I had been dreaming of a Swiss Alps vacation for years but until recently, Davos was largely off my radar. This eastern Swiss Alps region is largely known as a winter skiing destination and the home of the annual World Economic Forum, but in the summer the region turns into a picture perfect summer wonderland full of fun.
During my family’s Jully visit we found that there were plenty of great things to do in Davos in summer, and that it was actually quite quiet compared to some of the more well-known Swiss Alps regions like Jungfrau. Davos is forested, green. and impeccably clean. It is an ideal destination for active families with children of all ages.
Discover more Switzerland with this Swiss family vacation itinerary.
Where in Switzerland is Davos?
Davos is located in the eastern part of Switzerland at about 5,120 feet above sea level. It is only two hours (75 miles) from Austria, 92 miles from Zurich, 90 miles from Lake Konstanz in Germany, and 37 miles from Liechtenstein which makes it a great vacation destination when combining it with a trip exploring this area.
How do I get to Davos Switzerland?
We drove to Davos because we had rented a car to explore the region and found driving very easy, especially with the rental car GPS to guide us.
If you prefer to use your Swiss Pass and take the train from Zurich, it will only take 2.5 to 3 hours, with one or two transfers usually required. The trains in Switzerland are incredibly easy to use and the Swiss Pass is a great value if you are planning on going on multiple trains, boats, or buses during your visit. It also provides discounts on funiculars and gondolas.
Zurich is the closest major airport to Davos. Milan is about 155 miles from Davos to the south but it is a much longer train ride (4-5 hours) since you are typically routed through Zurich. If you are driving from Milan expect it to take four hours. This drive will take you past Lake Como and through the San Bernardino Pass into the Swiss Alps, with incredible views of the Alps.
Davos Klosters Premium Card
When you visit Davos (and stay in a hotel or home rental, you should be given a Davos Klosters Premium Card which is valid throughout your stay. This will give you access to free transportation while in the area as well free or heavily discounted attractions including:
- Free entry to Madrisa-Land Klosters
- Free access to Sports Center Davos
- Free second class travel on the Rhaetian Railway between Klosters Dorf-Davos-Filisur
- Free bus and train travel in select zones (listed on the website)
- Large discounts of mountain railway tickets
- 50% off access to Viamala Gorge Thusis
- 10% off at Davos Adventure Park
- 5 -10% off select golf and mini golf courses
- 15 – 40% off area museums
- 5% off paragliding
My advice is always carry your Davos Klosters Premium Cards with you and ask local businesses for discounts as you purchase tickets. When you board trains and buses, simply show your passes to employees should they ask for your ticket.
Go for a Nostalgic Train Ride
The nostalgic train ride from Davos to Filisur takes you over the iconic Wiesner Viaduct, an engineering marvel, which spans 689 feet and stands 289 meters high. This bridge is the tallest on the famed Rhaetian Railway.
This train can be boarded at Davos Platz, the main train station in the center of Davos. Be sure to arrive about 15 minutes earlier than your scheduled departure so that you can sit outside and feel the whoosh of wind as you go through several tunnels and capture pictures of the forests, steep valleys, charming countryside, and dramatic gorges along the way.
Remember, your Davos Klosters Premium Card will allow you to ride this route for free. I was asked to show my ticket in both directions, so keep it handy.
Spend the Afternoon in Schatzalp
A quick walk up the road from the Davos Platz train station will lead you to the funicular which takes you up to Schatzalp. Use your Davos Klosters Premium Cards to purchase discount funicular passes and then head up the mountain for great views and lots of fun.
Once you reach the top, your kids will likely be drawn to the Summer Toboggan (aka: mountain coaster) ride. The good news is that rides are quite cheap and can be purchased at the ticket window near the funicular station. I experienced several mountain coasters while in Switzerland and this one ranked near the top for sure.
I suggest bookending your time in Schatzalp with summer toboggan rides and going for a hike in between. You may choose to do the easy loop trail to a waterfall or head into the magnificent Alpine Botanical Garden and walk around in there for a while. No matter where you go you will find well-maintained paths and tremendous alpine scenery.
Good to know: Admission into the Alpine Botanical Garden is free with your Davos Klosters Premium Card.
We chose to get drinks and a plate of Swiss finger foods to share while enjoying the views outdoors at the Schatzalp Snow Beach Terrace Restaurant. Then we celebrated our day with one more ride on the summer toboggan before heading back down into town via the funicular.
Climb and Ride at Davos Adventure Park
One of the perks of being a family travel writer is that I have visited more ropes courses and adventure playgrounds than I can count. The Davos Adventure Park officially ranks at the top of my list as the best adventure park I have visited.
It should come as no surprise that this adventure park is top notch since the Swiss do playgrounds better than any other country I have visited. Of course they would make their ropes courses better as well!
More often than not, the ropes course area for younger kids just feels like an afterthought. What I love about Davos Adventure Park is that the ropes area they have for little ones is actually quite large and fun!
The Kidspark is designed for kids ages 4 – 8 and is equipped with a continuous safety system so that young kids don’t have to clamp and unclamp into obstacles. There are several obstacles to tackle and two playgrounds to enjoy once they are done playing on the course.
Older kids and adults will love that there are several different courses of varying difficulty to tackle, as well as a climbing wall and a jumping platform. Staff does a great job of going over safety and how to use the equipment (groups are broken up into English and German typically) before setting you free on the courses. Admission gives you three hours of playtime which is more than enough.
Like most ropes courses, routes are labeled by difficulty and there are multiple routes to choose from. We completed three routes (which had several obstacles and zip lines) before declaring ourselves exhausted. This is definitely a place you could return to more than once because there are so many routes to tackle.
As if all this wasn’t enough, Davos Adventure Park also has an awesome bike/skateboard park and you can rent bikes and skateboards onsite. They have an asphalt pump track, skate bowl and mini ramp.
We also saw local kids using their scooters on the course. If you have your own equipment, the bike park is free to use, which is amazing. Switzerland does such a wonderful job of providing great resources to keep their kids active outside.
Hungry? Davos Adventure Park has a restaurant onsite, Restaurant Chalet Velo, with an awesome grill, pizza, and beer (of course!). You can sit outside and enjoy a cold drink while the kids play to their hearts’ content. Gotta love the Swiss!
Note: The rope park is open Tuesday through Sunday in the summer. They are often fully booked in peak season so be sure to make reservations in advance online.
Take a Day Trip and Ride the Bernina Express
If your family loves trains and epic scenery, be sure to book a trip on the Bernina Express, one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. This train is caught in Chur, which is about an hour from Davos by train.
The entire train route is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It crosses the Swiss Alps and the Bernina Range, with plenty of views of snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and alpine meadows to enjoy. HIghlights include the famous Landwasser Viaduct, the Albula Tunnel (3.6 miles in length), and Bernina Pass (7,392 feet).
The ride ends in Tirano, Italy, where passengers typically get off to eat a meal and take a quick look around before taking the four-hour journey back to Chur.
Bernina Express tickets should be purchased well in advance to ensure availability. Take along drinks, snacks, and activities to keep the kiddos occupied such as coloring books or games. Four hours can be a long time for little ones to maintain their attention span on scenery alone.
Fall in Love with Lake Davos
Lake Davos is a picture perfect alpine lake that acts as a hub of outdoor activity for Davos during the summer months. The water is clear and cold, and on a warm day it is refreshing for swimming.
Visitors can rent pedal boats or paddle boards, take sailboat or windsurfing lessons, and even learn how to wakeboard on the WakeWeeks Davos cable tow which is over 600 feet in length. Children only need to be eight to learn to sail (with adult), 14 to wakeboard, and 15 to take introductory courses on windsurfing or stand-up paddleboarding. AlpenGold Hotel offers complimentary paddleboard rentals to guests.
Off the water there is still plenty to do at Lake Davos. A trail winds around the lake that is perfect for walking, running, and biking. When we visited there was a local race happening with both kids and adults participating.
There are several sand volleyball courts and large grassy areas, and sports balls are available for use. The whole area was very bustling when we visited, even on a weekday evening. Make sure you enjoy a meal and some drinks at Restaurant Strandbad which has several picnic tables with views of the lake. I can personally recommend the curry sausage and the apple strudel.
Take a Guided Hike with Llamas
I mean, do I have to really say anything more than hiking with llamas to peak your interest? I went llama trekking in Colorado and it was so much fun (and much more expensive) so I highly recommend using your Davos Klosters Premium Card and booking this family-friendly two hour hike for just CHF 10 per person!
The experience is held in German, but I am pretty sure the llamas speak English as well.
Stay at the Five Star AlpenGold Hotel Davos
Situated on a hillside above Lake Davos, AlpenGold Hotel Davos is an architectural gem that provides plenty of luxury while still being incredibly family friendly.
Rooms are designed for two people, but our group of four was easily accomodated in an Alpine Suite with a king bed, pull-out coach, and rollaway bed while still having plenty of space for everyone. My kids were thrilled to discover the complimentary mini bar filled with snacks, drinks, and a Nespresso bar. I was blown away by our luxurious bathroom with a rainforest shower, heated floors, and freestanding tub.
Our balcony was huge with expansive views of the Davos region. It was hard to sit inside when there was so much to enjoy outdoors.
AlpenGold Hotel continues the Swiss tradition of providing awesome playgrounds for children to enjoy. They also have both indoor and outdoor pools which are heated to 87 and 93 degrees respectively so you are sure to stay warm no matter the time of year you visit. There is a fitness center and full-service spa as well.
The hotel’s restaurants cater to all ages, offering kids’ menus and high chairs. In winter, the hotel provides services like ski rental and storage, making it convenient for families to hit the slopes.
Alpengold Hotel has a dedicated Kids’ Club where children can enjoy in supervised activities like painting, building, games, and handicrafts while parents spend time at the spa or an adults-only meal. There is also a teen lounge with games and a pool table. There is also a movie theater on property that is open to the whole family.
There are several dining options on property but some are only open during the busy winter ski season. The hotel’s restaurants cater to all ages, offering kids’ menus and high chairs.
We dined at Sapori, an Italian restaurant that wowed us with their pizzas, fresh pasta, and heavenly desserts. Dishes like brasied short ribs with truffle polenta are also available. Our burrata with seasonal vegetables and basil oil was almost too pretty to eat and tiramisu was incredible.
Breakfast is also served inside to the Sapori dining room. It is buffet-style with American-style as well as European-style breakfast options to choose from. The pastries and breads shouldn’t be skipped.
Spend the Night in a Treehouse at Madrisa-Land
If all the prior activities haven’t convinced you that you need to visit the Davos-Klosters region, this next most certainly will- sleeping in a treehouse in the alps! And yes, it is as amazing as it sounds.
Klosters is just down the road (or train tracks) from Davos and home to the Madrisa Valley Station. Board the gondola at the station and be prepared to be whisked away to a magical wonderland that all of your childrens’ dreams were made of.
The Madrisa mountain area is famous for both its beautiful alpine scenery as well as a wide range of activities tailored especially for children and families.
Madrisa-Land features a large adventure playground with various structures like climbing frames, slides, and swings set against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. There is a water play area, a place to send one Hanna Hen’s egg ball down the most amazing obstacle track, a boulder wall, slackline, large slide, and so much more.
My family couldn’t get enough of the farm animals, which seemed to be the happiest little guys around. We absolutely adored the goats and bunnies. Up the hill where the cows and pigs live we found a little self-service shop (bring Francs!) selling cheese, beer, and other treats.
There are several themed trails up at Madrisa, including the “Klara on the Alp” trail which has puzzle and game stations to keep kids entertained along the way.
The Kneipp Path was particularly cool. It is basically a sensory path around the edge of a small lake next to restaurant Madrisa-Alp at the Oepfelsee. Materials like pebbles and wood are inside the shallow lake waters and designed to help you feel different stimulations.
Older kids will enjoy the 3D archery course which has 28 different animal-shaped targets to shoot along the course that takes about four hours to complete. Equipment can be rented onsite.
They will also love the scooter ride down the mountain on the monster scooters. This adventure is almost entirely downhill and follows well-marked trails. Just be sure to follow the map given to you so you end up at the Madrisa Valley Station in the end and not in the town 500 feet below.
But back to the main event- sleeping in a treehouse. These treehouses are very spacious and can sleep four or six. There is electricity inside the treehouses and beds are quite comfortable. Bathrooms and showers are located in the Madrisa Hof facilities nearby. There are also clear domes that sleep two which must be especially magical on a clear, star-filled night.
When we woke up in the middle of the night we were greeted by the Milky Way as well as the Northern Lights faintly glowing. It was truly amazing and an experience we will never forget.
The price of booking the treehouses includes return mountain transport, entrance to Madrisa Land, breakfast at Madrisa Hof, and the coveted Davos Klosters Premium Card.
We also enjoyed a traditional Swiss Raclette meal at Madrisa Alp with the other folks who had booked an overnight stay. The meal was buffet style and we all had a fun time booking our own meats on the griddle top while the gooey cheese was melting below.
A special thanks to Destination Davos Klosters for hosting my lodging and some activities and meals. While the amazing Swiss hospitality was appreciated, all opinions are my own.
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