Kaiserslautern is set in the middle of Germany's largest stretch of forest, the Palatinate biosphere reserve. Emperor (Kaiser) Barbarossa, who controlled lands from the North Sea to Sicily between 1155 to 1190, was so impressed by the greenery he built a palace at "Lautern" in 1152. The forest is Kaiserslautern's main tourist attraction with clearly marked trails from the city leading hikers among ancient beech trees. Ruins of the Kaiser's original castle can still be seen in front of the Rathaus (City Hall).

At the height of the Cold War, from 1950 to 1955, Kaiserslautern grew into the largest US military community outside the US and became known as K-Town. It is still home to some 40,000 US servicemen and women, the largest American expatriate population in Germany. This group shares the town with a high number of students, who attend the city's numerous universities, international research institutes and technical colleges. The result is a young, lively place with plentiful bars and a thriving jazz and rock scene.

Kaiserslautern is part of the Rheinland-Pfalz region, where wine festivals are a major tradition. You can find such celebrations in any number of villages every weekend from the last Sunday in August when (Wine Route Day) is celebrated. Other annual events include the Bad Durkheim Sausage Festival in September and Grape Harvest Festival in October. From April to October the city hosts a World Garden Show including a beautiful Japanese garden and, oddly, Europe's largest dinosaur exhibition.