To us, nothing says a fairy-tale Europe like exploring historic stunning castles. We’ve visited several stunning castles in Europe and we’re always on the lookout for more. We’ve listed all of the castles, chateaux, palaces, fortresses, and citadels we’ve mentioned on Tapped Out Travellers.
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Just about everything in Switzerland is expensive; attractions, restaurants, and gasoline. So while we venture to experience the best hotels at the lowest price, sometimes those budget-hotels are still a little out of our reach or just hard to find.
These are the best hotels near Jungfraujoch, divided between deluxe, moderate and budget hotels, as well as Interlaken, Grindelwald and Up the Mountain – each getting more expensive the higher in altitude they get. Let’s explore the 20 best family hotels in Jungfrau with Kids.
Deluxe hotels in Interlaken
With a choice of mountain or river view, this 4-star hotel is a short walk from the center of town and provides free wifi.
100m from the train station, it was voted best in Interlaken and is a particular favourite for couples.
Hotel Royal St Georges Interlaken Mgallery by Sofitel
The historic facade dates back to 1908, offers free wifi, sauna and wellness access and the family rooms are spacious.
Moderate hotels in Interlaken
Breakfast included in your stay, as well as wifi and parking. A spacious family room and free access to the indoor and outdoor pool make Hotel Derby a preferred choice for families.
Bus line takes guests directly to the train station or a quick 10 min walk. A part of a residential complex and retirement home, this hotel lists family rooms as one of their options.
Budget hotels in Interlaken
Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof – Hostel Interlaken
Every guest has free access to the self-catering kitchen facilities.
Guests enjoy free access to the public indoor and outdoor swimming pools, free mini golf, free use of public buses, and free parking.
Family rooms are available.
Family rooms are available but the onsite club and bar make this hostel more appropriate for single or couple travellers on a budget.
Deluxe in Grindelwald
Sunstar Alpine Hotel & SPA Grindelwald
The Wellness Oasis, with its large swimming pool, log cabin sauna, Roman baths with 4 climate zones and massage showers, is the perfect place to relax and feel great. It can be used free of charge.
Located in the heart of Grindelwald, this 4-star family hotel offers a hot tub for mum and dad at the end of a long day.
In the Ristorante Mercato, the finest pizzas, pasta and hearty meat dishes as well as tender fish dishes are served and is Tapped Out Travellers tested.
Moderate in Grindelwald
350 m from the train station and the First cable car. Wi-Fi and parking are available free of charge. Guests of the Tschuggen enjoy free admission to the indoor pool and ice rink at Grindelwald’s sports center (200 m away).
Tapped Out Travellers tested.
The hotel is situated in the heart of Grindelwald, 5 minutes from the train station. Most rooms have a balcony with a breathtaking view of the Eiger Mountain. Family rooms available and free wifi comes standard.
Budget in Grindelwald
Grindelwald Train Station can be found within 350 m and a sports centre is a 2-minute walk away. Interlaken can be reached within 20 km. Family rooms are available.
Deluxe hotels up the mountain
Hotel & Spa Victoria-Lauberhorn
Built in 1897, is centrally located next to the train and cable car station of the car-free Wengen and features up-to-date spa facilities including a swimming pool. Family rooms are available
It is situated right at the lower terminus of the Wengen-Männlichen cable car, providing for easy access to the numerous ski slopes of Grindelwald and the Kleine Scheidegg. A children’s playground is featured. Family rooms are available
Built in a classic Swiss chalet style, the Aspen Alpine Lifestyle Hotel in Grindelwald is next to the hiking trails and ski slopes of the Kleine Scheidegg/Männlichen Area. It offers a spa area with an outdoor hot tub. All rooms feature views of the Eiger or Wetterhorn Mountains.
This apartment can fit up to 4 people and hosts a fully stocked kitchen.
Moderate hotels up the mountain
Located in the car-free village of Wengen, a 7-minute walk from the train station, the Hotel Residence Brunner offers ski-to-door access, as well as panoramic views of the Jungfrau Massif and the surrounding mountains. Free WiFi is provided in the entire property which was partially renovated in 2013.
The Belvédère hotel is located only 5 minutes’ walk from the train station. On request, a free luggage transport from and to the Wengen Train Station is offered upon arrival and departure. Family rooms are available
Budget hotels up the mountain
Set at 2,225 m above sea level, Berghaus Männlichen offers a sun terrace with great views of the Swiss Alps, a self-service restaurant, and a children’s playground. This quietly located guest house is 12 km from Grindelwald village center.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich Airport
Located next to Zurich Airport, offering access to all terminals via a direct walkway and just a 2-minute from the airport train station, Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich Airport features a restaurant with a garden terrace, as well as a sauna, steam bath, and fitness room.
For more information on things to do, what to eat, where to stay and how to save money, check out our in-depth travel guide to Jungfraujoch.
These are based on personal experience and/or reviews online.
If you own a hotel in Jungfrau and would like to be included, email us at christineleger (at) tappedouttravellers (dot) com with the subject: Best hotels in Jungfrau
Please share your thoughts in the comments or reach out on social media...We would love to hear from you.
All museums are not created equally; some are artistic, some are historical, and some are just odd. It’s hard to tell if the kids will enjoy them, and it’s frustrating when they don’t. As Family Travel Bloggers, we have tried many museums with the kids and we know which ones worked, and which ones just did not make the cut. These are the Best European Museums for kids based on real kids’ experiences.
In Edinburgh at age 9 my daughter loved the National Museum of Scotland and the Camera Obscura. The former is their Smithsonian squeezed into 1 museum. She loved the science and technology room. We didn’t get to the Natural History room (we almost didn’t get to see anything else because she wouldn’t leave the science room), but kids would like that as well as the kids’ areas in the history section. The Camera Obscura is a small museum but we spent 2 hours there because it is so full of cool hands-on activities involving light, shadows, optics and electricity.
– FamiliesGo!
My kids will behave for weeks with the promise of a Dinosaur Museum. We took them to the SaurierMuseum, just outside of Zurich, Switzerland and it was incredible. There are 10 fully mounted dinosaurs on display at the SaurierMuseum and all but one have been discovered by Kirby (the owner) and his team. The building itself used to be an old cotton spinning factory, hence the unusual layout and overall feeling. It is currently the largest and most important Dinosaur Museum in Europe.
See more at Saurier Museum
The Neanderthal Museum in Mettman, Germany was a delight. They had excellent audio guides and presentations throughout. It had statues and scenes to paint a perfect picture of Neanderthal life as we know it. It even showed evolution in several media formats and had several hands on sections that both children and adults could enjoy. The basement level has a rotating exhibit; the photo here is from the Duckomenta exhibit, where famous art works were recreated with ducks, and we went a second time when they historical periods recreated using Playmobil. Truly a child-friendly museum.
See more at Neanderthal Museum
Venture out of London and discover the location of one of Britain’s most important archaeological finds and a fascinating museum that is brilliant for kids. Sutton Hoo in Suffolk is the site of several royal Anglo-Saxon burial mounds and an exhibition hall that houses the treasures found inside.
The museum at Sutton Hoo showcases the excavation of the site and the historical significance of the items found there. Through a series of videos and interactive displays, you learn about the lives of the noble Anglo-Saxon people who lived in the area over 1,000 years ago. The highlight of the museum is a recreation of one of the wooden burial ships that you can climb inside and a replica of the famous helmet now housed at the British Museum.
We enjoyed the broad range of family activities including dress ups, discovery trails, and crafts suitable for both younger and older children. Throughout the year, outdoor displays and reenactments bring the site to life. Our kids were impressed with the “King” who strode through the fields with his knights and the blacksmith making armour.
The “Dino Museum” of Brussels, Belgium was very exciting for both children and adults alike. Between the Dinosaurs, Evolution Hall, and Gem stones on the lower level, and biodiversity exhibits on the upper levels, there is a little (or a lot) for everyone. This will take you a few hours to explore fully, even with racing children pulling you along.
See more at Natural Science Museum
The Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, Switzerland, is every child’s dream. There is a separate hanger for each mode of transportation; Trains, Cars, Boats, Airplane, and an open wide section in the centre with a pedalo pond and construction site. I could easily see us spending a whole day here, considering this museum is also attached to the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Factory Tour and a Planetarium Tour.
See more at Swiss Museum of Transport
The Monaco Oceanographic Museum (Musée Océanographique de Monaco) is a fabulously child-friendly oceanography museum exploring all aspects of the marine world, spectacularly located on the cliff face looking out to sea on the rock of Monaco.
It consists roughly of three sections: the main area with historical displays, an aquarium and a turtle enclosure. The highlight of the museum for children is undoubtedly the excellent aquarium – not big but perfectly sized for young kids – with a touch pool, shark lagoon and times to observe the fish being fed.
The main part of the museum is stuffed full of marine world curiosities, displayed in a charmingly old-fashioned way, full of oddities to capture the imagination. Among many other things you’ll find a whale skeleton and an enormous polar bear alongside 200 year old diving gear and all sorts of pickled sea monsters!
Finally “Turtle Island” is to be found on the roof terrace with 360° panoramic views of Monaco, the mountains, across to Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. Up here you’ll also find a restaurant and fun marine-themed play area for children to climb on and run around while parents sit back with a coffee and enjoy the setting.
The museum hosts temporary exhibitions as well as activities for children during school holidays. It is open every day of the year except the weekend of the Grand Prix in May and Christmas Day.
The London Transport Museum in London, England was exactly was this little guy needed to end his busy day. A scavenger hunt booklet was provided at the beginning of the tour and he was tasked with finding all the numbered stations and punching his booklet. He was able to get in the vehicles, touch everything, and play around in the various centres throughout the museum. Not as amazing as the Swiss Museum of Transport, but a very close second place.
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You can’t visit London with your kids and not take them to the Natural History Museum. Arrive before the doors open and still be prepared to wait in line, we were greeted by a giant Dinosaur fossil in the centre of the lobby. We went to the Dinosaur section first, since we had first that it would be the busiest section in the museum later in the day (they weren’t kidding, it was crazy busy by the time we left). Evolution upstairs, Biodiversity on the main floor, and everything else in between, munchkin needed a nap by the time he was done touring.
See more at London with Kids
The Medieval Museum in the heart of the Viking Triangle of Waterford, Ireland is a fantastic venue to teach children about Ireland’s medieval history. From seeing a real ancient monk’s dining hall to actual artifacts being studied by historians, this is the place to see history come alive. Wandering all around the museum you will find costumed “locals” that will teach you all about medieval times and how people lived, worked ate and dressed. There are many interactive stations for children to color and learn with their hands as well as videos teaching the history of medieval Ireland and the phases of rule that happened in this country. Kids will love the life sized mannequins wearing medieval clothing and armor along with all the weapons displayed as well as some for them to “practice” with
The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde just outside of Copenhagen, Denmark is one of my all time favourite museums. Not only can you learn about the Vikings, the ways they conquered lands and navigated seas without any help, you get to see their wonderful boats. The timbers of these ships, set out like big creaking bones across the museum, are just fascinating to walk around and imagine them bobbing up and down across the ocean. As part of the museum you can try on different outfits, sit in a reconstructed ship and in the summer even take to the seas in a model Viking ship. It’s a wonderful place.
The Darwin Museum in Moscow, Russia tells the story of evolution through the medium of 400,000 stuffed animals. It sounds like an odd sort of thing to inflict on anyone, let alone children, but then kids are usually sold on the word ‘taxidermy’, and hearing that there are three large buildings full of it. There’s everything from full sized giraffes, walruses and elephants through wolves, horses and every type of bird ever to take wing to the smallest of tree shrews. The fact that they are artfully arranged to very successfully and visually get across various points regarding one of the most important scientific theories of the modern world is just a bonus. It’s not single minded propaganda though, with areas showcasing the biodiversity of marine habitats, tropical rain-forests, the savannah, seashores and mountains. If that’s not enough, the museum has a wealth of interactive elements to spice up the displays calculated to appeal to those who like to get hands on with their educational experience. And there are giant live cockroaches in the annex next door, which also contains a number of natural history-themed multimedia experiences. All in all, it’s an extremely child-friendly cut above your average natural history museum.
Our 2 week Germany/Switzerland with Kids Itinerary covers how to travel Switzerland with kids, where to stay and what to see that will appeal to most kids, and adults alike.
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Swiss Museum of Transport – Entrance
During our Christmas vacation in Zurich, we took a quick day trip to Lucerne. The markets and architecture were not as appealing to the children as I would have hoped, but I did have a plan B up my sleeve. The Swiss Museum of Transport was just on the other side of town and they were open!
If you’re looking for the others posts in the Ultimate Travel Guide to Switzerland, we’ll link to them as they are available!
Part 1: Swiss Museum of Transport
Part 2: SaurierMuseum – Dinosaur Museum in Zurich
Part 3: Guide to Visiting Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Part 4: Top Things to See in Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Part 5: a Guided walking tour of Zurich
Part 6: Snow in the Swiss Alps: Little Snow for Christmas
Part 7: Touring Lake Geneva with kids
Part 8: Jungfraujoch with kids
Part 9: Top family friendly Hotels near Jungfrau
The outside of the building wasn’t exactly marked with giant lettering and I wasn’t exactly sure what to look for in terms of building size. There were several buildings attached to each other, with separate doors, and I looked around to see which one was the Museum of Transport. All of them! They were all the Swiss Museum of Transport. That’s how big this place was.
There was a nice display at the front entrance, where the kids could climb and play train conductor. This set the stage for what they were about to experience. Telling a 5 year old that we are going to check out trains is one thing. Showing him that we can climb and play on trains, priceless.
The internet did not do this museum justice. It was much larger than I had anticipated and covered a lot more than just trains, hence the name Swiss Museum of Transport not Swiss Museum of Trains. The entire complex is spread out over 20,000 square meters, the majority of which is allocated to the museum.
Down the hall from the front desk is the trains building. We were able to play with toy trains, see examples of past trains and experience the evolution of train technology.
Of course the kids rushed through every single station that I hardly had a chance to see what it did, let alone read the plaques, but that’s life with little ones I suppose.
Riding the rails
Once at the end of the trains exhibit, we exited the side doors and followed the arrows on the ground. We entered the Cars exhibit. This building is so authentic, it smelled like a garage. The kids loved the carousel in the middle and the toys at the end, go figure.
In the middle of the complex was a large body of water and a few pedalos. We can’t forget about our navy. Munchkin and Hubby took a few laps around the pool while Baby Girl and I watched from the side lines. We played in the sand pit with the diggers and various child-sized construction vehicles.
The kids had way too much fun here. After spending an hour or so walking ever so patiently through the various buildings, not touching anything they weren’t allowed to touch, not climbing on anything they weren’t allowed to touch, this was perfect. We spent a fair bit of time just watching them climb, dig, destroy and rebuild.
When walking in, there are several directions calling to you. The main ticket desk is in the centre of this giant lobby. This “compound” was not just the Swiss Museum of Transport. It was also home to the Swiss Chocolate Adventure, Planetarium and Filmtheatre.
According to the front desk, the Swiss Chocolate Adventure was a 30 minute ride with stations that explain the process of making chocolate. The whole thing is in German, but English headphones are available. It was geared towards 6 years old and older, as there isn’t anything to touch or do, just watch and listen.
The Planetarium was a 45 minute ride with headphones as well, and there were several shows per day. These are geared towards 12 years and older. They explore other planets, moons, and other heavenly bodies.
The Filmtheatre is just like any other cinema, except that is it the largest screen in Switzerland and it does not play the lately blockbuster hits. They play purely scientific documentaries; Wild America, Wild Cats 3D, Rocky Mountain Express and more.
The tickets are sold separately, the Swiss Museum of Transport being the most expensive, at 30 CHF per adult, and the others are significantly cheaper, at 15-18 CHF per adult for each attraction, discounted when purchased as a bundle. We decided to stick to the museum only.
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As a non-skiing family, we still appreciate a good ski resort, we just don’t do the same things other families do when they visit. And don’t get me wrong, we are not the only ones there that can’t/don’t ski. I have seen my fair share of little ones on the ground floor. Sometimes we just want to enjoy the view, the fresh air, and just play in the snow. If you read my previous article regarding snow in the swiss alps, you will know that this did not happen according to plan. But we did get some fresh air and enjoy the view, so it wasn’t all for not. But what is there to do in Zermatt for non-skiers.
If you’re looking for the others posts in the Ultimate Travel Guide to Switzerland, we’ll link to them as they are available!
Part 1: Swiss Museum of Transport
Part 2: SaurierMuseum – Dinosaur Museum in Zurich
Part 3: Guide to Visiting Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Part 4: Top Things to See in Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Part 5: a Guided walking tour of Zurich
Part 6: Snow in the Swiss Alps: Little Snow for Christmas
Part 7: Touring Lake Geneva with kids
Part 8: Jungfraujoch with kids
Part 9: Top family friendly Hotels near Jungfrau
To start, we stayed in the neighboring town of Tasch. Since cars are not allowed in Zermatt and the hotels there seemed rather expensive for my budget, we decided this was the perfect little mountain town for us. We stayed at the Tascherhof hotel and it is directly across the street from the train station. Under the hotel was a public parking garage; simply validate your ticket on the way out and voila, free parking.
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A beautiful breakfast buffet was also included in the reservation and the front desk was so helpful in answer all of my questions. They also offered discounted tickets to the Glacier Paradise; 80 CHF instead of 100 CHF at the tourism office. The only problem was that this transaction was cash only, and I don’t usually carry cash. The train station across the street has a bank machine so it wasn’t that big of a deal. Hubby packed our day bag and got the kids ready while I ran an errand, met in the lobby and left. Easy as pie.
They do offer dinner in their attached restaurant but we didn’t get a chance to try to it. It smelled great when we walked passed, if that counts for something.
Fresh and clean after a hard day climbing a mountain
Getting to Zermatt isn’t all that difficult. The train station runs between Tasch and Zermatt every 20-30 minutes. There are 4 ticket counters available for purchase, and an automatic machine. Directly beside the machines is a little ATM, hidden from sight. Took me a few tries to see it, I bet I looked crazy to a few folks. They have a corner store with loads of souvenirs, a more fancy souvenir store – we purchased Baby girl and the hubby a pair of sunglasses there – very expensive, but required.
The ticket agents are something to be desired, however. I asked to purchase 2 adult tickets for 2 days. He asked me a few different times when I wanted to start my tickets. I said “tonight”, as in, I plan on boarding the train in a few minutes so sell me tickets now, please. They were a little more money than I expected to pay, the front desk at the hotel said 16 CHF per person for a single return and I just paid 64 CHF for 2 return tickets, for 2 days. I thought there was supposed to be a discount in there. Another agent helped me and she said they were fine. I confirmed that I was going to board the train in 6 minutes. “Yes, your ticket is correct. There is no discount”. Perfect. Get in line, scan my ticket. Nope. Denied. The bouncer said my 2 day ticket expires on Dec 24, in 3 days, which means I can’t use it until tomorrow morning. I went back to the agents, the first 2 are busy so I see a third. He says to visit the original agent. I wait and wait. 4 minutes before it leaves. Buddy takes my tickets and asks what is the problem. I tell him I want to leave now, he says these are the right tickets, what am I trying to pull. I remind him that the scanners won’t take it, and the date on the tickets actually say December 24, therefore he sold me the wrong tickets. He hums around and prints me a new pair; 2 days, expires December 23. We race to the scanners and jump in the first car, and the train pulls away as soon as the doors close… I was not interested in being stuck in the same building as the people that made me 20 minutes late for my train when my kids are jumping excitedly to get this show moving.
Anyways, rant over. The shuttle was a quick ride up the mountainside. The view was nice, we didn’t see much of it because of construction and tunnels. I hear December is their down-season.
At the train station in Zermatt, there are e-cars waiting to transport people to their hotels. They are only available for hotel guests. The lone horse and buggy in the area also belongs to a hotel.
A quick google of things to do in Zermatt and we found a brewery tour. We have done the Keith Brewery in Halifax with our son and it was great, so why not this one. For one, it’s a few flights of stairs down, and the brewery is super tight inside so no stroller and I had a sleeping baby. Hubby went, he took the munchkin and I went shopping with baby girl.
They have only opened for 1 year and spent 3 years in the planning process. The brewery is owned by a Doctor in town and a Russian businessman. They hired a German brewmaster to create this blend in town. As they only specialize in unpasteurized beer, the shelf life is only 2/3 months.
Reservations are required to be booked online so they know to expect you. A tour is only offered at 4 pm, every night, but only if enough patrons request it. We were lucky and showed up right at 4 pm, as this information was not listed on Zermatt’s website (as sign of things to come), and a few of the English tour’s members were running late so they hadn’t started yet. Hubby paid his 15 CHF and started the tour. It was only supposed to be 1 hour but they got to talking and got carried away. They serve plenty of samples during the tour as well, to encourage patrons to purchase a case on the way out.
At this point, I should have purchased the Swiss Pass. There was a special rate for owners of the Swiss Pass and I hadn’t really given it much thought during the planning stage. I know for next time.
It was 10 CHF per adult and the kids were free. There were 2 floors under ground, the main exhibit being on -2 and information panels on -1. There is an elevator and the hallways are more than wide enough for a stroller.
The kids had a great time walking in and out of old huts, touching the live-stock models, looking at what life was like “in the olden days” when Zermatt was nothing but a poor farming village.
The rope from the first ascent was prominently on display, as were other pieces from that expedition. Information was provided regarding the life of the original climbers, how they made their achievement and the conditions that lead to their deaths. They also showed tools from the Neolithic period that has been discovered throughout the area, including “the soldier”. “The Soldier” is the name given to a set of remains found with coins, shoes, and weapons. He is the “second most important archaeological discovery of human remains in the Alpine region – following Ötzi, the Iceman [1991]”
We spent about an hour touring this museum. It was great fun for the kids, we learned a lot about the area and the original expedition. Shortly after the tour, we found a souvenir shop and we purchased a “children’s” book regarding the same subject… it was a little more detailed than I prefer reading to my 4-year-old, but he seems OK with it.
I have to say, I am very disappointed in this tourism office, and its employees. I asked a few simple questions about the train schedule and they weren’t able to answer me, I asked about the e-cars and they couldn’t help me. There were very few questions that they were actually able to answer with confidence, since none of this was their department, apparently.
The horse and carriage rides that are prominently displayed all over their website and pamphlets, let alone social media and blogging, is no longer available. The owner retired suddenly a few months prior and no one has replaced him yet. When asked why their promotional material was not updated…guess what, they couldn’t answer that. My kids were so pissed. Not only was there no snow, like I promised them, but no horse and buggy. Explain to them that the only one they see is not available to us because we aren’t hotel guests of this town.
Also, the age restrictions on various rides were never mentioned on their website or print media. We purchased tickets to go to Glacier Paradise and the baby was at my side. I asked if the stroller would go all the way up or should I bring the carrier. They said the stroller was fine, but there are stairs after the second ascent, so it would need to be parked there. This, to me, means I can bring her to the very top. Nope. We were helped by various employees on the bus, at the gondola entrance, and gondola exit. Only when we were done relaxing and tried to get into the last gondola that we were turned around. He said under 3 is not allowed any higher, and we would need to take turns watching her. By the time hubby and munchkin were done exploring, it was lunch time and baby girl was awake – good luck getting out of her sight for 5 minutes, let alone 45 to explore properly.
As mentioned earlier, our hotel was able to get us discounted tickets, 80 CHF instead of 100 CHF per adult, though this was a cash-only purchase. From the train station, we walked across the street to catch the Green Line bus to the Gondola station. We decided to wait for the second bus, as the first was fairly full, and did not have a rear door for the stroller to enter. In hind-sight, I probably should have worn Baby Girl was I was assured the stroller would be welcome and I did see more at the restaurant, so I was not alone. The bus only lasted 10 minutes and the Gondola station is the end of the line.
From there, we took a quick elevator up, and a 30 minute Gondola ride all the way to Trockener Steg. I am terrified of heights so I really should have been sitting facing forward. Munchkin kept asking me a million questions about my fear. Such a loving child.
Trockener Steg is the rest stop, restaurant area where we were able to walk around, check on the kids, and have a much needed potty break.
Since I didn’t go any further, hubby and Munchkin told me all about it on the way back down the mountain. There is the option of going down the Matterhorn from the Italian side. It was a quick Gondola to their rest stop, and had the option of skiing down the mountain. I would imagine Schengen policies apply to Swiss crossings.
Looking back at our experience, there are a few things that I would have done differently to get the most of my hard earned time and money.
First of all, I would have specifically asked the words “is my baby allowed at the very top?” Thus either knowing beforehand or having a leg to stand on when demanding a refund.
Second, I would have looked more into Gornergrat. This was a major planning-fail on my part. There was a cog-train instead of gondolas, restaurants and larger platform available as well. Most importantly, it was at the right elevation that my daughter would have been welcomed.
Third, I would have carried around my portable phone charger. I knew my phone had a habit of shutting down at 45% battery when very cold, mainly because my phone is garbage at the moment, and this would have saved me a lot of time and stress when I couldn’t contact the hubby.
Fourth, I would have checked the weather predictions for this year when we got closer to the date and scheduled something else in it’s place. I have been checking Instagram over the passed few weeks, because I am a glutton for punishment apparently, and they are covered in snow at the moment. Lots of glorious snow… we missed it by 2 weeks.
Fifth, had there been snow, I would have scheduled more time to dedicate to the resort. There was plenty of cross-country skiing options, tobogganing and snow-man building available, as well as ski lessons for the Munchkin and a daycare/kindergarten is available.
Lastly, I wouldn’t have lied to myself regarding the budget. Switzerland is expensive. Ski Resorts are expensive. Swiss ski resorts are crazy expensive. I paid 20 euro for a single pizza, and it wasn’t even that great. The McDonald’s had slightly lower prices so we cheated in the evening and had fast food. All of my shoulda woulda coulda come at an extra cost but we did pay a pretty penny to get here, and we don’t plan on coming back anytime soon so these little changes would have dramatically altered the way I remember the resort…I say “I” because hubby had a great time. He is also the one that got to go to the top.
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When I was looking up things to do in Zurich with the kids, I naturally started my search by visiting the Zurich Tourism site to see what they have to offer. A few clicks here and there and BAM, SaurierMuseum! It was no longer an option at this point, after 4/5 days of driving and following the parents around endless cities and Christmas markets, these kids were going to need something just for them and I was not about to turn down an opportunity to let them explore a Dinosaur Museum in Zurich.
If you’re looking for the others posts in the Ultimate Travel Guide to Switzerland, we’ll link to them as they are available!
Part 1: Swiss Museum of Transport
Part 2: SaurierMuseum – Dinosaur Museum in Zurich
Part 3: Guide to Visiting Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Part 4: Top Things to See in Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Part 5: a Guided walking tour of Zurich
Part 6: Snow in the Swiss Alps: Little Snow for Christmas
Part 7: Touring Lake Geneva with kids
Part 8: Jungfraujoch with kids
Part 9: Top family friendly Hotels near Jungfrau
Technically, the SaurierMuseum is in Aathal, a tiny town just outside of Zurich, and even Wikipedia agrees that this museum has placed the town on the map, possibly literally. Simply take the S14 from Zurich HB for about 35 minutes, the train station is a 5-minute walk from the SaurierMuseum. I expected December to be uncomfortable weather, it turned out to be a nice walk, a great view, and it was beautifully quiet after having spent a few days in busy Zurich.
When we first walked up to the museum, we saw a giant Brontosaurus-shaped neck stretched out over the road. The kids lost their minds, “Mommy, I see a dinosaur!”. Yup, this was going to be fun. The front entrance even had a Triceratops model that they got to pose for. He really wanted to touch it.
There is stroller parking at the coat racks, but there is also a lift within the museum. We decided to park our BOB stroller, she’s old enough and it wasn’t very busy. There are videos and interactive materials throughout the entire museum; fossils, replicas/models, cafeteria, a playground and cartoon videos to make the whole area so incredibly family friendly and welcoming. The kids were torn between exploring one room at a time and running off to see what another room had to offer.
DinoComics and Cartoons room
Ancient Sea Monsters hall
It seemed very quiet at first until we caught up to other parents with their kids, running around and being crazy excited. Usually, I prefer a more quiet museum experience but this building didn’t feel like a stuffy, must be quiet kind of place, it was geared towards children (obviously those without children are welcomed and entertained as well) but I didn’t feel like my children’s volume was bothering anyone here. It’s a hard feeling to describe, it was just a very relaxing environment to be in.
Instead of digging for fossils, the SaurierMuseum had a sandpit for making dinosaur footprints. In the sand pit, they had dinosaur footprints on the end of a short shovel handle. As well they had rakes for cleaning up to make more footprints. The kids had a great time beating footprints into the sand. Just watch out when you are raking it flat again, they can get a little impatient.
Now that I have outlined our experience and opinions, let’s take a look at the museum itself.
Often times museums are Government run, SaurierMuseum is in fact owned by Dr. Hans-Jakob “Kirby” Siber, once a mineral dealer turned paleontologist. There are 10 fully mounted dinosaurs on display at the SaurierMuseum and all but one have been discovered by Kirby and his team. To reiterate my welcome package, “the dinosaurs are anywhere from 50 to 95 percent actual bones, and the Allosaurus “Big Al Two”, which is 95 percent complete, is the most complete example of this dinosaur ever found.”
The building itself used to be an old cotton spinning factory, hence the unusual layout and overall feeling. It is currently the largest and most important Dinosaur Museum in Europe. Furthermore, while the placards are mostly in German, the scientific names are translated into English, and a pamphlet with a floor plan is provided at the front entrance in various languages.
Head over to the SaurierMuseum website, to check out all the incredible exhibits and exciting events they have to offer.
Shortly after our visit, I learned that they offer over-night stays!! That’s crazy. I would have loved to have a Night at the Dinosaur Museum, in Zurich no less.
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*Special thank you to the SaurierMuseum for there support. While I appreciate opportunities like these, all opinions are my own. See my disclosure for more information*
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