How to Plan a 5-Day Family Summer Adventure in Grindelwald

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to plan an unforgettable 5-day family vacation adventure in Grindelwald, a jewel in the Swiss Alps, during the summer season. Known for its breathtaking scenery, Grindelwald offers a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and family-friendly activities. Our itinerary is focused on adventure, hiking, and family fun activities.

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Let’s dive into your day-by-day itinerary to make the most of this enchanting destination.

Your Grindelwald family vacation Itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrival, Grindelwald Village, and the Gletcherschlucht
• Day 2: Kleine Scheidegg
• Day 3: Family Adventure Day at Grindelwald First
• Day 4: Jungfraujoch
• Day 5: Lake Brienz

Day 1: Arrival, Grindelwald Village, and the Gletcherschlucht

Arrive in Grindelwald and take some time to explore town. Take a leisurely stroll through the village. Visit local shops and enjoy a traditional Swiss lunch. We’d recommend trying Onkel Tom’s Hütte, with its excellent pizza with fresh toppings.

Day 1 Afternoon: Gletcherschlucht (Glacier Canyon)

After lunch, make the short trip to the Gletcherschlucht (Glacier Canyon). It’s about 5 minutes from town, and can be reached easily by the #122 Bus or by car. The Canyon attraction is only open May-November. The Glacier Canyon trail is about 1 kilometer long (0.6 miles) and runs along the Lütschine River under 300 meter high rock faces. Your entry fee gives you access to both the Glacier Canyon and the Crystal Museum (19 CHF adults, 10 CHF for 6-16 year olds, free under 6).

You’ll walk on a series of walkways and through tunnels. Be sure to bring a jacket since the average temperature in the canyon is 10°C (50°F). This is a bit of a touristy destination, but it’s a unique experience. If you want to get your adrenaline going, you can get on a “spider web” net suspended about 7 meters over the river. On Friday evenings, they stay open until 10 pm, and have the canyon lit up with a light display.

Day 1 Evening: Settling In

Check into your lodging and enjoy a cozy dinner, saving up your energy for an active day. The last few times we have been in Grindelwald we have stayed at the Aspen Lifestyle Hotel, which sits right off of the hiking trails to Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen. The rooms have spectacular views of the Eiger or Wetterhorn mountains. They have hotel rooms and 2-room family rooms (with a second room with bunkbeds typically).

Their restaurant serves Swiss and international cuisine–watching the sky changing colors over the Eiger at sunset while eating dinner is a memorable experience. It is a few kilometers out of town, but the bus stops just outside if you want a quick transfer in to the village center, and there is free parking if you bring a car. We would recommend staying here for your family adventure in Grindelwald, but have included other booking options in our Travel Tips section below.

Day 2: Kleine Scheidegg

Day 2 Morning: Hike to Kleine Scheidegg

Kleine Scheidegg sits just under Eiger, and provides spectacular panoramic views over the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. This is one of our favorite hiking areas in the Grindelwald region. You have quite a few options to choose from in terms of how to get there.

Options for getting from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg:

• Take the cablecar up to Männlichen and hike the easy Panorama Trail downhill from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. The Panorama Trail is 4.63km long and is a long decent from Mãnnlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. It takes just over an hour to complete. It provides panoramic views, as the name suggests, over the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau for the entire route.
• Catch the Train from Grindelwald Grund to Kleine Scheidegg (short and scenic train ride).
• Hike Grindelwald Grund – Brandegg – Alpiglen – Kleine Scheidegg. This hike is rated as moderate as it is a steady steep 9.62 km climb one way, gaining just over 1000 meters in elevation. It takes just under 3 hours to complete. You hike past Brandegg station, which is famous for its Öpfelchüechli (apple fritters), Alpiglen station (which also has a restaurant) before arriving at Kleine Scheidegg. You can opt to take the train part way and hike part way if you’d like to do a mix of train and hiking.

Day 2 Afternoon: Lunch and hike the Eiger Trail

Once you reach Kleine Scheidegg, you’ll find a few options for lunch as well as some small shops. It is typical to see people playing their Alphorns outside of the hotel or restaurants. In terms of lunch options, Berghaus Grindelwaldblick (Grindelwald view) is the probably the nicest of the restaurants, serving typical Swiss dishes in a cozy atmosphere. Bergrestaurant Kleine Scheidegg is known for their pizzas and the views. One our last visit, we really enjoyed the Restaurant Eigernordwand. It has table service and self service areas, with typical Swiss food and amazing views of the Eiger North Face. Here you can find everything from burgers to Swiss staples such as Rösti and even some Thai dishes.

After lunch, you’ll need to decide how much more hiking you want to do, and plan accordingly. A few options we’d recommend:

• Hiking the Eiger Trail, which leads from Kleine Scheidegg down to Alpiglen. This is a classic trail that heads past the famous climbing routes of the Eiger. By hiking this stretch, it is primarily downhill (7.4 km, with a 252 m ascent and 698 m descent) and takes 1-2 hours. It is rated moderate due to the uneven terrain. If you are feeling inspired, continue hiking from Alpiglen to Brandegg and enjoy the Öpfelchüechli (apple fritters) if you didn’t stop here on the way up. They’re worth it. You can always continue walking all the way down to Grindelwald.
• Catch the Train from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald Grund or any portion of the downhill stretch.

Day 2 Evening: Fondue in Grindelwald

Take some time to relax after hiking and enjoy an outdoor hot tub with sunset views. Try out a fondue dinner in town tonight. We’d recommend trying the Fondue Gondola at Hotel Belvedere Grindelwald. Here you’ll enjoy Swiss cheese fondue, served outdoors in your own cosy gondola.

Day 3: Family Adventure Day at Grindelwald First

Day 3 Morning: Hike to the Bachalpsee

This morning, walk or take the bus into town, where you’ll catch the gondola up to Grindelwald First. Ride the gondola to the end station, which takes about 30 minutes, and head out for a hike towards the Bachalpsee. The Bachalpsee is a classic and easy hike of 5.84 km roundtrip and lasting about 1 hr 30 min. The first part is steep, gaining about 200 meters in elevation. After this, there are some gentle rolling hills through the alpine meadows until you reach the lake. You can opt to extend this hike up to the Faulhorn, but we’d suggest heading back if you want to enjoy some of the other activities on First.

Day 3 Mid-morning: Grindelwald First

Other activities to consider when you get back to First station.

• First Cliff Walk: this is a short hike with a viewing platform over the cliffs. If you’ve already done the Bachalpsee, this may not seem too spectacular, but it is worth the few minutes it takes to get there.
• First Flieger (Flyers): after doing the Cliff Walk, consider taking the First Flyers down to Schreckfeld station. The Flyers are ziplines that you are harnesses into and go up to 84 km/h down an 800 meter-long cable. If some people in your group want to do this and others don’t, people can easily walk down to Schreckfeld (and take photos of those flying).
• The First Gliders are designed as birds of prey and carry 4 people at a time. From Schreckfeld station. the gliders take passengers uphill to First going up to 72 km/h, then glide back down on the 800-meter-long flight route at up to 83 km/h.
• From Schreckfeld, take out the mountain carts and head 3 km down to Bort station. Our kids loved these–a bit like Mario Cart heading down the mountain.

Day 3 Afternoon: Lunch in Bort and Trottibikes

Stop for lunch at Bort station. They have an outdoor grill, adventure playground areas for the kids, and a generally relaxed vibe for a casual lunch. After a nice break, rent Trotti bikes (2 wheel scooters) at Bort station and head back down the hill to Grindelwald. The route goes down a paved trail, providing amazing views over the valley. We’ve done Trottibikes a few times, once here and once in Zermatt. After doing the ones in Zermatt, we appreciated the paved trail and road that you use in Grindelwald.

Day 3 Evening: Grindelwald

Enjoy a quiet dinner tonight or explore local events, such as outdoor concerts or live music that are held in summer.

Day 4: Jungfraujoch

Day 4 Morning: Visit Jungfraujoch

Take a trip up to the Jungfraujoch, an alpine wonderland known as the “Top of Europe.” You’ll find snow here even in the heart of the summer. You have 2 easy options to get to the Jungfraujoch, depending on how you like to travel. Both will give you stunning views the whole way up. With either option, you will be on the Jungfrau Railway when it pauses at the Eismeer (sea of ice) station for 5 minutes, giving all passengers time to take photos.

Be sure to bring warm clothes and layers to be prepared for the snow and cold. Water and sunscreen are also a must.

• Catch the scenic train from Grindelwald Grund to Kleine Scheidegg, then transfer to the Jungfrau Railway. This takes about 1 hr 18 min.
• A new and faster way up to Jungfraujoch is to take the 20 minute Eiger Express gondola from Grindelwald Terminal WAB to the Eiger Station, transferring there to the Jungfrau Railway for the rest of your trip. This takes about 45 minutes total.

Day 4 Mid-Morning: Snow Park

Arrive at Jungfraujoch, situated at an elevation of 3,454 meters above sea level. This definitely feels like a different world, especially in summer when you are coming from the green meadows of Grindelwald. Enjoy the views of the Swiss Mittelland towards Vosges in one direction and the Aletsch Glacier in the other.

Step outside to the snow park, which is open mid-May to mid-Ocober. Even in summer, there’s plenty of snow for fun activities. You can try sledding, tubing, skiing, or simply enjoy a snowball fight. Ski Wengen organizes the rentals and ski lessons. You can rent equipment for all of these activities directly at the Jungfraujoch. If you decide to do ski lessons, and don’t have the right ski clothing, we suggest renting these in town in Grindelwald or Wengen.

Day 4 Afternoon: Lunch and Jungfraujoch activities

Enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants with a view of the majestic peaks. There are a few self-service restaurants, as well as Crystals, a full service restaurant serving Swiss specialties including fondue.

After lunch, head back out to the snow park or explore some of the other options at Jungfraujoch:

• Visit the Sphinx Observatory for one of the best vantage points. The elevator to the observatory deck offers a 360-degree view of the Great Aletsch Glacier and surrounding peaks.
• Head to the Ice Palace, a magical world of ice sculptures and tunnels. It’s a neat experience walking through corridors of ice. This can be slippery, so be a bit cautious walking around here.
• Visit the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven experience, the highest Lindt shop in the world, where you can also learn about how they make the chocolate.

Day 4 Late Afternoon: Return to Grindelwald

Begin your descent back to Grindelwald. This is a good time to reflect on the day’s adventure and enjoy the changing scenery as you head down.

Day 5: Lake Brienz

Nestled in the heart of the Swiss Alps, Lake Brienz is a haven of tranquility and natural beauty. With its vivid turquoise waters and stunning mountain backdrop, you’ll enjoy a relaxing or active day, as you’d like. This guide will take you through your options for a perfect day at Lake Brienz, making sure you don’t miss out on any of the experiences it has to offer.

Day 5 Morning: Exploring the Lake Brienz area by bike

Take a train or drive down to Brienz or Interlaken, depending on the activities you choose. From here, rent a bike or sign up for a bike tour to explore the area around the lakes. Unlike Grindelwald, the paths immediately around Lake Brienz and Lake Thun are fairly flat, though they go uphill quickly when you move even a little bit away from the lakes. This 3 hour E-Bike Tour is a great way to explore the Interlaken and Brienz area. If you decide to head out on your own, I’d suggest renting an e-bike and exploring the 38 km long Lake Brienz loop. It does have about 800 meters total in elevation gain, hence the e-bike suggestion.

Day 5 Afternoon: Lake Brienz

After turning your bikes in, you’ll head out on the waters of Lake Brienz. Take the ferry from wherever you end your morning to Giessbach Falls and enjoy lunch at the Grandhotel Giessbach, with a wonderful view over the lake and the falls. You can also enjoy wandering the grounds around the waterfall.

After lunch, head out on the water to enjoy the lake. A few recommended options.

• Pick up an all day boat pass, allowing you to hop on and off at the towns dotting the lake.
• Rent a kayak or take a kayak tour on Lake Brienz.
• Rent a paddleboard or take a SUP tour on Lake Brienz.
• Head to the beach or one of the beach clubs for a relaxing time on the shore. We enjoyed Strandbad Brienz, as they had a nice café, some water trampolines to use on the water, as well as paddelboard rentals.

You have some additional adrenaline filled options in the Brienz/Interlaken area. We haven’t tried any of these, but they get great reviews.

• Stockhorn Bungee Jumping
• Jet boat ride on Lake Brienz
• Paragliding from Interlaken
• Family white water rafting on the Lütschine River
• Canyoning Chli Schliere
• Rope park course in Interlaken

Day 5 Late Afternoon: Brienz Village

Brienz village is known for its woodcarving tradition. Wander through the main street lined with quaint shops selling handmade wooden souvenirs. You’ll also find a nice path along the shore with various wood carving statues, slack lines to walk on, and more.

Take a leisurely boat ride or opt to take the train back to Grindelwald directly from Brienz. Conclude your day with a lovely dinner in one of Grindelwald’s cozy restaurants, reflecting on your family adventure in Grindelwald. If there are activities if you’ve enjoyed in and around Grindelwald that I haven’t mentioned here, I’d be happy to hear your ideas for our next trip in the comments.

Travel Tips for your Grindelwald Family Adventure

How to Get to Grindelwald

Reaching Grindelwald is the first part of your family adventure vacation. Grindelwald is nestled in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland. The journey is as scenic as the destination itself. The most common way to get there is by train, renowned for their efficiency and panoramic views. If you’re coming from major Swiss cities like Zurich or Geneva, the journey involves a train change at Interlaken Ost, from where direct trains to Grindelwald are available. The train from Zurich airport to Grindelwald, including transfers, takes about 3 hours.

For those preferring to drive, the roads leading to Grindelwald offer breathtaking views, though parking in the village can be limited. The drive from Zurich airport to Grindelwald takes about 2 hours.

How to Get Around Grindelwald

Once you arrive in Grindelwald, most of this itinerary can easily be done on foot or via public transport (trains, buses, gondolas). I find this the most relaxing way to travel.

If you prefer to rent a car, doublecheck that you have parking wherever you stay. As mentioned, the Aspen Lifestyle Hotel has free parking, but this is fairly unique in the village. Most of the destinations (Kleine Scheidegg, Jungfraujoch, and Grindelwald First) can only be reached by public transport, so your rental car will likely be staying at the hotel on those days.

Where to Stay for your Grindelwald Family Holiday

Aspen Lifestyle Hotel

For alternative options, see preferred properties on Booking.com below.

When to Go for your Grindelwald Adventure Vacation

The ideal time to visit Grindelwald for your family adventure vacation is during the summer months, from June to September. This period offers the most favorable weather conditions, with warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours, and minimal snow on the trails, making it perfect for exploring the myriad of hiking paths. Additionally, the summer season sees the opening of most mountain huts and cable cars, providing easier access to various starting points for hikes.

While July and August are the busiest and warmest months, June and September offer a less crowded experience, with slightly cooler weather, yet still providing excellent hiking conditions. We’d recommend scheduling your family adventure in Grindelwald June or September for this reason, if you have flexible vacation times.

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Essential Hiking Tips

• Sunscreen: The suns rays are much more intense at higher elevations. Wearing sunscreen, a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection is essential.
• Mountain weather: Always check the forecast before heading out. Keep in mind that mountain weather changes rapidly. When you see bad weather coming, get below timberline as quickly as possible.
• Dress in layers. Dress in layers, and always carry a raincoat. Wear wool socks and sturdy hiking boots for support and traction. My favorites are Salomon hiking boots and trail shoes. Osprey’s Sportlite 25L is our favorite daypack to carry our extra clothes, food and water, and first aid kit. For short hikes, we bring along an Osprey Trail Running pack.
• Trekking poles: Many people enjoy having trekking poles, which can reduce the strain on your ankles and knees, and can help with balance on uneven terrain.
• Hydration and Fuel: Bring more water for your day hikes than you think you’ll need. Consider adding electrolytes to help you stay hydrated, such as Nuun and LiquidIV. Don’t drink water from streams and ponds, unless you are using a LifeStraw or similar. Pack energy-boosting snacks like nuts, fruits, and energy bars.
• Leave no Trace: Preserve the natural beauty by following the Leave No Trace principles. Pack out all trash, stay on designated trails, and avoid disturbing wildlife.
• Wildlife Awareness: Be aware of the wildlife in the area. Make noise while hiking to avoid surprising animals and know what to do in an encounter with local animals.
• Navigation: If you are using a map on your phone, make sure that it is downloaded. Cell service can be unreliable in the wilderness areas. Inform someone of your hiking plan and expected return time.
• First Aid: Carry a basic first aid kit for minor injuries. This should include, at minimum, Band-Aids, antiseptic, aspirin, mirror, matches, and a jack-knife, a whistle, flashlight, and multi-tool.