Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

💦 Where Waterfalls Meet Wanderlust – Swiss Adventure Based in Lauterbrunnen

Lauterbrunnen is the heart of Switzerland’s storybook scenery – a narrow U-shaped valley flanked by sheer cliffs and dotted with 72 waterfalls, alpine chalets, and cow-dotted meadows that inspired Tolkien’s Rivendell. The village itself is small but perfectly positioned between Mürren, Wengen, and Grindelwald, making it an ideal base for exploring the Jungfrau region and beyond. From here, we set out on some of our favorite adventures – hiking from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg via the Panorama Trail and the Eiger Trail, tackling the ridge hike from Schynige Platte to Grindelwald First, riding the gondola to Oeschinensee for the lake loop and mountain toboggan, and ending with a ferry ride across Lake Thun. The charming main street is lined with cafés, shops, and the phenomenal Hotel Oberland Restaurant, while chalets like our Nussbaumerhaus 3 Airbnb offer cozy kitchens and patios overlooking the valley. Whether chasing alpine peaks or unwinding beneath waterfalls, Lauterbrunnen is the perfect mix of adventure and tranquility.

Continue Reading

October 11, 2025 by
Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

🌊 Oeschinensee to Thun – Swiss Lake Splendor

Our final day in Berner Oberland brought a mix of sunshine, clouds, and the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation. We took the train to Kandersteg, rode the gondola up to Oeschinensee, and started the morning with an exhilarating run on the mountain toboggan before setting out on the Lake Oeschinen Loop. This high-alpine hike wound past waterfalls, cliffs, and wildflower meadows with nonstop views of the glacier-fed turquoise lake below. The terrain was steep and rocky in places, but the scenery was nothing short of spectacular. Along the way, we shared the trail with a few curious cows, including one that tried to steal my lunch right off the beach near the lakeshore. As clouds rolled in, we swapped mountain vistas for lakeside charm, visiting Spiez Castle, taking the Lake Thun ferry, and watching local surfers ride the standing river wave in Thun.

Continue Reading

October 10, 2025 by
Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

Schynige Platte to Grindelwald First: Switzerland’s Ultimate Ridge Hike via Faulhorn & Bachalpsee

On a vacation packed with epic hikes, this one easily ranks among our all-time favorites. After boarding the historic cogwheel train to Schynige Platte, we set out on our first and only ridge hike, with Interlaken and Lakes Thun and Brienz stretching out on one side and Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau towering on the other. The panoramic views alone put this trail in the “best hike we’ve ever done” category. We climbed past the Faulhorn summit and the stunning Bachalpsee, ending at Grindelwald First, where adventure continued with the cliff walk, Trottibike ride down the mountain, and a well-earned fondue dinner inside a gondola in Grindelwald.

Continue Reading

October 8, 2025 by
St. Louis, Travel

🎼 Powell Hall: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Brings Magic to Life

Powell Hall isn’t just a concert venue – it’s where history and harmony hit all the right notes. Originally opened in 1925 as the St. Louis Theatre, this French Renaissance beauty has been lovingly restored to blend old-world glamour with modern rhythm. The chandeliers shimmer a little brighter, the acoustics sing a little clearer, and the vibe? Pure symphonic magic. Whether you’re there for Harry Potter, LOTR, or a soul-stirring John Williams symphony, Powell Hall strikes the perfect chord – proving that some classics only get better with time.

Continue Reading

October 5, 2025 by
Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

đź‘‘ Switzerland – Männlichen Royal Walk to Kleine Scheidegg via Panorama Trail + Eiger Trail + Wengen

Sweeping alpine panoramas and a herd of cows that literally joined us on the trail set the stage for one of the most unforgettable hikes of our Switzerland adventure. We started the day by checking out of our beloved hotel in Mürren and moving into a chalet on the valley floor in Lauterbrunnen, before riding the train up the opposite rim to Wengen and the cable car to Männlichen. From there, we climbed to the summit on the Royal Walk, then continued along the Panorama Trail with the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau filling the horizon while cowbells jingled at our side. After a scenic lunch at Restaurant Eigernordwand in Kleine Scheidegg, the challenge ramped up with a climb to Eigergletscher on the Jungfrau Eiger Walk past the sparkling Fallbodensee. Then we tackled the Eiger Trail, a rugged cliffside descent that delivered views of the sheer Eiger North Face. We wrapped up with some time in Wengen – the Mürren equivalent on the eastern rim – before returning to Lauterbrunnen.

Continue Reading

September 29, 2025 by
Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

🏔️ Where Cliffs Touch the Clouds – Swiss Thrills Based in Mürren

MĂĽrren is a car-free alpine village perched high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and reached only by cable car and mountain railway. For four nights on our 2025 trip, we marveled at MĂĽrren’s unreal beauty with a balcony at Hotel Alpina that opened straight onto the silhouettes of the big three – Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. With its flower-lined chalets, quiet lanes, and views that stop you in your tracks, it set the stage for some of our most unforgettable adventures – tackling the thrilling via ferrata to Gimmelwald, soaring on a paraglider from Birg, hiking the Northface Trail, and riding up to the legendary Schilthorn.

Continue Reading

September 24, 2025 by
Europe, Filming Location, Switzerland, Travel

🪂 Above the Swiss Alps – Schilthorn Piz Gloria, Birg Thrill Walk & Paragliding Lauterbrunnen Valley

Our last day in Mürren was all about thrills worthy of a James Bond film. We began by ascending to the legendary Schilthorn, where the revolving Piz Gloria restaurant served a panoramic breakfast buffet with views of more than 200 alpine peaks. This mountaintop, made famous in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, paired cinematic history with jaw-dropping scenery. On the way down, we tested our nerves on the Birg Thrill Walk, inching across glass panels, steel nets, and a tightrope suspended high above the valley floor. But nothing compared to the afternoon’s highlight – paragliding from Birg to Stechelberg over the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Taking off at nearly 8,200 feet and descending over the course of a 20-minute flight, we soared past waterfalls, cliffs, and alpine villages.

Continue Reading

September 23, 2025 by
Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

🧗 From Cliffs to Chalets: Mürren to Gimmelwald on Switzerland’s Most Thrilling Via Ferrata

Dangling off sheer cliffs high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, the Mürren Via Ferrata (Italian for “iron way”) is one of the most thrilling adventures we’ve ever done. This 1.4-mile route links Mürren with storybook Gimmelwald, following a path of iron rungs, ladders, and exposed cliff walks nearly 2,000 feet above the valley floor. Along the way you’ll cross a tightrope, zip line, and suspension bridge, all while clipped into steel cables that keep you safe should you slip. The journey finished in the tiny, flower-decked village of Gimmelwald, where we enjoyed lunch at Pension Gimmelwald, before browsing honesty shops for souvenirs and cheese. Whether you’re chasing an adrenaline rush or the charm of an alpine hamlet, the Mürren Via Ferrata to Gimmelwald delivers both in unforgettable fashion.

Continue Reading

September 17, 2025 by
Europe, Hiking, Switzerland, Travel

🚴‍♂️ Switzerland – Bikes, Hikes & Waterfalls from MĂĽrren → Lauterbrunnen

TrĂĽmmelbach & Staubbach Falls and Northface Trail

Day three intertwined motion, mist and mountains as we biked the valley, chased waterfalls, and hiked the Northface Trail. We rolled downhill from MĂĽrren to quaint Gimmelwald to snag a souvenir cowbell at the Honesty Shop. With bikes in tow, we rode the cable car to Stechelberg and cruised the Lauterbrunnen Valley, pausing for the thunder of TrĂĽmmelbach Falls and the iconic sweep of Staubbach Falls in the famed Valley of 72 Waterfalls. Back in MĂĽrren, the Allmendhubel funicular set us up for the Northface Trail, an easy stroll through cow pastures and wildflowers with the Eiger and Jungfrau playing peekaboo in the clouds.

Continue Reading

September 13, 2025 by
Europe, Switzerland, Travel, Wine Region

🏰 Castles, Chemistry & Capital Charm along the Lakes of Switzerland

CERN, Nyon, Chillon, Aigle, Gruyères, Thun, Oberhofen, Bern & St. Beatus

Switzerland was spectacular. Our first two days unfolded in French-speaking Switzerland, kicking off at CERN where we geeked out over the Large Hadron Collider exhibit and the original Tim Berners-Lee web server. From there we hugged the north shore of Lake Geneva past terraced vineyards to storybook castles like Château de Nyon and the fairy-tale Château de Chillon, before overnighting in Villeneuve. Day two began amid vines at the 12th-century Château d’Aigle, continued to hilltop Gruyères for its castle and cheese factory. We then ventured to the capital of Bern to see its famous bears, Thun and Oberhofen lakeside castles, and the waterfall-laced St. Beatus Caves with serious Rivendell vibes.

Continue Reading

September 9, 2025 by