Why Wengen Is the Best Place to Stay in the Swiss Alps with Kids
The quaint town of Wengen, high in the Swiss Alps. When we were planning our first trip to the Swiss Alps, we knew we wanted to base ourselves in the Jungfrau region, and that we wanted somewhere beautiful but also well located and easy to get from destination to destination—and Wengen has turned out to be the perfect choice!
When you start researching and planning your trip to the Swiss Alps, you will probably quickly realize you need to decide where to base yourself, and you’ll see all sorts of opinions on which town is best. Should you stay in Mürren, Wengen, Grindelwald, Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen?
Now that we have gone to Switzerland many times and visited/done hikes and activities in the main towns people always have trouble choosing between, I can say confidently then if another family with kids asked me “Where should we stay in Switzerland for our first visit with kids?”
I would tell them to stay in Wengen, hand’s down! Here’s why:
Why we personally love and choose to stay in Wengen time and time again:
🏔️ 1. Wengen is a car-free village with loads of charm
Wengen is a car-free resort town, so the air is clean, the streets are safe for kids, and the whole village feels peaceful.
Almost everything is accessible by walking and also train, or with little electric carts.
Mürren might be a tad more charming with more traditional Alpine-style homes, but Wengen is close behind
🚞 2. Easy Access to Jungfrau Region
Location, Location Location!
Wengen sits on a sunny terrace above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, with direct train access to Kleine Scheidegg, the Jungfraujoch (“Top of Europe”), and the entire Jungfrau region.
Right in the center of town you will find the cable car, which takes you up to Männlichen and on to Grindelwald for more hiking and skiing options.
We LOVE the easy access to Männlichen, which is the start of hundreds of hikes and the home of the famous “royal walk” and “Alpine Cow Playground”. You also can continue on to Grindelwald from Männlichen by lift.
Wengen is also connected by a short 12 minute train ride to Lauterbrunnen - which is a major transportation hub - making it easy to continue on to all the other locations you want to visit - be it Mürren or Grindelwald or Lake Brienz or Lake Thun (or to explore Lauterbrunnen itself - which is stunningly beautiful!)
🌄3. Breathtaking Views
Because Wengen is built on a slope, it feels like no matter where you choose to stay - you will have jaw-dropping views: the Lauterbrunnen Valley below, the Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch peaks towering above.
When you picture the Swiss Alps - in my opinion, this is what you picture! The views from every direction are truly otherworldly. I can honestly say I have seen the best sunrises and sunsets from here
If you are going to come all the way to the Alps, I think you should STAY in the alps! It truly makes the trip.
👨👩👧👦 4. Family-Friendly
With no traffic, Wengen feels safe and relaxed for families.
There’s village playgrounds, hiking trails starting right in town, and kid-friendly activities like marble runs and themed trails.
There is also a mini golf course and tourist information office that regularly puts on cultural events like Alpine players or traditional dancers.
🎿 5. Year-Round Activities
In the Summer: Scenic hikes, cable car rides, paragliding, mountain biking, and family trails.
In the Winter: Direct access to Jungfrau skiing, sledging runs, and winter walking trails.
🇨🇭 6. Authentic Swiss Village Feel
Unlike the much larger town of Interlaken, or the bigger (but still small) town of Grindelwald, Wengen’s location and car-free status make it so that it still feels like a traditional Swiss mountain village, with chalet-style hotels, bakeries, and local festivals.
It’s lively enough to have restaurants and shops, but not overrun - it especially gets quiet after 5 PM when all the day hikers have left.
🌍 7. Perfect Balance of Remote & Accessible
Wengen is only a 15-minute train ride from Lauterbrunnen (where cars can park)
That balance makes it ideal — isolated enough for peace, but well-connected for exploring
We found it really really easy to get to everything we wanted to do in the area from Wengen, without sacrificing the quaint, traditional Swiss village feel we were aiming for
In Summary:
Staying in Wengen gives you that classic Swiss Alps experience of a small alpine village, while also being very centrally located, making it easy to get to all the top hikes, viewpoints and attractions you will want to see, and gives you the MOST beautiful, jaw-dropping views!
Where is the best place to stay in Wengen, Switzerland with kids?
Our first choice on where to stay is booking a rental through Wengen Apartments. We have stayed in two different rentals they offer and have loved them all for different reasons but staying in a rental makes all the difference for us! When we visit Switzerland, it typically is me, my three kids, the grandparents, and sometimes one of my sisters or brothers as well - so we ned a big space that can accommodate us all!
We also really, really value having a washer and dryer, as when you visit Switzerland, you will be traveling a LOT by train and hauling your things up and down stairs and steep inclines - so you need to pack light!
1. Wengen Apartments - Alpenheim 1
On our most recent Switzerland trip in August of 2025, we stayed in this rental and fell in LOVE with it. As I’ve mentioned, we do like to stay in rental rather than a hotel when possible, Not only for the extra spaces but also because the kids can go to bed in a separate room and we can stay up and play games or watch a movie without disturbing the younger kids.
We also had my parents and 2 sisters with us this trip so we needed to find a bigger place and this was PERFECT! This one was a little more modern on the inside but the outside looked just like all the other chalets.
We absolutely LOVED this place. It was only about an 8 minute walk from the train station (but do note it is quite a bit of stairs (going DOWN to get to it) - you can pre arrange with the rental company to have your luggage picked up at the train station and delivered, or you can do what we did - and just consider it your workout for the day!
This rental is truly perfect for a family, whether you have big or little kids! There are 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, a washer-dryer, and a huge open living room and kitchen area. Having the extra space for my kids to play is crucial when traveling, especially for a long period of time.
But the absolute highlight of this place was the wrap around balcony! The balcony overlooked the laterbrunnnen valley on one side and the top of the Swiss Alps (Glaciers) on the other. We sat out here and had coffee, dinner and of course watched the sun set!
Right: The view from our kitchen
Below: The view from our balcony
The view from our rental in Wengen!
2. Wengen Apartments - Aquila 7 Penthouse
We also loved staying at this rental apartment through Wengen Apartments - this one is also on a hill but you go UP rather down on arrival. It is situated right on the hiking trail and even has ski-in and ski-out access. This was a lofty 4-bedroom 3-bathroom unit that is perfect for a family. We loved having a kitchen to cook in and a beautiful fireplace to warm up around! This one is more of a traditional Swiss chalet and you can even hear the cow bells from the balcony as there is a pasture close by.
The upstairs is great for kids to sleep but the ceilings are kind of low as it is a loft. There was a den with books and games for the kids or if you were to be working you could use that space to work.
The views from this balcony were amazing also, but the other rental did have slightly better views since there was nothing obstructing them, and the balcony was much larger. If you want to stay in a rental, I highly recommend using this rental company as we have had great experiences with them and they have lots of choices for rentals. (Not sponsored, we just genuinely loved staying using Wengen Apartments.
The view from our balcony that over looks the Laterbrunnen valley and the top of the Swiss Alps
My kids loved hanging out on this balcony and having a snack
Maya Caprice Hotel
We wanted to also give you the option of a hotel, as we know some people prefer this. We had some friends stay at the Maya Caprice and they loved it! There are several different room types that vary in price but can be a little more budget friendly, especially if you are a smaller family/group. They have small suites which feature multiple beds and a sofa bed—ideal for families traveling with kids! Many rooms come with south-facing balconies overlooking the Jungfrau and Lauterbrunnen Valley—great for waking up to breathtaking mountain views together. They also have breakfast included, a gorgeous wellness center that overlooks the mountains, and onsite restaurant and bar.
Some of the Maya Caprice room types:
-Budget Double Room: From 235 CHF - 2 persons
-Superior Triple Room: From 375 CHF - 3 persons
-Suite: From 561 CHF - up to 6 persons
Why do we choose to stay in Wengen over other towns in the Swiss Alps?
Let’s Compare:
Wengen vs. Grindelwald
Wengen vs. Murren
Wengen vs. Interlaken
Wengen vs. Lauterbrunnen
Why choose Wengen vs Grindelwald as a base to stay in the Swiss Alps?
Grindelwald is NOT car-free, and so by virtue of that alone there are more tourists who come into Grindelwald as “day trippers” - which has made it a larger village with a bit more of a “touristy” feel.
It is considered the “Gateway to Jungfrau Region Attractions”, because there is direct access to the Eiger Express gondola, which takes you quickly to Eigergletscher and on to Jungfraujoch “Top of Europe”. Cable cars and gondolas to First, Männlichen, and other mountain stations start right from town - all leaving the town very crowded in the height of tourist season (in fact, it was SO crowded once when we visited that we could not find a single parking spot in the whole town!).
There are more shops, hotels, restaurants (and amenities overall - which some might say is a great thing!) in Grindelwald than in Wengen or Mürren or Lauterbrunnen - all which makes it more bustling, busy and crowded.
So, if you are looking for a livelier atmosphere, especially in the evenings, or have teens or 20 somethings with you - this might actually be the best place for you!
With that being said, we personally like the quaintness and overall town of Wengen over Grindelwald. We also feel it is easier to get to more having Wengen as our home base.
Why choose Wengen vs Murren as a base to stay in the Swiss Alps?
Murren is the smallest and least commercial of all the towns, giving it a VERY charming and quaint authentic “storybook Swiss village” feel -think traditional wooden chalets, flower-decked balconies - but it is also the hardest to get to, as there are no cars (same as in Wengen) but unlike Wengen, there is no train - so the ONLY way to get to Murren is to travel by cable car.
So if you are planning to visit many destinations throughout the Jungfrau area, just know it will take a bit more time. For us, Wengen is a bit too secluded - we always love to visit for the day though!
Why choose Wengen vs Interlaken as your base in the Swiss Alps?
Interlaken the largest town in the region and serves as a central base for the Jungfrau Region, but it is not IN the alps - it is down at the base of them. Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, with direct train and boat connections.
If you are looking for a quaint Alpine town that puts you IN the Alps - this would be my last choice.
Also, while you can take a train to Lauterbrunnen, and then from there take a train or cable car on to Wengen, Mürren, Grindelwald, Jungfraujoch, and Schilthorn — you have to factor in that travel time and transportation switching - which can take considerable time (30 - 60+ minutes) - so for us, with kids - it just has never been worth it.
I will say if you have a more limited budget - the best deals can be found in Interlaken!
Why choose Wengen vs Laterbrunnen for a stay in the Swiss Alps?
When you picture the Swiss Alps, you may be picturing the famous image of the Lauterbrunnen Valley in your head - the picture of the stunning valley with waterfalls and the beautiful church steeple.
Lauterbrunnen IS beautiful - but it is also the “beginning of the Alps” - when you drive or train in from Interlake, Lauterbrunnen is the first “Mountain town” you arrive in.
Lauterbrunnen is where you park your car if you have driven in, and where you change trains to continue on to Grindelwald or Wengen, or catch a cable car to Murren.
It is a beautiful town with a few restaurants, a bike rental store, and two famous waterfalls to visit - but it was way to busy and congested for us - especially with kids.
