The dog and I will be driving the van to Budapest in September. One option for me is to make it a slower and more pleasurable trip over a week or so. Any suggestions on places to stop, things to see, and scenery to explore? I doubt I will take a bike, but some nice alpine walks or something would be lovely. Because I’ll be traveling with the dog, I’m not fussed about seeing cities.

Black Forest is sort of on the way (if you go via Munich).

IIRC, the Danube around Bratislava is quite picturesque.

If you go a more northern route, the Budvar brewery is in Ceske Budejovice.

I used to do that journey once a month, always stayed overnight in Wuppertal (Dusseldorf)

Did occasionally do it in one hit, but I don’t recommend it.

Vienna is on the border if you are coming in from the top, worth a night there to see the sights.

Hello from Budapest airport!  We lived there for a few years and just been back for a holiday.  I drove back in one go once… never again.  But if you’re not in a rush and not interested in cities, I’d say go via the Black Forest, then somewhere in Czech Republic and then via the High Tatras in Slovakia.   There’s some amazing scenery there.

Alternately through Bavaria, the Austrian Tyrol and south through Slovenia could work well.  Lake Bohinj is gorgeous, I preferred it to Bled but they’re nearby so you could see both.

Neither are the most direct route but shouldn’t be too far out of your way if you’re making a trip of it