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Getting Up the Mountain

Mount Rigi has been nicknamed the “Queen of the Mountains” for a couple hundred years now, and it’s home to the very first cogwheel railway ever built in Europe, dating back to 1871. Queen Victoria herself was famously carried up in a sedan chair back in 1868, just a few years before the railway made that unnecessary. All of which is to say, this mountain has been a beloved family destination for a very long time, and it’s easy to see why once you’re there.

We ate breakfast at the hotel, which was included, and headed out to explore. You take a cable car up the mountain, booked through the SBB Mobile app, and it’s genuinely one of the most fun parts of the whole trip. The walk to the cable car is easy but does involve stairs, so it’s not stroller-friendly at that point, and if you have mobility issues, I’d recommend a taxi instead.

The cable car takes about 10 minutes up to Rigi Kaltbad. From there, you can also take a short cogwheel train (about 15 more minutes) up to Rigi Kulm.

If you want to cover the cable car, cogwheel train, and unlimited travel around the mountain in one purchase, the Rigi day pass is worth booking ahead of time.

Rigi Kaltbad

Rigi Kaltbad has a large mountain playground that’s easy to get to with a stroller, along with shops, restaurants, and plenty of walking trails. The entire mountain is car-free, which makes it especially easy and relaxed with kids. We spent a good amount of time here before heading further up.

Rigi Kaltbad to Rigi First

From Kaltbad, you can walk to Rigi First, a simple, flat, stroller-friendly walk. It’s an easy, low-key stretch that works well if your kids need a break from being carried or strolled.

Rigi Kulm, the Summit

From First, take the cogwheel train up to Rigi Kulm, the summit. Kulm has the Rigi Kulm Chapel, a small alpine walking loop around the summit ridge, and a short trail toward Rigi Staffel. There’s also a small railway museum up top, a nice tie-in given the mountain’s railway history.

Where We Ate

We had lunch back at Restaurant Alpina in Kaltbad on our way back down, cozy Swiss classics and genuinely good for families.

Other restaurant options near Rigi:

Near Rigi Kaltbad:

• Rigistübli (Hotel Rigi Kaltbad) – Self-service with regional dishes and soups, has a terrace
• Berggasthaus Unterstetten or Bergsonne – Traditional mountain fare
• Panorama Restaurant Kaltbad – Kid-friendly with an outdoor terrace

Between First and Kulm:

• Chalet Schild – A chalet-style stop with outdoor space and a game area

At the summit (Rigi Kulm):

• Summit Restaurant (Kulm) – Full sit-down with panoramic lake and Alps views, a great option for a scenic lunch if your schedule allows
• Rigi Kulm Hotel Restaurant

Heading Back

After the cable car back down to Weggis, we had dinner reservations at Riva, a lovely waterfront restaurant right in town. This was genuinely one of the best days of the entire trip, and I’d recommend it to any family visiting this region.

For general tips on getting around Switzerland, currency, language, and a few other practical things, check out the tips section in our Lucerne and Weggis post.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Mount Rigi with Kids: The Best Day of Our Switzerland Trip appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

Getting There

We used points transferred to LifeMiles to book business class tickets from Tampa to Zurich, with a layover in Montreal. I was nervous about the 1.5 hour layover, but immigration for Americans on a connecting flight through Montreal is simple and only took a few minutes. We even had time to check out the Air Canada lounge before our next flight.

Zurich Airport to Lucerne

We landed in Zurich the next morning and used the SBB Mobile app to book a direct train straight to Lucerne. The train station is inside the airport, and the app itself is genuinely easy to use, you’ll end up relying on it for basically every form of transportation for the rest of the trip. The trains are also incredibly kid-friendly, many of them even have playgrounds!

Once we got to the Luzern train station, we stored our bags there before heading out to explore. None of the lockers were big enough for our luggage, so we went up to the main office and they held our bags for a small fee. Simple, and worth doing so you’re not dragging suitcases around Old Town.

Exploring Lucerne

From the train station, walk into the big open square, Bahnhofplatz, then head slightly left toward the wooden bridge, Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). Walk across it, take in the painted panels, and check out the water tower, Wasserturm, right next to it.

Once you cross the bridge, you’re in Old Town. We spent time wandering Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz, and Spreuer Bridge, all within easy walking distance of each other.

For lunch, we had a shortlist of options: Wirthaus Galliker, Restaurant Zunfthausrestaurant Pfistern, Fondue House Du Pont, or just grabbing sandwiches from a bakery in Old Town and heading to a playground if the kids needed a break. We ended up at Restaurant Schiff, where we split a fondue and the kids ordered off the kids menu. Everyone left happy.

After lunch, we walked to the Lion Monument. It’s worth knowing going in that this one is a somber stop rather than a lighthearted photo op, it’s a memorial carved into a rock face honoring Swiss Guards killed in 1792, and Mark Twain once called it the most mournful piece of stone in the world. There’s a park nearby, though, which gives kids a place to run around after.

From there, we headed back toward Lake Lucerne, walking southeast to rejoin the waterfront promenade, where we watched swans and got ice cream.

One thing worth knowing: Lucerne itself is extremely busy. I’d genuinely recommend doing what we did and basing yourself just outside the city instead. Weggis ended up being one of our favorite stops on the entire trip.

If we’d had more time in Lucerne, we also would have checked out the Swiss Museum of Transport, which came highly recommended to us. We ran out of time and had to save it for next visit.

Getting to Weggis

We grabbed our luggage from the train station and walked to the ferry dock, following signs for Schiff. We booked our boat tickets through the same SBB Mobile app, you just put in your starting point and destination and it shows you all the available options, boats included.

We booked second class tickets, but next time I’d book first class instead, since it opens up more seating options. The boat is technically part of Switzerland’s public transportation system, but it doesn’t feel like it at all. It’s toddler and family friendly, with elevators, storage for luggage and strollers, and food and drinks available, though our ride was short enough that we didn’t need much. If the weather’s good, try to sit on the right side of the boat, on the upper deck outside.

Weggis

We got off the boat and walked a short distance to our hotel, Seehof Hotel Du Lac. I booked this through my travel agency, as it was by far the most cost-effective option for a nice hotel. After checking in and unpacking, we headed back out to explore. There are a few small playgrounds within easy walking distance, and an ice cream stand set up right near the boat station. We spent the evening just walking along the water, eating ice cream, and letting the kids explore.

For dinner, we kept it simple with pizza at Pizzeria SeeHotel Gotthard, right near both the waterfront and our hotel.

From here, we spent our second full day exploring Mount Rigi right from Weggis, which gets its own post since there’s a lot to cover.

A Few General Tips for Visiting Switzerland

You probably don’t need a rental car. Public transportation here is reliable and genuinely easy to navigate, trains, boats, and cable cars all included. Download the SBB Mobile app before you go, since you’ll use it constantly.

Learn a few phrases in Swiss German. Plenty of people speak English, but it’s worth knowing please, thank you, and how to order at a restaurant, along with how to ask if someone speaks English in Swiss German. We ran into a couple of spots without an English speaker available. That said, if you don’t speak a word of it, you’ll almost certainly still be fine.

Switzerland uses Swiss Francs, not Euros. It’s easy to assume otherwise since it’s surrounded by the EU, but Switzerland isn’t a member. Cards are widely accepted, but it’s worth having a little cash on hand too.

Public drinking fountains are everywhere, and the water is safe to drink. This is a genuinely great one for families, refilling water bottles for free while you’re out all day with kids adds up.

Sundays are quiet. Most shops, including grocery stores, are closed on Sundays, so plan any errands or shopping around that.

Bring the right power adapter. Switzerland uses a different plug type (Type J) than most of the rest of Europe, so a standard EU adapter won’t always work. Double-check before you pack.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Lucerne and Weggis with Kids: The First Stop on Our Switzerland Trip appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

We got in from Zurich on the train around 11:30am, stored our luggage at the station, following signs for Gepäckaufbewahrung, and set off to explore Zurich’s Old Town, the Altstadt.

Exploring Old Town

We walked Bahnhofstrasse, the famous shopping street that starts right at the main train station, then wandered through Limmatquai and the Old Town alleys, stopping to stroll along the river. We grabbed coffee and chocolate at Confiserie Sprüngli, and stopped by Grossmünster Church, Fraumünster Church, and Bürkliplatz. If you have extra time, the Rathaus and Münsterhof are worth a look too, though we treated those as optional.

We had lunch in Old Town, then had the choice to either take a boat ride or ride tram line 4 or 6 down to the lake, Zürichsee, to walk the promenade.

Old Town restaurant options:

Classic Swiss and local favorites:

• Zeughauskeller – A historic Swiss beer hall with hearty dishes like sausages, rösti, and schnitzel, casual and easy with kids
• Haus Hiltl – A world-famous vegetarian restaurant with a buffet and kids’ options, relaxed and fun
• Trattoria Sempre Zürich – Italian classics, pasta and pizza, easy for picky eaters
• Spaghetti Factory – Another solid Italian option with pasta kids tend to love
• Restaurant Brasserie Johanniter – A casual Swiss brasserie on Niederdorfstrasse with a relaxed vibe

More options nearby:

• Zum Königstuhl – Schweizer Restaurant in Zürich Niederdorf – A lovely Swiss spot tucked into a historic corner
• Restaurant Enja – A great all-around menu with friendly service
• Swiss Chuchi Restaurant – Classic Swiss meals, including fondue if you want to try it again
• Raclette Factory – Cheese-focused menu, a comforting meal kids generally love

The Victorinox Flagship Store

One stop worth calling out on its own: we visited the Victorinox flagship store in Zurich, where you can customize your own Swiss Army knife. Victorinox has been making these since 1884, when founder Karl Elsener opened a small cutler’s workshop, and the company is still family-run today. My son and husband both loved picking out and personalizing their own, and we brought home a few as gifts.

Where We Stayed Before Flying Home

We took the train back to the airport and stayed at Hyatt Place Zurich Airport The Circle, which was incredibly convenient. There’s a direct walkway from the hotel straight to the airport the morning of your flight, so I’d genuinely recommend staying at The Circle before any early flight out of Zurich. There are a few hotel options there, so I’m sure there is one that fits your needs.

We flew home on Swiss, this time in economy, still booked on miles.

How We Booked It

All of our hotels on this trip were booked through my travel agency rather than directly, and it ended up being significantly cheaper doing it that way.

For general tips on getting around Switzerland, currency, language, and a few other practical things, check out the tips section in our Lucerne and Weggis post.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Zurich with Kids: Old Town, a Swiss Army Knife, and Flying Home appeared first on The Family Takeoff.