by Bret Helenius, Contributing Writer

The best sports in Germany is also located in one of the country’s most beautiful locations – Edelweiss Lodge. If you’re jonesing for good sports, good food, good beer – with maybe a dash of the great outdoors thrown in – then look no further!

If you’re like me, you live and breathe sports, especially when your team is on a heater. This year, for example, was incredible: I marveled at – from a distance – one of the more remarkable comeback seasons in Major League Baseball history: the New York Mets went from one of the worst teams in the major leagues to almost making it to the World Series through a series of late inning heroics.

My one regret: living in Germany, it was darn near impossible to actually watch the Mets work their magic. If only I’d had a monster TV the size of an I-Max theatre on which to see their games!

Zuggy’s Base Camp Bar: A Must-Visit for Sports Fans

Fortunately, help wasn’t far away. Zuggy’s Base Camp Bar, at the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, is easily Germany’s best sports bar. Zuggy’s boasts a monster 8K, 30-foot-long panoramic screen that stretches the full length of the establishment, as well as dozens of other high-definition TVs throughout the newly renovated and conceptualized hang-out.

If you can’t be at the game, watching it with 200 of your closest (albeit new) friends is the next best thing. The ability to put a single or multiple games on the huge screen in amazing clarity at once is a huge bonus for sports fans.

Spot-on Beer Selection

Another high point of Zuggy’s is their beer selection. Feel free, of course, to choose a brew you already know. But know this, too: Zuggy’s prides themselves on carrying some of the best beer in Bavaria, which means it is also some of the best in the world. For instance, one of Zuggy’s featured beers is from the Ettal Monastery: The monks brew a recipe that has been around for ages and it is obvious why they have not changed it. Another featured beer is from Garmisch Bauhaus: The Edelweiss has an exclusively brewed “Bavarian Ale” (think IPA) for them. It easily rivals the best IPAs on the west coast.

Outstanding Comfort Food

While German food is solid, sometimes you yearn for the type of goodness that only comes from an American sports bar. We’re talking amazing burgers, steaks, wings, nachos – the works.

Zuggy’s hits a home run when it comes to American sports bar food. I highly recommend going for the Bacon Blue Burger with crispy bacon, a big-juicy all-beef patty on a fluffy bun, and blue cheese sourced right from nearby Alps-based cheesemakers.

All About The Edelweiss Lodge

Aside from offering a luxury resort experience, The Edelweiss also offers amazing packages for all types – from adventurers to  laid-back travelers. During the winter, ski/board packages are the norm for guests, which can include complete learn-to-ski/board programs. Summertime visitors can experience hiking, biking, boating and tours of historic Bavarian landmarks.

A trip, whether it is a short weekend trip or a full-length vacation just below the great Zugspitze (Germany’s highest peak) will definitely be one of the highlights of your time in Europe. And if you are a sports fan, you may want to consider booking a trip around your team’s next game (or series of games). The best part…you might even see your beleaguered crew of bums rise up to the championship game on a 30-foot screen!

Learn more about Zuggy’s: https://edelweisslodgeandresort.com/dining/new-zuggys

Getting to The Edelweiss Lodge and Zuggy’s

By car, the Edelweiss Lodge is 4.5 hours from Kaiserslautern, 3 hours from Stuttgart or Grafenwoehr, and just less than 5 hours from Wiesbaden. Please check with Deutsche Bahn for train options.

Photos courtesy of Edelweiss Resort