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-   -   Roadtrip Munich to Switzerland(maybe via Austria) (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/roadtrip-munich-to-switzerland-maybe-via-austria-1669687/)

jeandiament Jul 20th, 2019 01:07 PM

Roadtrip Munich to Switzerland(maybe via Austria)
 
Hi there,
I was hoping to get any information/feedback/suggestions etc on a road trip I am planning with my husband and child(will be 2 at the time of trip). I am looking to go next September (2020). Originally I was planning on just doing Switzerland, as I did this trip about 10 years ago and loved it. After doing some research I am now considering starting in Munich and driving through Austria(maybe) into Switzerland. Maybe stopping in Davos, Lake Lugano, back up to Lucerne( or Interlaken area) and then flying out of Zurich(only for cheaper flights). I have been to all of the major cities and some of the smaller towns in Switzerland and wanted to focus primarily on smaller towns this trip. I really am open to any suggestions. Any routes you would suggest or picturesque towns along the way. I am also flexible with missing or adding to any of these stops. The trip will probably be about 10-14 days. Since we will be traveling with a young child my focus is more on beautiful sights and things to do in nature rather than shopping and nightlife although I am interested in any suggestions for restaurants. May be doing a mix up hotels and airbnbs, hotels will be tougher for us as I am a light sleeper and prefer to have our son in a separate room(any suggestions on wonderful hotels would be great). Would consider doing a luxury farm stay or any other type of unique lodging. I am planning to rent a car rather than train just because of all of the stuff we have to bring for our son. Any tips on traveling with young kids would also be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to find hotels or rentals that have cribs available so that I do not have to bring one with us. I am willing to spend $250-450 a night on the hotel, unless it is very special and we could splurge for a few nights up to $650. Thanks for any tips- these forums have been extremely helpful in planning a lot of trips in the past!

Jean

lavandula Jul 20th, 2019 02:42 PM

Hi, I have experience of travelling with a child under 2 (and several years after that). We did a few things: when booking apartments, look for a microwave and a washing machine, and a room for sleeping in that you can close off fully from the living quarters so bub can sleep while you are watching TV or doing whatever you do. Washing machine is the one thing i would not compromise on :) so if in a hotel see to it that there is someway you can do washing there. We always had a little umbrella stroller ($20) so that if we lost it or it broke we wouldn't be upset, but it was very reliable. Only thing is, if you are expecting rough terrain I would think about one of those sporty three-wheel strollers which might go better over rough ground. Make sure you can drive some distance with your child. Our daughter could go for about 2 hrs at a stretch and then meltdown. This was OK as we were able to do mostly short stretches for our trip but you need to know this before you go so you know what will cure the meltdown (you in back seat, favourite CD (also a must for the drive), little toys). And speaking of little toys - for the plane trip we had a large number of little toys which my daughter hadn't seen before and pulled them out at intervals to keep her focussed and quiet. Your local Chinatown or dollar store has heaps of these. Things like: a little flashing Mickey Mouse face, rubbery toys, little cars, a stamp kit, a magnet book, finger puppets, little dolls, toy soldiers or zoo animals. Mini cardboard books, and an iPad loaded with e-books. They pack down to nothing and are enormously helpful, also for the car trip. Novelty is the key!

Lavandula

jeandiament Jul 20th, 2019 02:51 PM

Lavandula- that is excellent advice about the new toys for the plane. I would not have thought about that- genius! Also- washing machine, would not have realized how important that would be. Thank you for the insightful tips.

We are doing a shorter road trip in the US this spring so that will help us understand how he does in the car. We have done 2.5 hours a few times and he does well bc he just sleeps.

I was thinking about getting a really inexpensive stroller and also one of those travel back packs! Thanks again!

lavandula Jul 20th, 2019 03:20 PM

That's a good idea about the domestic road trip, that will help you understand your little guy's behaviour when travelling. We have also found that those trays that you clip onto the car seat so there is a play surface were actually a bad idea in our daughter's case because she was looking down at her lap and not out the window and got horribly car sick. We have found CDs (songs for little kids and talking books) have always worked best for us. We did a lot of trips when my daughter was over 5 as we had a sick relative in another town close to us but it meant 2+hr trips every weekend for about 2 1/2 years. We survived those trips with the entire collection of Roald Dahl books on CD, and now are working our way through Harry Potter. Of course those are a bit advanced for your case but kids' songs are a perfect distraction and don't stop the looking out of the window. Just don't forget the CD when giving back the car! :)

Lavandula

Sassafrass Jul 20th, 2019 04:05 PM

A year from now, at age two, he will be like a different child. He will probably want to be walking and running around. Research for some places that have really good and interesting playgrounds for toddlers. Plan on visiting one every day for an hour or two. I know Vienna, Austria has some fantastic indoor and outdoor playgrounds for little ones.

The stroller will be great, but he may also want to walk and have some exercise, so one of those little, soft backpacks that are made like a stuffed bear, but are also attached to a leash is good, so he can walk, but you can keep him close and safe.

As soon as you arrive and have the car, pick up a cheap cooler for the car to have fruit, juice, water, snacks, etc. When our kids were young, we did a big car trip to Italy. That cooler was a life saver.

Sassafrass Jul 20th, 2019 04:08 PM

Take a small, blow up beach ball. At age two, most kids love chasing one.

jeandiament Jul 23rd, 2019 11:47 AM

Thank you Sassafrass! Really great tip on the cooler!!

jeandiament Jul 23rd, 2019 12:14 PM

Anyone else on good stops for a road trip in germany/austria or switzerland?

neckervd Jul 26th, 2019 06:24 AM

IMO the obvious itinerary would be
Munich - Garmisch/Ehrwald - Imst - Scuol-Tarasp - St. Moritz/Pontresina/Sils im Engadin - Menaggio - Lugano - Nufenen Pass - Grimsel Pass - Meiringen - Lucerne - Zurich airport.
It might be cheaper to drop off the car at Konstanz/Germany, 1 hr by train (less by car) from Zurich airport.
as to kids friendly places in Switzerland, you may read a copy of a older post just below.

neckervd Jul 26th, 2019 06:32 AM

As public transport is rather expensive in Switzerland, study carefully the sites about Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex and Swiss half fare card: http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/home.html Check the Swiss Travel System Family CardThe Swiss Travel System Family Card is issued at no cost to parents who wish to take along their children under the age of 16 at no cost. Please note that at least one parent has to travel with the child/ren. Some ideas (check opening periods, some places are closed in winter)::historic steamboats on Lake Geneva: http://www.cgn.ch/horaires/pdf/AffA2....ch/eng/flotte Swiss Vapeur Park Le Bouveret:Home - Swiss Vapeur Parc Signal de Bougy:Signal de Bougy : la plateforme kids fait peau neuve ! - Parc Aventure ®Signal de Bougy | Menhirs at Yverdonhttp://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/en/page.cfm/Culture_Patrimoine/Sites_historiques/Sites_neolithiques/menhirs_clendyBlonay-Chamby historic railway:http://www.blonay-chamby.ch/index-en.phpChillon castle:http://www.chillon.ch/en/ Gruyeres castle, cheese diary and chocolate factory:http://www.chateau-gruyeres.ch/e/mul...=142&Itemid=56 Chatelard-Emosson (Mont Blanc area):http://www.chatelard.net/english/pag...g/wiki/Emosson
Electricity of Emosson SA

Zermatt-Gornergrat:
http://www.gornergrat.ch/home/index.php
Fotos Matterhorn & Klein Matterhorn
http://www.zermatt.ch/en/index.cfm
Entirely walled city of Murten:http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/nav...R.htmlMedieval city of Bern:http://www.berninfo.com/en/page.cfm/...ahn-gurten.ch/ Swiss Village Park Ballenberg: http://ballenberg.ch/en/Welcome
Lugano and Swissminiatur:http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/291/default.aspxhttp://www.swissminiatur.ch/ Tamaro Park:https://www.montetamaro.ch/en/advent...fun-ticino.php Seewen in the Jura close to Basel:http://www.bundesmuseen.ch/musikauto...x.html?lang=en Rapperswil:http://www.zuerichsee.ch/en/page.cfm...gion_zuerich_x Rhine Falls Adventure Parkhttp://www.rheinfall.ch/Attraktionen...ark?lang=en-USFurka steam trainhttp://www.furka-bergstrecke.ch/eng/train/timetable.php You may have a look athttp://www.myswitzerland.com/en/interests/family.html
http://www.takethefamily.com/where/s...ays-and-breaks
eParenting
http://www.reka.ch/en/rekaferien/Pages/default.aspx
http://littletravellers.com/destinat...y-switzerland/


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