Appenzell or not

We are planning the same sort of trip. We have three kids, 8, 10 and 11 and will spend seven days following essentially the same plan. Would love to see what you find out! I’m just beginning to plan our itinerary, but we will arrive in Zurich and fly out of either Zurich or Geneva on 8/19. I’m hoping to have two home bases for 3-4 nights each, or add a third and do 2-3 night stints. We are currently thinking of two nights in Lucerne, then 2-3 nights in Murren, with a possible night or two in Montreaux. I’d like to do a short but very scenic train ride and it sounds like the stretch from Interlaken to Montreaux might check that box.

I like to think in terms of nights in a location instead of days. That helps ne better define how many full days I have for enjoyment since arrival and departure days, are at best, a few hours to half of a day. Two nights = one full day. Are your 3 days in Gimmelwald part of a 4 night stay?

I would not go to the trouble of a car for one night in Appenzell (a car isn’t needed anyway). We were there for three nights last August and were virtually rained out. We had drier periods but for the most part, clouds covered the mountains and the hiking was wet. We could not even go to Ebenalp.

My idea for 9 nights in Switzerland would be

• arrive Zurich and travel immediately to the Lauterbrunnen Valley for 5 nights. I prefer Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, or Wengen, but if Gimmelwald is your choice, great. It is very tiny and you will likely be leaving that village every day for your outings.
• From the Lauterbrunnen area, to Zermatt for 3 nights. That gives you a descent chance of some clear weather.
• Go to Lausanne or Montreux for your final night.

If I misunderstood and you have 10 nights, I’d maybe do the three in Gimmelwald in plus 3 in Grindelwald for contrast and easier access to activities in that valley. OR consider 2 nights in Lausanne or Montreux before you fly out. Those two cities are within reach of GVA by train on day of departure.

Em.b.odonnell,

We are going in the beginning of August! We are so excited! It feels like it’s a little tougher to figure out this trip than my past trips! Hoping to read and get advice to help with the planning. It’s will be different not to have a rental car! The trains will be a first for us but we’re exciting about the views and know that some areas are inaccessible by car. Good luck with your planning-keep me posted :)

Hi Laurel,

Thank you for your response! I will be flying through the night on Friday and arriving early morning Saturday in Zurich. I will have 3 overnights in Gimmelwald, 2 overnights in Zermatt, and the last overnight in Geneva-we will arrive in Geneva late as we are just going here to be close to the airport for our 11ish departure. I’m sad to hear about Appenzell… I feel like half of my trip is focused on the Bernese Oberland area- which is great, we want the views, easy to mod hikes, and hopefully ease of travel. We have a total of 9 overnights and have the full day when we arrive in Zurich. I wasn’t sure if we should do one of the amazing road trips like Furka Pass before we settle into the Bernese Oberland area. Thank you for the great tips! Lots to think about!

With the limited amount of time that you have, I would recommend that you skip the trip to Appenzell. It’s a pretty area with some nice hikes if you have a few days to spend there, but compared to the Berner Oberland and Zermatt areas that you are going to, Appenzell would add nothing but a lot of driving. As for adding an extra stop in the Lauterbrunnen area, again I would avoid changing accommodations, especially for such a short distance. Bear in mind that Lauterbrunnen an Grindelwald are hubs, each connecting to lots of different trails and to towns outside the valley; Gimmelwald is an end point, so more backtracking is required to get to anywhere. For “easy to moderate hikes”, I prefer to base in Lauterbrunnen and visit Gimmelwald on one of those hikes. If you are looking for a place to spend an extra night, I’d add it to Zermatt, as you only have one full day there, and it’s worth more.

Hi Darlene,

I am planning a similar trip this summer! We are flying into Frankfurt and out of Zurich, so will spend our first night in Europe in Germany. For our first three nights in Switzerland we will stay in an airbnb in the Appenzell region. Some of the hikes and activities we're interested in in that region are around Ebenalp: Seealpsee, Aescher Guesthouse, Meglisalp Guesthouse, and the Saxer Lücke. The Kronberg ropes park looks fun as well!

After Appenzell, we will travel to the Berner Oberland for four nights. We are planning to stay in Wengen and want to explore the mountain playgrounds, Bachalpsee, and maybe go up to a mountaintop if the weather cooperates.

Swiss Family Fun and Swiss Family of Five have been two great sites for planning out family friendly activities. I wish I could squeeze Montreux or Lausanne into our trip this time. I'm already working on my husband for a longer trip to Europe in 2025! Happy planning!

-Katherine

Thank you Ottawanderer! I appreciate the tips and will most likely save Appenzell for another trip.

Hi Katherine! Your trip sounds amazing! Will you be driving or using the rail system? Thank you for the website recommendations! I am going to check them out now.

Darlene

Hi again Darlene,

We have rented a car even though it will stay parked in a garage while we’re in Wengen.

I do keep going back and forth on it because the trains in Switzerland look so easy! In Appenzell, I think some of the places we’d like to see are more easily accessible by car.