A Historic Visit to Colorado’s Stanley Hotel

I’ve loved travel my whole life and one thing that I love about is the beautiful hotels around the world. I loved hotels so much that after high school, I went to college and got a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management. While in college, I remember learning about some of the most historic hotels in the US and knew that I needed to visit these hotels someday. The one that stood out the most to me due to its connection to my favorite author at the time, Stephen King, was The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. So, when I found myself heading to Colorado earlier this year, I knew I needed to add a stop in Estes Park.

History of the Stanley Hotel

The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 and was the idea of Freelan Oscar (F.O.) Stanley. F.O. Stanley was originally from Maine and came to Estes Park in 1903 in hopes that the fresh, dry air would help treat his tuberculosis. It turned out that this was just what he needed, the Colorado air improved his health so much that he returned to Estes Park every summer. In 1907, construction began on the Stanley Hotel in hopes to bring a little bit of his upper-class East Coast society to his summer home of Estes Park.

The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 just two years after construction had begun. Just one year later in 1910, another building was built next to the main building. What is now the Lodge at The Stanley was opened to house the men staying at the Stanley Hotel. Back when the hotel opened it wasn’t considered proper to have strange men staying in the same building as women, so Stanley built a second building for the men to stay in while the women stayed in the main building.

Also on the grounds was a Concert Hall. Over the years, the Concert Hall hosted popular musicians as Bob Dylan and the magic acts of Houdini, who happened to be a friend of F.O. Stanley. The Concert Hall is still in use today hosting concerts and other events throughout the year.

When the hotel opened in 1909, it not only was a first-class hotel complete with electric lights, telephones and uniformed servants, it also brought electricity to the town of Estes Park. The hotel was a popular summer escape for the rich and famous with rich families like the Rockefellers staying here.

While the Stanley’s were part of high society when the Stanley Hotel opened, F.O. Stanley did not grow up with this same kind of wealth. His family was your ordinary family growing up in Maine, but they did put high value on education. The education that F.O. and his twin brother Francis Edgar received helped them to earn their fortunes in a number of family businesses. Their entrepreneurship began at an early age of 9 when they opened their first business selling maple sugar.

In 1885, the Stanley brothers opened Stanley Dry Plate Company which improved the photography process by allowing more time to develop the photos after taking them. They eventually sold their dry plate formula to Eastman Kodak in 1905.

In 1897, their first steam wagon made its debut, and this set the stage for the Stanley Motor Carriage Company. The company was in business from 1902-1924. As you can see, the Stanley brothers had quite the entrepreneurial spirit so it’s no wonder the Stanley Hotel was such a success.

Stephen King and The Stanley Hotel

As successful as the hotel was, business did eventually start to decline, and it was set to be turned into condos. But that all changed, thanks to an author who just so happened to hail from the same state as the Stanley brothers, the soon to be best-selling author, Stephen King.

Months after his first novel, Carrie, was published, Stephen was taking a trip in Colorado with his wife and young son. As they were trying to drive to Grand Lake Colorado on September 30, 1974, they encountered a blizzard and had to stop for the night in Estes Park, Colorado. He ended up stopping at The Stanley Hotel.

Back in 1974, the hotel was only open for the summer season with September 30th being its last night open. There were no other guests in the hotel that night and the majority of the hotel staff had already left for the season, so they almost turned Stephen away. They eventually let him and his family stay for the night though. They stayed in room 217.

It was just the King family and the bar manager in the hotel. After his wife and young son went to bed, Stephen had some drinks while listening to some ghost stories from the bar manager. As you can imagine, the combination of ghost stories, some alcohol, an empty hotel and an author with a creative mind, led to quite the nightmares during his stay at The Stanley Hotel. The nightmares caused him to have a bit of a sleepless night, and this is where he came up with the idea for his popular book, The Shining, which just so happens to include some of the ghost stories that the bar manager told him that night at The Stanley Hotel.

The Shining was published in 1977 and then in 1980 the movie came out. When people realized that The Shining, while not filmed at The Stanley Hotel, was based on it, they started to want to stay there, making the hotel gain in popularity and eventually end up on the register of historic hotels instead of being turned into condos. Things would have been so different if they had turned him away that September night.

Guests would come to the hotel and think that the Stanley Hotel would be identical to the hotel in the movie The Shining. After years of asking where the hedge maze from the movie was, the Stanley Hotel finally added a Hedge Maze in 2015. It’s gone thru some challenges with amount of wildlife in the area preventing the hedges from growing, but it’s still a fun walk thru it.

The Stanley Hotel Today

Today the Stanley Hotel four different types of accommodations to appeal to all types of travelers.

  • The Stanley Hotel – The original hotel catering to guests that want to stay in the historic hotel that dates back to 1909.
  • The Lodge at the Stanley – This boutique hotel is in the second building that was added in 1910 and offers hotel rooms similar to the Stanley Hotel at a lower cost.
  • The Residences at the Stanley – For larger groups these 1,2-, 3- and 4-bedroom condos can sleep from 4-10 people depending on the size and feature full kitchens, living rooms and private hot tubs.
  • The Aspire Hotel & Spa – These apartment style accommodations feature kitchens and living rooms. The Aspire Spa is located right in the same building making it convenient if you are coming for a relaxing spa weekend.

Even if you decide not to stay in the hotel, it’s worth a visit to check out the hotel; you can take a tour, walk thru the hedge maze, check out the common areas of the hotel, visit the gift shop and restaurants and also see some memorabilia from the hotel and the Shining movie. Parking is $10 for day visitors but they do give you a $5 token that can be used on property.

One of the top things that bring day visitors to The Stanley Hotel is their tours. They have multiple tours to choose from:

  • Historic Day Tour – On this 60-minute tour you will learn about the history of The Stanley Hotel and visit the grounds, Concert Hall and the main hotel. On the tour you will also learn about the hotel’s connection to the Shining and even visit the floor that the room Stephen King stayed in is located. You will get an opportunity to take a photo outside of room 217. Another interesting thing to see in the hotel is a part of the former tunnels that the staff used to use to get between areas of the hotel while being unseen by the guests. Here you will also see the floating foundations the hotel was built on which explains the interesting aspects you will notice of the corridors and doors of the hotel. I took this tour and really loved it; it was more than worth the money.
  • The Shining Tour – For the big fans of The Shining, this tour is for you! This 60-minute walking tour will take you to many spots in the hotel and explain the differences between the novel and the movie and the reasons why it wasn’t filmed here at The Stanley Hotel. The real highlight of this tour is that it takes you to the caretaker’s cottage. Here you will visit the bedroom of the Grady sisters and the bathroom from room 237 in the movie. If you’ve seen the movie, you will remember this scene.
  • The Stanley Ghost Tour – This 60-minute nighttime tour will take you to spots around The Stanley Hotel and its grounds that have had been said to be haunted and you will be told this ghost stories as you explore these locations. This would be the perfect tour for the Halloween season!

Make sure to book your tours in advance so they don’t sell out.

Dining at the Stanley Hotel

Remember that $5 token you received when you paid for your $10 parking, well a great way to use it is to get a bite to eat while visiting The Stanley Hotel. There are a number of restaurants to choose from:

  • Cascades Restaurant – This American restaurant and Steakhouse is open for lunch and dinner and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating features views of a cascading waterfall, which gave the restaurant its name.
  • Brunch & Co – Located in the lodge, this restaurant is open 7am-noon daily for brunch. It evens offers some “Shining” inspired plates.
  • Post Chicken & Beer – Located down the driveway from the main hotel, this restaurant is a must for the fried chicken lover. They also offer a variety of craft beers. I visited The Stanley Hotel after a day of hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park so I was quite hungry and this place really hit the spot!

There are also two bars located at The Stanley Hotel: Whiskey Bar & Lounge features the largest selection of Whiskey and single malt scotch in Colorado. The 217 Wine Bar is a new bar located in the music room in the lobby of the hotel.

Things to do in Estes Park

The Stanley Hotel isn’t the only place to visit in Estes Park. While you are in the area, make sure to check out some of the other attractions:

  • Rocky Mountain National Park – The entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park is located right in Estes Park. Here you can see numerous Alpine lakes, hike the over 350 miles of trails and take a drive along the highest continuous paved road in the US.
  • Estes Park Aerial Tramway – Open from Memorial Day thru Labor Day, one of the only free span tramways in the US will take you up to 8,700 feet for stunning views (including a great view of The Stanley Hotel) of the Estes Park area and hiking trails.
  • Estes Park Riverwalk – If you are looking for a short easy walk for the whole family, head downtown and take a walk along the mile long riverwalk.
  • Downtown Estes Park – After enjoying the Riverwalk, head down Elkhorn Ave in Downtown Estes Park to relax in one of the many restaurants and bars. Maybe you even want to do some shopping at the many small businesses on Elkhorn Ave.

On your next trip to Estes Park, make sure you add The Stanley Hotel to your itinerary, its a must for fans of historic hotels and fans of Stephen King.

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Boston Ghost Tour

The oldest cities in the US are full of history. A fun way to learn the history of a city is thru its ghost stories. This Boston Ghost Tour will take you thru history along the historic Freedom Trail in Boston.

Disclaimer: I was hosted by US Ghost Adventures on this tour, but all opinions in this blog post are my own honest opinions. Also included in the post are affiliate links that will provide me with a small commission if you book a tour thru the links in this post.

US Ghost Adventures

US Ghost Adventures offers ghost tours in over 100 cities across the United States.

US Ghost Adventures offers the following experiences:

One of the things that all of the 100 cities have in common is history. Ghost tours tend to bring the history alive thru its ghost stories. The tours that are available in the smaller, lesser-known cities across the US, help to share the history of the area that may not be as well known to those not from there.

The guides are locals from the area who are well-versed in the local history and ghost stories. They are also storytellers that can make these ghost stories not just informative but also interesting enough to make you want to learn more about the local history.

Boston Ghosts

US Ghost Adventures Boston affiliate, Boston Ghosts offers a few different tours, mainly ghost tours, but also a true crime tour and some historic tours of the city. Below are the different tours offered by Boston Ghosts:

  • Underground Boston Ghost Tour: Gravestones & Gunpowder
  • Boston Ghosts Boos and Brews Haunted Pub Crawl
  • In Cold Blood: Boston True Crime Experience
  • Boston Ghosts of Christmas Past
  • Rockstars of the Revolution: Blazing the Boston Freedom Trail
  • Untold Stories of the Wonder Women of Boston

This post will be discussing Boston Ghosts’ most popular tour: Underground Boston Ghost Tour Gravestones & Gunpowder

Gravestones & Gunpowder

The most popular tour that Boston Ghosts offers is its Underground Boston Ghost Tour: Gravestones & Gunpowder. As their most popular tour, its offered nightly, year-round at 8pm, rain or shine.

As one of the oldest cities in the US, Boston is known for its history, and this is generally what brings visitors to the city of Boston. A ghost tour is a great way to learn about the parts of Boston history that isn’t told in history class.

The tour starts in one of the most historic parts of the city of Boston, the Boston Common. Established in 1634, the Boston Common is the oldest public park in the US. While now it’s known as a place for the public to enjoy the outdoors and many public events, it once had a much more sinister side to it. Centuries ago, the Boston Common was the site of battles and public hangings.

The Boston Common is also the location of the start of the Freedom Trail, and this ghost tour follows along a portion of this historic trail.

This post will give an overview of the tour while leaving out any detailed spoilers of the actual ghost stories told so as not to ruin the tour for you if you decide to take it in the future.

Starting in the Boston Common, we were told stories of the many hangings that occurred in this historic public park. One of which was about Rachel Wall, a pirate who in 1789 was the last female to be hung in the Boston Common. This was a very interesting way to start the tour off as I normally associate piracy with the Caribbean or Florida and not somewhere as far north as Boston.

While in the Boston Common the guide offered to take pictures of us in a spot where there have been orbs appearing in pictures in the past. She took three quick photos in a row as she says this helps to pick up the orbs. No such luck with seeing orbs in the photos she took that day, maybe if it was a bit darker, they might have shown up? I took the tour in the summer, so it wasn’t quite dark out yet at the beginning of the tour.

Not only is the Boston Common the oldest public park in the US, it’s also the location of the first subway station in the US. Park Street Station opened in September 1897 and is still in operation today. Before there was a subway station here though, there was a cemetery, as you can imagine that can result in some ghost sightings throughout the years.

We then made our way out of the park down the freedom trail a block to the Granary Burying Ground. While not the oldest cemetery in Boston, established in 1660, it’s the third oldest in the city. Some very well-known people from history are buried here, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence (John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Robert Treat Paine), Paul Revere and Benjamin Franklin’s parents. With all these people from centuries ago buried here, it’s no surprise that there have been many ghost sightings at Granary Burying Ground over the years. Not only have there been ghost sightings here, but this cemetery was also the sight of some illegal activities by area students that could have led to an increase in the ghost activity in the cemetery.

Unfortunately, the Granary Burying Ground is closed at night when the tour runs, so make sure to save some time to visit the cemetery between the hours of 9am-4pm when it’s free and open to the public.

We then continued on the Freedom Trail across the street to the Omni Parker House. Founded in 1855, the Omni Parker House is not only the oldest hotel in the city of Boston, but it is also the longest continuously operating hotel in the United States. It is also where the Boston Creme Pie was created and I highly recommend stopping in while not on the tour to try the pie, it’s absolutely delicious.

We took a walk into the hotel. Walking thru the lobby you could feel how old the hotel is, almost as if you could feel the ghosts of the hotel all around you. We then headed upstairs and heard some of the stories of the ghost sightings in the hotel over the years.

There have been sightings of the ghost of the founder of the Omni Parker House, Harvey D. Parker throughout the hotel. What was once room 303 has been haunted by a former guest for years with so many sightings that it is no longer used as a guest room.

The Omni Parker House has had its fair share of celebrities who have stayed here from actors to athletes to politicians to some of the most celebrated writers in history. One such well-known writer who stayed here is said to still be here and we were taken to see an item in the hotel where this writer is said to sometimes make a ghostly appearance. No such luck with our group, but maybe if you take the tour, you will get a chance to see this writer’s ghost.

After we left the Omni Parker House, we followed the freedom trail towards Downtown Crossing, which is a shopping district in the center of Boston where many historic buildings from the time of the revolution are located. We stopped in front of one of my go-to lunch spots when I’m working in the office to learn of the story of the photography studio owned by William H Mumler that was located in this building in the late 1800s. The ghosts made their appearance in the photos he took here and in 1872, a very well-known American was visiting Boston and when the photo was taken there was the image of their spouse who had passed away in the photo.

From there we made our way down to the Old State House to hear our final ghost story of the night. The Old State House was built in 1713 and many events in history occurred right outside this building, including the Boston Massacre in 1770. The balcony of the Old State House was also the location of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 18, 1776. In fact, every year on the 4th of July, they read the Declaration from this spot to commemorate this.

This was an interesting location for the final stop on the ghost tour. We heard a story of a ghost sighting that took place just 10 years earlier and the ghost in question was someone that we had heard about earlier on in the tour. They say that it’s a small world, apparently that’s true with ghosts and spirits as well.

If you happen to be visiting Boston, I highly recommend this ghost tour, it’s a great way to learn about the history of the city and hear about its more ghostly side. If you’d like to book this tour, you can do so at this link.

As I mentioned, US Ghost Adventures offers tours in over 100 cities across the United States. Check out all their tours here.

Take a walk on the spooky side with US Ghost Adventures.

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Explore the World With the GPSmyCity App

When traveling to a new city it can be overwhelming knowing where to go and what to see while you are there. You will probably do your research and read up on some travel blogs before you take your trip and then you get there and have to search your phone on how to get to the place you read about. This may be difficult to if you are in another country and can’t use the data on your phone and aren’t in a place with wifi available to you.

What if there was a way to download this travel blog along with an offline map showing where the sites from the article are located?

You are in luck because with the GPSmyCity app, you can do just that with GPS guided travel articles.

When you download the travel article on the GPSmyCity app, it will show you a map to help guide you to each spot mentioned in the travel article. It’s like taking a guided tour without the hassle of a group and at a much lower cost than your typical tour.

Advantages of GPS Guided Travel Articles

I love using these GPS guided travel articles when I’m exploring a new city for many reasons including:

  • Downloadable – I love that you can download them ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about having data service or Wi-Fi when traveling internationally.
  • Low Cost – I love that they are like taking a guided city tour for a much lower cost, great for a budget traveler.
  • Written by other travelers – The guides are written by fellow travelers who may come across something that aren’t part of your typical guided tour. This is great if you are looking to get off the beaten path and see something more than the typical tourist sites.

Your Chance to Try GPSmyCity

I bet you are now curious and might like to try out GPSmyCity for yourself. Well you are in luck. Some of my own travel articles are available for download on GPSmyCity.

For two weeks, starting on Monday August 18, 2025, three of my travel articles will be available for free on GPSmyCity:

Exploring Ireland – Weekend in Dublin

One Day in Lucerne

Anchorage – Gateway to an Alaska Land Vacation

In order to get these for free, you will first need to download the GPSmyCity app. It’s available in both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. You will then be able to click on the links above and choose the “Upgrade” option so you can download the GPS version of the travel article.

Make sure to act now, these free GPS enabled travel articles will only be available for just 2 weeks starting on August 18, 2025.

If you enjoy these articles, you may just want to download other travel articles in the future or even sign up for a subscription to GPSmyCity giving you access to travel articles for cities worldwide.

Time to explore the world with GPSmyCity!

A Day Exploring La Fortuna’s Highlights

Disclaimer: Included in this post are links to tours I have personally taken or booked for clients on Viator. If you book these tours thru the links in this post, as a travel agent, I will receive a small commission.

Costa Rica is a beautiful country to visit, not only does it have beautiful beaches on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, but it also has over 200 volcanoes, numerous hot springs, abundant wildlife and beautiful waterfalls. If you are looking to explore more than the beaches of Costa Rica, spending some time in La Fortuna should be on your Costa Rica itinerary. Located just a few hours from both major airports, San Jose and Liberia, La Fortuna is fairly easy to get to no matter which airport you fly into.

La Fortuna is the Spanish word for fortune, which the town got for the fertile lands in the area. You could also say that this fortune extended to the tourism brought to the area by its abundance of outdoor activities and natural sites.

If you are looking for a great tour that shows you the highlights of the La Fortuna area, I highly recommend this Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Full Day Tour with Red Lava Tours which I will be discussing in this post.

Things to Bring on the Tour

While on the tour I saw many people that were unprepared and did not have the necessary items to make themselves comfortable enough to fully enjoy the tour. As a reminder, when booking a tour, always look at the list of recommended items to bring so you are prepared. For this tour it’s recommended to bring the following items:

  • Water Shoes – these are very necessary if you plan on going in the water at the waterfall, there is a rocky section in the river that you will need to cross to get closer to the waterfall.
  • Hiking Shoes – While the hiking in this tour isn’t too aggressive, there is hiking involved both at La Fortuna Waterfall and Arenal Volcano. Make sure to have shoes that are good to hike in, either hiking shoes, trail sneakers or even running sneakers will do.
  • Sunscreen – Always make sure to have sunscreen with you when taking a tour somewhere tropical, even if it’s a cloudy day.
  • Bug Spray – Tropical climates also mean the possibility of mosquitoes exist, especially as you are hiking thru the rain forest.
  • Water – Costa Rica is hot and you’ll be active, make sure to have a plenty of water. I like to travel with a filtered water bottle that I can fill up.
  • Snacks – While lunch is included in the tour, it’s a good idea to have snacks with you.
  • Bathing Suit and Towel – This tour involves the chance to swim at the waterfall and in the hot springs so make sure to bring or wear your suit and have a towel with you to dry off. There are great options of travel towels that dry quick and take up little room in your bag.
  • Bag for your wet clothes – There are restrooms after the waterfall if you want to change out of your bathing suit if you’d like, bring along a bag to keep your wet clothes away from your other items.
  • Rain gear – You’ll be hiking in the rain forest where there can be a chance of rain, make sure to bring a raincoat just in case. It started raining a bit during the waterfall hike for me, I was glad I had a light raincoat with me.
  • Waterproof Phone Case – You’ll more than likely want to take some photos in the water at LaFortuna Waterfall, make sure to protect your phone with a waterproof case.
  • Backpack – It’s a lot to bring and you’ll be hiking, so a backpack is the best option to carry all of your gear.

This is just a list of the main things that you should bring. There may be other things you might like to bring on a day trip. The day starts early, so I recommend packing your bag the night before, so you don’t forget anything.

Let the Tour Begin

The tour began with a hotel pickup, which started early, my hotel was further from town than some of the other hotels, so I was one of the first to be picked up. I was picked up quite early, in fact a bit too early to have much time for the free breakfast that was included with my hotel room. It was a large group for this popular tour so there were quite a few stops to pick everyone up, including picking up one of the tour guides at Red Lava Tours office in La Fortuna. We probably ended up spending about 45 minutes picking everyone up, a minor inconvenience and this was all dependent on the order you were picked up.

Once we were all in the shuttle, we were given an introduction from the tour guides and told the itinerary for the day, we would first be heading to La Fortuna waterfall, followed by a visit at an Indigenous village, lunch, a hike at Arenal Volcano and finally ending the day relaxing in the hot springs. All of the stops were very centrally located in the La Fortuna area, so we would not be spending too much time in the shuttle which was nice to hear.

There were two tour guides, and our group was split up with half of the group who spoke Spanish going with one guide and the rest of us who spoke English going with the other guide. This gave us a manageable amount of people with each tour guide.

From here we were off to our first stop for our first of two hikes for the day.

La Fortuna Waterfall

One of the top attractions in La Fortuna is none other than La Fortuna Waterfall. At approximately 230 feet tall, this waterfall is a beautiful site to see and a great spot to take a dip to cool off.

We arrived at an ecological park, Arenal Mundo Aventura. From here we boarded a tractor led wagon that reminded me of fall hayrides back home. It was an interesting, bumpy ride thru the forest to the start point of the La Fortuna Waterfall trail. At the starting point, we stopped at a viewing platform where we could see a waterfall in the distance, this was Pinco Blanco Waterfall not the La Fortuna Waterfall we were hiking to.

This was a nice surprise that we were seeing more than one waterfall on the tour. After taking in the view, we started the hike down to the waterfall. While it’s short in distance, the hike is considered more of a moderate hike than an easy hike. This is because there are 500 stairs down to the waterfall. Doesn’t seem all that bad going down to the waterfall, but heading back up was a different story. It was a very beautiful hike down which also included a short hanging bridge. For those with a fear of heights, this might be a bit scary, but it’s not too bad as it’s not as high as a lot of the hanging bridges in the area. I’m not the biggest fan of heights and I was fine with the bridge; I was even able to stop and take pictures while on it.

When we got down to the waterfall, there was a platform where we left our belongings. We were on the left bank of the waterfall, per the guides only tour groups have access to this side, and we were told it was safe to leave our belongings here. I personally put my cash and credit card in my waterproof case for my phone instead of just leaving it in my bag on a platform in the woods. Others in my tour just left all their belongings there even valuables and everything was safely still there when we were leaving the waterfall.

After leaving our bags and putting on our water shoes, we had some time (I believe it was a little more than an hour) at the waterfall. As previously mentioned, to get to the waterfall, we had to walk thru some rather rocky water first, so make sure to wear your water shoes. La Fortuna waterfall is extremely popular so we definitely did not have the waterfall to ourselves, in fact it was a bit more crowded than I would have liked (the joys of overtourism).

Regardless of the crowds, I really enjoyed my time at La Fortuna waterfall. The water was a bit cold at first but after a while it was so refreshing and I enjoyed being able to swim so close to the waterfall. The tour guides were really great about taking photos of people in front of the waterfall which was nice.

If you wanted to avoid getting wet, there was also a short hike up to a viewing platform closer to La Fortuna waterfall. I recommend everyone to head up to this viewing platform after your swim as it’s a great way to see the waterfall from a different angle and you are able to get some great photos, without all the people in them.

After some time at the waterfall, it was time for the dreaded walk up the 500 steps. If you aren’t in the best shape or even if you are in good shape and stairs just aren’t your strong suit, leave plenty of time to get up with some rest stops along the way. The rest stops are a great time to get some photos during the hike up.

After the somewhat difficult hike up we were rewarded with some fresh pineapple and boy did it hit the spot, there is definitely nothing better than fresh pineapple in a tropical location, so much better than what you buy in the grocery store at home.

Maleku Village

Once everyone had made their way back up from the waterfall and had a chance to enjoy some pineapple and fill up their water bottles, we got back on the tractor led wagon to head to the Maleku Village to learn more about these indigenous people from Costa Rica.

The Maleku tribe is made up of about 650 people and its name means “People of the Forest”. The Maleku people have a deep relationship with the forest and the animals that reside in the forest. Reforesting is very important to their culture, and this helps them to live off the land for the important things in life, like food, medicine and clothing.

We arrived at the village and one of the Maleku people told us more about her people and their daily lives. She was speaking in the Maleku language and one of our tour guides was translating for us and she even taught us a few words. She also passed around some of their artifacts and items they had made by hand. After this we had the opportunity to purchase items made by the Maleku people, this was a great way to not only bring home a unique and handmade gift but also support this indigenous tribe.

Wildlife Sightings and Lunch

Instead of waiting for the tractor led wagon to take us down to the front of the park, we started walking down until the wagon came to us. This gave us a great opportunity for the guides to point out some of the wildlife along the way.

On our short walk we were able to see a frog and a sloth. The guides were really good at making sure we all got a chance to see the wildlife and even took pictures for each of us thru their telescope so we could get a close-up photo.

After we all got a chance to see the frog and sloth and get our photos the wagon appeared, and we took it down to the front of the park where we had a typical Costa Rican lunch. The lunch consisted of a choice of meat with rice, beans, veggies and fruit. There was also juice, water and coffee included to drink. If you’re a coffee drinker, you must try the Costa Rican coffee, it’s absolutely delicious, so good that even if you aren’t a black coffee drinker, you won’t need any cream or sugar with this coffee.

Arenal Volcano Hike

After a filling lunch, we were off to our next activity for the day, a hike at Arenal Volcano. While we weren’t hiking the actual volcano itself, we were taking a hike to one of the best and closest views of Arenal Volcano at Mirador El Silencio.

Costa Rica is home to over 200 volcanoes in its 5 volcanic mountain ranges. There are 6 active volcanoes with Arenal being the youngest of the active volcanoes. Arenal Volcano was dormant until 1968 when it erupted unexpectedly and destroyed entire towns on the western side of the Volcano. While many believe La Fortuna got its name due to its fertile lands, many also believe it’s from Arenal erupting to the west as opposed to the east where La Fortuna is located, making it in a fortunate spot. The volcano continued to have regular eruptions until 2010 and it’s remained dormant since then. As you can see from this photo below, while dormant, there continues to be plumes escaping the volcano even now.

The hike we took was not too long and led to a close-up view of the volcano. As mentioned earlier, hiking shoes or at least a good pair of running shoes are a must. When I did the tour a girl was wearing little slip-on sneakers and was sliding a bit.

The trail started from the parking lot and took us thru a field up some hills. As we were hiking thru this part of the trail, we came to a view of a green lake in the valley below. The minerals from the volcano are what gives the lake this bright green color.

At this point, we left the field and were on the trail heading to the viewpoint. As we went up, we started to encounter more and more lava rocks along the way. While we were gaining some elevation on this part of the trail, it didn’t seem too bad compared to the steps at the La Fortuna Waterfall earlier in the day. In the photo below, you can see the trail thru the fields prior to getting closer to the lava rocks.

We then made it to the viewpoint, and it was very impressive to be so close to the volcano. We stayed up at the viewpoint for about 20 minutes which gave us plenty of time to take photos and rest from the hike up. The tour guides were wonderful about making sure that they took everyone’s photo in front of the volcano for them.

After our time at the viewpoint, we started to make our way down to the trailhead to meet the shuttle to head to our next and final destination of the day.

Termalitas del Arenal Hot Springs

After a long and busy day of hiking, it was now time to relax for a bit at the final destination of the tour. No trip to La Fortuna is complete without some time in the hot springs.

Due to the geothermal activity from Arenal Volcano, there is no shortage of hot springs to visit in the area, in fact many of the hotels in the area have hot springs on site for guests to enjoy. The geothermal activity heats the water in the springs to a range of 80-105 degrees Fahrenheit. With minerals such as magnesium and potassium in the water, it’s said that the water of the hot springs has healing effects and one of its main benefits is soothing sore muscles, making it a great stop after hiking.

We arrived at Termalitas del Arenal and it was more of a crowded hot spring waterpark. This was the only disappointing part of the tour as I was expecting a more natural hot spring experience. But it was still enjoyable and a great way to soothe my sore muscles.

There were multiple pools, large and small and different temperature levels. There was also a waterslide, bar, changing rooms and plenty of places to sit and relax. Some of the pools were large and had many people, while others were small and more secluded. We had a private cabana type area where we were able to store our things and were offered a refreshing alcoholic drink with delicious fruit juices.

We were there for about an hour or more depending on what group you were in to leave to be brought back to your hotel. It was the perfect relaxing way to end a full day of seeing the top sights in La Fortuna.

I highly recommend this tour if you are visiting the La Fortuna area of Costa Rica. I loved that all the different stops were fairly close so even though it was a long day, the time spent in the shuttle was very minimal. The tour guides definitely made this tour very special, they were extremely knowledgeable and made a real effort to talk with all of us, answer any questions we may have and made sure that we were all having a great time and got all the photos we needed to remember this wonderful day.

I loved my trip to Costa Rica and would love to help you plan the perfect vacation that includes this incredible tour. Contact me today to plan your Costa Rica Vacation.

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6 Great Ways to Enjoy Oahu

Disclaimer: Included in this post are links to tours I have personally taken or booked for clients on Viator. If you book these tours thru the links in this post, as a travel agent, I will receive a small commission.

Hawaii is a dream destination for many. I know it was always my dream destination and when I finally made it there for my first visit in 2011, it exceeded all of my expectations. It’s my favorite place I’ve ever traveled to and truly is paradise!

While most of the Hawaiian Islands are popular travel destinations, the island of Oahu is not only the most populated island of Hawaii, but it is also the one that attracts the most visitors. And for good reason, not only do the majority of the direct flights from the mainland US go to Honolulu airport on the island of Oahu, but there is also so much to see and do on the island.

With so much to see and do on this island, what are the best ways to enjoy it?

1. Head to the Beach

A vacation somewhere tropical like Hawaii just wouldn’t be complete without spending some time at the beach. There is no shortage of beaches on the island of Oahu and many of them have earned a spot in the top 10 beaches in the US over the years. Here are a list of some of the more popular beaches:

  • Waikiki Beach – When you think of Hawaii and specifically the island of Oahu, the views of Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the background probably come to mind.

This two-mile-long beach is where most people choose to stay when visiting Oahu. The beach is lined with multiple hotels, including such historic hotels as the famous pink colored Royal Hawaiian and the Moana Surfrider which was the first hotel to open in Waikiki back in 1901.

Moana Surfrider

The beach itself is great for families as the surf is milder than other beaches on the island. It’s definitely a must visit beach when on the island of Oahu.

  • Hanauma Bay – Located about 30 minutes east of Honolulu is Hanauma Bay. This beach is located on a calm bay which makes it a very popular snorkeling spot. It’s become such a popular spot that they have started limiting the number of people who can access the beach. Beginning in 2021, they instituted a reservation system which opens at 7am HST each morning. Reservations can be made 2 days in advance, and they often sell out in a matter of minutes. The cost is $25 per person with an additional $3 parking fee per car. Snorkeling equipment costs an additional $20. Hanauma Bay is open Wednesdays thru Sundays from 6:45am-4pm, guests must head off the beach and towards their car by 3:30pm. A great way to avoid the stress of the reservation system is to book a tour that will take you to Hanauma Bay from Waikiki hotels and also provide you with snorkeling equipment.
  • Laniakea Beach – The beaches of the North Shore of Oahu are best known for their large waves and surfing. This North Shore beach is known for its turtles. Laniakea Beach has long been known as “Turtle Beach” due to the fact that the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles that not only can be found in the water at this beach but also like to lounge on the sand at this beautiful North Shore beach. It’s a definite must visit for anyone wanting a close up look of the turtles. Note: As with all wildlife, while it’s great to see the turtles up close, please make sure to keep your distance and do not touch the turtles.
  • Sunset Beach – One of the most popular beaches located on the North Shore of Oahu is Sunset Beach. Like most North Shore beaches, Sunset Beach is a perfect spot to watch the surfers take on the big waves in the winter months. During summer when the water is calmer, it becomes a great snorkeling spot. But it’s true draw is right in it’s name. You guessed it, it’s one of the top spots to catch one of those beautiful Hawaiian sunsets you dream about.
  • Ko Olina Lagoons – If you’re looking for a calmer beach with less waves that the little ones can safely swim in, check out the Ko Olina Lagoons located within the Ko Olina Resort which is located about 24 miles west of Honolulu. These man-made lagoons make for a great spot for families and also another spot to catch a stunning sunset. Disney’s Aulani Resort is located on one of the lagoons, read more about this great resort in my post here.

2. Get out on the Water

When visiting a tropical location like Hawaii, you must get out on the water. While going for a swim at the beach is great, there are many other ways to enjoy the water in Oahu.

  • Surfing – Chances are when you think of Hawaii, one of the first things that comes to mind is surfing. The North Shore of the island of Oahu is considered the “Surfing Capital of the World” due to the enormous swells. While most visitors to Oahu may not be an experienced surfer looking to take on the Banzai Pipeline, they may still want to try out this exhilarating sport. There are many options available for surfing lessons particularly in the Waikiki area. Learning to surf when in Oahu is the perfect way to experience the culture of Hawaii.
  • Snorkeling – A great way to enjoy the water in Oahu is getting in the water amongst the fish. Like on most islands, snorkeling is a popular activity in Oahu. While Hanauama Bay is a great spot to snorkel, there are also many other tours that will take you to other great snorkeling spots on the island. One of the great things to see while snorkeling in Oahu is turtles, they are everywhere and it’s so fun to see them from under the water.
  • Whale Watch – When thinking of a warm tropical location such as Hawaii, you probably don’t think of it as somewhere to see whales as we tend to associate them with cooler destinations like Alaska. But whales actually like the warmer waters, so during the winter months, the humpback whales of the Northern Pacific Ocean head south to Hawaii from the Gulf of Alaska. December to March are the prime months to see whales in Hawaii although some do stick around as late as May before heading north. If you happen to be in Hawaii in the winter, I highly recommend heading out on a whale watch. If you are short on time, you’ll probably end up seeing whales while out on snorkeling tour or other boat rides. You definitely get the most bang for your buck on any kind of boat tour in the winter months in Hawaii.
  • Sunset Cruise – There is no more relaxing way to end a day in a tropical location than on the water enjoying the sunset. There are many different sunset cruises you can take on the island of Oahu. Many of these sunset cruises include cocktails and some even include dinner. It’s a great way to end one of your days in Hawaii.

3. Go for a Hike

While most people come to Hawaii with the beach and water and in mind, it’s also a great location to get out in nature and do some hiking. Below are some of the more popular hikes on the island:

  • Diamond Head – When you think of the island of Oahu, views of Waikiki Beach with the dormant volcano Diamond Head in the background probably come to mind. Hiking up Diamond Head is the most popular hike on the island of Oahu. The hike is so popular that reservations are required and will sell out fairly quickly, so make sure to make your reservation as soon as they open up 30 days in advance. If you prefer to hike Diamond Head as part of a tour like this one, they will handle making the reservation for you.

Diamond Head crater was formed around 300,000 years ago and was used by the military as part of their coastal defense system for the island of Oahu. It was when they started using the crater as a coastal defense system that they trail to the summit was built.

While many people take on this hike due to its popularity it’s not considered all that easy of a hike. While the distance is less than a mile up to the summit, it’s a steep and strenuous 560-foot climb, making it a moderately challenging hike. There is no shade on this hike, so make sure to plan accordingly by bringing ample water and sunscreen and if you can plan to do the hike first thing in the morning before the sun gets too strong.

The hike includes some paved portions, some steep slopes, lots of switchbacks and a whole lot of stairs. There is even a 225-foot tunnel that you need to walk thru. After you get thru the tunnel, you are close to the summit. Here you will find a fork in the trail. It’s recommended to go to the left to the summit and loop back around to come down the right side where there is a steep staircase of 99 steps that you can walk down instead of up!

While you avoid the steep 99 steps, there are many smaller staircases that you will take to the summit. At the summit, you will be able to explore the old bunkers and take in the stunning views at the many viewpoints.

While it can be a bit strenuous for some, a hike up to Diamond Head is definitely worth the effort. And you can reward yourself by relaxing on the beach with a Mai Tai afterwards.

  • Manoa Falls Hike: There are many other hikes to take on the island of Oahu. A hike to a waterfall should definitely be at the top of your list of must do activities in Hawaii. Manoa Falls is a great hike just a short drive from Honolulu and is considered an easy hike. The hike is 1.6 miles roundtrip and will take you one to two hours.

Unlike the Diamond Head hike, you will have much more shade for this hike, which makes it good to do at any time during the day, even if in the heat of the day in the afternoon. The hike is also fairly flat with some stairs which will seem like nothing compared to the stairs at Diamond Head. The trail takes you thru a tropical forest featuring bayan trees, a bamboo forest and tropical flowers. One thing to note, if there has been recent rain, the trail could get quite muddy so be prepared with good hiking shoes.

At the end of the trail you will arrive at the stunning Manoa Falls. At 150-feet tall, Manoa Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls on the island of Oahu. One of the great things about Manoa Falls is that it rarely runs dry in times of little rain unlike some of the other waterfalls on the island.

These are just two of many hiking trails on the island of Oahu. There are many other hikes to choose from.

4. Take a Scenic Drive Around the Island

If you aren’t up for a hike, consider taking a scenic drive around the island. The scenery on Oahu is so stunning that you just can’t resist taking a drive around the island. You can drive around a good portion of the island in just a day or break it up over multiple days by hitting certain areas of the island on different days.

A great way to see the island is by just getting on the road and start driving without a specific route in mind. On an island as beautiful as Oahu, there are always great views no matter where you are driving. If you are looking for some specific drives, here are some great scenic drives that I recommend:

  • Kalanianaole Highway (Hwy 72) – I stumbled upon this coastal highway by just taking a random drive and I’m so glad I did! This highway will take you right along the southeastern coast of the island of Oahu. There are many beaches located along this highway including Hanauma Bay (mentioned above). There are many stops along this highway to get out of the car and take in the beautiful views. A couple of popular things that you can see along the Kalanianaole Highway are the Halona Blowhole and Makapuu Point Lighthouse. A popular view along this route is the view of Manana Island which is also known as Rabbit Island. Manana Island was once home to a rabbit colony, and it’s been said that the island also looks like a rabbit head in the water while swimming.
  • Pali Highway (Hwy 61) – From the Kalanianaole Highway, you can take Pali Highway back towards Waikiki and Honolulu. This curvy highway will take you thru the Ko’olau Mountains. As you are driving through the mountain range, there are two tunnels that you drive thru on the Pali Highway. The top stop along the Pali Highway is Nu’uanu Pali Lookout. This lookout point is located at 1,200 feet and will give you stunning panoramic views of both the nearby mountains and the coast below. Nu’uanu is also a location of historical significance for the state of Hawaii. It’s the site of the Battle of Nu’uanu in 1795 in the war to unite all of the Hawaiian Islands. It’s a great alternative for a beautiful view from above for those that aren’t up for the Diamond Head Hike.
  • Drive up to the North Shore – A drive up to the North Shore of Hawaii is a great way to see what the real Hawaii is like compared to the overly touristed areas of Honolulu and Waikiki. The North Shore is known for its surfing, so if you are a surfer, this is the place to be. Here you can see the infamous Banzai Pipeline. Even if you don’t surf yourself, it’s fun to watch the surfers take on the big waves of the North Shore of Oahu. The North Shore is also where you can find Sunset Beach with its spectacular sunsets. Other things to do will in the North Shore is to take a walk thru Haleiwa Town and explore its shops and restaurants.

If you prefer to leave the driving to someone else, there are many tour companies that offer circle island tours you can take.

5. Explore History on Oahu

While many people think of beaches and other outdoor activities when visiting Hawaii, make sure to also visit some of the historic sites.

  • Pearl Harbor – The most popular historic site to visit in Oahu as well as all of Hawaii is definitely Pearl Harbor. On December 7, 1941, a surprise attack by Japan on this US Naval Base marked the point that the US went from being a neutral country to part of World War II. Sadly, more than 2,400 American’s died and more than 1,000 were left wounded. Today you can visit the memorial to those we lost at Pearl Harbor. While it can be a somber visit, it’s important to learn about this heartbreaking history and should be a must visit for anyone traveling to Oahu.

Pearl Harbor is open 7am-5pm daily with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Days. It is part of the National Park Service and is free to enter. Parking is $7 per day. There is a reservation fee of $1 per ticket for reservations for the USS Arizona Memorial or the Ford Island Bus Tour to the USS Oklahoma and USS Utah Memorials. It’s strongly recommended to book these in advance, preferably when they go on sale, 8 weeks in advance. Another important note, there are bag restrictions at Pearl Harbor, if you have bags larger than 1.25″ x 2.25″ x 5.5″ you will need store it for a fee at the storage facility near the visitor’s center.

At Pearl Harbor you can check out the visitor’s center where you will find many exhibits and a movie to give your more information on the attacks of December 7, 1941. The must see while visiting Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona Memorial. You will take a boat ride out to where the USS Arizona Memorial is located on top of the sunken battleship where 900 crewmembers are buried on the ship that they perished in during the attacks of Pearl Harbor. It’s a very somber experience just to think that you are walking over the water where the remains of the ship and its crew still lie over 80 years later.

  • Iolani Palace – Located in downtown Honolulu, you can visit the only royal palace located in the US. The Iolani Palace dates back to 1882 and was the official residence of Hawaiian Monarchs. After the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893, Iolani Palace became a governmental building of Hawaii. It remained a governmental building until 1969. In the 1970s, the palace was fully restored and in 1978 it opened to the public as a museum. Iolani Palace is open Tuesdays thru Saturdays from 9am-4pm and closed most major holidays. There are many different tours that you can take of the palace, including self-guided tours and specialty tours like the Fashion Fit for Royalty Tour.

6. Enjoy the Food and Drinks of Hawaii

You just can’t travel without enjoying some of the local cuisine and drinks. For the foodies out there, Hawaii has a lot to offer.

  • Pineapples – When you think of Hawaii, chances are you think of tropical fruits, particularly pineapples. While no one knows for certain when the first pineapples were grown in Hawaii, it’s said to be sometime in the early 1800s. They became really popular when in 1899, James Dole arrived on the island of Oahu and bought 61 acres of land in Wahiawa. This would become the location of the first pineapple plantation. Now the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa is one of the top tourist attractions on the island of Oahu. At the Dole Plantation, you can take train tour, explore a garden maze and of course enjoy pineapple in a variety of ways, whether as sliced fruit, juice, ice cream, candy, jams and many other options. The pineapple in all of Hawaii is so fresh and delicious compared to what you can get from the grocery stores at home.
  • Shave Ice – Another must have sweet treat to get while in Hawaii is shave ice. This refreshing drink involves ice with flavored syrup and is often served with condensed milk. You can also get it with ice cream, azuki beans or mochi. One of the more popular and my favorite spot to get shave ice on Oahu is Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu. This family owned and operated business has been around since 1951 and is worth the drive to the North Shore.
  • Macadamia Nuts – Another great snack from Hawaii is Macadamia Nuts. On the Island of Oahu, you can visit Tropical Farms of Hawaii which is a family-owned Macadamia Nut farm that started in 1987 as a roadside business. It’s a great stop on a ride up to the North Shore of Oahu.

I’ve covered the snacks you should try while visiting Oahu, now on to actual meals.

  • Plate Lunch – If you want to try a traditional Hawaiian lunch, order a Plate Lunch. This consists of a choice of protein (highly recommend Kalua Pork while visiting Hawaii), two scoops of white rice and a scoop of macaroni salad. Sounds like a lot of carbs, but hey you’re on vacation so go for it and lunch like the Hawaiians do.
  • Luau – One of the must do experiences for dinner that you should do when visiting Hawaii is attend a luau. Not only is the entertainment of the hula dancers and fire knife performances exciting, but the food is pretty good too! Luaus are generally buffet style and have such foods as Kalua Pork, Huli Huli Chicken, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Laulau (fish, pork or chicken wrapped in taro leaves and steamed), Poke, Poi (mashed taro root), fresh fruit and Haupia (dessert made with coconut milk and sugar).

Now on to the beverages of Hawaii:

  • Mai Tai – Did you know the Mai Tai actually didn’t originate in Hawaii? It was actually invented at a tiki bar in California in 1944. In 1953, it ended up on the cocktail menu Royal Hawaiian and Moana Hotels. The drink caught on and became known as a must order drink when visiting Hawaii.
  • POG Juice – For the kids and the non-alcohol drinking adults, there is a drink for you in Hawaii. If you’re a Disney World fan, you have probably heard of and had POG Juice. This delicious juice consisting of passion fruit, orange and guava is incredibly refreshing and can be found everywhere in Oahu. It’s a delicious drink to have along with your morning coffee during breakfast.

There are also many food tours in Oahu that you can take if you are looking to learn more about these delicious local foods.

Are you ready to enjoy Oahu?

Oahu is the Hawaiian Island that most people tend to visit when visiting Hawaii. It offers the most direct flights from the US mainland and is the most well-known island of the Hawaiian Islands. There is just so many ways you can enjoy the island of Oahu; it truly does have something for everyone of all ages.

As a Certified Hawaii Destination Specialist, I’d love to help you plan your trip to Oahu and the other islands of Hawaii.

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The Swiss Riviera

Disclaimer: Included in this post are links to tours I have personally taken, booked for clients or would recommend to clients on Viator. If you book these tours thru the links in this post, as a travel agent, I will receive a small commission.

When we hear the word riviera, we tend to think of tropical locations on the coast of an ocean or sea, like the French Riviera located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. But the true meaning of the Italian word riviera means coastline. That being said, a riviera can also be located along a large lake, as is the case in Switzerland. The Swiss Riviera is located along the northern shores of Lake Geneva in the French speaking canton of Vaud.

With its location along the shore of Lake Geneva, the Swiss Riviera is a popular destination to visit and is very different than the alpine mountain towns that are such popular destinations when visiting Switzerland. With lake views and activities, historic buildings, castles, vineyards and museums, the Swiss Riviera has a lot to offer.

Getting to the Swiss Riviera

Like most destinations in Switzerland, the train is the best and most convenient way to get to the Swiss Riviera. The scenic Golden Pass train line ends in the Swiss Riviera town of Montreux. This scenic train line starts in the city of Lucerne in central Switzerland and passes thru Interlaken on its way to Montreux.

The train ride takes 3 1/2 hours from Interlaken or 5 1/2 hours total from Lucerne. While taking the Golden Pass train, you will pass by beautiful blue lakes, waterfalls, country villages and the greenest pastures.

Once you reach Montreux, there are local trains that can take you to the other towns within the Swiss Riviera. This includes one of the biggest and most well-known cities in Switzerland, Geneva, which is located just a little over an hour train ride from Montreux.

Montreux

The most visited town in the Swiss Riviera is the town of Montreux. From gorgeous views, outdoor activities, culture, history and famous festivals, the town of Montreux has a lot to offer.

  • Lakeside Promenade: You cannot visit the Swiss Riviera without spending some time along the shores of Lake Geneva. Stretching 8 miles from the town of Vevey south thru Montreux and ending in Villeneuve. There’s a lot to see while walking along this promenade. One of the things that surprised me the most about walking along the lake was the tropical views of the palm trees along the promenade, this was definitely not something I was expecting to see while visiting Switzerland.

Some of the beautiful things you can see while walking along the lakeside promenade are the many sculptures along the promenade:

One of the statues that is not to be missed is the statue that honors Montreux’s most famous resident, Freddie Mercury of the rock group Queen. Queen recorded seven of their albums at a studio located in Montreux (more on this below) and in 1987 Freddie Mercury moved to Montreux since he grew to love its quiet and peaceful atmosphere. In 1996, the town of Montreux erected this statue in memory of Freddie and to commemorate the history of Queen in the town.

  • Queen: The Studio Experience: As mentioned above, the rock group Queen spent a lot of time recording in Montreux, so it’s no surprise that there is an exhibit dedicated to Queen in Montreux. Located right on the lakeside promenade is the Casino Barriere Montreux, where you will find Queen: The Studio Experience. The location of the exhibit also happens to be in the former Mountain Studios where Queen once recorded. The exhibit features clothing worn by the band during concerts, instruments, handwritten lyrics and other memorabilia. One of the great parts of the exhibit is that you can see the original sound studio that Queen used in Montreux. Queen: The Studio Experience is open daily, and admission is free.
  • Chillon Castle: No trip to Europe is complete without a visit to a castle. Just outside of Montreux, you can visit the medieval Chillon Castle which located right on Lake Geneva. Not only is the castle a great destination, but the journey there is an attraction in itself. While you can get to Chillon Castle via car, bus, train or even walking the more enjoyable way to get there is by boat. The boat ride takes just 15 minutes, but you can take this 2-hour roundtrip Lake Geneva cruise that allows you to stop off at Chillon Castle for 2 hours and then enjoy the remainder of the cruise on your way back to Montreux. This is a great way to enjoy two attractions, the cruise and castle, all in one day.

Once you arrive at Chillon Castle, you have options of either doing a self-guided tour with or without an audio guide or a guided tour with a Chillon history expert dressed in Medieval costume. If you opt for the self-guided tour, you can take as little or as much time as you would like, most people tend to spend an hour to two exploring the castle. Guided tours last from 50 minutes to 80 minutes and there are many tour options to choose from. If you are interested in a guided tour, booking in advance is always a great idea, especially during busier times during the year. I highly recommend a guided tour, the tour guide I had for the tour I took was absolutely amazing, very knowledgeable and also quite hilarious which made the tour not just interesting but also fun.

Chillon Castle dates back to the 12th century and has served many purposes over the years including a military site, a prison, and also as a residence. Being located directly on Lake Geneva gave it a very strategic location for defense reasons and also a very desirable location for residential reasons.

While visiting Chillon Castle, you can see the following areas:

  • Courtyards and bridges used for defense
  • Great Halls
  • Various bedrooms in the castle
  • Chapel
  • Underground rooms once used as a prison

One of the interesting things about Chillon Castle is that it has its own vineyard just a 10-minute walk from the castle. One of the tours you can book at Chillon Castle includes a wine tasting of the wines made from the grapes at this vineyard.

Lausanne

Another popular city along Lake Geneva is the city of Lausanne. As the fourth largest city in Switzerland, this hilly city along the lake is worth a visit, with lots to see and do. As a note, the city of Lausanne is on a hill, but they do have a great train system to help get you up and down the hill with less effort than walking.

  • The Olympic Museum: While visiting Lausanne, I was surprised to learn that it’s considered the Olympic Capital. I bet you would be as surprised as me to find out that Lausanne has been the home to the International Olympic Committee since 1915. Just down the road from the International Olympic Committee offices is the Olympic Museum. At this museum you can learn about the history of the Olympic Games and see memorabilia, some of which dates back more than a century. For all the Olympic lovers out there, this museum is a must visit.
  • Lausanne Cathedral: Located within the old town section of Lausanne is the 13th century gothic Lausanne Cathedral. One of the main things to see in the cathedral is the rose window, it’s known to be one of the most beautiful rose windows of all cathedrals in Europe. Another popular thing to do at the cathedral is to climb the bell tower to take in the beautiful panoramic views of the city of Lausanne and Lake Geneva. One of the unique things about the Lausanne Cathedral is that they have held on to the over 600-year tradition of a night watchman who calls out each hour between 10pm and 2am each night.
  • Ouchy Promenade: Much like Montreux, Lausanne is the perfect city to enjoy some time along Lake Geneva. Lausanne’s waterfront district is called Ouchy. Here in Ouchy, you will find a beautiful promenade like the one in Montreux, yet much shorter, measuring less than a mile in length. While it’s short, it’s still a beautiful area for a walk. Much like the promenade in Montreux, there are also many beautiful sculptures to see along Lausanne’s promenade. The most striking is the Eole weathervane located in Lake Geneva at the entrance to the port of Ouchy. I do recommend heading to the Ouchy Promenade to enjoy the sunset. Check out my photos below to see why sunset is a great time to visit the Ouchy Promenade.

Escape to the Swiss Riviera

The Swiss Riviera makes for a great lakeside escape after spending some time in the Swiss Alps. It’s one of the things that makes a trip to Switzerland so wonderful. It’s a perfect example that Switzerland is full of many different types of locations to visit that will appeal to a vast number of people.

Are you ready for a visit to the Swiss Riviera? Contact Beyond The Miles Travel today to book your trip.

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Views From Above in Interlaken

Disclaimer: Included in this post are links to tours I have personally taken, booked for clients or would recommend to clients on Viator. If you book these tours thru the links in this post, as a travel agent, I will receive a small commission.

Located about an hour from the Swiss capital of Bern is the town of Interlaken. The name Interlaken means between lakes as the town is located in between two big lakes, Lake Thun to the west and Lake Brienz to the east. Along with these lakes, the river Aare also flows thru the town.

Interlaken is conveniently located on the Golden Pass Line. This beautiful train route will take you from Lucerne in Central Switzerland south to Montreux, along the shores of Lake Geneva. The entire route involves taking three different trains and takes about 5.5 hours. The train from Lucerne to Interlaken, Luzern-Interlaken Express, takes about 2 hours, so it’s a nice stop along the Golden Pass Line.

The Luzern-Interlaken Express provides you with panoramic viewing windows to take in the sights along the way. You will pass by beautiful blue lakes, waterfalls, country villages and the greenest pastures. Switzerland is a country full of mountains and this panoramic train ride will take you by many mountains and thru the stunning Brunig Pass which is at an altitude of 3,307 feet. The views during this part of the train journey are nothing short of amazing.

After ascending the Brunig Pass, the train will utilize the cogwheel track, which was first constructed in 1888, to head down 1,355 feet to the valley below. Soon, the first leg of the Golden Pass train line is complete, and you will arrive in Interlaken.

Town of Interlaken

Some things to do right in the town of Interlaken include:

  • Hoheweg – This main street in Interlaken is a great spot to take a stroll and enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains, grab a bite to eat or do some shopping in the many shops along Hoheweg.
  • Hohematte Park – Along Hoheweg is this beautiful town park. This is a great spot to walk, run or ride a bike. You can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride thru the park or enjoy a picnic. Paragliding is a popular activity in Interlaken and Hohematte Park is where many of them land. This makes it an ideal spot for those of us less adventurous people to watch the paragliders.

Harder Kulm

The most popular and must visit spot for those visiting Interlaken is Harder Kulm. Located over 4000 feet above the town of Interlaken, this viewpoint offers stunning views of the town of Interlaken, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and the Bernese Alps. Whether you are staying in Interlaken or just passing by on your travels between locations in Switzerland, Harder Kulm is worth a visit.

Located just a short walk from the Interlaken Ost train station, is the Harder Kulm funicular. This historic funicular, which is over 100 years old, will take you up to the top of Harder Kulm which is located at 4,334 feet. The funicular operates between April and November each year and runs every half hour for the 10-minute ride up to the top. You can get tickets here. The ride in the funicular will be your start to the great views as you ascend to the top.

Pro tip – sit in the first row looking towards the bottom for the best views as you ascend to the top.

Once you arrive at the funicular station at the top of Harder Kulm, you will then take a short walk along a path which features cute little statues featuring things from Switzerland’s culture. Some of these include yodelers, a man with an alphorn and a man holding the swiss flag. Side note – Did you know there are only two countries in the world that have a square flag? Just Vatican City and you guessed it Switzerland!

These statues are a fun way to take your mind off the walk uphill. And you will also have the stunning views in the background as well.

After the short uphill walk, you will reach the top where you can partake in the following activities:

  • Two Lakes Bridge – Take a walk out to the viewing platform to take in the stunning panoramic views of Lake Thun on your right and Lake Brienz on your left. You can also see the town of Interlaken in between these two lakes and the surrounding mountains. The viewing platform may look a tad intimidating if you have a fear of heights, but it’s not too bad, just be prepared it can be quite windy on the platform.
Lake Brienz
Viewing Platform
Lake Thun
  • Sunset Viewing – While the views are stunning during the day, if you happen to be in Interlaken in the evening, it’s a great spot to see the sunset. I am a big sunset lover, so I really wish I had been there to see the sunset, but I have heard it is more than worth it. Guess I’ll need to plan a trip back there.
  • Hiking – If you are up for a hike, there are many trails to choose from. A popular hike is the circular trail. This intermediate hike will take you about an hour to do the less than 2-mile trail with about 375 feet of elevation. It’s a nice trail to see more views of the two lakes and surrounding mountains.
  • Watch the Paragliders – In the town of Interlaken you can see the paragliders landing, but up at Harder Kulm, you can see them gliding thru the air high above.
  • Playground – If you are traveling with children, there is a playground at Harder Kulm for them to enjoy.
  • Have a picnic – There are many picnic tables if you would like to bring a picnic with you up to Harder Kulm. Who doesn’t love a picnic with a view?
  • Panorama Restaurant – If you prefer a nice sit-down meal over bringing your own picnic, the Panorama Restaurant is open daily. They offer delicious Swiss dishes like fondue, raclette and rosti along with soups, salads and meat dishes. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating all with a stunning view.
  • Snack Stand and Gift Shop – Outside of the restaurant there was also a small snack stand and gift shop as well as ample seating.

A visit up to Harder Kulm is a must if you happen to be in the area of Interlaken even if you only have a few hours to spare. The view alone makes it more than worth it!

Interlaken makes for a great little stop in your Switzerland travels. Stay tuned for my next blog post as I continue my journey on the Golden Pass Line to the cities of Lausanne and Montreux along the shores of Lake Geneva.

In the meantime, make sure to check out my other posts from my trip to Switzerland:

Zurich,

Rhine Falls

Lucerne

My stop in Interlaken was part of an 8-day train tour that I took thru Switzerland. For more information or to book this great tour, please contact me at Beyond The Miles Travel

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One Day in Lucerne

Disclaimer: Included in this post are links to tours I have personally taken, booked for clients or would recommend to clients on Viator. If you book these tours thru the links in this post, as a travel agent, I will receive a small commission.

No Switzerland vacation would be complete without a visit to the city of Lucerne. Located less than an hour train ride from the city of Zurich, Lucerne makes for a great first stop on your journey out of the city into the beautiful mountainous towns of Switzerland.

History and Facts of Lucerne

The city of Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland. While early history of this city dates back to the 8th century, the official founding of the city was centuries later in the year 1178. Over the years, the city was the site of many conflicts and wars including some that stemmed from Lucerne being the only city in Switzerland to reject The Reformation and remain a catholic city in the 16th century. Towards the middle of the 19th century, tourism became an important industry in Lucerne. The location on the lake and vicinity to the mountains made it a great escape for elite travelers. Grand hotels and railways were built to accommodate this increase in tourism.

The tourism industry in Lucerne has grown over the years, with people coming to the city to see its medieval walls, historic buildings & bridges and to enjoy the lake and nearby mountains. With its easy access from Zurich, it’s a city that can be explored on a day trip or as a few days stay. While I did stay overnight when I visited Lucerne, I only had one true day while I was there. It was a good amount of time to see the top sights, although I wouldn’t mind going back there for a few days visit to see more.

How to get to Lucerne from Zurich

Lucerne is incredibly easy to get to from Zurich. There are multiple ways to get there:

  • By Train – The train system in Switzerland is one of the best public transportation systems in the world. It’s both efficient and easy to navigate. The train takes just about 40 minutes from Zurich’s main station to Lucerne. There are over 40 trains a day running between the two cities starting with the first one at approximately 5:30am and the last train just after midnight. You can’t get more convenient than that. A word of note on trains in Switzerland, they are extremely punctual and will leave right at the departure time, so plan to get there with plenty of time to spare. Tickets start at just $16. Check out the train schedule and buy tickets here.
  • By Car – While I highly recommend the train, driving to Lucerne is also an option and it takes about 40 minutes just like the train.
  • By Tour – If you are a fan of tours, there are many day tours to choose from to visit Lucerne from Zurich. Some just go to the city of Lucerne while others will also visit other sites in the area of Lucerne like nearby mountains.

Must See Spots in Lucerne

Below are the top things to see and do if you only have one day in Lucerne:

  • Chapel Bridge – If you’ve seen photos of Lucerne, it’s likely been a photo of the most beautiful and popular site in the city of Lucerne, Kapellbrucke, or it’s more widely known English translation, Chapel Bridge. The city of Lucerne is located on the Reuss River, so bridges are very common here, but this wooden bridge is more than just a means of connecting the new town to the medieval old town across the Reuss River. In the 13th century, the water tower was built, over the years it’s been used as a prison, treasury and city archives. A hundred years later, in the 14th century, the Chapel Bridge was built around the water tower, and it is now considered the oldest covered bridge in Europe. In the 17th century, paintings depicting the history of Lucerne and the country of Switzerland were added to the almost 700-foot-long bridge. In 1993, a fire struck the Chapel Bridge and sadly ruined some of these beautiful paintings, but over 60 paintings still remain.

A walk along the Chapel Bridge is a must, view the paintings, take in the views of Lucerne from the bridge and even visit a gift shop in the middle of the bridge.

  • Chaff Bridge – While not as large and impressive as the Chapel Bridge, the Chaff Bridge is also worthy of a visit. This bridge was built in two parts. The first part was built in the 13th century and was built from the right bank of the Reuss River to the mills that were located in the middle of the river. The bridge was used as a means for the mill workers to dispose of the grain residue, or chaff, from the mill, thus how the bridge got its name. In 1408, the Chaff Bridge was extended all the way across the Reuss River to the left bank. While smaller than the Chapel Bridge at only 265 feet long, it’s still a beautiful bridge to explore with its own paintings and even a small chapel in the middle of the bridge.
  • Old Town Lucerne – Like most cities in Europe, a walk around the Old Town of Lucerne is a must. Here you can see the beautiful old and colorful buildings, explore the shops, grab a bite to eat, walk along the river and visit one of the many Swiss chocolate shops, my favorite was Laderach.

One of the many historic buildings located in the Old Town is the Old Town Hall. This building was built in the early 17th century and is one of Lucerne’s oldest buildings.

  • Churches of Lucerne – There are a few beautiful churches in Lucerne that are worthy of a visit.
    • Jesuit Church of Lucerne – Said to be the most beautiful church in the city of Lucerne, the Jesuit Church is definitely worth a visit. Built in the 17th century, this Baroque style church is located on the left bank of the Reuss River. While the exterior is stunning, it’s the interior that makes it so special. Designed by Italian and Austrian architects, they used rococo stucco that appears to look like marble. It’s really a site to see.
    • Church of St. Leodegar – Known as the parish church of Lucerne, the Church of St. Leodegar has a long history. While the current church on this site was built in the 17th century, St. Leodegar dates all the way back to the 8th century when a monastery was located at this site. Later a gothic style church was built here. When a fire occurred in 1633, the current Renaissance style church was built.
  • Lion Monument – When I arrived in Lucerne, I kept hearing that I needed to see the Lion Monument. It was a bit of a walk from the main part of the city, and I will admit that I was expecting to be disappointed, but my expectations were so wrong, this monument is worth the walk, everyone who visits Lucerne must see the Lion Monument! This monument commemorates the Swiss Guards who were protecting King Louis XVI of France during the French Revolution in 1792. One of their fellow guards who was back in Switzerland on leave brought up the idea and started raising funds to build the monument. In 1821, the Lion was unveiled in a rock wall in a park in Lucerne. It’s a very moving and beautiful sculpture and truly captures the sadness the guard must have struggled with after losing his fellow guardsmen.
  • Musegg Wall and Towers – One of my favorite things about visiting older cities in Europe is seeing and walking on the walls that used to border the city centuries ago. The Musegg Wall in Lucerne was built in the 13th century and at over 800 meters long it’s the longest city wall in all of Switzerland. Of the 30 original towers, 9 still remain. Not only can you walk on the wall, but you can also climb these towers as well. Make sure you are up for a workout though as some of the stairs in the towers are quite steep and tall. From the wall as well as from the walkway along the bottom of the wall, you will get a great view of the city of Lucerne, the lake and the surrounding mountains.
  • Lake Lucerne – The city of Lucerne is located along the shores of Lake Lucerne. This 44-square mile lake borders four cantons and is the 4th largest lake in all of Switzerland. Along with the city of Lucerne, you will find many small villages as well as the surrounding Swiss Alps including Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus. A great way to enjoy Lake Lucerne is to take a boat cruise on the lake. You can take a narrated cruise around the lake, a lunch or dinner cruise, a sunset cruise and if you have more than a day in Lucerne, you can take a cruise to the cableway that ascends Mount Rigi. If you’d like to stay on land, I recommend taking a walk along the lakeside promenade. This is a beautiful walk with stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
  • Dinner Show at Stadtkeller – If you decide to spend the night in Lucerne before moving on to your next destination, head to the Old Town for dinner and show Switzerland style at Stadtkeller! The dinner show takes place seven nights a week from April thru October. At this must attend evening, you will enjoy a delicious meal which includes Swiss specialties like cheese fondue and rosti.

While the food is delicious, the entertainment is what I think makes this dinner show a can’t miss event while in Lucerne. The show takes you into the musical culture of Switzerland. You will experience yodeling and the music by an alphorn. There is a lot of audience participation that takes place during the show, so if you’ve ever wanted to practice your yodeling, here is your chance! Take a look at the video below for a sampling of entertainment.

Lucerne is worth the visit

Lucerne should be a part of every Switzerland vacation’s itinerary. While there is a lot to do and you could spend multiple days here exploring at a slower pace, the compactness of the city makes it easy to see quite a bit with just one day of exploring. I was able to see all of these sights and also have some free time as well in my full day in Lucerne.

While a day trip from Zurich is possible and works best for some depending on their full trip itinerary, I do recommend spending a night in Lucerne so that you enjoy a full day without having to rush back on the train. And the next morning you can be off to your next Swiss location.

If you are planning a trip to Switzerland, make sure to check out my other posts:

For help with planning your Switzerland trip, contact Beyond The Miles Travel today.

This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Lucerne.

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Rhine Falls – Must do Day Trip from Zurich

When researching my visit to Switzerland, I learned that just an hour train ride away from Zurich was Europe’s largest waterfall, Rhine Falls. I just knew that I had to take a day trip to see this beautiful waterfall and it was as great of a day trip as I had thought that it would be.

As the largest waterfall in Europe, Rhine Falls measures 490 feet wide and 75 feet tall. While this seems like a rather small waterfall compared to the likes of other famous large waterfalls around the world, like Niagara Falls and Iguazu Falls, it’s still very impressive and definitely worthy of a visit. The falls formed over 14,000 years ago during the ice age on the upper Rhine River. While the falls are most powerful in the summer months, the water flow of the falls is still strong enough the remainder of the year, making it a year-round attraction to visit.

Getting to the Falls

At just under 30 miles from the city of Zurich, there are many ways that you can take to get to Rhine Falls.

  • By Train – Switzerland is known for its reliable train service and taking the train from Zurich to Rhine Falls is incredibly easy. The train ride takes about an hour from the main train station in Zurich. There are actually two different trains you can take; they each stop on opposite banks of the falls. Taking the train to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall will leave you off on the southern bank of Rhine Falls with just a short 5-minute walk to the falls. Taking the train to Neuhausen Rheinfall will leave you off on the northern bank of Rhine falls with a 10-minute walk downhill to the falls.
  • By Car – If you are renting a car while visiting Switzerland, Rhine Falls are a short drive just outside the city of Zurich. With your own car, you can take your time and stop to explore other nearby towns along the way.
  • By Tour – If you don’t feel comfortable navigating the train and don’t have a car, there are many different tours that you can take to Rhine Falls from Zurich. Some even combine other attractions and towns nearby.

Northern Bank of Rhine Falls

The northern bank of Rhine Falls will be where the majority of the tourist amenities like boat tours, shops and restaurants are located. This will be where the majority of visitors end up when visiting Rhine Falls. As an added bonus to the fact that there is so much to do on the northern bank of Rhines Falls, it’s also free to enter this side of the falls.

Below are the top things to do while visiting the northern bank of Rhine Falls:

  • Take Photos of Rhine Falls – If you take the train to Rhine Falls and get off at Neuhausen Rheinfall, you will get your first beautiful view of the falls just before the train comes into the station. After you get off the train, you will walk downhill towards the falls. This gives you many views of the top of the falls on your way down. When you get down to the bottom, there are many spots to stop and get a great photo of the falls. One of the great things about the northern bank is that you get a full view of just how big the falls are and why they are the largest waterfall in Europe.
  • Take a Rhine Falls Boat Tour – There are multiple different boat tours all color coded based on the type of tour that you can take to get up close to the falls. The following boat tours are available:
    • Blue Boat – This 15-minute boat tour will take you right up to the falls, so close that you will feel the power of the water rushing down and may just get a bit wet.
    • Pink Boat – This 30-minute audio boat tour will take you up close to the falls like the blue boat, but will also take you down the Rhine a bit while you listen to the audio portion of the tour which will help you learn more about the falls and hear stories about the falls as well.
  • Yellow Boat – This 30-minute boat tour that goes out to the rock in the middle of Rhine Falls is a must do. The 5-minute boat ride will take you to the middle of the falls to where the large rock stands right in the falls. You then have 20 minutes to climb the stairs up over 90 feet to the top of the rock. Once on top, you are in the middle of the falls which gives you a very stunning and unique view of Rhine Falls. I definitely recommend this boat tour.
  • Grab a Bite to Eat – If you’re spending a good portion of your day at Rhine Falls, chances are you will get hungry. There are multiple different restaurants available to choose from, including everything from quick snack stands to sit down restaurants and bars. And many of the restaurants have great views of the falls. There’s no better way to enjoy a meal than to have it overlooking a beautiful view!
  • Buy Swiss Souvenirs – Whether you’re looking to buy a gift for a family member or friend at home or to buy something for yourself as a memory of your trip, there are a few gift shops you can check out for Swiss souvenirs.

Travel Between Northern and Southern Banks of Rhine Falls

While there is much to do on the northern bank of Rhine Falls, the southern bank is also worthy of a visit. If time allows, you should make sure to visit both banks of the falls for a different perspective. There are a couple of ways to get between the northern and southern banks of the Rhine Falls.

  • Take a Boat Across – The quickest way to get from the northern to southern banks of Rhine Falls is by boat. The red boat will take you between the two banks in just 5 minutes.
  • Take a Scenic Walk – If you have the time and enjoy walking, I highly recommend walking between the northern and southern banks of Rhine Falls. The walk is very scenic and a great way to get a view of the falls from another perspective. If you walk back towards the path that leads down from Neuhausen Rheinfall train station, follow the signs to the right before you go up the hill. From here you will follow a beautiful path that will lead you to a railway bridge to cross the river above the falls. This will give you a stunning view of the top of the falls. As a note, there is quite a bit of uphill climb on this walk.

Southern Bank of Rhine Falls

While you won’t find all the gift shops and boat tours like the northern bank, the one thing the southern bank has going for it, is its proximity to the falls. On the southern bank, you can get extremely close to the falls without having to take the boat tour. Another difference is that unlike the northern bank of Rhine Falls which is free to enter, the southern bank of the Rhine Falls has an admission fee of CHF 5.

If the northern bank of Rhine Falls is free, why is it worth it to visit the southern bank, well there is still plenty to do here, including:

  • Viewing platforms – Once you pay the admission fee, start heading down the trail and stop at the numerous viewing platforms for an up-close view of Rhine Falls. There are viewing platforms at the higher level at the start of the trail and also ones as you descend down and at the bottom of the trail. There is even a viewing platform inside a cave that will get you so close to the falls that you will feel the power of the falls. These views are a much different perspective than the views from the northern bank of Rhine Falls.
  • Panoramic Elevator – Once you reach the bottom of the trail, there is an elevator that you can take back up to the top. Not only is this elevator a great idea if you don’t want to walk back uphill, but it is also a glass elevator giving you a stunning view of the falls as you ascend to the top.
  • Laufen Castle – At the top of the southern bank, sits Laufen Castle. This castle is over 1100 years old and features conference facilities and a restaurant which includes an outdoor terrace.

The Perfect Day Trip from Zurich

As the largest waterfall in all of Europe and with its close proximity to the city, a visit to Rhine Falls is a must when in Zurich. It makes for a great escape from the city to get out into nature. The fact that it is so close and doesn’t require a long day can make it a relaxing and less stressful day trip and allow you to still get back to Zurich at a reasonable hour.

Are you ready to visit Europe’s largest waterfall? Beyond the Miles Travel can help you plan this day trips as part of a perfect Switzerland vacation.

Make sure to also check out my Zurich to learn all the great things to see and do while visiting Switzerland’s largest city.

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Zurich – Gateway to Switzerland

When you think of Switzerland, you probably come up with images in your mind of the beautiful nature the company has to offer like the Swiss Alps and glacial rivers and lakes. In order to explore the picture-perfect scenery of this country, you will most likely fly into the largest airport and city in Switzerland, Zurich. Not only does Zurich make for a great gateway to any Switzerland vacation, it’s also the perfect city to explore before heading out into the natural beauty that most come to Switzerland to see.

There are many attractions to see while visiting Zurich:

Zurich’s Old Town

While the country of Switzerland was not founded until 1848, the earliest settlements in Zurich dates back to over 6,400 years. The early settlements of Zurich were along the immediate shores of both sides of the Limmat River which runs through the Old Town. Over these 6,400 years, the city went thru many changes and expanded well past the shores of the Limmat River. The Old Town of Zurich is the tourist heart of the city; it’s full of many pedestrian-only streets to walk down, exploring the shops, grabbing a bite to eat in the restaurants and admiring the stunning old buildings.

Some of the can’t miss sites to see in the Old Town include:

  • Grossmünster – Like most European cities, Zurich is home to quite a few beautiful churches that have been around for centuries. One of the most recognizable churches in the city, Grossmünster has been around since the year 1220. The twin towers of the church are what makes it such a recognizable landmark in the city, and you can even climb the 187 steps to the top of one of the towers for a stunning view of the city of Zurich. The church was built at this location as it’s said to be the site of the graves of the city of Zurich’s patron saints, Felix and Regula. In the crypt of the church, there are old murals of the saints for you to see. While visiting Grossmünster, also make sure to see the stained-glass windows and the reformation museum.
  • Fraumünster – One of the other famous churches in Zurich is located just across the Limmat River from Grossmünster. Fraumünster is often considered the women’s church as the convent at the church was housed by women from its founding in 853 through the 13th century. Many people visit Fraumünster each year to see the Chagall windows that were added to the church in 1970. These 5 windows display different biblical stories with the middle and largest window displaying the story of Jesus Christ’s life. Other things to see in the church are many other stained-glass windows by other artists, the organ and the crypt which dates back to the 9th century and now houses an exhibit on the history of Fraumünster.
  • St. Peter’s Church – The oldest parish church in Zurich is St. Peter’s Church. The building that stands today is still on the original foundation which dates back to the 9th century. The church was not just a house of worship, starting in the year 1340, the tower, which has four windows facing in different directions across the city, was used as a fire watch tower. But the former fire watch duties are not all the tower of St. Peter’s Church is known for. The tower also features a clock that is 28 feet in diameter making it the largest clock face in all of Europe.
  • Lindenhof – For a beautiful view while exploring the Old Town, head up the hill to Lindenhof Park and Viewpoint. From this viewpoint, you will get a stunning view of the Limmat River below and Grossmünster. But this park isn’t just known for its view, it has a lot of history as well. The history of Lindenhof dates all the way back to the 4th century when a Roman fort stood at the site. In the 9th century the grandson of the emperor Charlemagne built a royal palace at Lindenhof.

As one of the main tourist areas in Zurich, there are many restaurants and shops (including Swiss chocolate shops!) located in the Old Town and it’s just a perfect area to walk around as there are many car- free areas located in this historic part of the city. If you are looking for a great way to explore Zurich’s Old Town and learn a lot about the history of the city, sign up for a free walking tour. I took one of these tours and feel like I learned more than I feel I would have learned on a paid tour.

Waterways of Zurich

There is no shortage of bodies of water in Zurich. And who doesn’t love exploring a city from the water.

  • Limmat River – As mentioned above, the Limmat River runs right thru the middle of Old Town Zurich. A walk along the river is a must do while visiting the city and a great way to get to and from the different sites within the Old Town. If all the walking makes you hungry, there are restaurants along the banks of the river to enjoy a meal with a great view. One particularly great way to enjoy the Limmat River is by taking a Limmat River Cruise which are offered between April and October each year. This is not only a great way to see the city from a different perspective on the water, but also a relaxing way to learn more about the city while you cruise down the river.

While the water looks very refreshing to jump in for a swim on a warm day, swimming is actually not allowed in the Limmat River in Zurich except for one day of the year when they hold the Limmatschwimmen. This event is held once a year and allows people to sign up for a 2-kilometer swim down the river. There is a challenge available for competitive swimmers while the non-competitive can sign up for a relaxing float down the Limmat River. The 58th annual event took place in late August on my first day in Zurich. It was a lot of fun watching everyone enjoy floating down the river. While quite a lot of people were floating down the river, the tickets for the event are limited and sell out very quickly when registration opens 3 days before the event. Check out the event website for information on when the next Limmatschwimmen will take place.

  • Lake Zurich – The Limmat River empties into the fifth largest lake in Switzerland, Lake Zurich. This glacial lake was once used primarily as a transportation route to get goods into and out of the city of Zurich. Now it’s used primarily for recreation especially during the summer months in Zurich. Some of the more popular things you can do on Lake Zurich are:
    • Take a cruise on the Lake – Lake Zurich Navigation Company operates many different cruises on Lake Zurich including a mini-cruise which lasts just under an hour, a short cruise which lasts 90 minutes and a long cruise which lasts half a day. They also offer many unique themed cruises such as brunch cruises, sunset cruises and holiday themed cruises. The great thing about these boats is you can also use them as transportation to get to other locations along the lake.
    • Get out on the water – Not only can you take a boat cruise on the lake, but you can also rent a boat of your own for the day. Other great ways to get on the water are to go kayaking or stand up paddleboarding.
    • Take a walk along the lakefront – A nice stroll along the water is a great way to enjoy a nice day in Zurich. There are many different parks along the lake front to explore during your walk.
    • Enjoy the “beach” – All along the lake you will see people lounging in the sun on a warm summer day. There are not full sandy beaches like you may see along other beaches, but grassy areas that people use as a beach. These beaches are a great spot to relax and to dry off after a swim in the lake.

Swiss Chocolate

If you have a sweet tooth, you might have been wondering if I was going to mention that delicious treat from Switzerland, the famous Swiss chocolate! Well, Zurich is a great place not only to eat chocolate but also to learn about the history of Swiss Chocolate. One of the most well-known Swiss Chocolate companies is Lindt and it got its start right here in Zurich. No visit to Zurich is complete without visiting the Lindt Home of Chocolate.

At the Lindt Home of Chocolate, you can experience the following:

  • Chocolate Fountain – As you enter the Lindt Home of Chocolate, you will be greeted by a nearly 30-foot-tall chocolate fountain.
  • History of Swiss Chocolate – Not only will you learn more about how chocolate is made, but you will also learn the history of Lindt and other chocolate companies in Switzerland. Lindt was founded all the way back in 1845. You might wonder how an alpine country became such a popular chocolate making country when the cacao used in chocolate is grown in tropical climates near the equator. Well, the secret to what gives the Swiss Chocolate its delicious creamy flavor is the alpine milk from the dairy farms of Switzerland. This alpine milk has a higher fat content than other dairy farms which helps to make the chocolate so creamy.
  • Chocolate Process – Walk by windows to the production floor to watch and learn the process of making chocolate.
  • Chocolate Samples – No tour would be complete without some free samples and there are plenty to be found at Lindt Home of Chocolate. Tip: Bring a small bag to put the samples in to take with back to your hotel.
  • Biggest Chocolate Shop in the World – Chocolate makes for the perfect souvenir to bring home to family and friends, so definitely check out the large gift shop before you leave.

Lindt Home of Chocolate is located in the suburbs of Zurich within walking distance from Lake Zurich. As I mentioned above, the boat cruises on Lake Zurich can be used as a means of transportation and Lindt Home of Chocolate is one of the most popular spots you can take the boat to. There is also a train that you can take as well with a foot path directly to the museum from the train stop.

Limited timed tickets are available, make sure to get your tickets in advance as they do sell out.

See Zurich from Above

One of the great things about the country of Switzerland is the views. All over the country, there are great views from the trains, from the water and also from above. I love a great view of a city from above, it gives you a better understanding of just how large and vast the city is. While the view from Lindenhof in the Old Town is beautiful, you can get even higher up above Zurich.

Take the train just a little over a half hour from Zurich’s main station to Adilswil where you can take a short (although a bit strenuous as it’s all uphill) walk to the Felsenegg Cable Car. This cable car will take you over 2,600 feet up to Felsenegg.

While up at Felsenegg, there are a number of things you can do:

  • Enjoy the view – Take in the views of the city of Zurich and the surrounding area. From up here you get a good view of just how large the city is. I was very surprised at how much larger it was compared to how small of a city it seemed from below. You also get a good look at just how large Lake Zurich is and a great view of the mountains in the distance.
  • Take a Hike – There are many different hiking trails accessible from Felsenegg including the Planet Path which will take you to Uetilberg. Along this 3.5-mile trail, you will past the planets to the sun at Uetilberg. Each meter of the trail represents 1 million kilometers in the solar system. The hike is fairly easy and will take you about 2 hours. There is a train from Uetilberg back to Zurich.
  • Enjoy a meal with a view – On a nice day, I highly recommend enjoying some food and drinks at Felsenegg Restaurant. The restaurant has a beautiful outdoor seating area overlooking the views of Zurich below.

Make Time for Zurich

While you might be heading to Switzerland to visit the mountains for skiing, hiking or just taking in the views, make sure to save some time in your itinerary to explore Zurich. Chances are you’ll be flying in or out of Zurich, if you are arriving by plane, so why not make sure you see this beautiful city and learn it’s history. It’s the perfect start to your Switzerland vacation!

Bonus: If you’re looking for an easy day trip from Zurich, take the train just an hour from the city to Rhine Falls to see the largest waterfall in Europe.

This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Zurich.

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If you are looking for help in planning a trip to Switzerland, please contact me at Beyond The Miles Travel. I’d be more than happy to use my experience from my recent train trip in Switzerland to help plan the perfect vacation for you.