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 plenty of trips you can take with your family. Whether in summer or winter, with active teenagers or lively toddlers, on foot or with a stroller—here you'll find inspiration for your next family outing.

Excursions in Switzerland for adventurous families

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

Monster Trotti

Ride down the mountain on a Monster Trotti and enjoy the beautiful view. These oversized scooters are a blast for adventurous kids. Thanks to the wide tires, this ride is very stable, safe, and easy to handle. You can rent Monster Trottis, often called Monster Scooters, at many different locations in Switzerland, usually near mountain lifts.

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

Swiss Activities Tip: When riding the Monster Trotti in Matten, you’ll have a breathtaking view of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, you’re surrounded by 72 waterfalls. But the downhill ride is also a blast for the whole family in Saas-Grund in Valais or in Bosco Gurin in Ticino.

Rope Park

Surrounded by nature, you can climb through trees and various obstacles in the Rope Park. The over 50 rope parks in Switzerland offer different difficulty levels and heights for every skill level, making them perfect for a family outing. You'll find rope parks in places like Gantrisch, Interlaken, Arosa, or even in the cities of Zurich and Bern.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Kids 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 harnesses for the little ones. Parents can also enter for free to help them out. This way, even the youngest kids can have fun.

Via Ferrata

For sporty families who aren’t afraid of heights, a via ferrata is an adventurous outing. On a via ferrata, you’re secured with ropes and climb the path using iron ladders, pegs, and clamps. Depending on the location, age, and experience, there are various difficulty levels. You can find beautiful via ferratas, which are also suitable for kids, like the Zermatt via ferratas, on Tälli or Schwarzhorn in Grindelwald.

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

Swiss Activities Tip: Check in advance whether you can do the activity at a specific location with your kids. Many destinations require a minimum age of 18. However, there are indeed via ferratas that can be done with kids from 120 cm tall.

Fly like an eagle into the valley with the First Glider

Ever dreamt of soaring through the skies like an eagle? In Grindelwald, this dream can become a reality. The Grindelwald First Glider is a large eagle secured to a steel cable. It takes four people down 800 m to Schreckfeld at the same time. You’ll experience the valley from an eagle’s-eye view along with your family.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School kids from 10 years, teenagers
• Minimum height: 130 cm
• Maximum weight: 125 kg

Swiss Activities Tip: For family members who prefer to stay on solid ground, there are beautiful hiking trails as an alternative to flying like an eagle in this enchanting area. One option is the Marmot Trail, offering views of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, as well as the famous trio of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

Roasting a Sausage at a Swiss Family Fire Pit

A successful hike in Switzerland includes a fire to roast a delicious sausage. Fire pits maintained by “Swiss Family” can be found all over the country. They have excellent facilities and are free to use. You just need to find a few sticks to skewer the sausage, and you’ve created a feast for the whole family. It’s basically the cherry on top for a delightful family outing.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: All ages
• Free

Swiss Activities Tip: On the Witch Trail in Wirzweli, Nidwalden, there's a fire pit right in the middle of the adventure playground. It's a great spot for kids to have fun on the large wooden structures.

Summer Sledding

Zoom down the slope with the wind in your hair and a panoramic view. On the sledding tracks, you can ride alone or with a friend, depending on how old and adventurous your kids are. Summer sledding is an exciting activity for both kids and adults. You can find breathtaking sledding runs at places like Oeschinensee, Monte Tamaro, or high up on the Alpine Coaster in the Vaud canton.

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

Zipline

A thrilling activity that promises excitement for the whole family is a zipline in the mountains. Attached to a steel cable, you fly down the mountainside while enjoying stunning panoramic views. Great spots for a family outing can be found at Monte Tamaro in Ticino, Mont Fort in Valais, or in Hoch-Ybrig.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Schoolchildren from around 9 years old and teenagers.

Swiss Activities Tip: At Monte Tamaro, you'll find the longest zipline in Switzerland. Plus, there are plenty of other activities for adventurous families.

Boating

How about a family outing on the water? Whether it's Aare Boating, Limmat Boating, or Rhine Boating: there are plenty of options for popular inflatable boat rides in Switzerland. For instance, you can start your adventure in Thun and drift down the fast Aare to Bern.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Kids and teens, water lovers

Swiss Activities Tip: If you own an inflatable boat or a unicorn float, you can easily paddle on your own. However, it can get stressful to find the right exit with kids. Booking a guided Aare Boating for a family trip saves you all the hassle, so you can just enjoy the outing.

Jetboat Tour

Zooming across Lake Brienz at top speed is a blast for the whole family. On a Jetboat Tour in Interlaken, you'll see the Giessbach Falls and hear fascinating stories about the region. Experience an exciting boat ride with 360-degree spins and high speed.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: Kids from 5 years old

Rafting

Rafting is an exciting activity that's also great for kids with no prior experience. Throughout Switzerland, there are plenty of options perfect for a family outing. For instance, there's the Giarsun Gorge in the Engadin or the glacier river Vispa in the Valais. The Lütschine in Interlaken is also suitable for families and beginners.

• Season: May to October
• Suitable for: School kids starting from 8 years old

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

Canyoning

If you don't mind getting wet and enjoy a real adrenaline rush every now and then, then canyoning is the perfect adventure for you and your family. This thrilling sport can get pretty wild, but the courage and heart-pounding moments are rewarded with lots of joyful screams and unforgettable experiences in deep gorges, mountainous regions, and remote nature.

• Season: Year-round, mainly May to October
• Suitable for: all adrenaline junkies, families and groups, even beginners and (depending on the tour) kids from 8 years old.
• Good physical condition required

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

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 inside a shopping mall? Or would they rather go sliding, climbing, abseiling, bouldering, or bouncing on trampolines? The next nice weather front will definitely come… Until then, you won’t be bored with all the indoor amusement parks.

• Season: Year-round
• Suitable for: Depending on the activity, from little ones to big kids

Swiss Activities Tip: The largest indoor rope park in Europe is located in Grindelwald. Five courses with over 40 elements and heights of up to 15 m will provide hours of climbing fun and plenty of adrenaline. Better be prepared for the kids wanting to come back even in good weather…

Dog Sledding

You don’t have to travel to Greenland to enjoy beautiful landscapes, crystal-clear snowy air, and dog sledding with your family. You can experience this unique adventure right here in Switzerland. There are offerings in places like the Bernese Oberland around Gstaad, the Walensee region, the Muotathal in the canton of Schwyz, in Toggenburg, and many other locations. The thrilling hours spent with Huskies in the snow will surely be cherished by 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 snowproof cuffs or gaiters. This way, you’ll stay dry and warm during the sled ride.

Sledding

Few things are more fun in winter than racing down a mountain on a sled. Through snowy forests, along winding trails, in sunshine or blizzard: Sledding is the ultimate snow fun for the whole family. Don’t have your own sled? No problem; in most Swiss ski resorts, you can rent one for a few hours, half a day, or even a whole day.

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

Swiss Activities Tip: Rent a sled directly at the valley station of a mountain railway and get transported to higher altitudes. This way, you save the steep walk up, and with a multi-ride ticket, you can sled down multiple 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.

Day Trips in Switzerland for Exploring Families

Take your family on an adventure with day trips in Switzerland and spend a day filled with fun activities. There's definitely something you haven't tried yet.

Riddle Hikes

If you love hiking but have a few non-hikers in the family, you should definitely try a riddle hike. Skill games and riddles provide plenty of variety and fun. Coupled with stunning mountain scenery and fresh air, happy faces at the end of the day are guaranteed.

• Season: Varies by region
• Suitable for: All ages

Glacier Gorge

Discover the unique Glacier Gorge in Grindelwald with your family. An easy hike takes you along paths, through tunnels, and rock galleries within the gorge at the foot of the Eiger North Face. A major highlight of this family outing is a walkable wire spider web, inviting climbing and balancing over an area of 170 m², at a height of seven meters.

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

Cave Hiking

Are you in the mood for a hike, but it's raining or too hot outside to enjoy walking in the sun? Then a little indoor hike is just the thing for you and your family. At the St. Beatus Caves by Lake Thun near Interlaken, you can explore the inside of the mountain over approximately one kilometer. Of course, you'll be on well-maintained and well-lit paths, making the adventure safe and accessible for the whole family.

• Season: March to October
• Suitable for: all ages

Swiss Activities Tip: For a truly unique experience, try the exclusive Candle Light Cave Raclette. Enjoy dinner in a spectacular setting by the crackling fire and candlelight.

Waterfall

Whether it's gently trickling and idyllic or breathtakingly high and roaring; you can find waterfalls in Switzerland in every imaginable form and in all kinds of regions. In some waterfall pools, you can even swim and cool off from hiking in the summer. So why not plan a hike with a destination of "waterfall"?

• Season: Possible year-round depending on 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'll also find the Trümmelbach Falls; the largest underground glacier 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 Trail

Soft grass, warm leaves, muddy clay, cool pebbles, or crystal-clear water under your feet; barefoot hiking is a fantastic pleasure for the whole family. Let’s be honest, how often do you let your feet breathe? It’s time to be a 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: You can find great barefoot trails all over Switzerland, with new ones added every year. And is there any name more charming for a barefoot hike than “On the Tickling Path to Härzlisee”?

Foxtrail

If you want to explore a new region or city, we have an idea for you. With one of over 60 Foxtrails across Switzerland, you and your family can embark on an interactive treasure hunt of the highest quality. By solving tricky puzzles and completing fun tasks, you move from station to station, getting to know a new area in a playful way.

• Season: year-round
• Suitable for: children from about 6 years, families, and groups

Swiss Activities Tip: For even more fun, split into groups and start at different times. This way, it’s not just about finding stations, but racing against other teams to complete the whole fox hunt faster. Ready, set, go.

Outdoor Escape Game

Through tricky puzzle games and fun adventures, you’ll get to know a location in a uniquely exciting way. The Outdoor Escape Games are offered throughout Switzerland and cover various themes. Depending on the children’s age, different games are suitable.

• Season: depending on the game and location, available year-round
• Suitable for: children and adults

Swiss Activities Tip: Want to experience Switzerland's capital from a new angle? Then search for the magical portal and help protect Bern from dangerous creatures of the past.

Indoor Escape Room

Escape rooms offer you and your family an exciting way to have a lot of fun even when the weather is bad. First, you pick a location, choose a difficulty level, and then [the right escape room game. After that, you voluntarily lock yourself in and, together with your team, you’ll solve puzzles, decipher clues, do calculations, and tinker away until you find your way back to freedom.

• Season: Year-round
• Suitable for: the whole family, minimum age varies by game

Swiss Activities Tip: In the Aargau region, you'll solve puzzles in small teams within a short time. Or you might even save the world in the Escape Room Niederwil.

Transport Museum

The most popular museum in Switzerland is just outside Lucerne. At the Transport Museum, you can find a wealth of knowledge about transport and communication, as well as the cinema with the largest permanently installed screen in Switzerland. The museum also features a planetarium, a pond for pedal boating, a chocolate museum, various restaurants and shops, and much more. It's a place that will amaze not just the little ones. A family outing here makes for a great full-day adventure.

• Season: Open 365 days a year
• Suitable for: All ages. Recommended for ages 6 and up for the cinema and planetarium.

Swiss Activities Tip: From Lucerne, you can reach the museum by boat, directly at the doors of the Transport Museum.

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 museum statistics of 2020 from the Federal Office of Culture, Switzerland boasts around 1,129 museums! When it comes to choices, it can be overwhelming… But since it often rains here, you can find plenty of extraordinary museums in Switzerland to visit each year. From A for the Alpine Museum in Bern to Z for the Centre of Photography in Winterthur, there’s something for every age and taste.

• Season: Year-round
• Suitable for: Young and old, big and small, varies by museum

Swiss Activities Tip: Did you know there are outdoor museums too? At the unique open-air museum Ballenberg, you'll find over 100 historical buildings from all over Switzerland, get to know traditional crafts, and even meet adorable farm animals up close.

Castles and Fortresses

What child doesn’t dream of being a knight, king, or princess? And since ‘Game of Thrones’, the fascination for castles and fortresses has only grown, especially among adults. The most famous castle in Switzerland, Chateau Chillon, is located in picturesque Montreux by Lake Geneva.

• Season: Year-round
• Suitable for: little kings and big jesters

Swiss Activities Tip: Want to give your little ones something truly special? Before you head out, check out the nearest thrift store and look in the kids' section for swords, crowns, and bead necklaces that the kids can dress up with during the trip.

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 in Switzerland for Relaxed Families

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

Fishing

More than 100,000 Swiss people cast their lines at least once a year to fish in the streams, rivers, and lakes of the country. Have you never caught a fish before but would like to give it a try? Then head to the trout lake in Gstaad for some fishing or try fishing in Kreuzboden in Saas-Grund and let a pro show you how.

• Season: from April to October
• Suitable for: kids from about 6 years old

Swiss Activities Tip: In Switzerland, there are various waters where fishing is only allowed with a license and fishing permit. It's worth checking beforehand where it's allowed to fish.

Adventure Playgrounds

If you want to get your family out into the fresh air, there are plenty of adventure playgrounds to choose from. You don’t even need a tiring hike or a long walk. Just take the train, bus, or gondola out into nature, and while the kids have fun at an adventure playground, you can enjoy a picnic and a glass of wine in peace.

• Season: Varies by region and weather
• Suitable for: small and big kids

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

Outdoor Fondue

Swiss people love their fondue. However, a pesky side effect of enjoying a delicious fondue is that your hair, clothes, and the entire apartment end up smelling of it afterwards. The perfect solution to this is an Outdoor Fondue. Either build a fire yourself or find one of over 500 public fire pits. And don't forget to bring a good white wine to go with it.

• Season: Fondue tastes better in winter, but tastes vary. So it’s possible year-round.
• Suitable for: Young and old alike.

Swiss Activities Tip: In addition to oversized fondue pots for groups and extra-long forks so you don’t have to get too close to the hot fire, there are even special aprons. These come with a big pocket for the bread cubes and a holder for the wine glass.

Chocolate Museum

Attention, sweet tooth enthusiasts! In Switzerland, there are over 9 chocolate factories that you can visit. At the Maestrani Chocolarium, you embark on an interactive tour through the chocolate factory, watch chocolatiers while they work, learn more about the theme of ‘Happiness and Chocolate’ in an exciting film, and get to ask a show confectioner all your questions about the world of chocolate. And yes, you can taste plenty along the way. By the time you see the chocolate fountain, you won’t be far from chocolate paradise.

• Season: Open year-round.
• Suitable for: Chocolate lovers of all ages.

Swiss Activities Tip: The Chocolarium is the only Swiss chocolate factory that gives you insight into their live production. In an 80 m glass gallery, you can watch how the famous “Munz Prügeli” are made.

Llama and Alpaca Trekking

First came the unicorn, then the flamingo – and now we can’t get enough of the adorable, fluffy llamas and alpacas. How great is it that you no longer have to travel to Peru to get close to these cuddly creatures? How about a llama and alpaca trek in Liechtenstein?

• Season: Year-round
• Suitable for: Fun hiking for everyone

Swiss Activities Tip: Llamas and alpacas are very social and love human company. Kids especially have a great time with them. And don’t worry; llamas and alpacas mostly spit at each other, so you should be safe.

Boat Tours

What’s better than leisurely enjoying the beautiful shores, mountain views, and landscapes of Switzerland from a boat? Boat tours are available on numerous lakes and rivers in Switzerland – including Lake Geneva, Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, Lake Lucerne, Lake Constance, and many more. So you get to choose which body of water you want to start with...

• Season: Year-round
• Suitable for: The whole family

Swiss Activities Tip: The best view of Château de Chillon is definitely from the water. So it’s perfect to combine your visit there with a boat tour on Lake Geneva.

Mountain Railways

Did you know that there are over 300 mountain railways in Switzerland? They take you not only skiing in the winter but also hiking or biking all year round. So, if you and your family don’t feel like hiking to the summit on your own, you can enjoy a relaxing ride up from the valley to the peak or vice versa using the mountain railway.

• Season: Varies by region
• Suitable for: Families (children usually must be accompanied by adults)

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