Switzerland with Kids: 5 Day Bernese Oberland Itinerary
We visited Switzerland in September with our three young kids (ages 6, 3, and 1) and had such an adventurous but relaxing time as a family.
The sweeping mountain views were out of this world, and everything felt so family-friendly and doable with kids.
We went biking, rode cable cars, played at playgrounds with stunning views, rode an alpine coaster, walked to a gorgeous alpine lake, and more!
We spent 5 days in Switzerland (not counting travel days), focusing our time in the picturesque Bernese Oberland region.
I feel like we could go back to Switzerland time and time again and not see all of the beauty of the country; however, we were very happy with what we got to see and experience in those five days.
I’ve created this guide to give you our tried-and-true, family-friendly Switzerland itinerary, let you know what we loved about our time in the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland, and provide extra tips to help you have the smoothest family trip possible.
*There may be affiliate links in this post. Read my privacy/disclosure policy to learn more
🇨🇭 IN A RUSH? HERE ARE OUR SWITZERLAND FAVORITES🇨🇭
WHERE WE STAYED:
😍 Bungalows at Camping Jungfrau:We LOVED staying in these 2-bedroom bungalows located RIGHT at the base of Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen. They are super cute, have an amazing view, a full kitchen, and they are AFFORDABLE.
ACTIVITIES WE BOOKED:
🛖 Ballenberg Open-Air Museum: This open-air museum was an unexpected surprise and we really enjoyed getting a glimpse into the past. We even got to see how they used to make cheese and have a cheese tasting!
🚲 Lauterbrunnen Valley Bike Rentals: The best way to explore the gorgeous Lauterbrunnen Valley is on bike (in my humble opinion). It's so much more fun than walking and you get to see so much more. They have e-bikes along with kid bikes and trailers!
🧗 Murren Via Ferrata: My husband took this beginner-friendly vai Ferrata tour (while we played at an alpine playground) and it was his favorite experience of the entire trip.
HOW WE SAVED MONEY ON OUR RENTAL CAR:
🚘 Economy Bookings Car Rental: Any bit you can save on your car rental in the Faroes is worth it because it's PRICEY. Our go-to is Economy Bookings.
TRAVEL PASSES IN SWITZERLAND:
🚆 🚌 ⛴️ Swiss Travel Pass: Take the headache away from booking public transit with FREE train, bus and boat rides in Switzerland + FREE entry to over 500 museums + 50% discount on select mountain excursions and mountain rail travel.
🚆 🚌 ⛴️ Swiss Half-Fare Card:Enjoy 50% discount on all public transportation (trains, boats, and buses) in Switzerland INCLUDING most mountain railways and cable cars.
🚆 🚌 ⛴️ Jungfrau Travel Pass: Enjoy unlimited bus, boat, train, and cable car rides for between 3 and 8 days in the Jungfrau Region.
OUR OTHER TRAVEL FAVORITES:
📸 Tours/Excursions: Viator & Get Your Guide
🚕 Airport Transfers with Car Seats: Welcome Pickups
👉 Travel Strollers: Zoe Traveler & Zoe Double
🍼 Baby Carriers: Tula Carriers, Wildride Hip Carriers
📱 International Data Phone eSIM: Airalo
🚗 Cheap Rental Cars: Economy Bookings
🏠 Accomodations: Booking, Expedia, VRBO, Airbnb
🌎 Travel Insurance: World Nomads
We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using the above link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.
Is Switzerland Family Friendly?
Yes! We found Switzerland to be very family-friendly. It can’t get much more family-friendly than epic alpine playgrounds with out-of-this-world mountain views, fun cable car rides, exciting mountain coasters, and family-friendly hikes.
Switzerland is an amazing place to connect with nature in an adventurous but family-friendly way.
The Best Time to Visit Switzerland with Kids
If you’re looking for a summer trip to Switzerland with kids, most cable cars are open from June through mid-October.
July and August are the busiest months in Switzerland, and I hear there can be long lines for cable cars and overall just a crowded feel.
If you’re wildflower hunting, your best months for that will be June to mid-July.
We visited Switzerland in September (you can read all about what it’s like in September here) and overall were happy with our experience.
The weather in September is overall more volatile, where you could have hot sunny days or cool rainy days; however, it hardly felt crowded, and accommodations were a little less expensive.
I wouldn’t risk visiting in October as you’ll have higher chances of snow at higher elevations (which we ran into on some days in September…thankfully it melted); however, we’ve had friends visit in October, and they lucked out with great weather.
WHERE WE STAYED IN SWITZERLAND WITH KIDS
In a rush? We stayed here: Camping Jungfrau Bungalows
We LOVED staying in these 2-bedroom bungalows located RIGHT at the base of Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen. They are super cute, have an amazing view, a full kitchen, and they are AFFORDABLE.
The bungalows are part of what is called ‘Camping Jungfrau‘, but don’t let the name put you off! It is partially a campsite, but it also has multiple different small bungalows and cabin options (some with kitchens, some not).
The bungalow we rented was a 2-bedroom bungalow with a large bed for two people in the first room and a massive, adult-friendly bunk bed that can fit four people in the second room. It has its own kitchen, dining table, and small seating area.
However, the location is the best part. These bungalows are located right at the base of Stubbach Falls- you can hear the water flowing, and there is even a playground with waterfall views.
Plus, the property has a really great restaurant called Restaurant Weidstübli, where we enjoyed the Lauterbrunnen Rösti and Alp Macaroni that were both shockingly good and worth the expensive, eating out in Switzerland price (they also serve fondue!).
We were so happy to be based in Lauterbrunnen because first of all, Lauterbrunnen is beautiful. But secondly, it was a great base for our plans that helped us feel relaxed and like we could really enjoy our stay.
We had multiple mornings of rainy, cloudy weather, and it was great to be in such a beautiful valley where we could take a quiet morning walk and wait for the clouds to disperse before heading out for our scheduled plans.
😍✨CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BUNGALOWS WE LOVED AT CAMPING JUNGFRAU (BE SURE TO CLICK ON ‘BUNGALOW’ TO SEE THE CORRECT PHOTOS)✨😍
How to get around Switzerland with Kids
Getting around Switzerland by Car
We chose to rent a car in Switzerland and were very happy with our decision. We appreciated the freedom that having our own car gave us, and our kids seemed to manage better with some quiet time in the car compared to potentially loud and/or crowded public transit.
Another major reason that we chose to rent a car is because of the extra walking that public transit involves. A 15-20 minute walk to or from a train station may not sound like a lot, but those walks add up for young kids who need all their energy for the day ahead.
Plus, it’s really nice not dealing with luggage along with young kids and potentially a stroller on public transit to and from the airport (or between accommodations if you are visiting multiple areas of Switzerland).
We rode the train, funicular or cable car whenever those were the only options to get where we were going, but other than that, we drove.
Getting Around Switzerland by Train
For all of the above reasons, we chose to rent a car in Switzerland and all of our transit felt super easy. However, that being said, Switzerland does have a very impressive rail system connecting you to almost anywhere you want to go.
We met a family with young kids who were traveling on public transit for their 1.5-week trip in Switzerland, and it seemed to be working out for them. They did mention some stress trying to figure out how to manage all of their luggage, kids, and a stroller on the trains, but they figured it out.
However, I will say, as I was talking with them, I was grateful we had chosen to rent a car. But I mention them to say that some families do navigate with only public transit, and it can work.
Many people choose to purchase the Swiss Travel Pass, which gives you FREE train, bus and boat rides in Switzerland + FREE entry to over 500 museums + 50% discount on select cable cars and mountain rail travel.
🚈 🚌 ⛴️ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SWISS TRAVEL PASS FOR FREE TRAIN, BUS AND BOAT RIDES! 🚈 🚌 ⛴️
If you’re looking for a pass that includes cable cars, you may want to consider the Jungfrau Travel Pass.. This pass can be purchased in various multi-day increments and is a great option if you plan to ride multiple cable cars each day in the Jungfrau region (some cable car rides are PRICEY).
🚡✨ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE JUNGFRAU TRAVEL PASS THAT INCLUDES CABLE CARS! ✨🚡
Another popular option is the Swiss Half-Fare Card where you can enjoy 50% discount on all public transportation (trains, boats, and buses) in Switzerland INCLUDING most mountain railways and cable cars.
The Swiss Half-Fare Card requires even more math to decide if it’s worth the cost since you’re not getting anything free, just 50% off… but it could be the pass for you!
🚈 ✨ CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SWISS HALF-FARE CARD FOR 50% OFF PUBLIC TRANSIT! ✨🚈
All of these travel passes can save you a lot of money and hassle IF you plan accordingly.
The family that we met that I mentioned earlier, was using the Swiss Travel Pass for all of their train and boat rides and it seemed to be perfect for what they needed.
We were most interested in the Jungfrau Travel Pass since it included cable car rides. However, I added it up, and paying for individual cable car rides was actually less expensive for what our plans were.
Plus, the Jungfrau area is smaller than the whole Bernese Oberland so not every cable car we planned to ride was included.
✨✨ Some museums and attractions offer 50% off or free tickets with the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half-Fare Card.✨✨
🚈 🚌 ⛴️
Our 5-day Switzerland with kids itinerary mapped out
*Use this interactive map to follow our 5-day, family-friendly Switzerland itinerary. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*
🛏️✨ CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BUNGALOWS WE STAYED AT AT CAMPING JUNGFRAU IN LAUTERBRUNNEN 🛏️✨
Overview: 5 Day Family-Friendly Switzerland Itinerary
WHERE TO STAY: Bungalows at Camping Jungfrau in Lauterbrunnen
🛏️✨ CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BUNGALOWS AT CAMPING JUNGFRAU IN LAUTERBRUNNEN 🛏️✨
DAY ONE: Lauterbrunnen (including renting bikes!)
DAY TWO: Ballenberg Open-Air Museum
DAY THREE: Lake Oeschinensee (including row boats and mountain coaster)
DAY FOUR: Wengen & Männlichen (including ball game in Wengen and a playground and a family/friendly hike in Männlichen)
DAY FIVE: Murren (including Allmendhubel Alpen Playground, aka the Flower Playground)
5 Day Switzerland Itinerary with Kids
Day one: Biking in Lauterbrunnen Valley
1. Wander through Lauterbrunnen
The town of Lauterbrunnen is quite small and can be walked from end to end in about 20 minutes with kids.
The Swiss flags hanging over the street with views of the cliffs and waterfall from behind are really breathtaking. It feels like another world.
There are a few shops, bakeries, cafes, and restaurants (a popular souvenir seems to be a Swiss army knife), and it’s just a very picturesque town.
We visited Lauterbrunnen in September, and even then, the sidewalks were quite full of tourists. I can’t imagine how crowded it must be in the peak summer months of July or August.
2. Rent Bikes and Ride From Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls
After strolling through town, we rented bikes from Imboden Bike, located right in Lauterbrunnen, and I’m so glad we did! We were going back and forth on whether we should rent bikes or not but thankfully we did because it ended up being a highlight of our trip!
We rented our bikes for two hours, which was the perfect amount of time to take the 7 km round-trip ride from Imboden Bike in Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls and back.
We were given e-bikes, our 6-year-old rode her own bike, and our 3-year-old and 1-year-old shared a bike trailer.
We passed Staubbach Falls (the waterfall you see in all the pictures of Lauterbrunnen), multiple local cheese stands/ vending machines (how cute is that), loads of Alpine cows, and more smaller waterfalls, all while being flanked by massive, stunning mountains.
Our turning back point was Trummelbach Falls, which is a glacier waterfall within the mountain that is accessible by lift, stairs, and carved pathways.
You have to be at least four years old to access Trummelbach Falls, so we just took turns with our oldest daughter.
It’s really common for people to walk this route, but I think it would’ve been a bit of a slog with kids. However, on the bikes, they loved it! Click here to check bike rental prices at Imboden Bike in Lauterbrunnen.
3. Play at the Lauterbrunnen Playground
The playground in Lauterbrunnen is nothing compared to some of the high-mountain playgrounds in Switzerland. However, it does the trick when the kids are looking to get out some wiggles.
Although small, the playground has a lot of good play features to encourage play, like a slide, swings, rings, spinner, playhouse, and more.
The best part is, it also has great views of Staubbach Falls, so you can enjoy being in a pretty place while your kids play to their hearts’ content.
You can find the Lauterbrunnen playground on Google Maps here.
4. Try Swiss fare at Restaurant Weidstübli next to Staubbach Falls
Eating out in Switzerland is notoriously expensive, but I think dinner at Restaurant Weidstübli in Lauterbrunnen is worth it.
Located near the base of Staubbach Falls, Weidstubli offers local Swiss fare such as fondue and rosti, along with pizza, burgers, and soups.
We tried the Lauterbrunnen Rösti and Alpine macaroni (which is like mac n cheese with applesauce), and they were both SO good. I’ve also heard their fondue is really good. They also have a great kids menu.
A meal at Restaurant Weidstübli is a great way to end the day in Lauterbrunnen.
We lucked out and were able to be squeezed in without a reservation around 5:00 pm; however, they were otherwise booked up, and reservations are usually recommended.
Day two: Ballenberg Open Air Museum
We were looking for something to do on a drizzly day when the mountains were covered in clouds and we landed on visiting the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum and it was such a pleasant surprise!
Only a 30-minute drive from Lauterbrunnen, Ballenberg Museum gives you a taste of authentic Swiss culture and heritage. It is a large plot of land in the forest with over 100 historical buildings transported from all over Switzerland and identically rebuilt onsite.
There are amazing activities and demonstrations geared towards families, with a schedule of the day’s events available
Our favorites included the traditional cheese-making demonstration made over a large pot in an old wooden building- we even got to have a cheese tasting!
Our kids loved the builder workshop with saws, hammers, wood, and all sorts of fun things for them to build whatever their hearts desired!
They have multiple playgrounds, a vintage carousel, a small petting-zoo area, horse and carriage rides, old-time games, butter churning, and so much more.
We were offered free tea and coffee on a couple of different occasions, and overall it was just a cozy nice vibe. I highly recommend!
We spent a good 3-4 hours there and only saw about half of what there is to see.
To see all of the offerings for families available at Ballenberg Open-Air Museum click here.
One thing to note is that Ballenberg isn’t really stroller-friendly. The trails are all dirt with some STEEP inclines and declines. I recommend wearing your smallest kids and borrowing one of their wagons for other young ones who are likely to lose energy along the way.
🇨🇭✨ CLICK HERE TO SEE TICKETS FOR BALLENBERG SWISS OPEN-AIR MUSEUM 🇨🇭✨
Before visiting Ballenberg, we were debating whether to visit there or Trauffer World of Experience and we are SO glad we chose Ballenberg.
Trauffer World of Experience was an intriguing option because of the hands-on painting of little wooden Swiss cows. However, we have some friends who visited and they were quite disappointed. The ‘museum’ is very small and expensive for what you are getting.
Ballenberg has SO MANY fun, hands-on experiences for kids and it’s HUGE. It was a great way to mix up our activities (especially with the clouds covering other places we wanted to visit higher up), and it was meaningful to get a taste of true Swiss life.
🇨🇭✨ LEARN MORE ABOUT BALLENBERG SWISS OPEN-AIR MUSEUM 🇨🇭✨
Day Three: Lake Oeschinensee
If you’re only going to choose one thing to do in Switzerland, make it Lake Oeschinen. Lake Oeschinen or Oeschinensee is a gorgeous alpine lake with turquoise blue waters surrounded by majestic mountain peaks.
It’s just a 1-hour drive from Lauterbrunnen and so worth it- it’s so beautiful.
And the best part about Lake Oeschinen isthat it’s so family-friendly! You can ride a mountain coaster, take a kid-friendly hike to a gorgeous viewpoint, rent rowboats, play on the shore (or get in!), grab a bite to eat, or play at a small playground near the lake.
To visit Lake Oeschinen, you take a cable car from Kandersteg up the mountain and then take about a 1-mile walk from the cable car station to the lake (more on the specific trails below).
✨🛶 CLICK HERE TO READ MY POST ABOUT VISITING LAKE OESCHINEN ✨🛶
1. Ride the Mountain Coaster at Oeschinensee
Right next to the cable car station at the top of the mountain is a super fun mountain coaster that our kids (and we) LOVED. We rode it multiple times.
To ride the mountain coaster, you sit atop a ‘sled’ on a metal track and you have a lever that you push or pull to control how fast you go. You are completely in control of your speed the entire time.
It’s really fun, and the coaster is one of the things that our kids talk the most about from our trip to Switzerland.
Kids from ages 3 to 8 can ride with an adult for free and from age 8, they can ride on their own.
I recommend doing the mountain coaster first thing before going to the lake because 1) the kids are going to want to do it as soon as they see it, and 2) you don’t want to run out of time and/or energy.
The coaster is reasonably priced (for Swiss standards) at just 6 CHF each, with young kids riding for free (like I mentioned).
The coaster is sometimes closed for a period of time if the track is wet. For example, it was closed right before we arrived, but then the track dried out, so it opened back up.
You can get live mountain coaster updates on their website here.
2. Hike to an easy viewpoint of Oeschinensee
If you research Lake Oeschinen much, you’re sure to come across the long hike that takes you up high with stunning views of the lake (trails E & G on the map below).
Unfortunately, that’s not exactly a family-friendly hike (at least with kids as young as ours), but the good news is that there’s still a really great viewpoint of the lake if you know where to go!
Trail ‘C’ is the most common path to the lake. It’s slightly downhill most of the way (and slightly uphill on the way back). You’ll see almost everyone taking this path, and it’s even stroller-friendly.
I recommend forking off to the left from the main trail onto trail ‘D’ by following the signs for Sennhütte (a restaurant) to reach an amazing viewpoint without much added effort. This is an easy path, although not stroller-friendly and the view is worth it.
If you don’t take this path, you’re never up high enough to look down on the lake. It’s still gorgeous from the shore, but seeing it from above is really lovely.
This viewpoint is great because no intense hiking is required; it’s merely a small detour! To reach the lakeshore from the viewpoint, follow the signs for ‘Oeschinensee’ on the path in front of Sennhütte.
You could also do this path backwards by walking directly to the lake and then up to the viewpoint afterward; however, there are some steep inclines in that direction, so I recommend walking to the viewpoint first, then going down to the lake.
On the way back to the cable car we just took the main path (trail C) that everyone else was taking. As I mentioned, it’s slightly uphill the whole way back to the cable car, so if you’re hiking with young ones, I’d give yourself a good 45 minutes or so to make the walk back.
3. Rent Rowboats on Lake Oeschinensee
Does it get more magical than taking a rowboat out on a pristine alpine lake at the base of majestic mountains in Switzerland? I think not.
You can rent rowboats for 38 CHF per hour on a first-come, first-served basis from the shore of Lake Oeschinen. Although you can’t reserve a boat ahead of time, when we visited Switzerland in September that wasn’t a problem.
They have so many boats, and people were continually returning them, so one was almost always available.
I’m sure in July/August everything is a bit busier, so you may want to go to the kiosk right when you arrive to get your name on a waitlist.
Four people are allowed per rowboat, including children (who are required to wear a provided lifejacket).
Keep in mind that rowing a rowboat is actually kind of tricky, so only go out as far as you feel comfortable returning.
With an hour, you probably have just the right amount of time to paddle out to the waterfall on the far side of the lake; however, we only went to the middle because our daughter wanted to have a turn paddling (which she thought was a blast).
I loved getting yet another perspective of this gorgeous lake by being out on the water. It’s stunning!
Day Four: Wengen & Männlichen
1. Ride the alpine train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen
After our big day at the lake, we decided to stay close to our accommodations in Lauterbrunnen by taking the short, 10-minute alpine train from Lauterbrunnen up to the car-free village of Wengen.
I’ve never seen a train twist and turn up a mountainside like this one! If you only go up to Wengen for the pretty views from the train, it’d be worth it. However, once up in Wengen, you can get a sweeping view of the whole of Lauterbrunnen Valley.
From Wengen, you get gorgeous views of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, but even the train ride up is quite picturesque.
2. Complete the Marble Runs Spread throughout Wengen
Another one of the things our kids talk about frequently are the marble runs in Wengen. They LOVED them.
You can buy a marble (aka a round wooden ball that fits in your palm) from the tourist center in Wengen to take with you around town and find the 12 different runs.
The kids could have stayed at one marble run all day, but it was a good incentive to look for more as we made our way towards the Wengen viewpoint.
The ball runs aren’t all in the *most* picturesque setting, but the kids loved it, and it’s a nice way to make your way through the village. Wengen also has a small playground right along the marble route.
If your plan is to visit Männlichen as well, I’d skip this playground, but if Wengen is your only destination for the day, it’s a good place to get out some wiggles out.
3. Snap a Pic at the Wengen Viewpoint of Lauterbrunnen
Right along the marble/ball run route is a church with a beautiful viewpoint of Lauterbrunnen. You can find it on Google Maps here.
There are a couple of benches you could have snacks on if you’re lucky enough for them to be free.
We didn’t do all of the marble runs because most of them were leading up to this viewpoint; however, you could do a large loop around the village of Wengen to complete them all.
4. Take the Cable car from Wengen to Männlichen to hike the Lieselotte Family Trail
Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Männlichen because of poor weather but it was VERY high on our list of things to do.
Männlichen has a playground of a giant wooden alpine cow with a slide as a tongue, but it’s also home to the Lieselotte Family Trail.
The Lieselotte Trail is an interactive 3.5 km trail designed for families with multiple fun stops and activities along the way. It looks like the perfect family-friendly hike. I really wish we could have done it, but alas, we’ll have to save it for next time.
Also up in Mannlichen is the Royal Walk, which is a short hike to a beautiful viewpoint.
If the weather had aligned, we probably would have skipped the ball runs in Wengen for more epic views on the family-friendly trails in Männlichen. That being said, our kids had a great time with the marble runs, and we had an overall lovely, chill day.
Day Five: Mürren
On our last full day in Switzerland, we spent a slow morning at our bungalow in Lauterbrunnen and played at the local playground, but then we took the short drive from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg to catch the cable car up to Mürren.
Mürren is GORGEOUS. If you are choosing between visiting Wengen or Mürren, I’d definitely choose Mürren.
1. Wander the village and watch for paragliders
From Mürren, you are up close and personal with some insane mountain peaks (like Eiger), and the views are just out of this world.
Plus, Mürren it’s where all of the paragliders jump from so you can watch paragliders floating to the ground to your heart’s content (our kids loved this).
Mürren is another car-free village, which makes walking around with kids easy, and there are some cute souvenir shops that our kids enjoyed visiting.
We didn’t make it to this viewpoint, but there is a popular viewpoint that you can find on Google Maps here.
2. Play at Allmendhubel Playground while soaking up epic mountain views
The crown jewel of Mürren with kids is the Allmendhubel Playground (sometimes called Flower Park or the Flower Playground).
The Allmendhubel Playground will fulfill all of your epic mountain playground desires. Our kids played here for hours and honestly could have played longer.
The Allmendhubel Playground offers sweeping views of mountain peaks so that parents are happy and content while kids are happy and content playing their hearts out.
The playground is huge and has all sorts of amazing play features. There’s a slide, climbing areas, swings, water maze (where you run through and try not to get sprayed), other water play areas, underground tunnels, playhouses, sand toys, and more. It’s amazing.
There is also a short trail that loops just above the playground called the Flower Trail that (in the summer) is bursting with different wildflowers, with signs that teach you about each flower.
To get to Allmendhubel Playground, you catch the Allmendhubel funicular from Mürren. It’s easy to find and just a short ride.
🌻 CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HOW TO GET TO ALLMENDHUBEL PLAYGROUND + COST 🌻
3. Take turns on the Mürren Via Ferrata
While we were playing at Allmendhubel Playground, my husband actually took a guided trip on the Mürren Via Ferrata and he LOVED it.
The Mürren Via Ferrata is sort of like rock climbing (you are protected with harnesses and ropes); however, you mostly navigate metal rungs, ladders, suspension bridges etc., on the exposed cliff face around 2,000 feet above the Lauterbrunnen Valley floor (I know, crazy).
I had no interest whatsoever in the via ferrata, so it worked perfectly for me to play with the kids for a few hours at the playground while he did the Via Ferrata- the timing worked out perfectly.
We came to find out that there were actually three other families at the playground doing the same thing as us while the other parent was doing the via ferrata 😆. It’s the perfect place to go and have fun while one of you can do something that isn’t so family-friendly.
The minimum age for the via ferrata is around 12 years old, so if you have an older child who wants to join, they totally could!
Click here to learn more about the guided via ferrata my husband took.
Extra Tips for Visiting Switzerland as a Family
- The MeteoSwiss App will be your best friend when it comes to accurate, up-to-date weather information in Switzerland. It could be snowing at the top of a cable car you plan to ride, and you have no idea (I say that from experience). Always check the weather before heading out for the day.
- Your second-best, best friends are the many different live webcams available in the area. Almost every village or cable car station has one. If you just Google something like ‘Murren webcam,’ you’ll find a page like this that shows the live, current conditions. In September, we had the issue of there shockingly being snow at some spots that we weren’t expecting, but luckily, where there was snow one day, there wasn’t the next! We have some friends that didn’t check webcams, and they went up to a playground only to be surprised that it was covered in snow!
- As I mentioned at the top of the post, we enjoyed having a car rather than relying on public transit, and I believe it made our trip overall more relaxing and easier for the kids. However, if you do want to rely on trains, be sure to look into the Swiss Travel Pass that offers FREE train, bus and boat rides in Switzerland plus discounts on some cable cars and attractions.
- Plan to pack food most days as eating out in Switzerland is PRICEY. We always made our meals at home or packed food with us but we did eat out for dinner once and ordered takeaway pizza once or bought small things like just fries when we were out.
🇨🇭 LOOKING FOR MORE ABOUT VISITING SWITZERLAND?🇨🇭
CHECK OUT MY OTHER SWITZERLAND GUIDES:
🏞️ One Perfect Day at Lake Oeschinensee in Switzerland
🗓️ What It’s Like Visiting Switzerland in September
❗ 11 Helpful Things To Know Before Visiting Switzerland
💰 Switzerland Trip Cost Breakdown: Is It As Expensive as They Say?
🌻 Allmendhubel Flower Playground in Mürren Switzerland
🛏️ Camping Jungfrau Lauterbrunnen Review: Beautiful Bungalows + Affordable Price
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