Brienzer Rothorn or Mt Rigi?

Brienzer Rothorn - beautiful views and fun to take the cog railway up, but yes, the hiking is more difficult than Rigi. I've done this hike
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/experiences/route/from-mt-rothorn-by-brienz-to-turren/ (a ridge trail) which was amazing, but definitely not for families (parts of the trail are very narrow and have steep drops to the side, you are fairly exposed to the elements, few places to stop, etc). Because of the narrow ridgetop location, there are a no really "easy" hikes here, except the short summit walk right at the station. So you either go just to enjoy the views or because you are up for a fairly serious hike, not much in between. There are plenty of "family friendly" places to hike and walk in the BO, so you have many options once you get there and have the BO Pass.

Rigi - in my experience, Rigi is actually the more crowded of the two - because there are more ways to get up there, it's closer to population centers like Zurich/Lucerne, and there are more leisurely hike/walk opportunities. That being said, once you get out away from the transport stops, I've never really been 'overwhelmed' by crowds. Most people stick around the summit and are just there to take photos or have lunch. Definitely more 'family friendly' - also easier to change plans or shorten your route due to more transportation options along the way.

I’m a big fan of Rigi. If you skip Rigi, make sure you take the boat to or from Brienz as I think everyone should experience the boats at least once while in Switzerland. They are fabulous. 😊

Thanks for the responses!
Hopper- Have you hiked from Brienzer Rothorn to Planalp? I was not sure if this would be more kid/family appropriate. In searching online, I have not found a lot of information.

Carrie- Yes, we will definitely do a Lake Brienz Cruise and visit Geissbach Falls! I'm hoping we can combine that with a walk to Iseltwald and a stop at Brienz (and maybe go up the Brienzer Rothorn) but if we do all that, making the times work will be tricky and it looks like it will be a full day activity.

I am still on the fence about Rigi. May just wait and see what the weather is like. Rigi was the first destination I researched for my Switzerland trip, so I would probably regret not going.

I haven't done the hike down to Planalp, but if memory serves, it is also quite steep (1000m descent) and there aren't any trees, so also pretty exposed. All the trails from Rothorn are rated as "mountain trails" (indicated by the red and white stripe on the signs), which means they are usually steep, narrow trails and require a decent level of fitness and proper hiking gear. According to the hiking maps, it's about 2.5 hours. My guess is probably not family friendly.

You could look at walking down from Planalp to Brienz (or even to Ballenberg) - there is one 'mountain trail' via Mettli but also a couple of options that are on "normal" yellow hiking trails (via Gäldried). These options are in the 2+ hour range and are still downhill (~800m total descent), but on easier trails (regular yellow trails means on steep sections they will have stairs and trails have handrails in exposed areas unlike the red/white trails). Most people do this walk in the other direction (Swiss normally do uphill, saves the knees!), but of course you can do it downhill too if your group is up for it (not sure what ages/fitness levels). There is some good information on the Berghaus Planalp website, but only in German.

Just keep in mind that even the regular yellow trails can be a challenge - it just means that the trail condition is easier and more suited for the general public. I'm often amazed at what locals consider "moderate" or even "easy" hikes :)

And btw - Rigi has great views and a different panorama/experience than BO, so would say you should go for it if the weather is good.

Thank you Hopper! We will not plan to do any hiking at Brienzer Rothorn then, other than to the viewpoint. I would hate to risk injuries as I am also traveling with my older parents.