very nice pics.

yes like many say here

Trummelbach Falls are no ordinary waterfalls and it is something that your kids will really love - a torrent of water rushing down inside the cliff - really if you plan for what kids would like make this a priority (as well as the two dramatic cableways up to Murren and down to Stechelberg - the latter extrememly thrilling - stand in the middle if a nervous Nellie and you won't see anything to be scared of

Wow! I'm sure there is nowhere else you could get so much help.

Don't miss the farmers street markets if you happen to be in Vevey on Tuesday or Saturday, or Montreux on a Friday (early AM).

I chanced into Montreux during the Friday morning market and agree that, it's a fine old-world food market with other items thrown in as well.

Yes it's nice (the Montreux market under the pergola off the main street right on the lake...

but even better is Vevey's on Saturday AM. AND for 6-weeks in late July thru early August they host the Marche Folklorique - a winetasting from local vineyards in the town square along with all the wonderful vendors (cheese, meat, flowers, fruits, vegetables, bread, pastries, etc.). You buy the empty glass and can sample all the wine you like between 9am-Noon. They even have a little wagon that rolls around the marketplace so you can drink while you shop!

Since my last post, I have been trying to secure hotels that can accommodate families within a reasonable budget….and I need your help.

Rome, Interlaken, Lucerne-done. I decided to stay in Lucerne and take the early morning train to Zurich airport.

Day 4 (Wednesday)- I get to Geneva airport at 6pm and will take the train to Montreux/Vevey
Day 5-sightsee (overnight Montreux/Vevey)
Day 6-train to Interlaken

So my Question-all hotels that I have e-mailed in the Montreux/Vevey area are extremely pricey for a quad. Hotel de Familie is full and Hotel Negociants is 275 chf for each night. The Novotel in Lausanne seems like it’s way out and the reviews are not great. My thought was then to stay one night in Vevey and then train to Interlaken in the evening as the hotel rate at Interlaken is about 180 chf. Do you know of any reasonable family places in Montreux/Vevey area?

Also, has anyone stayed at Hotel Alpha in Lucerne? They gave me a great rate for a family room and it gets fairly good reviews.

We are all excited but my husband did ask if we are able to see anything in Germany since it’s not that far. If I cut one day from Vevey, is it worth trying to fit something in from Zurich?

Thanks.

From Zurich you can take the short train ride down to Lake Constance at Romanshorn and hop the boats that constantly cross the Lake Constance to Friederickshavn (sp?), home of the Graaf-Zepelin company and museum i believe but a nice average German town or for a real neat town go to Lindau, on the lake's eastern tip to see what i think is one of Germany's most gorgeous towns - it sticks right out into the lake.

You could do a circle - boat to Frederck..shavn - then a short train ride to Lindau and then back to Zurich from there (you actually even go thru a bit of Austria to get back to Switzerland. A Swiss Pass would be good on the Swiss portion and 50% off the Lake Constance boats.

The Riviera Lodge in Vevey, a hostel open to all, has 4-person rooms that you could book for your family:

http://www.rivieralodge.ch/

I think it would be around 128 CHF for the four of you. Bathrooms are down the hall, but when we have stayed in this type of accomodation in Switzerland, we have found everything clean and up to date.

More ideas for kids:
Seilpark Interlaken http://www.seilpark-interlaken.ch/de/summer/seilpark/

Rent a bike from Meiringen to Interlaken: http://www.rent-a-bike.ch/dynasite.c...=26&page=2

Unfortunately, the sites are in German but if you use Google language tools, you can get the gist of the text.

Thanks. That sounds like a fun park in Interlaken. I e-mailed Riviera and they are 172 CHF for a 4 bed private room without bathroom. In your opinion, should I stay in Vevey one night and spend the entire day and then go to Interlaken in the PM or stay for 2 nights? This will impact the rest of the stay especially since DH wants to see a bit of Germany towards the end.

Thanks.

Riviera is more expensive than I though but still not bad. Our last trip (in 2007) we were paying over 300 CHF every night for a family room (for 3, not 4).

As for one night or 2 in Vevey, that depends how much you want to do there. Chateau de Chillon is a must; that is several hours. Other than that and strolling the waterfront promenade and the town, what do you want to see? One night might be enough if you have the whole next day to spend there before moving on to Interlaken.

Ok, So I think I will just splurge and go with Negociants for 2 nights and then to BO. Instead of staying Interlaken, what about staying in Lauterbrunnen (3 nights). I got a good rate for a qaud at Oberland and there seems to be enough veggie-friendly food. After reading the boards, Lauterbrunnen seems so much more beautiful right near the waterfall and easier access to the lifts. Your thoughts?

Then next-how does this sound. From Lauterbrunne, go to Pilatus/Lucerne for the day and go directly to Zurich for 2 nights-is this too much for one day. I am scrappring Titlis as Pilatus has the luge and sounds fun with the kids. Then the following day will be easier to take the days trip to Lake Constance and area from Zurich.

Before scrapping Titlis, you might want to consider the ice caves on top, the walk in the snow and the possibility of renting kick boards at the middle station to ride down to the bottom station.

I did this two years ago with the kids and we had lots of fun.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Lauterbrunnen over Interlaken is a good choice.

Wow this is fun but so stressful to make this perfect. I just returned from the library with a bunch of books so I'll see what I can make of it. Although DH wants to see a bit of Germany, I'd rather stick to my original plan. Lake COnstance sounds beautiful but seems like a long day trip right before we have to come back. My choice would be to have a lazy last day around Luzern.

Some top thing that kids would like are the luge (Pilatus); dog-sledding (Jungfrau); beach (Vevey area); boat rides (all over); and the Falls (Lauterbrunnen) so I think I have it covered. Oh and the castle in Montreux area. They just took out a few kid-friendly Switzerland books and want to yodel like the picture with the instrument-HA. I told them to read Heidi for their next book report!

The Swiss Transport Museum on the edge of Lucerne should enthrall any kid that age as well. A plethora of all types of transports on show - trains, gondolas, etc. with ample inter-active displays. And if using a Swiss Pass on a 100% covered day the usual about $15-20 entry fee is free. You can hop a lake boat from the train station to the museum a few miles away (boats also covered by Swiss Pass - again with first class you can ride on the top open-air deck - again kids will love the paddle-wheel steamers like this one that go on several Swiss lakes - all covered by Swiss Passes either for 100% travel on 100% covered travel days or 50% off on others.

Am I able to got from Lauterbrunnen to Pilatus to Zurich the same day or do you think this is too much. I am still trying to figure out if I should stay 1 night in Lucerne and 1 in Zurich (so we can do the day trip to Lake COnstance) or 2 nights in Zurich. Getting close to finalizing everything.

So here is what I have confirmed:
2 nights Vevey (Negociants)
3 nights Lauterbrunnen (Oberland)-very happy that I changed to Oberland

The next part for me is confusing. I looked at Lake Constance/Mainau Island and it looks nice but I think I should just spend the last 2 nights in Lucerne. Please offer any thoughts. Are there any recommended quads in Lucerne. I have a hold on Hotel Alpha but it is a shared bathroom situation at an excellent rate. Any other options?

Thanks so much to all of you in helping me plan this itinerary. Once I have this done, I'll buy the 4 day Swiss pass.

I would certainly stay in Lucerne IIWM - one of Europe's uniquely gorgeous cities and on lovely Lake Lucerne.

Boat rides of what to me is Switzerland's most captivating lake are great - the classic cruise going up to Fluelen at the southern tip of fjord-like Lake Lucerne and then hop a train back. Kids again will love these boats and with a first class pass just laze on the top deck and watch the scenery float by.