10 excursion tips for your family vacation in Ticino
Estimated reading time: 12 minutesFamily vacation. What could be better? Finally, time, relaxation and peace. Well, to be honest, the journey often ends up in arguments. The mood is gone, the children are screaming and the well-deserved rest does not want to come.
But you know what? We have something for you! Great tips for a relaxing vacation. No really, you will have it. And an insider tip at the very beginning and not as usual at the end. We have a super children’s area, our Dino Club, with qualified staff who look after your children from morning till night. Quiet at the pool? Guaranteed! And if you’ve had enough togetherness, you can look forward again as a family to terrific excursions. Ticino is a great playground for everyone who enjoys nature and cultural highlights.
Have fun browsing through our tips in good and bad weather. We report, you pack, read and enjoy.
When the weather is good
Excursion tip 1 – Swinging high like Tarzan through the jungle of Ticino
Excursion tip 2 – Ahoi to the water rats among us!
Excursion tip 3 – Explore the surroundings on a treasure hunt
Excursion tip 4 – Marvel at the kings of the air
Excursion tip 5 – Marbles in chestnut forest
In case of bad weather
Excursion tip 6 – Welcome to the chocolate land
Excursion tip 7 – For all small (and large) model railway fans
Excursion tip 8 – “The Dream” – A race against time
Excursion tip 9 – There can never be enough water
Excursion tip 10 – Playfully discover the art
1/4 Activities for the little ones
– Giardino children's program: mini golf, treasure hunt, Dino Kids Club2/4 Activities for children
– Children's program Giardino: nature exploration through hiking, biking, and cable car rides, mini golf, rope park, Dino Kids Club3/4 Activities for teenagers
– Giardino summer program: Alpine hiking/biking, water sports (surfing, SUP, sailing, boat trips), paragliding, rope park adventure4/4 Activities parents and grandparents
– Giardino summer program: Alpine hiking/biking, water sports (surfing, SUP, sailing, boat trips), walks, art/culture on Lake Maggiore, golf at Club Patriziale Ascona, shopping, dipiù spa treatments“Cover me in sunshine, shower me with good times”
These song lines by Pink are probably known to many. They fit perfectly with your vacation plans around Lake Maggiore. Because the Ticino, which bears the honorable title “Sunroom of Switzerland” by its Mediterranean climate, offer you and your loved ones endless possibilities in the sunshine. Feelings of happiness and good times are pre-programmed for young and old.
Ticino, the “Sunroom of Switzerland” – There are many excursion possibilities for families around Lake Maggiore in the sunshine.
Excursion tip 1 – Swinging high like Tarzan through the jungle of Ticino
Your family needs an adrenaline kick and you would like to feel like Tarzan for once in your life? That’s exactly what you can do in the Rope Park Gordola at dizzying heights. In this adventure park, young and old, from a minimum height of 1.20 m, can prove their courage on different routes, climbing one height platform after another by means of walking and safety ropes. Once mastered, the proud feeling spreads in the chest of being able to successfully master any challenge, no matter how difficult.
The Rope Park Gordola is only 16 minutes by car from our Hotel Giardino Ascona. The park is integrated in the area of the Gordola Sports Center (CST), it is certified according to the safety label “Safety in Adventure” and according to the safety label “Swiss TS”.
High above – Goes it in the Rope and Adventure Park Gordola.
Excursion tip 2 – Ahoi to the water rats among us!
Lake, sunshine, Mediterranean climate – a perfect tip for the water rats among us. Because just between us – what is a hotel stay near Lake Maggiore without having been there yourself? There are numerous ways, especially for families, to spend the day in the sun. At the same time, don’t forget the essentials like sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and enough water.
Well equipped – Remember essentials like our dipiù sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and plenty of water for a day on and around the lake.
So you can spend the day with the kids quite comfortably at beach resorts, like Lido Ascona. Splashing, beach volleyball, table tennis and other games on, on and especially in the lake are just some of the options that await you and your children around Lake Maggiore. Many feelings are sure to arise there – just not boredom. How about testing your balance on a stand-up paddle (SUP) as well as leisurely cruising along the lake on a canoe, or pedalo with the whole family? For those looking for more action and sporting activity, there are also places where you can practice your water skiing and wakeboarding skills, as well as cruise around the lake on a “banana boat”. Surely comfortable is also a day on a motorboat or sailboat.
As a break in between, the shady spots under the palm trees are also perfect, where you can read a book in peace and have a snack. A day at and on the lake – simply wonderful!
A day on and around Lake Maggiore – Activities on Lake Maggiore in good weather can be varied and exciting for all members of the family.
Excursion tip 3 – Explore the surroundings on a treasure hunt
Are you brave enough to set out with the whole family in search of the unique and hidden treasures of Lake Maggiore? Through exotic, wild thickets, mountains and beaches and much more you will have to go to finally discover the treasure at your chosen destination of choice. This will be a family and puzzle adventure par excellence, we promise.
At the five destinations: Ascona, Locarno, the Brissago Islands, Orselina and Tenero you can ask for the treasure map at the information desks of Ascona-Locarno Tourism and off you go in search of the treasure at your chosen destination! You follow the clues and traces and hand in the map at the end at the information desk, surely a small reward is waiting for the brave discoverers! The individual treasure hunts all last about 1.5 hours and are free of charge. More information about the starting points of the treasure hunts can be found here!
Let’s go for the adventure! – Take up the challenge with the whole family and find the treasures around Lake Maggiore. | 🎥 Ascona-Locarno Tourism
Excursion tip 4 – Marvel at the kings of the air
Eagles, falcons, owls and vultures, for those who want to take it a little easier. Only 8 minutes by car from Giardino Ascona, discover the exciting world of birds of prey at the Falconeria in Locarno. You will have the opportunity to observe and photograph the kings of the air in free flight in a naturally designed environment. After all, when do you ever get so close to them? The air shows let you dive into a completely different world and guarantee pure fascination for Mother Nature.
A fascination in itself – Marvel at the world of birds of prey with the whole family at the Falconeria in Locarno.
Excursion tip 5 – Marbles in the chestnut forest
How about a hiking trail to explore the beautiful landscape of Ticino in a playful way? That sounds like music to your ears? It really does. Therefore, our next tip is called BoBosco – Boccia al Bosco – which is a marble run in a chestnut forest. In total, this marble run is 5.5 kilometers long and leads from Brione Verzasca to Lavertezzo. The challenging course, with elements such as pulleys and ropes, among others, offers a lot of fun and variety for the whole family. In addition, every member of the family gets some fresh air, exercise and a beautiful natural spectacle in the Ticino countryside. Those who need a break simply retire to the picnic areas.
The path is open all day, only the sale of the bocce balls does not take place from mid-November to mid-March. The bocce balls can be purchased at various points of sale, or a vending machine for 7 CHF.
Boccia al Bosco – Playfully, your children can join you in exploring the area and mastering the course. | 🎥 Associazione BoBosco
And if it rains?
No problem. Because as the saying goes, “The art of living is learning to dance in the rain instead of waiting for the sun.” True to this motto, we’ve collected some ideas on how you can still spend the day having a good time as a family.
Bad weather? – No problem! Discover Ticino even in the rain!
Excursion Tip 6 – Welcome to Chocolate Land
Chocolate is simply a tradition in Switzerland. That is why it is important to learn more about this delicacy during a visit to the “Land of Chocolate”. The Alprose Chocolate Museum presents the world of chocolate from its beginnings to the present day and can be reached by car from Giardino Ascona in one hour. In addition to an outline of the history and origins of chocolate, and Swiss chocolate in particular, there is a special highlight: visitors see live the various processing steps involved in making chocolate. They observe how the liquid mass is created, poured into shape and finally packaged. And, of course, they are allowed to have a nibble at the end. This will make both small and large chocolate fans particularly happy.
Once the hunger for delicious chocolate specialties has been awakened, visitors can shop to their heart’s content in the museum’s own store.
Dive! – Into a world full of chocolate!
Excursion tip 7 – For all small (and large) model railway fans
In your family there are model train and collector fans? Then the Baumgartner Gallery
is the right address for you, this makes collectors’ hearts beat faster! Because in the gallery private collections and also other kinds of the model construction are issued. You can see a permanent exhibition and also novelties of the manufacturers and the constructors. Other exhibitions deal, for example, with the development of the Swiss Post, as well as telling the associated history of this. Material from the central post office of Lugano is mainly shown. In the Baumgartner Gallery there are also model cars, replicas of Märklin models, the collection of Arnaldo Pocher, a manufacturer of railroad and car models, models of old sailing and steam ships up to the modern versions of the motor ships of Lake Lugano.
Pure nostalgia! – An experience for all history and model railroad fans.
Excursion tip 8 – “The Dream” – A race against time
Tick tock tick tock… the hourglass is running. In this exciting mission, you and your entire family will embark on a puzzle adventure. For Timothy was sleeping peacefully, however, a mysterious wizard approached, which now imprisons Timothy in his dreams. Your task as a family will be to find the spell within 60 minutes, which will break the wizard’s curse. In Escape Room Losone you will be given many clues, keys and codes to successfully complete the misson. However, the question is: will you manage to break the curse in the given time?
This tip is for all puzzle lovers and is suitable for a group size of two to eight people, and for children from nine years. By car you can reach the Escape Room Losone in 8 to 10 minutes from the Hotel Giardino Ascona.
Mystery fans watch out – A race against time begins.
Excursion tip 9 – There can never be enough water
It’s raining outside, but you still don’t want to sit in the dry?
Visit the Lido Locarno, which is only 11 minutes by car from the Hotel Giardino Ascona. It is an oasis for all water rats who are looking for sports, fun and wellness. Because in the complex there are countless indoor and outdoor pools, an Olympic pool, a thermal pool as well as a play pool and four great water slides that release an adrenaline rush even on rainy days.
Water is your element? – Even on rainy days it is possible in Ticino.
Excursion tip 10 – Discover art through play
Interaction, art, emotions and play – you can expect all this at the Museo in Erba. It is an art museum with interactive exhibitions and studios, which through its unique concept in Ticino brings children closer to topics such as art, science and civics. The aim is to introduce the topics to the children in a playful way and to strengthen the discovery of the world with reality. However, there are not only exhibition rooms, but also a studio for the little ones aged four to eleven, where they can become active themselves.
Something for doers – In the museum children can also live out their creativity.
Conclusion
Whether one or all ideas convince you, we will be happy to organize everything in advance at Hotel Giardino Ascona. So you don’t have to worry about anything during your family vacation together. If you have any questions about the prices for the individual activities and their organization, please contact our concierge team or visit the websites of the providers.
You are also welcome to check out our page on all the hotel specific features and information for families for our Hotel Giardino Ascona.
You haven’t booked a room yet, or you need support with your ideas? Our team will be happy to help you with the realization of your wishes!
We are looking forward to meeting you!