With some terrific day trip options in the surrounding area, renting a car makes good sense. Without one, it’d be much more difficult to enjoy everything that Darmstadt, 16 miles away, has to offer. Among your first stops here ought to be Messel Pit Fossil Site, Frankensteins Castle and Darmstadt Artists Colony. Don’t forget about Mainz either! Just 25 miles away, Mainz Cathedral, Gutenberg Museum and Mewa Arena are non-negotiable stops here.