Family Ski Trip to Grindelwald Switzerland

We departed Greenville on a Friday morning and flew to Dulles International, where we endured a five-hour layover before continuing to Zurich. Fortunately, we recently acquired the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card and have been exploring its benefits, including complimentary lounge access. Consequently, the girls and I experienced our inaugural airport lounge visit, and we have become somewhat spoiled: comfortable seating, complimentary food and beverages, and a relaxed environment. David and I even enjoyed a brief pre-trip “date night” in the lounge before the journey officially commenced.

Day 1: Travel to Grindelwald

Our departure was delayed due to deicing, and we did not depart until two hours after our scheduled time. The flight itself was smooth, though sleep was limited for all of us (as anticipated). We arrived in Zurich at 9:30 a.m. local time, somewhat groggy but excited. We proceeded directly to the train station, where we encountered immediate confusion. While Switzerland’s train system is efficiently run, it is not intuitive for travelers from abroad, and there are few staff members available to assist. TIP: Download and use the app. We only discovered this later in the trip, and it would have spared us considerable fumbling.

The journey to Grindelwald consisted of a short train ride (about 30 minutes), a long train ride (approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes), and another short train ride (roughly 30 minutes). By the time we arrived, we were almost delirious.

Day 2: Ski Day at Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen

12. Hours. Later. We awakened. The hotel provides a complimentary breakfast buffet with a broad range of offerings, a benefit we consistently value on ski trips. The cappuccino machine further enhanced our appreciation of this hotel amenity.

After breakfast we suited up in our ski gear, retrieved our equipment from the storage room behind the hotel, and proceeded to the train station to print our lift tickets. We took the hotel shuttle to the base of the mountain (terminal), then rode a gondola to the summit.

Kaitlyn awoke with a sore throat and managed to persevere as best she could by the time we began skiing. It is unclear whether the discomfort or the unfamiliar layout of the ski area and its map, which operate differently from our usual experiences, contributed to a somewhat awkward first day. There were numerous flat runs requiring poling, uphill sections, and confusion regarding how the map depicted certain runs.

The scenery was breathtaking, there were no queues for the activities, and we could enjoy hot tea while taking in the view without crowds. I highly recommend it.

While sipping tea and surveying the clear skies, we decided that it was also an opportune day to experience the Top of Europe, since clouds were forecast for the following day. We descended by gondola, then caught a bus to the Terminal, where we rode the gondola again to the starting point of the tour, which commences with a train journey up the mountain to Europe’s highest railway station.

As part of the Top of Europe experience, you are afforded a spectacular view of the Alps’ longest glacier, and you also have the opportunity to walk through it. The ice palace was a clear highlight of our trip, and we were fortunate that it was not crowded at all; gliding along the icy path felt truly magical. We obtained chocolates from the highest chocolate shop in Europe and enjoyed them during our train and gondola ride back down the mountain.

We purchased pizza from a takeaway for the children while David and I enjoyed a dinner date at the hotel restaurant. The ambiance was intimate, and the cuisine was superb, with a menu that changes seasonally, and we both virtually cleaned our plates.