Allow me to link a couple of travel pages I wrote over on Virtualtourist.

First, a *few* tips about my dear hometown: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/bdf4/
In case you are here on the first weekend in August, there is the Long Night of the Museums on Aug 4.

Baden-Baden: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/12d15/
Rastatt: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/67cd/
Ettlingen, Karlsruhe's next-door neighbour: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/fcb4/
A quick hop across the French border to Wissembourg: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/13f89/
The vineyards of Palatine, for example around Edenkoben: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/105ee/
A hidden gem if you like small old towns is Eppingen: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/ff41/
Park and palace in Schwetzingen: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/f86bd/4bcc/

Then there are endless options for hiking in the Northern Black Forest, the Palatinate Forest and the Kraichgau hills.
The Cistercian abbey of Maulbronn UNESCO World Heritage.
Cities like Strasbourg, Freiburg, Speyer, Heidelberg, Stuttgart can be reached in an hour by train.

... just to name a few options. We could easily keep you busy for several weeks here!