Toddler-Friendly Switzerland Adventure: Ultimate 10 Day Itinerary

Traveled in August 2024

Switzerland probably isn’t on your toddler-friendly family vacation idea bingo card, but it should be!

When I told people we were going on a family vacation to Switzerland with our toddler, almost everyone questioned “why Switzerland?” and “for 10 whole days?”. I may be biased (since obviously we took this trip), but I think Switzerland is a fun but also practical choice for a toddler-friendly family vacation.

Firstly, it’s clean. I’m talking pristine, like even the public restrooms in the park and train are spotless. This is especially important if you have a small kiddo who likes to touch everything and then put their grubby hands in their mouths.

Secondly, it’s safe. When you’re trying to wrangle an active toddler, not having to worry (as much) about someone stealing your stuff when it is left unattended for a minute is a relief.

Thirdly, there are activities that both parents and kids can enjoy at the same time. You might think that kids wouldn’t care about amazing views or hikes (and you would be right). But Switzerland had the genius idea of putting amazing playgrounds right where the views are and designing hikes with activities sprinkled along the way tailored for children. Creating opportunities for kids to have fun in places that adults enjoy is the perfect combination for an amazing family vacation! Parents don’t feel drained from doing kid things all the time, and kids are not bored doing adult activities. Everyone is happy and can relax!

And lastly, it is so easy to get around the country. The train system is well-connected, always on time, clean, and very easy to navigate. English is widely spoken, and the Swiss are known for their hospitality industry. This takes the stress out of planning the logistics of your trip. Considering how stressful parenting on the go can already be, not having to worry as much about logistics while traveling is a huge bonus.

If you want to stress even less about logistics, then read on for our complete toddler-friendly 10 day itinerary for our adventure in Switzerland and save yourself the hours of research. This itinerary takes you from Zurich, to Lucerne, then to the Bernese Oberland region, and finally to Basel. Since we traveled with our 2.5 year old, the itinerary is paced to allow time for a nap and includes a ton of activities to keep your toddler entertained. I also picked the best hikes that give maximal views with minimal effort. This is a really long post, but it has every detail you will need for this trip. So all you need to do is prepare your heart eyes emojis for more of these views!

When to Go

This itinerary is built for summer in Switzerland, which runs from roughly June to September. This is when most of the snow in the mountains has melted so all of the mountain trains and lifts are running and the hiking trails are open. On our first trip to Switzerland without kids, we traveled in the beginning of June assuming it would be the start of the summer season. However, it happened to be an unusually long winter that year, and it was still snowing even in the valleys. So some of the mountain trains were not running yet and many of the hiking trails were covered in snow. On this trip, we traveled in the beginning of August and everything was open.

Going to Switzerland during the peak summer season guarantees better weather, but it also means more crowds and higher prices. We did not find it to be too crowded in early August, and we were able to get seats easily on all of the mountain trains and lifts without too long of a wait. However, if I were go to again I would probably choose mid to late August. The temperatures might be a bit cooler and more bearable without air conditioning, and the prices for accommodations and flights seemed slightly lower.

How to Get There

The largest international airport in Switzerland is located in Zurich (airport code ZRH). The airport is only an 11 minute train ride from the Zurich city center. The train station is connected to the airport so it is extremely easy to zip into town after you arrive. There are also airports in Geneva, Basel, and Bern, but these are smaller airports that usually require connecting flights.

Switzerland is not part of the European Union, but is part of the Schengen Area. A visa is not required if traveling from the United States, but you do need a passport with an expiration date at least 6 months after your planned departure. Don’t forget to apply for a passport for your kiddo as well!

If applying for your kiddo’s first passport seems overwhelming, my post on how to apply for your baby’s first passport will lay it out for you in a couple easy to follow steps.

Booking tip: certain flight searches like Kayak, Skyscanner, or Google flights allow you to set price trackers that will alert you when the price of your flight changes. I never book a flight without tracking prices first because there is no better feeling than snagging a good deal! And if you book your flights with a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire card (use my referral for bonus points!), the card usually includes some travel insurance protections (like lost luggage reimbursements, trip delay reimbursements, or trip cancellation insurance) to save you the cost of buying extra travel insurance.

Bonus Booking tip: sign your kiddo up for frequent flyer accounts with airlines to start earning airline miles for them! Most airline miles do not expire for minors so your kiddo will thank you later.

How to Get Around

Part of the fun of traveling around Switzerland is riding all of the public transportation. While you can rent a car and do a road trip, you really don’t need to. You can get to everywhere on this itinerary on the train. These are easy, comfortable train rides with minimal train changes and maximal views. Why stress about driving and paying attention to directions when you can sit back on the train and watch the scenery glide by? And your active toddler does not have to be strapped into a carseat for these long journeys.

Another bonus of traveling by train is that the trains deposit you right in the center of town. The trains have some areas where you can store larger luggage at the ends of the train. If you have a carry on size luggage you can slide it in the space between the seats. The best part is that kids under 6 years old travel free on public transportation in Switzerland! Kids under 6 do not need a ticket. You don’t have to show anything for the kids when the train conductor comes by to check tickets.

SBB is the train company in Switzerland. The SBB website is fantastic for searching for train times. When you search for a route, it gives you all the route options around your chosen time of departure or arrival. It also shows you which route is direct and which requires a train change. The app tells you clearly what platform the train will depart from and which platform the train will arrive to. It also tells you which platform to go to if you need to change trains midway. You can see all the stops in between on the route to your destination. It also tells you the expected occupancy on the train, so you can plan ahead if you want to avoid busy trains. I downloaded the SBB Mobile app prior to our trip and used the app on the go.

In general, you don’t need seat reservations for trains in Switzerland. You just show up, get on the train, and take any seat. Just make sure it’s the right class train car. Some exceptions to this are some of the panorama trains, which can fill up quickly during peak season. You can purchase a seat reservation during busy times to ensure that you get on the train departure of your choice. We did not make train reservations for any of the train rides on this itinerary and were able to find seats with no problem by arriving at the train station 15-20 minutes prior to departure.

For this trip, we chose to get the Swiss Travel Pass. You can buy the Swiss Travel Pass here on the main SBB website. If you have a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees, choose to pay in CHF for a better exchange rate.

The Swiss Travel Pass gives you unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats, covers some mountain excursions and gives steep discounts on the mountain excursions it does not completely cover, and gives discounts to museums. With the Swiss Travel Pass, you can just look up the train schedule and hop on to any train. This was especially helpful for us when traveling with a toddler who has no concept of time, because we did not have to stop to buy train tickets when we were already running late for the very punctual Swiss trains.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 days of travel. You do have to select what day you want the travel pass to start when you purchase the pass. So you have to be strategic in how you arrange your itinerary to maximize the savings with the pass. You can do the math to see if the Swiss Travel Pass is worth it by searching each train leg of your trip and adding up the costs. But if you are planning on doing at least one mountain excursion then the Swiss Travel Pass is usually worth it.

If you are going to do the math, one thing to note about the SBB website is that the prices listed are half what they should be. Most Swiss residents have a “half-fare card” which takes 50% off of all train fares, so the SBB website defaults to showing the half price fare. Since tourists do not have a half-fare card, you will pay the full fare, which is double the cost of what is listed.

To use the Swiss Travel Pass: after purchase you will receive an email with the Swiss Travel Pass attached. Print out the pass at home, and bring it with you on all public transportation rides. You do not need to validate the pass anywhere. At some point on the train ride a train conductor will come by checking tickets. Show them the print out of the Swiss Travel Pass so they can scan the QR code. Sometimes they will ask to see your passport. On some of the train rides, we went the whole ride without having our pass checked at all.

If purchasing single tickets for the train: find a ticket machine or go to the ticket window. All ticket machines have the option to change the language to English. Search for your destination and select the route you want to take. Make sure that you select the option for “full fare” and not “half-fare,” or else be prepared to pay when the conductor checks your tickets. Keep the tickets with you to show the train conductor during ticket checks. If you have the SBB Mobile app, you can purchase tickets on the app and the tickets will automatically load into the “Tickets & Travelcards” section of the app. Then you can just show the QR code on the app when the conductor comes to check tickets.

Most point-to-point tickets are not tied to a particular train departure time, so if you miss the train, your ticket is still valid on the next train on the same route as long as it is the same day. The exception to this is the “supersaver” tickets, which can be purchased online at a discount. Those tickets are marked with a “%.” Because they are discounted tickets, they are only valid for that particular train route and time. If you miss the train or the connecting train you will have to purchase another ticket for the next train. Because of this, I would not get supersaver tickets after any flights (in case of flight delays).

Show Me the Money

The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF). Remember, Switzerland is not a part of the European Union so they use their own currency. Credit cards are widely accepted in the tourist areas, and we did this entire trip without withdrawing any cash. Just make sure that you are using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. We use the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (use my referral for extra bonus points when you sign up!).

When paying with credit card, it offers you the option of paying in CHF or USD. Always choose to pay in CHF for a better exchange rate!

If you prefer to have some cash on hand, I recommend getting cash from ATMs after you arrive in the country for the best exchange rate. Some ATMs will give you a choice of withdrawal amount in USD or in the local currency – again, always select the local currency for the best exchange rate.

I do have to mention that Switzerland is expensive. We live in the Bay Area, which is already very expensive, and I was still taken aback by the prices in Switzerland. It doesn’t help that the CHF is usually pretty strong, so the exchange rate is not in our favor either. A typical meal (like a burger and fries) will cost 25-30 CHF and most restaurants charge for tap water. Needless to say, food costs can add up quickly if eating out. (One waiter did tell me that if you order drinks, then generally they will not charge you for tap water. So make sure to order drinks before asking for tap water.) Supermarkets are great for grabbing breakfast foods and picnic lunch supplies to help cut down on costs. And most of the accommodations recommended below have kitchens, so you could cook dinner to save on costs as well.

Other than food costs, the other big cost will be transportation. But if you have the Swiss Travel Pass, most of the transportation costs will already be covered. Since the majority of the activities are just taking different modes of transportation to enjoy nature, you won’t be spending a lot extra on entrance fees or tours.

Saving tip: to avoid ATM fees (from the foreign bank and your bank), look for a checking account that offers ATM fee reimbursements. I can personally recommend the Schwab investors checking account and the Betterment checking account for this purpose.

How to Stay Connected

If you have an unlocked phone, then you can either purchase a prepaid sim card or you can use an e-sim. The e-sim is the cheapest way to get international cell phone data. We had a great experience using Airalo to purchase an e-sim on our trip to Canada and it worked seamlessly again. The downside is that you only have data and no phone service when using Airalo e-sims, so it’s a good option if you don’t anticipate needing to make phone calls. The Airalo website has great tutorials and I also watched this Youtube video for more installation tips. We usually start the installation process at home to load the e-sim into our phones, and then once we land at our destination we turn off our US e-sim and turn on the international e-sim.

You can choose an Airalo e-sim for Switzerland or one that covers all of Europe. If planning on doing the side trip to Colmar, go for the e-sim that covers all of Europe since you will need coverage in both Switzerland and France.

If you prefer to be able to make phone calls as well, buy a prepaid sim card at the Swisscom store in the train station connected to the Zurich airport.

Where to Stay in Switzerland with Toddler

For this itinerary, we stayed 1 night in Zurich, 3 nights in Lucerne, 3 nights in Lauterbrunnen, and 3 nights in Basel. Check out our guide to the best family friendly hotels and apartment rentals in each of these Swiss cities that are centrally located while also being spacious enough for your family.

Where to Eat

Of course I have you covered when it comes to kid-friendly restaurants that are also tasty for parents. Bookmark my list of delicious kid-friendly restaurants in Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, and Basel now to save yourself a hunger-induced tantrum later!

Toddler-Friendly Switzerland 10 Day Itinerary

For this trip, we purchased the 8 day Swiss Travel Pass. It could also work with the 6 day pass. However, the price difference was not huge and we wanted the extra days in case we chose do more side trips.

The beginning of this itinerary (Zurich, Lucerne, and Bernese Oberland) are pretty standard for most trips to Switzerland. For the mountain excursions, be flexible on which days you go depending on weather. If it is cloudy, you really won’t see much. So save the ones you have to pay extra for (like Mount Pilatus) for a sunny day.

For the last leg of this trip, Bern is another popular destination in Switzerland as an alternative to Basel. While Bern has more of an old town feel and more charm, Basel’s zoo and many museums might be more entertaining for kids. You really can’t go wrong either way.

Toddler-Friendly Switzerland 10 Day Itinerary at a Glance

• Day 1: Fly to Zurich. Explore Zurich city center. Stay in Zurich.
• Day 2: Train to Lucerne (45-55 min). Swiss Museum of Transport. Stay in Lucerne. Start Swiss Travel Pass this day if buying 8 day pass.
• Day 3: Mount Pilatus summit and PILU land playground. Stay in Lucerne. Start Swiss Travel pass this day if buying 6 day pass.
• Day 4: Mount Rigi summit and Rigi Kaltbad-First cliff walk hike (1 hr roundtrip). Meggenhorn Castle playground and petting zoo. Stay in Lucerne.
• Day 5: Train to Lauterbrunnen (2.5 hrs). Lauterbrunnen valley hike and playground. Stay in Lauterbrunnen.
• Day 6: Allmendhubel Flower Park Playground. Winteregg restaurant playground. Stay in Lauterbrunnen.
• Day 7: Mannlichen Alpine Herdsman’s Playground. Panorama trail hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg (1.5 hrs). Lake Fallboden hike (1 hr round trip). Stay in Lauterbrunnen.
• Day 8: Train to Basel (2.5 hrs). Chocolate shopping. Stay in Basel. Last day of 6 day Swiss Travel Pass.
• Day 9: Basel zoo. Explore Basel. (Alternative: day trip to Bern) Stay in Basel. Last day of 8 day Swiss Travel Pass.
• Day 10: Day trip to Colmar, France (45 min). Stay in Basel.
• Day 11: Train to Zurich airport (1.5 hrs). Fly home.

Day 1: Arrive in Zurich

After landing at Zurich airport, follow the signs to the train station. Catch a train to Zurich HB for the city center (11 min ride). After dropping off your luggage, have a wander around the Zurich old town. Walk across the river to the Lindenhoff viewpoint for a lovely view of the old town. There is a small playground to the right of the Lindenhoff viewpoint if the kiddos need to burn off some energy after the long flight.

Walking down the hill lined with Swiss flags from the Lindenhoff viewpoint will lead you past St. Peter’s Church to the Fraumunster church (known for its 5 stained glass windows designed by Chagall). Cross the bridge and head back across the river to the Grossmunster church. There are many restaurant options in the Zurich old town. If you want a quick dinner then head to Sternen Grill for some bratwurst.

With more time, you could go to the Lindt Chocolate Factory for a tour (and samples!). It is 20 minutes away from Zurich on public transportation.

Day 2: Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne

Choose your train from Zurich HB to Luzern Bahnhoff (45-55 min).

After dropping off your luggage, head back towards the Luzern Bahnhoff to catch the bus to the Swiss Museum of Transport.

Kids could literally spend a whole day at this museum, which is dedicated to all things transportation. The museum has different buildings, each with exhibits featuring a different mode of transport. The museum buildings surround a gigantic outdoor area with a construction play area, a water play area, and giant planes to explore.

We were there for a couple hours and barely had a chance to go inside any of the museum buildings because we spent the majority of our time in the outdoor construction play area. Our kiddo had a blast living his construction site dreams, fiddling around with the controls of a real excavator and riding on the dumper trikes. Core memories were made here. There are also simulators in the museum building for older kids and young-at-heart adults looking for more advanced play.

How to get there: Catch bus 6, 8, or 24 in front of the train station. Make sure the bus is heading towards the direction of the bridge. After about a 5 min ride, get off at the Verkehrshaus/Lido stop. The stop is right in front of the Swiss Museum of Transport.

Cost: The Swiss Travel Pass or the Lucerne Visitor Card covers the bus ride completely. Admission to the Swiss Museum of Transport is 50% off with the Swiss Travel Pass or a 10% discount with the Lucerne Visitor Card. Kids under 6 years are free with adult admission.

Food: There is a cafeteria on site if you need a quick lunch. Expect a main course to run around 20 CHF.

Day 3: Mount Pilatus and PILU Land Playground

Mount Pilatus is the first mountain excursion of this Swiss adventure. We’ll make it toddler-friendly by throwing in an awesome playground along the way! Mount Pilatus is one of the mountain excursions that requires an additional fee even with the Swiss Travel Pass. So check the weather reports and go on a day when the skies are clear to get the most bang for your buck. Adults will be amazed at the view of the lake from the summit. But most kids (including my own) don’t have much to entertain them on the summit. Bring some snacks to keep them busy while you do your picture taking, and keep them happy with promises of a dragon playground on the way down.

The PILU Land playground is at the Krienseregg stop of the cable cars on the way to/from the summit. It is a dragon and castle themed playground. The play structure itself would be better for older kids because there is a lot of climbing involved. There is a smaller climbing area, seesaw, mini zipline and playhouse for the younger kids. There is also a small stream that ends in a little pool. I don’t know if it was intended to be a wading pool, but my kiddo saw other Swiss kids taking off their shoes and wading in, so he followed suit! He actually had the most fun just splashing in that small stream and throwing rocks into the pool with the other kids.

How to get there: from Luzern Bahnhoff take the train to Alpnachstad (22 min ride). Switch to the Mount Pilatus cogwheel train (timetable here) for a 30 min ride up to the summit on the steepest cogwheel train in the world. For the best views, try to snag a downhill facing seat with your left shoulder against the window.

Coming down from the summit, take the gondola from the summit to Frakmuntegg. At Frakmuntegg, switch to the cable car. The cable car will take you to Krienseregg (get off here for PILU Land playground) and then on the Kriens. After exiting the Kriens cable car station, turn right (past the bus stop in front of the cable car station) and follow the blue and white signs for Luzern bus Nr. 1. Walk downhill for about 10 minutes until you see the bus stop for bus #1 to take you back to Luzern.

Cost: the Swiss Travel Pass covers the train ride from Luzern to Alpnachstad on the way there, and the bus from Kriens to Luzern on the way back. The cogwheel train from Alpnachstad to the summit, and the gondola and cable cars from the summit to Kriens require an additional fee (book online here), though there is a 50% discount with the Swiss Travel Pass. You can also pay extra to reserve a seat on the cogwheel train from Alpnachstad to the summit. This is recommended during peak season because without a reservation you may have a long wait. Kids under 6 years are free for this entire trip.

Food: there are cafeterias at every stop of the way on this trip – on the summit, at Frakmuntegg, and at Krienseregg. They all serve sandwiches or Swiss fare (think sausages and rosti). Plates cost around 20 CHF for a main portion, or 10 CHF for a kids portion. The kids portions were actually pretty substantial.

Day 4: Mount Rigi and Cliff Walk Hike – Meggenhorn Castle

Usually I only like to plan one activity a day when traveling with a toddler (check my post about tips for traveling with a toddler to see why). But I always have other options handy in case my first option doesn’t work out, or we end up having extra time. This day turned out to be the latter because of weather.

I had initially planned to do a longer hike at the summit of Mount Rigi, but it was pouring rain when we got to the summit. We basically rode the train up to the summit, got out to use the bathroom, and then hopped on the waiting train to go back down. It ended up working in our favor because as we descended the mountain, the rain let up. We had clear skies for the Rigi Kaltbad-First cliff walk hike, which ended up being my favorite hike on the trip.

Spending less time on the summit also gave us time to check out the Meggenhorn Castle. I loved Meggenhorn Castle because it’s gorgeous and my toddler loved because it had a petting zoo AND a playground. So although it initially seemed like the weather would ruin our day, this day ended up being my favorite day of the trip. Switzerland is magical that way – there is so much natural beauty that you’re bound to find something to enjoy no matter the weather.

Mount Rigi and Rigi Kaltbad-First Cliff Walk Hike

We did Mount Rigi even though it was raining because the entire trip is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. I would not have gone in the rain if I had to pay extra for it.

I would however, pay extra money to get to Rigi Kaltbad-First to do the cliff walk hike. The views along the hike from the train station to the cliff walk were already awe-inspiring. But when we got to the cliff walk I literally gasped. The views really do take your breath away. It’s a very easy, relatively flat hike, so the views to hiking effort ratio high. There are some benches at the cliff walk, so it would be a peaceful place for a picnic lunch. The hike is do-able with a stroller. However, the cliff walk is pretty narrow, so would recommend switching to a carrier for that.

How to get there: there are many routes to get to the summit of Mount Rigi, but this is the faster way. From Luzern Bahnhoff, take the train to Arth-Goldau (35 min ride). The Rigi cogwheel train station is at the end of the Arth-Goldau station. Transfer to the Rigi cogwheel train and ride it up to the summit (40 min ride). After checking out the view points at the top of Mount Rigi, take the Vitznau-Rigi Kulm cogwheel train downhill to the Rigi Kaltbad-First station (note that this train only runs once every hour, so keep that in mind when planning your time at the summit).

After getting off at Rigi Kaltbad-First station, cross the train tracks and continue along the path, following signs for Chalet Schild restaurant (30 min walk). You will pass a small playground just after crossing the train tracks. To get to the cliff walk, walk until you get to Chalet Schild restaurant. Kitty corner to the restaurant there will be a small path leading to the cliff walk (if you are facing the restaurant, the path will be behind you. Follow the signs to the Felsenwegg).

After enjoying the views on the cliff walk, walk back to Rigi Kaltbad-First station and look for the cable car station. Take the cable car to Weggis, then follow the signs down to the harbor to catch the boat back in the direction of Luzern.

The time tables for all of the Mount Rigi transportation can be found here. It is helpful to keep the timetables in mind because the transports don’t run that frequently. Don’t waste time waiting around for the next train or cable car.

Cost: completely covered with Swiss Travel Pass!

Food: there is a cafeteria at the summit of Mount Rigi and some restaurants at the Rigi Kaltbad-First station. We read good things about the Chalet Schild restaurant and were planning on eating there, but they are cash only (this was the one time on the trip we actually needed cash).

Meggenhorn Castle

Visiting Meggenhorn Castle feels like discovering the best kind of hidden gem. It is an idyllic castle on the edge of a lake with vineyards, a petting zoo with cute baby goats, and a fun playground. The playground has an awesome slide, climbing structures, and those mini ziplines that seem to be at all Swiss playgrounds. You can’t go into the castle, but when we visited they were setting up for an event so we were able to peek inside the windows. It doesn’t seem like it’s on the usual tourist route, so there weren’t that many people and we pretty much had the place to ourselves when we visited.

How to get there: because we visited on the way back from Mount Rigi, we had to detour a bit because there is no direct way to Meggenhorn castle from Weggis. We caught the ferry from Weggis heading back towards Luzern. To get to Meggenhorn castle, get off the ferry at the Verkehrshaus/Lido stop. Walk from the ferry dock to the Swiss Museum of Transport to catch the bus to the castle. Directly in front of the museum, take bus 24 to the Lerchenbuhl stop. Use Google Maps to walk to Meggenhorn castle (10-15 min walk).

After getting to the castle, you can wander around the gardens next to the castle. Then walk downhill past the vineyards to get to the petting zoo and playground. To return the Luzern, walk back up to the main road and catch bus 24 in the opposite direction back to Luzern Bahnhoff.

If you are going to the castle directly from Luzern, then you just need to catch bus 24 from the bus stop in front of Luzern Bahnhoff directly to the Lerchenbuhl stop.

Cost: completely covered by the Swiss Travel Pass!

Food: there is a cafe at the Meggenhorn castle, but the hours are limited and it was closed when we visited in the afternoon.

Day 5: Explore Lauterbrunnen

Choose your train from Luzern Banhoff to Lauterbrunnen Bahnhoff (2.5 hrs, with a transfer in Interlaken Ost).

After dropping off your luggage, bask in the beauty of the “Valley of 72 Waterfalls” by taking the Lauterbrunnen valley hike. This easy flat hike may also lull your toddler to sleep for a nap on the go in the carrier.

Follow the one road through Lauterbrunnen towards Staubbach Falls and then continue walking for as long as you want. On the way, you will pass a playground (behind the cemetary) which boasts an amazing view of Staubbach Falls.

Day 6: Allmendhubel and Winteregg Playgrounds

Ok, hear me out. I know it’s a double playground day. But you’re basically getting the same views as if you rode up to the Schilthorn summit. I have been up to the Schilthorn summit, and while the views are gorgeous, there is not much up there for kids. So you might not actually have much time to look at those views before toddlers start whining to leave. While these playgrounds are at a slightly lower altitude, they are not only cheaper to reach but also much more entertaining for your kids so that you can actually enjoy the views.

Allmendhubel Flower Park Playground

The Allmendhubel Flower Park playground was our kiddo’s favorite alpine playground and mine as well. Our kiddo was so into the water and sand area that he was happy to play independently. This meant I could actually enjoy the views knowing he was also having fun. This playground is flower themed and features a water maze, a mini zip line, a play structure, and a water and sand play area.

On the hill behind the playground there is a short flower trail hike that features different types of alpine wildflowers. The views from this hike are AMAZING. Even if you don’t do the whole hike, definitely hike up to the top of the mountain and sit for a minute at the benches at the top.

How to get there: from Lauterbrunnen, ride the cable car up to Grutschalp. Then transfer to the train to Murren. After exiting the train station at Murren, take the left fork downhill to walk through town. The Allmendhubel funicular to the playground is halfway across the town of Murren, just after Chalet Fontana. The playground is right next to the Allmendhubel funicular station.

Cost: the Swiss Travel Pass covers travel up to Murren. The Allmendhubel funicular is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, but there is a 50% discount with the Swiss Travel Pass. You don’t need to buy tickets to the funicular ahead of time since they don’t sell out, but if you want to they are available here. Kids under 6 are free.

Food: there is a restaurant next to the Allmendhubel flower park playground with a large deck with plenty of shade. Look for the “family meals,” which are a great deal (by Swiss pricing standards, at least).

Winteregg Restaurant Playground

The Winteregg restaurant playground playground is on the way to the Allmendhubel Flower Park playground. The playground is attached to the Winteregg restaurant and has amazing views of the alps at a slightly lower altitude.

How to get there: Winteregg is on the train line in between the Grutschalp and Murren train station. So you could stop here on the way to or from Murren.

Cost: completely covered with the Swiss Travel Pass!

Food: the playground is attached to the Winteregg restaurant.

Day 7: Mannlichen Playground. Mannlichen Panorama Hike. Lake Fallboden Hike.

Another day, another playground. But this playground is on the other side of the valley. So you will have a different panorama to feast your eyes on while your kiddo plays. Today is a long day with many hikes. Ideally your kiddo will take a nap in the carrier during one of the hikes. The hike to Lake Fallboden is uphill and pretty steep, but it is very worth it if you have the time! Just remember to bring many many snacks to keep the toddler rage monster at bay. I would not recommend these hikes with a stroller. Definitely use a carrier.

Mannlichen Alpine Herdsman’s Playground

The star of the Mannlichen Alpine Herdsman playground is undoubtedly this giant wooden cow slide. Inside the cow, there are cowbells to ring and other wooden games. You can also climb to the cow-top deck for amazing views of the surrounding mountains. The highlight for most kids is sliding down the cow’s tongue. There are also balance beams, a bowling area, swings, and small trampolines to keep the kiddos entertained.

Up the hill from the playground is a viewpoint where you can feel like a “king for a day” by standing on the crown they constructed at the summit. The climb up to the summit gets pretty steep at the top. It’s a lovely panoramic view of the surrounding alps, but I don’t think it was worth the climb and extra time it took with a toddler in a carrier. My husband disagrees. I say go if you have time, but it’s not worth it to delay naptime for this hike.

How to get there: from Lauterbrunnen take the train to Wengen. From Wengen, take the cable car up to Mannlichen. The playground is downhill to the right after exiting the cable car station.

Cost: the Swiss Travel Pass covers the train to Wengen. The cable car up to Mannlichen is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, but there is a 50% discount with the pass. You can book tickets online here or just buy them at the ticket window since they don’t sell out. If doing the panorama hike described next, you only need to buy a one way ticket, but if not doing the hike then make sure to buy a return ticket. Kids under 6 are free.

Food: there is a restaurant next to the playground that has a cafeteria section and a section with table service. There are plenty of tables with umbrellas for shade.

Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panorama Hike

This down hill hike is easy on the legs and easy on the eyes. The gravel path trail meanders around the alpine wilderness. It is surrounded by fields of wildflowers, with the gentle ring of cowbells in the distance. Hopefully your kiddo will be tired enough after the playground to fall asleep quickly so you can enjoy the peace of this hike. This hike takes around 1.5 hours to walk from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg (longer if you stop to rest or enjoy the scenery).

The train from Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen stops at Wengen. The Coop supermarket at Wengen is larger and better stocked than the one in Lauterbrunnen. Stop here if you need to refresh your groceries.

How to get there: from the playground, head downhill and follow the signs for the Panorama Trail. The trail ends in Kleine Scheidegg, where you can take the train back to Lauterbrunnen or walk a little further to Lake Fallboden.

Cost: the hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is free. But you do have to pay for part of the train ride back. Buy a one way ticket from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen (not all the way to Lauterbrunnen), since that is the part that is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. The Swiss Travel Pass gives a 25% discount. You can stay on the train after Wengen and continue to Lauterbrunnen. Kids under 6 are free.

Lake Fallboden

Lake Fallboden (or Fallbodensee in Swiss German) is worth the extra 20 min uphill hike (my husband and I agree on this one). The lake is man-made, but it perfectly reflects the snow-capped mountains surrounding it. There is a smaller lake (next to the church) with benches in it where you can sit and soak your feet in the cool water after a long day of hiking. There is a button that makes the water bubble like a jacuzzi! Our toddler had a lot of fun splashing around the little lake and marveling at the bubbles. A train also passes right in front of the lake, so you can wave at the train going by while soaking your feet.

How to get there: from the Kleine Scheidegg train station, look for the uphill path on the right. After about 20 minutes walking, the lake will be on the left hand side.

Day 8: Explore Basel

Choose your train from Lauterbrunnen Bahnhoff to Basel SBB (2.5 hrs total, with 1 transfer at Interlaken Ost). Some of the trains from Interlaken Ost to Basel have a family coach. This is a train car that has a play area inside it for kids. We didn’t have enough time during the short transfer window to look for the family coach, but it sounds like a great idea for a long ride!

This was our rest day after those busy days in the Bernese Oberland. We used it to hit up a bunch of the local chocolate stores to buy gifts for bringing back home. Afterwards we walked to the overlook behind the Basler Munster (Basel Cathedral) to watch the locals enjoying the river.

If you want to do your own chocolate scavenger hunt, check out my list of the best chocolates that you can only find in Switzerland!

There are also a ton of museums in Basel (older kids might like the Toy Museum). Or you could take a scenic boat cruise down the Rhine if you prefer more sightseeing.

Alternatively, you could do the Basel Zoo this afternoon and save the next day for a day trip to Bern.

Day 9: Basel Zoo

The Basel Zoo is right in the city center. While it is not a huge zoo (by American standards), it definitely has enough to keep kiddos occupied. We came on a weekday and saw a lot of dads solo-parenting on play dates here, which was a refreshing sight. After the zoo, you can check off some Basel sightseeing spots, like the Tinguely fountain, the Spalentor old town gates, and the striking red Rathaus (city hall). The Marktplatz (marketplace) in front of the city hall has a different farmers market every day of the week.

How to get there: many trams and buses stop right in front of the zoo. Options include taking Tram 10 or 17 to the stop ‘Zoo’, bus 34 or 36 to the stop ‘Zoo Dorenbach’ and tram 1 and 8 to the stop ‘Zoo Bachletten.’

Cost: the Basel Card provided by your accommodations in Basel gives a 50% discount to entry. Children under 6 are free!

Food: there is a cafeteria inside the zoo with your typical Swiss fare. The dining hall of this cafeteria is surprisingly beautiful. I felt like I was in a hipster restaurant in the Bay Area.

An alternative plan for this day to make the most use of the Swiss Travel Pass is to take a day trip to Bern. Bern is a 1 hr train ride away from Basel. Walk around the old town, visit the bears at the Bear Park, play at the Bern Rose Garden, and admire the clock tower.

Day 10: Day Trip to Colmar

One of the reasons we decided to end our trip in Basel was so we could visit Colmar. Colmar is closer to Basel than to Paris.

To be honest, Colmar was beautiful, but with the hordes of tourists in the middle of the day, it felt a bit like I was in Disneyland instead of a real place. Staying overnight in Colmar would be best to do it justice. That way you can actually enjoy the surroundings without being elbow-to-elbow with other tourists. That being said, there are moments of tranquility. At one point, we surprisingly found ourselves alone on one of the bridges overlooking the fisherman’s quay in the Little Venice area. A couple minutes later, it was swarming with another tour group, but it was magical while it lasted.

How to get there: there is a direct train from Basel to Colmar (45 min). The train platforms to France in Basel SBB are platforms 31-35, so follow the signs to those platforms. There are 2 ticket machines on the platform for the French trains (SNCF). You can use the ticket machines to buy return tickets from Basel to Colmar, but the French ticket machines are not as user-friendly for English speakers as the Swiss machines. You can also buy the tickets from the SBB ticket counter in the main station if you don’t want to bother with the ticket machines.

I had read in older blog posts that you need to validate tickets for French trains. But I don’t think that’s necessary now that tickets use QR codes. When we got on the train the conductor just scanned the QR code on the ticket. The tickets are valid for trains on that route at any time on that day. So if you buy a return ticket, you can take any train in the afternoon returning from Colmar to Basel.

From the train station, the old town of Colmar is a 15-20 min walk away. You pass by the Parc du Champ de Mars on the way to the old town, so it’s a great first stop.

Cost: since this train goes to France, it is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass and there are no discounts with the Pass.

Parc du Champ de Mars

This park has a play structure, a carousel, and 2 fountains. One of the fountains has water that shoots up at different intervals. You best believe our kiddo got soaking wet running through that fountain with the other French kids and had the time of his life. This park also has the “COLMAR” sign for photo ops.

Little Venice and Fisherman’s Quay

Little Venice (La Petite Venise) and Fisherman’s Quay are the quintessential photo stops in Colmar. This is where you’ll find all the tourists because it is gorgeous here. The little bridges adorned with flower baskets overlooking those colorful half timber houses – it’s all just picture perfect.

The Covered Market

The covered market is full of local produce and is a fantastic place to stop to grab something to eat. From what I read, restaurants in Colmar book up quickly for lunch. It’s stressful to keep reservations with an unpredictable toddler, so we opted to try our luck in the market. The baked goods we bought from the bakery in the market were amazing (must be that French butter!). And we all enjoyed our tarte flambees from one of the restaurants in the market. A tarte flambee is a pizza-like tart with a very thin crust, topped with cheese, onions, and bacon.

Miniature Train Tour

There are two different miniature trains that run through Colmar, the green train and the white train. These miniature trains give you a little tour around the old town of Colmar and have individual headsets so you can listen to the guided narration. The white train is free for children under 6. Tickets are available from the driver or from the Tourist Information Office. We didn’t get to this because our kiddo fell asleep.

Day 11: Return to Zurich Airport

The train to from Basel SBB to Zurich Flughafen (Zurich Airport) takes around 1.5 hours, so plan accordingly. There are some direct trains and other trains require 1 transfer. There are some trains on this route which have the family coach.

Reality Check of Traveling to Switzerland with a Toddler

While this itinerary is pretty heavy on playgrounds and fun things for toddlers, there are a lot of nap on-the-go days to accommodate all the activities. Naps on the go aren’t always the best for optimizing sleep. Of course we found ourselves with a cranky toddler by the end of the evening. Sadly, tantrums don’t magically disappear just because you’re on vacation!

The other wrench in the sleep schedule is jet lag. This was the biggest time difference we have had to contend with so far. Surprisingly, our kiddo adjusted pretty quickly. I intentionally made the beginning of this itinerary pretty light. We did one fun thing in the morning. And this tired our kiddo out enough for him to get a good nap in the afternoon.

The travel days were also not bad because kids love trains! 2.5 hours in a train with a toddler is vastly superior to 2.5 hours trapped in a car. Overall, other than our toddler’s usual level of crankiness, it wasn’t a horribly difficult trip. Largely because the infrastructure in Switzerland is amazing and it is surprisingly kid-friendly.

If that is not enough to convince you to book your tickets to Switzerland next summer, then check out my post on 8 reasons your kids will love Switzerland for more proof!