Interlaken family holiday itinerary - the best things do with the kids

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If you’re heading to Interlaken, Switzerland, with the kids for a family holiday, and you’re looking for some itinerary ideas, then you’ve come to the right place – here are some of the best things to see and do! We stayed in the Interlaken area and it’s honestly just such a great base for exploring Switzerland – you can reach all of these amazing days out from there and there’s just so much to do. (We stayed at Manor Farm Campsite – click through to read my full review for more info.) So if you’re putting together your perfect Swiss family holiday itinerary – these are some of the best places to visit in Interlaken and the surrounding area – here are 10 brilliant ideas for fun days out with the kids:

1. Head to St Beatus Caves and Waterfalls

In the Interlaken area, St Beautus Caves and Waterfalls is a must visit. The area is absolutely stunning and it’s a really interesting place to explore with the kids. It’s quite an uphill trek but there’s a playground on the way up if the kids fancy a pit stop! And, it’s so worth it because look at the gorgeous view that you’ll get across Lake Thun when you reach the top. The caves themselves are brilliant too – my kids loved it – venture inside to learn about stalactites and stalagmites. You can explore about 1km of the caves, which are open daily from April through to October, and it’s not scary at all – they’re beautifully lit and it makes for a really cool day out. St Beatus Caves is just a ten minute drive from Interlaken town centre. Find out more info here: Switzerland with kids: A guide to visiting St Beatus Caves and Waterfalls, Lake Thun.

2. Face your fears at Ropes Park Interlaken

If your family loves adventure, you might want to check out Ropes Park Interlaken for a tree top challenge (Go Ape style!). With courses of varying difficulty levels, including ones designed for young children, Ropes Park Interlaken offers lots of different options so that kids (and adults!) can enjoy climbing, zip-lining and balancing their way through the treetop obstacles.

3. Take a boat ride on Lake Thun

Lake Thun has got to be one of the most beautiful places that we’ve ever visited – we were so lucky that our campsite was right beside it. From there you can get a boat into the centre of Interlaken or travel further across the lake for more adventures – but this gorgeous lake is definitely one of the best things that a trip to Interlaken has to offer! We were really fortunate that local travel via ferry and bus came included with our stay, but even if you’re staying elsewhere taking a boat ride across the gorgeous Lake Thun has to be on your to do list! Watching the sunset across the lake in evenings was also one of the highlights of our trip – and you can take part in water sports during the summer months if that’s more your thing too.

4. Head underground at Trummelbach Waterfalls

For yet another utterly unique adventure, Trummelbach Waterfalls (hidden inside a mountain in the Lauterbrunnen Valley) are the only waterfalls in Europe that you can access underground. The Trummelbach Waterfalls drain the glaciers of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch mountains – the kids will be fascinated by the power of the waterfalls as they flow through narrow crevices in the rock. A lift takes you part of the way up and then you can walk through tunnels to various viewing platforms. The paths can be slippery, so sturdy shoes are recommended but it’s a short and safe walk so it’s absolutely fine for a visit with the kids.

5. Relax at Giessbach Waterfalls

Speaking of waterfalls – Giessbach Waterfalls at Lake Brienz has got to be one of the most magical places that you can visit in Switzerland, and it’s just a 20 minute drive from Interlaken. Walk through the woods to find the most gorgeous waterfall – you can even walk across a bridge underneath it! And, aside from a small parking charge, it won’t cost you a penny! But what astounded us the most on our visit to Giessbach Waterfalls was the view of the lake. With the waterfall on one side and Lake Brienz on the other – Giessbach has to be one of the most beautiful places with the most spectacular views that you’ll see in Switzerland. It honestly looked like a postcard! Find out everything you need to know for a visit to Giessbach Waterfalls here: Switzerland with kids: A guide to visiting Giessbach Waterfalls, Brienz.

6. Feed the animals at Wildpark Brienz

If you’re travelling on a budget then a visit to Wildpark Brienz is a great option for a family outing as it’s totally free. It’s a short drive from Interlaken and offers scenic walks through the park where the kids can see local Swiss animals like ibex, deer and marmots. It’s not huge, but it’s good for the little ones, open all year round and you can buy animal feed for 1 CHF if they’d like to feed the animals too. There are also picnic areas where families can relax – and it’s location means you could combine it with a visit to Lake Brienz and the gorgeous Giessbach Waterfalls.

7. Wander around the city of Bern

The city of Bern is such a lovely place to explore – you’ll definitely want to add a visit to your Switzerland to do list. From Interlaken it’s a 45 minute journey by car or train. Bern feels much more traditional and typically Swiss than some of the other cities that we explored during our trip, and it’s an interesting place to spend a day with the kids. (Plus you can have loads of fun at Bern’s Gurten Mountain Fun Park too!) You’ll want to check out the traditional buildings in the old city, and head to the clock tower. Then make sure you go to its infamous bear sanctuary that runs alongside the river, where you can see the resident bears for free. Bern is a really quirky place for a family adventure, it’s walkable with kids and budget friendly too – for more info check out: How to spend a day in Bern on a budget with kids.

8. Ride the Brienz Rothorn Steam Train

The Brienz Rothorn Steam Train offers a scenic experience that’ll take you up the Rothorn mountain with stunning views of Lake Brienz and the surrounding Alps. The 7.6km journey takes just over 1 hour, with beautiful views along the way – perfect if the kids love a train ride! At the top you can also enjoy hiking trails and there’s a restaurant there too – but with the high food prices in Switzerland I’d definitely recommend a picnic with a view instead!

9. Take a gondola to the Jungfraujoch Glacier

For a once in a lifetime experience head to Jungfraujoch – the highest point in Europe. It takes around 30 minutes to get to Grindelwald Station from Interlaken – and from there you can hop on a gondola up the mountain. This excursion was definitely the most expensive day out we’ve ever had – costing around £370 for our family of four – but it was something that we were desperate to check off the bucket list! Bring your thermals – we visited during a warm September and it was still -7°C! Jungfraujoch mountain peak is so high that it’s covered in snow 365 days of the year – so you’ll never be disappointed whenever you visit. (Bring sunglasses – the snow glare is really bright.) For more information check out my article: Switzerland with Kids: Jungfraujoch review – is it worth the money? And for cheaper alternative Swiss mountain experiences, you might also want to look at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Mount Titlis, Mont Blanc or Schilthorn.

10. Visit Harder Kulm – Interlaken’s local mountain

The short 10 minute funicular ride to Harder Kulm is an exciting experience for kids, and the panoramic views from the top are breathtaking. The viewing platform offers spectacular vistas of the Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch mountains, as well as Lakes Thun and Brienz. At the top, there’s also a restaurant, a playground for the kids and a one hour circular walking route offering more incredible views. If you’re also visiting Jungfraujoch, head their first as your ticket will include free entry to Harder Kulm too. The only issue we had were the long waiting times (even out of season) as the funicular doesn’t hold many people (we gave up waiting and never made it to the top 😂) so try to find the quietest days and times.

Want to know more?

I hope that my Interlaken family holiday itinerary has been helpful – these are some of the best things do with the kids! If you want to find out more about our trip to Switzerland – and how to visit with your family on a small budget – then check out these articles for more information and details about our holiday and where we stayed: Our Eurocamp Interlaken Family Holiday Guide: How to visit Switzerland on a budget with kids and Eurocamp Holiday Review: Manor Farm Campsite.