Aargau
Naturama is one of the most modern nature museums in Switzerland. Visitors are able to see how nature in the region was formed, how it looks today and its potential future development—in an entertaining experience for all the senses.

Appenzell
At the foot of the Kron Mountain you will find the 1,000-metre long Kronberg-Bobbahn toboggan run, but if speed isn’t your thing, you can make your way over to the Kronberg Seilpark rope park, but that too is not for the faint of heart.

Basel
The Roman town ofAugust Raurica is a great place to take the family on a fun and educational day trip. There are loads of roman ruins as well as a museum with a great collection of artifact to time travel back to the era of Cesar.

Bern
Get a new perspective of the forest at Ropetech adventure park in Bern’s Dählhölzli Woods at Thunplatz. It’s a series of overhead ropeways that make up seven courses ranging in degrees of difficulty, at heights of 4 to 23 meters.

Fribourg
The historic Old Town of Fribourg and its Auge neighbourhood are transformed for a few weeks every year from September to October, when Fribourg artist Hubert Audriaz, along with hundreds of children, embarks on Magical Journeys through Fribourg.

Geneva
The Ferme de Merlinge sells regional products fresh from the farm and serves brunch on Saturday mornings around 11 am. They also organise many activities for children.

Glarus
At Erlebniswelt Mettmentalp you can find all kinds of family adventures, from fishing in glacier lakes to climbing through rope parks and exploring dinosaur footprints.

Graubünden
In Savognin you don’t just barrel down the mountain on skis in the winter. Leave it to them to offer fun ways to fly down the mountain in the summer as well. The CUBE Hotel stocks go karts, scooters and bikes that will get you down the mountain at breakneck speeds—or a little slower for the smaller or less daring family members. As well there is a manmade lake just around the corner that is the perfect spot to recover from your mountain excursions.

Jura
Go for a covered horse-drawn wagon tour through the wooded pastures of the Franches-Montagnes.  

Lucerne
The Gletschergarten or Glacier Garden in the heart of Lucerne offers a trip back in history. Fossilised mussels and palm leaves show that some 20 million years earlier Lucerne was a subtropical beach. Also discover the mirror maze.

Neuchâtel
With Aquagliss the lake at Neuchâtel becomes a playground.  You can choose between a banana boat or a boat drawn rubber ring or you can try your skills at wake boarding and water skiing.

Obwalden
Fräkigaudi is Switzerland’s longest summer toboggan facility—1,350 metres worth of fun as you fly down Mount Pilatus.  

Nidwalden
In Nidwalden make your way to Klewenalp, where you can enjoy a variety of activities including seeing local fauna, racing down the mountain on a scooter or taking part in the Alp Olympics, a guaranteed laugh for the whole family.

Schaffhausen
Experience Europe’s biggest and most famous waterfall, Rheinfall, with a canoe tour. And if you want, you can request a bike to ride back to where the tour started.

Schwyz
Take the family on a trip into the mountains with Rafters. Cave tours in the Muotathal, followed by a nice lunch—and then you can go and make your own cheese.

Solothurn
Raubtierpark Subingen has tigers, a petting zoo, an adventure playground and an event hall should you want to have a party.

St. Gallen
Abenteuerland Walterzoo is a great place to go with the whole family.  From riding camels to hosting birthday parties, this zoo and fun park is certain to entertain all ages.

Thurgau
Do you want to see boars racing, be part of a dog show or have your kids take a pony ride? The Rodolfo leisure park is the place for you. There is also a petting zoo and puppet theater.

Ticino
Switzerland is a small country, but it gets even smaller atSwissminiaturin Melide near Lugano. Switzerland is condensed into one pint-sized park with all the mountains and important castles and buildings miniaturized.

Uri
Swiss Holiday Park is the perfect place for parents to relax while the kids have fun. From thermal baths and myriad of saunas, to a green go-kart racetrack it’s the perfect place for a weekend or longer. The rooms at the hotel are equipped with Sony PlayStations and there are lots of sporting activities available.

Valais
Happyland New is Switzerland’s biggest theme park, with rides that range from a nautical jet that will take you on a free flight of 8 to 10 metres at a speed of 40 to 80 km per hour, to a tamer roller coaster for the smaller kids.

Vaud
Zip lines and rope obstacle courses take you through the forests of Signal-de-Bougy’s Parc Aventure. Go climbing through several different courses—from simple for kids to very challenging for fit adults—the rope park is not for the faint of heart.  

Zug
In the Lorze ravine, beautiful limestone caves are waiting for you to discover them at Höllgrotten Baar. Full of calcareous formations, miniature lakes, impressive stalagmites and stalactites in a variety of hues await you.

Zürich
Always wanted to fly but don’t have the courage to jump out of a plane? In Zürich, you will find the first and only wind tunnel in Europe at BodyFlying. It’s where champion parachutists train. This one is for the older kids—you have to be 8 years old minimum. For the younger kids try Alpamar, it’s Europe’s biggest indoor water park, and entry is free for kids under 6.

—Michele Mischler, WRS