Lake Brienz--is it easy to get to/worth it from Alpine Tour?

Brienzersee (Lake Brienz) is one of the two lakes which Interlaken is between. You can get boats on the lake. The rail line between Interlaken and Luzern goes along the north side of the lake, through the town of Brienz and has good views over the lake.

What exactly would you like to see about this lake?

I would like to do a short hike (2-7 miles) or go on a boat ride. The mountain lake scenery looked stunning. I am searching for heavenly short hikes/scenery. Since the whole Swiss Alps area is supposed to be gorgeous, there may be equally beautiful, more accessible areas to visit.

From Brienz (the town on the lake) there is an antique train that goes up the mountain behind the town, the "Brienzer Rothorn Bahn". Hikes and views at the top.
Info: https://brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/?lang=en
Or google "Brienzer Rothorn Bahn" for photos and videos

For boats on the lake,see here: https://www.bls.ch/en/fahren/unterwegs-mit/schiff

For other hiking around the lake see this map. Green = hiking paths. You can pan and zoom the map; and print out maps (to PDF) at desired scale: https://map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en&bgLayer=pk&logo=yes&season=summer&resolution=20&E=2639380&N=1175140&layers=Wanderland

Highly recommend any of the Rothorn hikes. Also any trails across the lake from Brienz. Use the boats as transportation to and from trail heads. There is also a living open-air museum called Ballenberg near Brienz that you can easily spend a day at.

I just looked up the itinerary for your My Way Alpine Tour and see that you will be spending 3 nights in Lauterbrunnen. That means an easy train ride to Interlaken and then the boat cruise from there.

You can combine a boat ride, a short hike and a train ride, all on the Brienzersee. Take the boat from Interlaken Ost (the boats at Interlaken West are on the Thunersee) towards Brienz. At the penultimate stop of Giessbach get off. There is an ancient funicular up the hill from the lake to the hotel at the top https://www.giessbach.ch/en/historical-funicular-railway.html or you can hike up through the woods. There are several walks at the top, focusing on hiking up to and behind the lovely waterfall which jumps down the cliff. https://www.giessbach.ch/en/giessbach-falls-nature-park.html

When you have had enough of that you could hike around to Brienz - where the woodcarvers are, and where the train mentioned above are, or retrace your steps to the dock. Then another boat for the short journey over to Brienz. As you arrive in Brienz the train to Interlaken Ost will just be drawing in. Hop on the train and ride around the north shore of the lake (look back to the waterfall) back to Interlaken Ost...

Thank you so much, everyone, for all the helpful responses!! We are very excited. It will be the first trip out of the USA for my husband and me. We just want maximize the experience.

Lake Brienz is lovely. We were there a few weeks ago. But since you only have a couple days in the Swiss Alps, wouldn’t you rather spend your time actually hiking in the mountains? If the weather is good, you could spend each day exploring a side of the Lauterbrunnen valley.

Kathy—- makes sense. It all looks so beautiful, I wish I could see it all. God willing, we’ll get to go back again.