to be the “Wegbier” which is basically grabbing a beer and casually drinking it while walking around with friends. Simple, random, and honestly kind of amazing.

Living overseas is not perfect, but experiences like these are hard to beat.

For many military families stationed in Germany, these little moments end up becoming the things you miss most once your tour is over.

To learn more about PCS prep, travel, and local resources in Germany, grab these free resources designed to help you make the most of your time overseas, including a free checklist for incoming military families: DTV Free Germany Resources