The 100+ best ideas for your family trip in Switzerland

For families, Switzerland has a very wide range of activities to offer. Before we get started with our ideas for you, we'll share some general tips for your family trip.

Swiss Activities Tips for Families

• A must-have when visiting Switzerland with kids is the Swiss Family Card. With it, children from the age of 6 and before the age of 16 travel for free on public transportation when accompanied by a parent. The Swiss Family Card is free of charge and is issued when you buy any Swiss Travel System ticket. If you live in Switzerland, an alternative to the Swiss Family Card is the Junior Card. It costs 30 CHF for a whole year and also lets you take your child for free on any day trip by public transport.
• More and more regions are targeting families or creating offers that are suitable for families. Switzerland Tourism has created an overview page with so-called "family destinations". In addition, you will find a wealth of inspiration for your family vacation on the website of Reka.
• Do you love a good barbecue as much as we do? Or like your kids? Then Swiss Family Fireplaces is the place for you. Nearly 600 fireplaces are free and open to the public and offer a varying standard of infrastructure. Pretty much all of them have a grill with firewood. Some are additionally equipped with toilets, parking spaces and sometimes even playgrounds. They offer the perfect basis for a refreshing break on a hike or for an excursion into nature.
• There are countless theme, fairy tale and nature trails scattered throughout Switzerland. They teach children about a special topic, are dedicated to a fairy tale and often offer a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape. This is how you discover the most beautiful corners of Switzerland with your children. Switzerland Tourism has compiled an overview of over 200 theme trails.

In Switzerland, there are numerous excursions that you can take with your family. Whether in summer or winter, with active teenagers or lively toddlers, on foot or with the stroller - here you will find inspiration for the next family trip.

Excursions Switzerland for adventurous families

Adventures for a family trip in Switzerland are waiting around every corner. You just have to find them.

Monstertrotti

Ride the Monstertrotti down the mountain while enjoying the beautiful view. The oversized scooters are especially fun for adventurous kids. Thanks to the wide tires, this vehicle is very stable, safe, and easy to use. Monster scooters can be rented in Switzerland in many different places, often near mountain railroads.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School children and teenagers

Swiss Activities Tip: While riding the Monstertrotti in Matten you have a breathtaking view of Eiger. Mönch and Jungfrau. Above the Lauterbrunnen Valley you are surrounded by 72 waterfalls. But also in Valais in Saas-Grund or in Ticino in Bosco Gurin, the downhill ride is fun for the whole family.

Rope park

Surrounded by nature, you climb through trees and various obstacles in a rope park. The more than 50 rope parks in Switzerland have different difficulty levels and heights for every level. This makes them ideal for a family outing. You can find rope parks in Gantrisch, Interlaken, Arosa and even in the cities of Zurich and Bern.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Children over 120 cm, teenagers
• Minimum age, height and / or weight depends on the rope park

Swiss Activities Tip: The Rope Park Interlaken has a butterfly course without a harness for the very young. Parents are also allowed in for free to help them. So even the smallest children have fun.

Via ferrata

For the sporty and giddy families, a via ferrata is an adventurous excursion. In a via ferrata, you are secured with ropes and climb the path with the help of iron ladders, iron pins and clamps. Depending on the place, age and experience, there are different levels of difficulty. Beautiful via ferratas, which are also adapted for children, can be found in the Zermatt via ferratas, on the Tälli or the Schwarzhorn in Grindelwald.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School children, teenagers

Swiss Activities Tip: Find out in advance if you are allowed to do the activity at a specific location with your children. Many destinations expect a minimum age of 18. However, there are via ferratas that can be done with children as young as 120 cm.

Flying into the valley like an eagle with the First Glider

Do you dream of soaring through the air like an eagle one day? In Grindelwald this dream can come true. The Grindelwald First Glider is a large eagle attached to a steel cable. It takes four people simultaneously 800 m down to Schreckfeld. You and your family can literally admire the valley from a bird's eye view.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School children from 10 years, teenagers
• Minimum height: 130 cm
• Body weight: max. 125 kg

Swiss Activities Tip: Family members who prefer to stay on solid ground will find wonderful hiking routes in this enchanting area as an alternative to eagle flight. These include, for example, the marmot trail with views of Lakes Brienz and Thun and the famous triumvirate of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Roast a sausage at a Swiss family fireplace

In Switzerland, a successful hike includes a fire to roast a delicious sausage. Fireplaces maintained by the "Swiss family" can be found all over the country. They have an excellent infrastructure and can be used for free. All you have to do is find a few branches to skewer the sausage and you've created a feast for the whole family. It is the icing on the cake of a family trip.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Any age
• Free of charge

Swiss Activities Tip: On the Witches' Trail in Wirzweli in Nidwalden, there is a fire pit in the middle of the Witches' Trail adventure playground. It's a great place for kids to let off steam on large wooden structures.

Summer tobogganing

Whizz down the slope with the wind in your hair and a panoramic view. On the toboggan runs you can either go alone or in pairs. Depending on how old and how adventurous your kids are. Summer tobogganing is a fast-paced activity for young and old. You can find breathtaking toboggan runs at Lake Oeschinen, in Monte Tamaro or high up on the Alpine Coaster in the canton of Vaud.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Toddlers to teenagers

Tyrolienne

An activity guaranteed to thrill the whole family is a tyrolienne in the middle of the mountains. Attached to a steel cable, you race down the mountain with a beautiful panoramic view. You will find scenic spots that are well-suited for a family trip on Monte Tamaro in Ticino, Mont Fort in Valais or Hoch-Ybrig.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School children from about 9 years old and teenagers.

Swiss Activities Tip: In Monte Tamaro you will find the longest Tyrolienne in Switzerland. In addition, there are numerous other activities for adventurous families.

Böötle

How about a family outing on the water? Whether Aare Böötle, Limmat Böötle or Rhein Böötle: in Switzerland there are many opportunities for the popular inflatable boating. For example, you can start with the inflatable boat in Thun and drift on the fast Aare all the way to Bern.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Children and teenagers, water rats

Swiss Activities Tip: If you own a rubber dinghy or an inflatable unicorn, you can easily Böötle alone. With children, however, it can be stressful to find the right exit. "Booking an Aare Böötle with guide for a family Böötle saves you all the organization. So you can enjoy the excursion carefree.

Jetboat Tour

Being on the Lake of Brienz at top speed is fun for the whole family. On a Jetboat Tour in Interlaken you will see the Giessbach Falls and learn exciting stories about the region. You will experience an exciting boat ride with 360 degree turns and high speed.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Children from 5 years

Rafting

Rafting is an exciting activity that is also suitable for children without experience. Throughout Switzerland there are very many offers that are suitable for a family trip. For example, there is the Giarsun Gorge in Engadine or on the glacier river Vispa in Valais. Also the Lütschine in Interlaken is suitable for families and beginners

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School children from 8 years

Swiss Activities Tip: Combine rafting with a barbecue at the Giarsun Gorge in the Engadine or on the Rhone in Valais.

Canyoning

You're not afraid of getting wet and like a real adrenaline kick every now and then? Then canyoning is the perfect challenge for you and your family. This adventurous adventure sport is pretty wild. But courage and heart palpitations are rewarded with a lot of joyful whooping and unforgettable experiences in deep gorges, mountainous regions and remote nature

• Season: All year round, mostly May to October
• Suitable for: all adrenaline junkies, families and groups, even for beginners and (depending on the tour) children from 8 years old
• Good health condition required

Swiss Activities Tip: Thanks to numerous mountain streams and gorges, Switzerland offers unlimited canyoning fun. From the Bernese Oberland to Ticino, there is a suitable tour for everyone here.

Europapark

Want to visit 15 countries in one day? Then off to the Europapark! The whole family is sure to be happy here. The brave prove themselves on fast-paced roller coasters like the 'Blue Fire' or the 'Silver Star', the hungry feast from region to region and the dreamers let themselves be whisked away to other worlds by goblins on high stilts, princesses on ice skates or the Euro Mouse. With more than 100 different attractions and shows, no wish is left unfulfilled. This is the perfect family trip!

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Young to old and everyone in between

Swiss Activities Tip: You're overjoyed but also a bit exhausted after so much laughing, screaming, jittering and marveling? Then let the chauffeur drive you home and reminisce about the eventful day in Rust on the bus ride from Europapark back to Switzerland.

Indoor playground

It's pouring rain and the kids want to go out to the playground? How about a surf session in the halls of a shopping mall? Or would you rather go sliding, climbing, rappelling, bouldering or trampolining? The next fair weather front is sure to come... Until then, you certainly won't be bored with all the indoor amusement parks.

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: depending on the activity from very small to very large

Swiss Activities Tip: The largest indoor rope park in Europe is located in Grindelwald. Five courses with over 40 elements and up to 15 m high provide hours of climbing fun and a whole lot of adrenaline. You'd better be prepared for the kids to want to go here again, even in good weather...

Dog sledding

You don't have to travel to Greenland for your family trip to enjoy beautiful landscapes, crystal-clear snow and dog sleds. You can also experience this unique adventure in Switzerland. There are offers for example in the Bernese Oberland around Gstaad, in the region of Lake Walen, the Muotathal in the canton of Schwyz, in Toggenburg and in many other places. The exciting hours with the huskies in the snow will certainly remain in good memory for the whole family forever.

• Season: November to April
• Suitable for: School children and teenagers
• Minimum age varies depending on the tour and provider

Swiss Activities Tip: It's best to wear warm winter boots and ski or rain pants with a snowproof finish or gaiters. This will keep you dry and nice and warm on the sled ride

Sledding

Few things are more fun in winter than sledding down a mountain at full speed. Through snow-covered forests, along winding slopes, in the sunshine or in a snowstorm: sledding is the ultimate snow fun for the whole family. Don't have your own sled? No problem at all; in most Swiss ski resorts they can be booked by the hour, half-day or day.

• Season: November to April
• Suitable for: the whole family

Swiss Activities Tip: Rent a toboggan directly at the valley station of a mountain railroad and let yourself be transported to lofty heights. You save yourself the rigorous climb on foot and with a multiple-ride ticket you can sled down several times.

Build your own igloo

Why not build an igloo yourself? Equip yourself and your family with shovels and off you go. The easiest way is to shovel a large pile of snow together, tap it firmly all around and then carefully start to hollow out the pile of snow. That gives quite warm. But the time afterwards in the cool igloo will be all the more enjoyable.

• Season: November to April
• Suitable for: the whole family

Swiss Activities Tip: Don't have enough snow in your own backyard or not enough tools for the whole family? Then drive to the nearest ski resort and build a real igloo under expert guidance with saw and shovel, snow block by snow block. You can do this, for example, in beautiful Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland.

Excursions Switzerland for Explorers Families

Go exploring with your family on excursions in Switzerland and spend a day doing fun activities. There's bound to be something you've never tried before.

Puzzle hikes

Do you love hiking for life, but have one or two hiking muffleheads in the family? Then you should definitely go on a puzzle hike. Games of skill and puzzle fun provide a lot of variety and fun. Coupled with a beautiful mountain panorama and lots of fresh air, happy faces are pre-programmed at the end of the day.

• Season: Varies depending on the region
• Suitable for: Big and small

Swiss Activities Tip: Lunch is included with this great puzzle hike in the Valais mountains. This is perfect if you are tired from hiking and puzzling.

Glacier Gorge

Explore the unique Glacier Gorge in Grindelwald with your family. An easy hike leads over paths, through tunnels and rock galleries within the gorge along the foot of the Eiger North Face. One of the highlights of this family trip is also the walkable spider's web made of wire ropes. Covering 170 m², it invites you to climb and balance at a height of seven metres.

• Season: May to November
• Suitable for: Families with children under supervision

Caving

Are you in the mood to hike and it's raining or too hot outside to hike in the sun? Then a little indoor hike is just the thing for you and your family. In the St. Beatus caves on Lake Thun near Interlaken, you can explore the inside of the mountain for about a kilometer. Of course, on well-maintained and illuminated paths, so the adventure is safe and accessible for the whole family.

• Season: March to October
• Suitable for: any age

Swiss Activities Tip: An experience of a very special kind is the exclusive Candle Light Cave Raclette With fire crackling and candlelight you enjoy a dinner in spectacular surroundings.

Waterfall

Whether gently rippling and idyllic or breathtakingly high and thundering loudly; waterfalls can be found in Switzerland in all conceivable forms and in all possible regions. In some waterfall pools you can of course also swim and recover from hiking in the summer. So why not plan a hike with the destination "waterfall"?

• Season: Possible all year round, depending on the region and weather
• Suitable for: Young and old

Swiss Activities Tip: With its 72 waterfalls, the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the canton of Bern is the destination for all waterfall fans. Here you will also find the Trümmelbach Falls; the largest underground glacial waterfalls in Europe.

Gold panning

The search for gold is possible in many places in Switzerland and thrills young and old alike. For example, you can dig for gold on a family trip in the beautiful Napf region or in Graubünden. Your heart will certainly beat a little faster when it sparkles for the first time in your gold panning pan. So go ahead; put on your rubber boots, cowboy hat and off you go on your gold hunt.

• Season: From May to October, depending on the weather
• Suitable for: Children from approx. 6 years

Swiss Activities Tip: To successfully strike a few grains of gold, it is worth booking a course. These are offered at different places and in different durations. Disentis and the surrounding area is probably particularly promising: after all, the area is one of the most gold-rich in Switzerland.

Barefoot hiking trail

Lush grass, warm leaves, muddy clay, cool pebbles or crystal clear water underfoot; barefoot hiking is a huge treat for the whole family. Honestly, how often do you treat your feet to some fresh air? It's time to be a real kid again and explore Switzerland on bare soles.

• Season: depending on weather and region from April to October
• Suitable for: Young and old

Swiss Activities Tip: Great barefoot hiking trails can be found all over Switzerland and new ones are added every year. And is there a more charming name for a barefoot hike than "On the Tickle Trail to Lake Härzli?

Foxtrail

If you want to discover a new region or city, we have an idea for you. On one of over 60 Foxtrails throughout Switzerland, you and your family will embark on a first-class interactive search for clues. By solving tricky riddles and completing fun tasks, you'll move from post to post. This is a fun way to get to know a new environment

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Children from approx. 6 years, families and groups

Swiss Activities Tip: For even more fun, split up into groups and start at different times. This way, it's not just about finding your way from post to post, but also about completing the whole fox hunt faster than the other teams. On your mark, get set, go.

Escape Game Outdoor

By means of tricky puzzle games and funny adventures you get to know a place in a uniquely exciting way. The Outdoor Escape Games are offered all over Switzerland and on different themes. Depending on the age of the children, there are many different games to choose from

• Season: possible all year round, depending on the game and location
• Suitable for: Children and adults

Swiss Activities Tip: You want to get to know the capital of Switzerland from a new perspective? Then go in search of the magic portal and help save Bern from dangerous creatures from the past.

Escape Room Indoor

Escape rooms offer you and your family an exciting way to have fun even in bad weather. First you decide on a location, choose a difficulty level and then [the appropriate Escape Room game. Then you let yourself be locked in voluntarily and puzzle, calculate and fiddle your way back to freedom together with your team

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: the whole family, minimum age varies depending on the game

Swiss Activities Tip: The highest Escape Room in the world is located in Davos. With the combination offer, however, you don't just puzzle in lofty heights and get your adrenaline pumping. You can combine a visit to the Escape Room with a hike and an enjoyable meal on the alp.

Museum of Transport

Switzerland's most popular museum is located just outside Lucerne. In the Verkehrshaus you can expect not only a lot of interesting facts about transport and communication, but also the cinema with the largest permanently installed screen in Switzerland. In addition, the Museum of Transport has a planetarium, a pond for pedaling, a chocolate museum, various restaurants and stores and much more. Not only the little ones will be amazed. It's worth taking a family trip here for the whole day.

• Season: open 365 days a year
• Suitable for: Young and old. Cinema and planetarium is recommended from 6 years.

Swiss Activities Tip: From Lucerne you can get by boat directly to the gates of the Museum of Transport.

Bike tour

Cycling in Switzerland is definitely a bit more strenuous than in Holland, for example. But the effort is rewarded here with unique panoramic views on countless hills and mountains. And where it goes up, it must also go down again. And that makes it all the more fun. Switzerland offers over 12,000 km of signposted cycle paths. There is certainly something for you and your family.

• Season: Possible all year round, depending on weather and region
• Suitable for: the whole family, depending on the route and the age of the children

Botanical Garden

Be enchanted by flowers and plants in all shapes and colors. Especially on gray days, a visit to the botanical garden does you a world of good. In Zurich, for example, there is a new garden with futuristic greenhouses that belongs to the university. In addition, you will find an old botanical garden in the city center, which was created in 1837 and still impresses with its collection of exotic and old trees

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Big and small, depending on the garden also easily possible with a stroller

Swiss Activities Tip: In many botanical gardens, admission is free. For example in St. Gallen - or also in the two above mentioned in Zurich.

Museum

According to the 2020 museum statistics of the Federal Office of Culture, Switzerland has around 1129 museums! If you have a choice, you're spoiled for choice... But since it also rains here from time to time, you can easily discover several museums per year. From A like the Alpine Museum in Bern to Z like the Center of Photography in Winterthur, there is something for every age and every taste.

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Young and old, big and small, varies depending on the museum

Swiss Activities Tip: Did you know that there are also outdoor museums? At the unique Ballenberg Open-Air Museum, you'll find over 100 historic buildings from all over Switzerland, learn about traditional handicrafts and get up close and personal with cute farm animals.

Castles and palaces

What child doesn't dream of being a knight, king or princess one day? And at the latest since 'Game of Thrones', the enthusiasm for castles and palaces should also be great again among adults. Probably the most famous castle in Switzerland, the Chateau Chillon, is located in picturesque Montreux on Lake Geneva.

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: for little kings and big court jesters

Swiss Activities Tip: You want to offer your little ones something really special? Then go to the nearest second-hand store before the excursion and look around in the children's department for swords, crowns and pearl necklaces, with which the children can then dress up on the excursion.

Zoo / Animal Park

From small, colorful butterflies and clumsy penguins to wrinkled elephants or proud antelopes; in Swiss zoos you'll find a wonderful variety of fascinating animals. Here, the picture book suddenly comes alive and your pointing finger wanders enthusiastically from animal to animal all day long. Some zoos, such as the Wildnispark Zürich, the Tierpark Biel or the Wildpark Peter und Paul in St. Gallen, are even free of charge.

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Young and old

Swiss Activities Tip: For families who live near a zoo, an annual pass is often worthwhile. That way you can drop by for a short visit. One time to the zebras from Africa, the next time to the chameleons in the jungle. Quasi an expedition through the animal kingdom in stages...

Excursions Switzerland for cozy families

There are also plenty of relaxing options for spending a day with your family on excursions in Switzerland.

Fishing

More than 100,000 Swiss people cast their rods at least one day a year, fishing for fish in the country's streams, rivers and lakes. You've never caught a fish yourself, but would like to give it a try? Then go to the trout lake in Gstaad for fishing or to the fishing in Kreuzboden in Saas-Grund and let the professional show you.

• Season: from April to October
• Suitable for: Children from approx. 6 years

Swiss Activities Tip: In Switzerland there are various waters where fishing is only allowed with a fishing license. It is therefore worthwhile to briefly clarify beforehand where what is allowed.

Adventure playgrounds

If you want to get out into the fresh air with your family, there are plenty of adventure playgrounds to choose from. It doesn't even require a strenuous hike or a long walk. Just take the train, the bus or the gondola out into nature and while the kids are having fun on an adventure playground, you can enjoy a picnic and a glass of wine in peace and quiet.

• Season: Varies according to region and weather
• Suitable for: small and big children

Swiss Activities Tip: Spend an unforgettable day with the family on Allmendhubel in breathtaking scenery. Train ticket, lunch and adventure playground "Flower Park" are included.

Outdoor Fondue

The Swiss love their fondue. One annoying side effect of a delicious fondue, however, is that afterwards your hair, clothes and the whole apartment smells of it. The perfect solution to this is an outdoor fondue. Either build a fire yourself or go to one of over 500 public fireplaces. Very important; don't forget a good white wine to go with it.

• Season: Fondue tastes better in winter, but tastes vary. Therefore possible all year round
• Suitable for: Big and small

Swiss Activities Tip: In addition to oversized fondue pans for groups and extra-long fondue forks so you don't have to get too close to the hot fire, there are even extra aprons. They come with a large pocket for the bread socks and a holder for the wine glass.

Chocolate Museum

Attention foodies. There are over 9 chocolate factories in Switzerland that you can visit. At the Maestrani Chocolarium, you'll embark on an interactive experiential tour of the chocolate factory, watch the chocolatiers in production, learn more about 'happiness and chocolate' in an exciting feature film, and get to ask a show confectioner all your questions about the world of chocolate. And yes, of course you can also taste a lot of chocolate. At the latest when you see the chocolate fountain, there's not much left until you reach the land of milk and honey.

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Chocolate lovers of all ages

Swiss Activities Tip: The Chocolarium is the only Swiss chocolate factory that gives you an insight into its live production. In an 80-meter-long glass gallery, you watch directly how, for example, the famous "Munz Prügeli" are made.

Llama and Alpaca Trekking

First came the unicorn, then the flamingo - and now we all can't get enough of the cuddly, hearty llamas and alpacas. How great that you no longer have to travel all the way to Peru to get up close and personal with these fluffy animals. How about a llama and alpaca trekking in Liechtenstein, for example?

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: Hiking fun for young and old

Swiss Activities Tip: Llamas and alpacas are considered very sociable and are happy to have human company. Especially children have a lot of fun with the animals. And don't worry; llamas and alpacas spit at each other, so you should be safe.

Boat trip

What could be more beautiful than to marvel at Switzerland's most magnificent coasts, mountain panoramas and landscapes from the comfort of a ship? Boat trips are available on numerous lakes and rivers in Switzerland - including Lake Geneva, Lake Neuchâtel, Lakes Thun and Brienz, Lake Lucerne, Lake Constance and many more. So you're spoiled for choice as to which body of water to start with....

• Season: All year round
• Suitable for: the whole family

Swiss Activities Tip: The best view of Chillon Castle is definitely from the water. So combine your visit there with a boat trip on Lake Geneva.

Mountain railways

Did you know that there are more than 300 mountain railroads in Switzerland? They take you to the mountains not only in winter for skiing, but also all year round for hiking or biking. So if you and your family don't like to climb to the top on your own initiative, you can take the mountain railroad for a wonderfully relaxed ride either from the valley to the summit or vice versa.

• Season: Varies depending on the region
• Suitable for: Families (children usually only accompanied by adults)

Swiss Activities Tip: With the Rigi Bergbahnen day pass, you and your family have unlimited access to all the cable cars on the Queen of the Mountains. This includes two cogwheel railroads, one of which is the oldest mountain railroad in Europe, and two cable cars.