5 days in Switzerland: family campervan road trip itinerary

One van, two adults, and a toddler walk into Switzerland… what could possibly go wrong? Absolutely nothing… because it was simply magical.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to road trip through Switzerland in a campervan with a toddler, imagine a mash-up of The Sound of Music, Top Gear, and an especially chaotic episode of Bluey. We rolled into Switzerland via France, aboard our trusty self-converted van Frank, with Mr Rick behind the wheel and Little Rick as our resident snack destroyer and morale officer (plus me providing the entertainment, obvs).

Day 1: Basel – chaos at the border & city highlights

We entered Switzerland through Basel, and honestly, it was chaotic. There was a customs section that looked very “official,” so naturally, we panicked and assumed we’d need our passports (which, of course, were not in the front with us… you wouldn’t think we’d been doing this a while!). Cue me running around to the back to get them… only to discover we didn’t need them after all. What we could buy there, though, was the motorway vignette (the toll pass).
We’d already bought ours online, thankfully – but good to know you can pick them up at the border. Cost: CHF 40 (approx. £37).

Basel threw us right into the deep end – multiple lanes, major city traffic, and one overtired toddler mid-tantrum just as the SatNav decided to give up. Ah, road trip bliss.

But once we found a free park-up about 40 minutes’ walk from the city centre, everything shifted. We wandered into town and instantly fell in love – there was a punting competition, cheering crowds, street food stalls, live music, and people basking in the sunshine with drinks in hand. The vibes were immaculate.

We headed back to Frank for dinner, tired but happy. Switzerland, you had us at hello.

Tip for families: Walking in Basel with a pushchair or toddler is easy, and there are plenty of child-friendly cafes along the river.

Day 2: Kandersteg & Oeschinensee lake adventure

Next morning, we set off for Kandersteg (about 2 hours away). Campervan parking was a bit of a puzzle… the cable car lot didn’t allow campers, and at one point we accidentally almost boarded a car train. Thankfully, a very kind lady at the booth waved us off before we ended up halfway to who-knows-where.

Eventually, we found a spot at the Nordic Arena (CHF 40 for 24 hours, with water tap and showers if you get a key). It’s a ‘stick your cash in an envelope’ type situation so we were very thankful we popped to an ATM before leaving Basel. From there, it was a 30-minute walk to the Oeschinensee cable car, which I booked en route because they show ticket availability in real time – very Swiss, very efficient.

The lake itself was absolutely breathtaking. A turquoise dream surrounded by mountains so beautiful it felt computer-generated (in fact, my laptop screensaver looks suspiciously similar..?). We rented a rowboat (10/10 decision, would recommend to ALL friends), had a picnic on the shore, and treated ourselves to a strawberry–vanilla ice cream mash-up on the way back. Little Rick insisted on being carried most of the walk so we even got in an unexpected touch of parenting cardio.

We ended the day with a drink in the sun, a wander around Kandersteg, and some serious star-gazing before bed. Unreal.

Family tip: Oeschinensee is baby and toddler-friendly; the paths are manageable and you can even take a pushchair on the cable car (wish we’d known!). The rowboats make a fun adventure for little ones.

Day 3: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen & Interlaken road trip

Day 3, we drove on to Lauterbrunnen (about 1.5 hours) and found parking right on the edge of town with dedicated motorhome spaces – a van life dream. Even from the car park, the views were straight out of a postcard. We grabbed tickets from the tiny station and took the train up to Wengen, a car-free mountain village that’s worth visiting for the train ride alone. Obviously it had stunning views – at this point, take it as a given!

Back in Lauterbrunnen, we walked to Staubbach Falls – an easily accessible waterfall coming straight down the mountain. We skipped the climb (toddler + cliffs = no thanks) but still got incredible photos from below.

That night, we parked in Interlaken… on someone’s driveway! It’s quite common in Switzerland for locals to offer up spaces for a fee, and for 25 CHF, we had a quiet and safe spot, met a local cat (“Casper,” named by Little Rick), and walked to Lake Brienz for an early-evening stroll. It was one of those pinch-me moments – everything looking picture-perfect, still water, and us just standing there wondering if it was even real.

Tip for families: There are playgrounds everywhere in Wengen – honestly, that’s what swung it for us over Mürren. Sometimes you just have to follow the slides and swings!

Day 4: Iseltwald, Brienz & Lake Lucerne fairytale vibes

We started the morning at Iseltwald, which looks like it was pulled straight from a fairytale – castle on the lake, sparkling water, all of it. We even saw a couple getting married (and, honestly, fair). The only slightly wild thing was a gate charging €5 to walk onto a pontoon for photos. I guess Instagram has discovered it…!

We found a gorgeous café by the lake for drinks, then drove to Brienz. Parking looked like it might be tricky but we found a good spot in the road parallel to the main high street. The lake, of course, was stunning. And there was a roundabout for kids as well as some free games. Little Rick and I played a highly confused game of giant chess (my knowledge is purely The Queen’s Gambit-based and turns out I didn’t pay that much attention anyway), but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves whilst Mr Rick watched, shaking his head in disbelief.

That night we camped on the southern shore of Lake Lucerne – paid about £7, and it was pure perfection.

Family tip: Brienz offers free games all over town, making it a fantastic spot for families. If you’re short on time, this is the lake to choose for everyone in the gang.

Day 5: Lucerne, Lindt chocolate & Lake Walenstadt

We started with a quick good deed – helping a lost American couple find their tour – then wandered into Lucerne. It was big, busy, and beautiful. We sat by the river with hot drinks, indulged in some chocolate-covered strawberries – which absolutely bewildered Little Rick. Strawberries are his favourite fruit, so the idea of dunking them in chocolate was apparently an act of pure madness. He looked at me like I’d lost the plot.

Then we hit the Lindt Chocolate Outlet – free samples as soon as you walk in, and serious danger for chocolate lovers. We left with a mix of Lindt balls and a gluten-free bar for me, and not a single ounce of regret.

At this point I was desperate for a hair wash, so we headed to Lake Walenstadt, hoping for a shower (closed, naturally), so we enjoyed the lake instead. Little Rick made a friend, and even though they didn’t share a language, they played football and bubbles very happily together for hours. Kids are incredible.

The next morning, we topped up water, emptied the tanks, and headed off toward Liechtenstein (a story for another day) – hearts full, wallets… slightly less so. Switzerland stole both, and we’ll absolutely be back.

Final thoughts on family campervan travel in Switzerland

Switzerland is easily one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been – every corner is like stepping into a postcard. It’s not a budget destination (we paid more to park on driveways than we usually do for full campsites!), but it’s 100% worth every franc.

Frank the Van handled the mountains like a champ, Little Rick had the time of his life, and Mr Rick and I are still dreaming about that lake. Until next time, Switzerland – you were everything we hoped for and more.

What would be your dream Swiss stop – mountains, lakes, or chocolate factories? Drop your pick in the comments below!