Hi,
We are planning a week long trip to Switzerland in early November, arriving and leaving by air from Zurich. We would like to venture outside of Zurich to see Lucerne and perhaps some more natural settings. We know this is a “shoulder” season so we are wondering what our options might be.
"Shoulder" season means fewer crowds, some (but not all) closed hotels and restaurants in mountain resorts, and risk of iffy weather (but the Alps in general can be cold and/or wet at any time). But you can still go just about anywhere you have in mind!
Definitely venture beyond Zurich. I would even suggest not to stay in Zurich at all: take a train to your destination as you land, and end your stay in Luzern, which is within easy reach of Zurich airport as long as your flight home is later than 9.00 AM.
Tourist hot spots like the Bernese Oberland will be open for business. You are likely to find snow at higher elevations, but not at the elevations of Mürren or Wengen. Snow or not, you can still take cable cars to e.g. Schilthorn.
Bottom line: plan your trip as you would in the summer, and have some back-up activities in mind if weather is not outdoors-friendly.
Wonderful! Work will require us to go to Zurich at the end of our stay but the mountain scenery is much more attractive to us.
Luzern will provide you with options that can help you plan your day depending on what the weather gives you. The city itself is beautiful and there are some interesting museums and churches to visit. There are three mountain excursions you could do--Rigi, Pilatus and Titlus. Price the Swiss rail pass to see if it makes sense for you. The art museum as well as the trip across the beautiful lake and up to the top of Rigi is included in the pass. That's not a blanket endorsement of the pass. You will need to list what you think you will need/use and compare the prices.
I was in Luzern in January. We had a wide range of weather, but for the most part we found the weather quite pleasant. We obviously had more of a winter experience and yours will be more variable during shoulder season. Luzern is a beautiful city. You will love it.
If you find yourself with some extra time in Luzern, you could take a day trip to Bern. It's a charming city with a lot to see.
