The best tips for a family outing with teenagers in Zurich
How can parents inspire their teenagers to go out on trips together? The family blogger Rita Angelone gives tips for a relaxing stay in Zurich.
the essentials in brief
- A city like Zurich offers a huge range of youth-friendly activities.
- Activities with lots of fun, action and thrills are particularly popular with teenagers.
- Young people want to have a say in the choice of destination and program design.
Unlike with smaller children, who do not like to walk long distances and often suffer from overstimulation, trips, weekend trips or holidays in cities work very well with teenagers.
Young people like things lively, modern and multicultural – cities offer teenagers everything their heart desires, from shopping opportunities to take-aways to free Wi-Fi zones, so to speak.
A city break is therefore a good choice for a successful family activity. The following advice will also help.
Include the whole family in the planning
The teenagers should soon be involved in destination selection and activity planning. They often take a little longer to get used to ideas that come from outside.
When designing the program, you have to make sure that every family member gets their money’s worth.
Even if teenagers often seem a bit lethargic, they love activities with lots of exercise, fun, action, and thrills. Activities such as cycling, scavenger hunts, tobogganing, rope parks or escape rooms are particularly popular with them.
Since young people are constantly hungry and thirsty, it is well advised to always have enough provisions with you or, when planning, to make sure that there is a kiosk or restaurant on site that is suitable for teenagers.
Despite all the possibilities for fun & action – family adventures with teenagers are best if the program is not overloaded and there is enough space to simply do nothing.
Or as young people like to say: To chill out.
Zurich is “approved for teenagers”
Zurich has lots of cool things to offer for families with teenagers. City fans and sports enthusiasts as well as nature lovers and culture lovers will get their money’s worth in the Limmatstadt.
The best urban tips
Zurich offers teenagers in love with the city everything their heart desires. The best thing about it: You can easily explore the city on foot or by tram and bus.
The best place to go to play, grill and chill is on the Josefwiese. Right next to it, YOU can eat and shop in the viaduct.
The Europaallee next to the main train station is also ideal for a shopping tour. The Kosmos cultural temple is also located here. Check the offer in advance.
If your teenager likes to skate, then you should definitely visit the Freestyle Park Allmend at Sihlcity.
A Foxtrail through the city also offers variety. Those who like it more relaxed can experience the city with a walk along the Limmat – from the chic Bellevue to the hip Werdinsel.
experience nature
Even if older children in particular often have other things on their minds than going out into nature with the family, it is worth doing some persuasion.
Because: When the kids get involved, in the end they appreciate it just as much as we parents just to switch off. Especially when it comes to activities in nature, there are opportunities for conversations that would never happen at home.
The panorama path along from Rapperswil to Meilen is recommended. The castle ruins Friedberg or the Bächlihof Jona are also worth a visit.
For a more sporty activity, a trip to the Lützelsee on foot or by bike is ideal.
The best sports tips
Sport is always a guarantee of success on excursions together, and the whole family welds together. In and around Zurich there are numerous opportunities for indoor and outdoor sporting activities.
For example, you can walk or cycle along the Elefantenbachweg.
The Adlisberg is recommended for those who enjoy hiking. Here the Loorenkopf observation tower offers a great view from the Hörnli to the Pilatus.
A bike ride around the Greifensee is popular. This can also be easily circumnavigated with skates.
The Milandia sports and adventure park with a climbing center, fitness park and other sports facilities is also located in Greifensee.
The best culture tips
Zurich has a lively cultural scene with numerous innovative and interactive offers that are surprisingly attractive even for pubescent “culture grouches”.
The Le Corbusier pavilion is an architectural jewel. It is located at the Chinawiese on Lake Zurich, which invites you to chill and grill at the same time when the weather is nice.
Not far from there, on the Zürichhorn, YOU can marvel at the Tinguely “Heureka” machine.
There is also a lot to experience in the WOW Museum in Zurich’s old town. The interactive museum offers rooms full of illusions.
In Winterthur you can experiment and discover fascinating things in the Technorama. This museum is not only recommended for technology fans.
If you have teenagers who are enthusiastic about photography, you should definitely visit the Fotomuseum in Winterthur.
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The detailed version of this text was published simultaneously on Rita Angelone’s blog in cooperation with Zurich Tourism.
Angelone writes about all kinds of experiences as a family.
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