Staying in the Alps, first timer

Grindelwald has drop dead gorgeous mountain views but also has a train station to travel around, and many more restaurants, hotels than the others. We found Lauterbrunnen dark, being in a valley. Went to Murren and Wengen on day trips but was happy we stayed in Grindelwald where you also can have your car.

The only ones I have experience with are Murren and Lauterbrunnen. I cannot rate Murren highly enough. My wife's favourite place in Europe, and right up there for me too. There is a small grocery store in Murren for sundries and perishables, so if you brought a bag or two of staples up with you on the gondola, you would be able to cook there for a week easily. Plus there are lots of nice restaurants.

Lauterbrunnen is nice too, but for me more of a nice passing through place. Its at the valley bottom and for me would be a shame to be so close to the Alps but not really in them.

Grindelwald and Wengen, I have not been to, but have more of the reputation of being chi-chi ski resorts for the well-heeled.

I see from your other post that two of your teens are 16 and under. If you get them a "Family Card"--generally in conjunction with passes below, all their transportation in the region will be free. Look into the "Berner Oberland Pass" or "Jungfrau Pass" or "Swiss Card". In short, the BOP if you will be using a lot of trains and cable cars in the square south of Bern and Lucerne, JP for most transportation from Interlaken south to the Jungfrau, and SwissPass for all of Switzerland.
If possible, buy these when you are There, because if it rains for a week you won't be traveling much and in that case just pay as you need a ride.

You are right about getting an apt., but you might also want to look into renting a bungalow at www.camping-jungfrau.ch . I think they are about $120 a night.

As to your list, skip the first and last towns. No stores, limited transportation. I think you said the family is into hiking. In that case, Wengen (altho beautiful) has no great trails right from there. Grindelwald has 3 I like, Laut. has 2 or 3, and Murren has 3 or 4. However, Laut. is centrally located and has some rainy day options such as the museum, or taking a 20 min train down to Interlaken Ost (huge Coop store there, plus boats, and Harder Kulm).
Look at the maps (below), costs of apts., and the hikes (below). You can't really go wrong with Grindelwald (not Gimmelwald-no stores), Murren, or Lauterbrunnen.

1. Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg (and even further to Wengernalp). Train back to Wengen. This is the BEST hike for a clear day.
2. Grutschalp to Murren, pretty much parallels the train tracks.
3. Top of Almendhubel, go right, generally heading above Winteregg, then clockwise back down to Murren
4. Top of Almendhubel, go left, towards Schiltalp, then Spielbodenalp, then to Murren
5. Murren to Sprutz Falls, under the falls, up the opposite side to Spielbodenalp, then back to Murren
6. Lauterbrunnen to Trummelbach Falls. Enjoy the falls and the walk through the valley
7. Lauterbrunnen to up behind Staubbach Falls. Just head for the falls and you'll see the trail
8. Schynige Platte to First (6 hrs, but great! Get to First before supper, when cable car closes.)
9. First to Bachalpsee and return (shorter version of #7)
10. First to Grosse Scheidegg and bus back to Grindelwald
11. Grindelwald, cable car to Pfingstegg (take the Rodelbahn luge ride there!), hike to Berghaus Baregg

Maps:
https://terrelledwards.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/hikingmap1-3-2.jpg

http://ontheworldmap.com/switzerland/ski/jungfrau/jungfrau-summer-map.jpg

http://www.pfingstegg.ch/index.php/en/timetable-prices-4/wanderkarte

What Shoe said. We like Lauterbrunnen best after 4 trips because of the centrality. How long are you staying?

@Laurel: We will be staying 4 nights in the Alps.
@Shoe: I sent an email to confirm the prices of a bungalow; I need to know if linens are extra. If the price is right, that might an option to consider. Since the top & bottom were cut from the list, and I wasn’t crazy about the accommodations available in Murren (Unless someone knows of one that I haven’t found yet), I am thinking it has been narrowed down to either staying Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald. Thanks for the recommendation with the family card, ect., the hikes and the maps. All great resources!

Let’s continue with the Pros and Cons of Lauterbrunnen vs Grindelwald.

Not crazy about accommodations in Murren? What does that mean?

@Tim: The lodging I found available in Murren was just a hair over my budget, not a huge deal for the location. But sleeping in a bunk bed for 4 days with my teens in the same room didn't earn it any points. That's why I said I wasn't "Crazy" about the accommodations that I was able to find within the price point I am willing to spend.

Which do you prefer Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen? Why?

My family has spent years at the beach, so the Alps are a whole new world for us!

Both Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are great, so you can't "lose".

However, if asked for a preference, I'd go with Laut.

It's more level, closer to Murren with even more hikes, and less "touristy".

Tell me more about Wengen. There seems to more lodging available for the dates we are there than Lat & Grim. Thanks!

Your earlier post about traveling from Venice to Paris said you will go by car. Has that changed?

If using public transport, I want to correct one thing posted above. The Family Card provides free travel for children under 16, not for kids who are 16. So only your 12-year-old will be covered.

I previously recommended the apartment in Chalet Fontana in Mürren at 245 CHF a night. Did you try there? If you are using a search website like booking.com it would not show up, so here is their website:

http://www.ferntree.ch/chalet/fontana_summer.htm

Regarding Wengen, it is a nice village, a bit larger and less charming than Mürren. The two villages sit high up on slopes on opposite sides of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. You do not see as many stunning peaks from Wengen as you do from Mürren. But it is an easy hike up to Kleine Scheidegg from which you will have great views. You can continue on the trail to Männlichen (one of the walks recommended by Shoe) but the peaks will be behind you, so remember to stop and look back, or walk the trail in both directions. Or better yet, ascend from Wengen to Männlichen by the "goat path" or cablecar, and walk toward Kleine Scheidegg and then back down to Wengen.

For other activities you will have to travel from Wengen, which means taking the train.

You will have the widest range of activities your kids will enjoy at Grindelwald, such as the Trottibikes (mountain scooters), the First flieger Zipline, Rodelbahn, etc., but all of these activities cost money, and it will add up quickly. Hiking is free, and Mürren offers the most hikes right from the village, without using lifts or other transport. That is one reason we favor Mürren. We are going back this summer with our adult children and grandchildren.

You can also rent bikes at Mürren and ride down to the valley and around, but you will probably want the cablecar to get back up.

We've stayed in Wengen, Murren and Lauterbrunnen. They are all great and you really can't go wrong. Wengen and Murren are both smaller than Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, they both have great views and are car free. Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald are both on Valley floors. Between Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald I agree with Shoe and would choose Lauterbrunnen. Grindelwald is slightly more commercial / touristy and a little bigger. Lauterbrunnen is very centrally located for traveling to all of those other villages.

Lola must be in great shape, because I wouldn't say "it's an EASY hike from Wengen up to Kleine Scheidegg".
i consider it a long long incline (20 degrees?) up to Kleine Scheidegg.
In any case, if you want to to a lot of hiking, Wengen is not as centrally located, transportation-wise.

I think Lola was talking about the hike / walk from Mannlichen to Klein Scheidegg. I've only hiked from Wengernalp down to Wengen and it was a knee killer:). I don't know what the incline is, but I agree with Shoe it's significant.

Jill is right. I and my son (a teen at the time) walked down to Wengen from Wengernalp, and BOTH of us had sore knees and shins.
Lesson for the rest of you: the walk from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengernalp is recommended, but then catch the train to Wengen!

Lola is correct that you should look into the Chalet Fontana's private apartment. Denise is a wonderful person/host and highly knowledgeable of every activity in the area. Her apartment is also the best bargain in the alps. Murren is my home away from home. I tried to stay in Wengen one year and during that time we all wished we were back in Murren. How many times in your life do you get to stay in a car-free village high in the alps? Neither Grindelwald nor Lauterbrunnen is car-free (far from it) and neither is high in the alps.

I seem to have caused some controversy with my statement that the walk from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg is easy. Here are the statistics:

https://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/wengen-kleinescheidegg

7 km up, gaining 800 meters. That is roughly 4.2 miles with 2600 feet of gain, which is not a steep path. 1000 feet a mile is a standard grade for ascent, and this is much less than that.. Yes I am fit but I was 60 years old when I last did that walk. It took us two hours. We find it easier to hike uphill than down. It would probably kill my knees too if I were to walk it downhill. We walked up, then walked to Männlichen on the basically level path, and then rode the cablecar down to Wengen

Tim and I are in total agreement about Chalet Fontana in Mürren. Best bargain in the Swiss Alps, and Denise is a gracious and very helpful hostess.

Wow Lola - I'm impressed. 1000 ft of elevation gain per mile seems a little steep to me. We have a mtn here in Boulder that people use for getting in shape. Mt. Sanitas. I believe it is 1200 ft of elevation gain in .9 miles and it is STEEP! You can do it a long way around at just over 2 miles, but really both ways are a good workout! We're going to do the "ridge hike" from Schnygge Platte to First this summer. I believe it's around 3000 ft of elevation gain over about 5 miles from that direction? Anyway - I will be working hard over the next four months to get in shape for that:)

Our standard training hike near Seattle, to a paraglide launch point, is 1.8 miles each way with 1600 feet of gain, so almost 1000 feet a mile. It is constant up ( or down) but the paragliders do it with their 60 pounds of gear! We walk down; they sail.

I haven't hiked Schynige Platte to First since 2002, but I recall it being longer, like 9 miles, but with less elevation gain, like 1800-2000 cululative gain. It is not an easy ridge ramble though. The terrain is rocky and rugged, and it is not a hike for bad weather. It is spectacular and one of my favorite hikes around there.