Hi and happy Thursday morning! You guys are already all in the know on Switzerland’s stunning playground scene. But this past week, the Instagram crowd picked up on the fun and it’s been a whirl of activity sharing details with folks whose interest has just now been piqued. In that vein, I wanted to one-up myself and divulge the insane proximity—and easy family road trip—that connects three of our most spectacular stops in and around the Alps.

If you’ve ever been curious how you and your kids might properly explore Switzerland, France, and Italy’s Northern Lakes region, I hope this itinerary plants a seed of inspiration. It’s a truly magical route. ✨

Plus, we’re covering our favorite road-trip buys to keep kids occupied on the go, and a beautifully, outdoors-centered family retreat in Missouri that was built by a name you might recognize.

An epic family road trip in Europe

If quaint towns, alpine hikes, castles and gorgeous glacial views are your thing, this is the route for you.

✈️ FLY: Geneva, Switzerland Airport
🚗 DRIVE: Rent a car and explore…
 📍 Chamonix, France (1 hr)
📍 Orta San Giulio, Italy (3.5 hr)
📍 Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland (4 hr)

With each of these stops within a half-day’s drive, this cluster of magical European destinations seems like a no brainer, and yet, we stumbled upon it unintentionally.

If you follow our path, you’ll drive one hour from the Geneva airport to get to Chamonix, France. Spend a few days in this French mountain town before heading to Lake Orta, Italy for a couple of days to swim and to relax – a 3.5-hour drive. Then, finish your trip with time spent in the Swiss Alps, a 4-hour drive, before completing your loop with a 2.5-hour return to the airport. If you need tips for each spot, see ALL the details in the story highlights on our page.

We loved this trip for so many reasons. It was stunning, felt unexpected and was so wonderfully diverse and convenient. It fit our little-kid travel goals but would be even more epic with hike-loving older kids that have a bit more stamina on the trails.

If you want to delve into ALL the details, you can find them on the website, where we go into detail on accommodations and activity recommendations for every stop: An Epic Family Road Trip in Europe.

But for the sake of keeping this newsletter condensed, a few of our favorite tips…

• Tips for renting a car at the Geneva Airport
  France or Switzerland? The Geneva Airport is actually located right on the border of France and Switzerland. So, you can access either directly as you depart. In fact, when renting a vehicle, you’ll need to specific which country you’re driving into. So, have that route in mind when booking 😉

• CHAMONIX: A French Alps dream village
  Perhaps best known as a winter paradise for skiers, this charming French village loses none of its breathtaking appeal in the summer months. For families with kids (even young kids, like the baby and toddler that we traveled with), there’s no shortage of fun.

  We stayed in a sweet chalet near the edge of town. Nothing fancy, but man did it have the most gorgeous views and bright flowers in July. It’s a three-bedroom VRBO that sleeps up to six guests, and is walkable to markets and town, if you don’t mind a bit of a trek. From the backyard, we soaked up the insane mountain vews, dine al fresco for every meal (even breakfast) and on occassion, watched a paraglider land a few meters away.
  [See all of our recommended activities here.]

• ORTA SAN GIULIO: A charming lakeside retreat
  Nestled on the shores of Lake Orta, the charming town of Orta San Giulio is truly a hidden gem for families looking to relax. With its picturesque, pedestrian town, stunning lake (and island!) views, it’s a slice of Italy unlike any I’d experienced before.

  We couldn’t have gotten luckier with our vacation rental. If I’m being honest, I chose the Airbnb and that’s what landed us in this town, of which I’d known nothing about beforehand. Renovated with modern touches, it’s a small two-bedroom apartment that overlooks the town’s main square and just beyond it, the Island of Silence. And while cars aren’t allowed in the city, it conveniently offered garage parking a short walk away. And in the most family-friendly perk, the owners also offer a private and grassy lakeside lawn for day rentals along with your stay. We took the pack-and-play, let the baby nap under the shade of a tree, and everyone had the absolute dreamiest, laziest lakeside day.
  [See all of our recommended activities here.]

• LAUTERBRUNNEN: Adventure in the valley
  A lush valley surrounded by sky-high mountain peaks, with a darling town and gushing cliffside waterfall. What more could you want? Conveniently located near Interlaken and all that it has to offer, you’ll find comfort, convenience and a million mountains to climb. And thankfully, Lauterbrunnen offers a train station with easy access to all of the connecting points that you most places you’ll want to go, where you may then connect on to cble cars, funiculars or gondolas.

  We opted to stay in this two-bedroom VRBO at the edge of town, which sleeps five and has an average rate of less than $300 per night. It offered all the standard amenities, fairly basic European design, and STUNNING valley views. From the back patio, we watched paragliders land, and from every room you could see the falls in their constant motion (lit up at night, too!). From the condo, town is just a 10-15 minute walk, most of it along a gushing glacial river.
  [See all of our recommended activities here.]
  

Road trips aren’t for the faint of heart. Especially if you’ve got little ones in the car with you, squirming in car seats and always one bumpy road away from needing a barf bag. (Sorry, we had to say it.) These must-haves - including a clever spinning snack tray - have helped in a pinch.

• Sticker Wow | $9 (Fan fave! Not pictured, but on sale.)

• Snack Spinner | $30

• Dress Up Travel Tins | $11 (These tins are handy for Magnatile builds!)

• Magnatile 15-Piece Kit | $23

• Dramamine | $5

• LCD Doodle Board | $17 (20% off coupon!)

• Flexible Rubber Sunnies | $8

An adventurous escape near Branson

Not far from Branson, Missouri you’ll find this self-described wilderness resort, created by the founder of sporting goods store Bass Pro Shops. As one might imagine, it’s an adventurous destination, with top-notch accommodations, lake access via beach, pedal boats, canoes and kayaks; kiddie pool and lazy river; water sports; golf; gourmet dining; and activities galore.

All of it is packaged up in a festive and family friendly atmosphere. In particular, Fun Mountain is 50,000-square-feet of entertainment, including bumper cars, arcade, bowling, ropes course and kids’ climbing area and nature center.

See more photos on Instagram: @bigcedarlodge

Need more ideas? The Kid-Friendly Stays travel directory is the perfect first stop in your next family vacation adventure, wherever you wanna go(!), offering a curated collection of hotels, resorts, Airbnbs and VRBOs for your perusal.

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