Adelboden is a lovely little village centrally located in the Bernese Oberland. It’s best known for the Adelboden-Lenk ski resort, which manages to attract countless skiers and snowboarders to the region. But skiing isn’t the only way to have fun in the village, and this guide to the top things to do in Adelboden includes the best landmarks and attractions in the area!
Observation decks with spectacular views of the Swiss Alps, historical buildings, and exciting attractions are all included in our detailed guide. Keep reading to see all the best ways to have fun and enjoy your stay in Adelboden!
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How to Get to Adelboden, Switzerland
Adelboden is a village in the Alps, so it’s not exactly the easiest place to reach by public transport. If you have a car, you can easily just drive here. It’s not a car-free village like some others, and you can get around the area in your personal vehicle.
On the other hand, if you’re using public transport, you should know that the village is not serviced by a train station. The closest train station to Adelboden is in Frutigen, which is still about a 30-minute bus ride from the village. The Frutigen station is easily accessed by trains from Spiez and Brig, which have direct connections to most big cities in Switzerland.
From Zurich and Basel, it takes about two and a half hours to get to the village, but that’s the best-case scenario. It’s around 3-4 hours from Geneva, depending on how many stops your train makes.
Best Things to Do in Adelboden
Need some ideas on how to spend your time in Adelboden? Read on to see what other travelers enjoy the most in the lovely village!
Adventure Park
The Adelboden adventure park is a great place to visit if you want to have fun, climb some rocks, and jump from a bridge. If you’re always looking for the next adrenaline rush, this is by far the best place for you in Adelboden.
The entrance to the adventure park is in the western part of Adelboden, very close to the bus stop. The park is open from May to October in both warm and wet weather, but it’s worth noting that they sometimes suspend their operations during thunderstorms. It makes sense since nobody wants to be caught climbing a rock when a thunderstorm hits.
In terms of things to do at the adventure park, there’s everything from ziplines to a giant swing. You can go abseiling in the Choleren Gorge, do a pendulum jump from a bridge, or just try walking across ropes that are suspended in mid-air. There are plenty of ways to have fun at this adventure park, and you can easily spend an entire day here if the weather allows.
On top of that, I have to mention that the park also features three courses specifically for children. Kids who are at least four years old are welcome at the adventure park, where they can get their first taste of what an adrenaline rush feels like!
Trottiland Adelboden
Trottiland Adelboden is a network of trails meant to be explored on Trotti bikes. With seven different trails that have a combined length of 45 kilometers, Trottiland is one of the best summer attractions in Adelboden. Ride the bikes down the mountains exploring the magnificent nature without getting too tired – what’s not to love about that?
Kids are welcome on the trails if they are at least eight years old and 125 cm tall, so they can safely use both brakes on the Trotti. This activity is fun, easy, and perfectly suitable for people who aren’t that into hiking. With the bikes, you’re moving around the area a lot quicker than you would on foot, so you can discover more of the area in the same time period.
On the other hand, you’re also moving at higher speeds, especially on downhill runs. Trotti bikes aren’t exactly foolproof, so it’s still necessary to exercise the same amount of caution you would while mountain biking or hiking. Common sense is key here, but you also need to follow certain rules that include wearing a helmet, giving the right of way to pedestrians, paying attention to your surroundings, respecting signage, etc.
Hiking
The Adelboden area boasts a vast network of hiking trails that can be accessed in both winter and summer. Although the village and its surroundings are more popular for hiking during the summer months, the winter hikes are just as exciting and great for people who aren’t skiers.
The loop trail to Tschentenalp is the most popular for winter hiking in Adelboden. It’s a moderately difficult trail to the Tschentenalp ski resort, where you can enjoy beautiful views, swing on the Giant Swing, and taste local delicacies at a mountaintop restaurant. It’s worth noting that Tschentenalp is also accessible by cable car, but hiking there through the mesmerizing Adelboden nature is much more rewarding.
The Tschentenalp trail is even better in the summer when the conditions are easier and the views are prettier. But it’s certainly not the only hiking trail in the area – whether you’re into theme trails, panoramic views, or up for an exhausting long-distance trek, the Adelboden area won’t disappoint.
Sledding
Sledding – or sledging as the Swiss like to call it – is one of the most popular winter activities in Switzerland, especially among people who aren’t that into skiing and snowboarding. If you want to have fun on the snow-covered slopes but you aren’t very confident on skis and snowboards, this is by far the best thing to do!
The Adelboden-Lenk ski area is the perfect place for sledding in the village. It has multiple sledding trails that you can explore on different types of sleds, great opportunities for night sledding, and even a workshop where you can build a Skibock Sledge.
Skiblock Sledge is pretty much just a block of wood mounted on a ski that you can sit on. It’s sort of unicycle, it’s faster than most two-legged sleds, and it’s absolutely thrilling.
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Mountain Biking
Visit the lovely Adelboden village in the summer if you want easy access to its countless mountain biking trails. With more than 300 kilometers of MTB trails, it’s hard to find a better place for biking in the Alps.
The newest biking trail in the area is Höchst-Trail. It opened in 2022 and it’s a great trail for experienced bikers who love rushing down steep slopes. The trail leads from Höchsthorn mountain station to Bergläger and it has an average gradient of 10%. It’s pretty steep with the occasional jump that is bound to give you an adrenaline rush.
The area boasts plenty of easier trails as well, some of which are perfectly suitable for families with small children. Whether you’re an experienced biker looking for a proper challenge or you’re just getting into mountain biking and want to explore the area, Adelboden offers at least a couple of suitable MTB trails for you!
Choleren Gorge
Choleren Gorge is a popular natural landmark in Adelboden you can visit for free. It’s accessible between May and October, so try to squeeze it into your itinerary if you happen to visit this village during the warmer months.
The gorge is in the northern part of the village and it takes about an hour to walk there from the center of Adelboden. You can also visit the area by car or bus – the parking lot is right next to the bus station, both of which are just a short hike away from the main gorge area.
The loop trail takes you from the parking lot/bus stop along the metal walkways through the gorge. It takes about 50 minutes to complete the loop trail, plus the path is perfectly safe for kids. The sight of the gorge is absolutely stunning, and it makes the entire experience the best free thing to do in the area.
Skiing/Snowboarding
Adelboden is most popular for skiing and snowboarding, so if you want to visit the village for winter sports, you’ve got the right idea. The village is part of a huge ski region that encompasses six areas, and it is connected with Lenk by cable cars.
Overall, the Adelboden-Lenk ski area features more than 115 kilometers of ski slopes. There are 40+ lifts in the area, and too many trails to count. With such a huge variety, it’s no surprise that the ski trails in the area are suitable for everyone, from total amateurs to those with decades of experience.
When it comes to the actual number of trails, I can’t give you a number because there’s no way of knowing. Most lifts take you to a mountain peak, and then it’s up to you to choose one of the many trails to rush down the mountain. The place boasts easy trails, steep trails, short trails, very long trails, and cable cars with heated seats, among other things.
One thing to keep in mind is that the popular ski resort is by no means affordable. The cheapest ski pass for adults is 58 CHF, and that only buys you four hours in the resort. It’s 356 CHF for a seven-day pass, and that includes just access to the lifts. You’ll still have to (over) pay for parking, lockers, drinks, food, and pretty much everything else you might need while you’re there.
Swimming in the mountains
One of the many things Switzerland is known for is the countless opportunities for swimming in the mountains. Whether it’s in the chilly Alpine lakes or heated outdoor pools, swimming outdoors with views of snow-capped mountain peaks is truly an incredible experience.
There’s an outdoor pool in the heart of this village and it’s heaps of fun. It’s a pretty long pool so you can actually swim, plus there’s a dedicated children’s pool for the youngest visitors. The place also includes a sun deck and a diving board, plus it boasts incredible views of the Bernese Alps.
It’s not a heated pool, so it’s open only when the weather is nice and warm enough for swimming. Also, the entrance fee to the pool area is only around CHF 5, or it’s entirely free if you have the Adelboden tourist card. Anyone who spends a night in Adelboden is eligible to get this card, you just have to ask your accommodation provider about it.
Tropic House Frutigen
Tropic House is a caviar farm in Frutigen, a village just some 30 minutes away from Adelboden by bus. It boasts a restaurant inside a greenhouse, and it’s such a unique place that it’s absolutely worth it to go out of your way to visit it while you’re in the area.
The tropical garden in Frutigen is best experienced in the spring and summer, so if you happen to visit during the warmer months, add this wonderful attraction to your list. Explore the tropical garden, try to solve the escape room, discover the exhibits on fish farming and caviar production, and top the night off with a decadent dinner at the on-site restaurant.
A day trip to Frutigen isn’t complete without a visit to Tropic House, which is not just good fun, but one of the top attractions in the Bernese Oberland.
Is Adelboden Worth Visiting?
If you enjoy spending time in nature, hiking, mountain biking, or skiing, Adelboden is undoubtedly a place you should visit at least once in your life. You can have loads of fun here, whether you want to go cross-country skiing or learn about caviar production. The lovely village boasts surprisingly many tourist attractions, most of which remain accessible in every season.
But that’s the thing – the village is most popular with skiers and adventurers who want to go hiking or ride mountain bikes. If you have little interest in such activities, this might not be the best place in Switzerland for you.
Consider traveling to places like Gruyeres or Zermatt – they’re still lovey villages in the Swiss Alps, but with far more content for visitors who would rather visit a museum than go hiking.
