Rainy Days in Interlaken: Family-Friendly Day Trips Further Afield (Part Two)
Feels funny writing this now in 30 c heat but the rain is coming next week.
.Catastrophe — rain is predicted during your perfectly planned outdoorsy Swiss trip to Interlaken…The best part?
In Switzerland, the journey is usually half the fun anyway.
All of these destinations can be reached easily by both car and public transport, making them perfect for families wanting to escape the clouds for the day.
Papiliorama – Tropical Escape on a Grey Day
Papiliorama
Moosmatte 1, 3210 Kerzers, Switzerland
+41 31 756 04 61
If you’re craving warmth, colour, and something completely different from mountain weather, Papiliorama is such a brilliant option.
And honestly, one of the things we love most is that it’s not completely indoors.
If the weather improves while you’re there, you can still enjoy outdoor spaces, playgrounds, and animal areas — making it feel far more flexible than a typical rainy-day activity.
For kids, it’s full of wonder:
Butterflies everywhere
Exotic animals
Farm animals
Tropical plants and environments
It naturally sparks so many conversations and questions about the natural world around them, which makes it feel educational without trying too hard.
And with great facilities, lots of space, and a fun tropical-style restaurant, it’s somewhere you can comfortably spend most of the day.
Verkehrshaus Luzern – Quite Possibly Switzerland’s Best Museum
Swiss Museum of Transport
Haldenstrasse 44, 6006 Luzern, Switzerland
+41 41 375 75 75
Honestly? We genuinely think the Swiss Museum of Transport might be the best museum in Switzerland for families.
This is not one of those museums where parents quietly beg children not to touch anything.
It’s interactive, sensory, engaging, and somehow manages to work for almost every age group:
Babies
Toddlers
Older children
Teenagers
Adults
There are endless hands-on exhibits, vehicles to explore, things to climb into, and fascinating displays covering trains, planes, boats, space, cars, cable cars, and communication technology.
And somehow it never feels overwhelming.
But it doesn’t stop there.
The museum also includes:
A Planetarium
A cinema showing educational documentaries
Interactive Media World exhibits
The Hans Erni Museum
And of course… the famous Swiss Chocolate Adventure 🍫
Honestly, it’s so big and packed with things to do that you could easily return for a second day and still not see everything.
And being located right on the beautiful lakeside in Lucerne only adds to the experience.
Ballenberg – Open Air Museum (Yes, Even on a Rainy Day)
Ballenberg, Swiss Open-Air Museum
Museumsstrasse 100, 3858 Hofstetten bei Brienz, Switzerland
+41 33 952 10 30
At first glance, Ballenberg might seem like an unusual rainy-day recommendation because technically… it’s outdoors.
But hear us out.
Ballenberg has plenty of indoor spaces throughout the site, and on misty or drizzly days it can actually feel even more atmospheric.
It’s one of those places that really allows you to step into old Switzerland:
Traditional houses
Old crafts
Farm animals
Historic buildings
Huge open spaces for children to explore
It feels slower, calmer, and wonderfully immersive.
And because the site is so spread out, it rarely feels crowded — even during holidays.
Rainy Days Don’t Have To Be Lost Days
One of the nicest things about travelling in Switzerland is that even when the weather changes, the adventure doesn’t have to stop.
Sometimes rainy days lead you to places you may never have planned to visit otherwise:
A tropical butterfly house.
An incredible transport museum.
An open-air museum full of Swiss history and farm life.
And often, those unexpected days become some of the most memorable.
So if the forecast turns grey during your time in the Interlaken region, don’t panic.
Pack the waterproofs, embrace the slower pace, and remember — some adventures are even better when they weren’t part of the original plan.
If you’re visiting the Jungfrau Region with kids and want a little extra flexibility — whether that’s tackling your must-do mountain adventure, enjoying a slower afternoon, or simply making the most of your time — Prince Kids Babysitting can help make family travel feel that little bit easier. Sometimes a little extra support is the best way to enjoy every moment.