6 days for snowboarding & more in November

Hello All! I will be in Switzerland from Monday, November 20th (arriving at 10:20 am in Zurich) through Saturday, November 26th (departing at 6:25 pm). I will have a rental car the whole week and I would really appreciate any suggestions on things to do/places to see.

Coming from New York with not so tall/amazing ski mountains, my main interests are snowboarding in the Swiss Alps for at least 2 days (I know only Zermatt and Saas Fee and maybe a select few resorts will be open) and visiting the beautiful towns of Thun and Interlaken.

Below are some questions in mind:

Are there any other towns/villages I should visit? I LOVE medieval settings with castles. I also like to see snowcapped mountains and lakes.

How much time should I allocate to Thun, Interlaken, others?

Are there places I should go in Zurich? I am not a museum type of person.

Are there any short hikes I can go on with beautiful scenery?

Please feel free to throw in any suggestions! Thank you so much!

Welcome to MySwissAlps chachacha!

November is low season in Switzerland. Some hotels and restaurants in smaller towns will be closed, some cableways might be closed too. The weather isn't great on average (chance of rain, fog, but also snow), but wonderful sunny days are certainly not impossible. If you prepare well (check timetables of cableways, etc.), you will still have a great time though.

For guaranteed snowboarding you indeed will have to visit either Zermatt or Saas-Fee. Both towns are car free, so I certainly would not rent a car for those destinations. You may not need a car at all, but that depends on your further plans. Most higher pass roads will be closed in November. This page might be helpful too.

A combination of four days in Lucerne and two in Zermatt or Saas-Fee might work for you. Please check the Lucerne page for details.

Does this get you started?

Thanks Arno. Unfortunately, because both my boyfriend and I will each have our snowboard + boots + suitcase, we thought it would be a better idea to rent a car instead. It'd be very painful to carry so much on so many train rides.

I had also planned to drive around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

I have allocated 2 days to snowboarding at Zermatt and the rest to Thun, Luzern, Lauterbrunnen, Brienz, and possibly Interlaken (not so sure after reading comments suggesting to avoid). How much time should I allocate to these villages/towns?

I really want to see views like these - www.worldtravelguides. info/wp-content/uploads/2015/0 2/lake-of-4-cantons-lucerne-720x340-728x344.jpg
s1.it.atcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/1 1/shutterstock_2795729 69.jpg

^Do you have any idea where I can drive to see views like this?

How bad is driving at the end of November? I would mainly drive on the A8, A6, A4 or Brunigstrasse.

Again, thank you for your help!

Hi chachacha,

I am quite sure the first image was shot from a hill just north of Sisikon along Lake Lucerne. The second one is the Lauterbrunnen valley. Although there's a road there, you will get the best shots while walking from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg.

There are luggage transport services for train travelers by the way. They are used to getting snowboard from A to B as well. Possibly it's most of what they do in winter :-)

The weather can really be anything in November. You should be prepared for driving in snow, especially on higher roads like the Brünig and roads to Zermatt and Saas-Fee. Although they will clear it as soon as possible, but that may take hours after a snow storm. The highways should be fine. It is also very well possible you won't see a single snow flake. If so, snow in higher altitudes like Zermatt may not be ideal yet. Winter sports season has not started yet, so you will need a bit a luck. It can be wonderful as well. In any case, be prepared for thin air as the all year round pistes are at altitudes of 3000 m and more. Do read the car section for many more details.

How much time to take for towns is really up to you. You can spend 2 hours in Lucerne for a quick walking tour, or days to explore all museums. Interlaken can be skipped. The area is wonderful but the town itself is not the highlight. Just a convenient place to shop, sleep and change trains.

Thanks! I will go with the luggage service then!

Regarding the hike you sent me, will I be able to do that in November?

If hikes are do-able in November, can you suggest some easy hikes with a lake and mountain view?

Thank you!

The suggested hike is on the valley floor. No problem in November, and very easy, unless the weather is really extreme. The hiking page allows you to filter on all kind of hikes. I would pick some below 1500 m, and then check with the tourist agency whether they are accessible when you're there.