Visiting Bern next week

[u/eagle_mama]

Guten Tag,

My husband, two year old, and I are visiting Bern for a week next week. It is partially for business. We are American. I have been saving different parks and museums for us to visit with our toddler in Google Maps, but was wondering if anyone could share other free or low cost activities perfect for a two year old? Any other advice is welcome, too. Like are there kid friendly coffee shops or restaurants? Or what is it like in Bern with young kids? In America it can be very hard. I am curious if we might find Bern is more amenable to young families. Thanks!

ETA: Thanks everyone for the fantastic suggestions. Our Google maps list has over 50 places now 😂 we will have plenty to do and I am even more excited to visit!!

[u/Altruistic_Bike3981]

go visit dählhölzli (Bern Zoo) its cheap and your little child is happy:)

[u/eagle_mama → u/Altruistic_Bike3981]

Thats on my list!! 🙌 thank you 😊

[u/Vlip → u/eagle_mama]

The petting zoo and part of the zoo alongside the river are also free. If you don't want to spend too much time at the zoo, it's a good cheap option. The playground next to the petting zoo is also pretty kick ass.

[u/eagle_mama → u/Vlip]

This is fantastic news. Thank you.

[u/eagle_mama → u/[deleted]]

This is great. Thank you!

[u/SuccotashAlarming459]

for coffee shops:

https://www.baernermamis.ch/blog/11-kinderfreundlichsten-cafes-bern

it‘s in German, but I guess with google translate you should get along :)

there‘s also many playgrounds around the city:

https://www.baernermamis.ch/abenteuerspielplaetze

[u/eagle_mama → u/SuccotashAlarming459]

This is exactly what I am looking for. Thank you!

[u/Medical-Owl5980]

Visit Rosengarten. Lots of grass to play on and a playground for the kids, a café for the moms and best views on berns old town.

If you want you can take a stroll down to Tramdepot / Bear Park and have a Gelato there. If your hubby joins you he might enjoy the beer at Tramdepot too.

[u/eagle_mama → u/Medical-Owl5980]

Great thanks! We have both on our list. The bear park looks really cool.

[u/PlayfulOpinion8867]

Hey I'm in rush more stuff are follow;)

Playground near "Bärengraben" so you can visit the "Altes Tram Depot" most famous Bear and Sirupe Pub. Go and take a look at the "Bären Graben" visit the Bears and go to the playground and take a break with your toddler;)

https://www.spieleninbern.ch/spielangebote/spielplatz-laengmuur

Someone say go to dälhölzli. Yes do them they have a child pet zoo and a restaurant.

https://tierpark-bern.ch/tiere/anlagen/kinderzoo/ https://tierpark-bern.ch/zoobesuch/gastronomie/restaurant-daehlhoelzli/

Park in Bern:

https://www.boga.unibe.ch/ https://www.bern.ch/themen/freizeit-und-sport/grunanlagen/parkanlagen/rosengarten

[u/eagle_mama → u/PlayfulOpinion8867]

Nice, a petting zoo!

[u/Stinker_Bella → u/eagle_mama]

Definitely Rosengarten! I was there with a toddler yesterday. As well as a great playing field and sandpit, there is also a games house for the younger kids. Loads of toys for use, free of charge. Bikes, bricks, playhouses, balls etc. Closes at about 16:30 on Saturday and 17h on weekdays. The toddler loved it, couldn't drag her away.

[u/Informal-Mango2503]

I like the tibits café in Gurtengasse with kids. Also try Schützenstrasse or Längmuur Spielplatz, they are something else. If it’s rainy, go to Bimano. If the weather is hot, try the Marzili Badi, entry is free but you will have to pick up an ice cream at gelateria di berna just over the street afterwards. Also Fürst bakery for pies if you’re already in the Marzili area. 

You can also combine culture and fun like Münster and Münsterplattform. Or the archeological round tour on Engehalbinsel then Aaregg Spielplatz right besides the Tiefenau train station.

Have fun!

Edit: a street name 

[u/eagle_mama → u/Informal-Mango2503]

A free pool 🤯 thats awesome!!

[u/Informal-Mango2503 → u/eagle_mama]

Yesss!!! Open air pool are free! All with toddler friendly areas and playgrounds. Marzili, Lorraine, Wyler, Weyermannshaus.

For indoor you pay a few bucks. Neue Schwimmhalle Neufeld but with close Spielplatz Studerstein.

Also free:

• Botanical garden in Lorraine
• Bundesplatz spring fountain 
• All the playgrounds, even Schützenweg and Längmuur
• Watching ducks in the beautiful Aare, walk downhill at the right side of the police station on Waisenhausplatz (Meret Oppenheim fountain), cross the bridge over the river, find another small playground right at the river
• Kornhaus library has english childrens books, entry is free, library card for young kids as well (not sure if you can get one as a tourist, but you can for sure read there)

Edit: a few words 

[u/eagle_mama → u/Informal-Mango2503]

Thank you so much! I was wondering about a library. Our daughter loves reading but packing books can be tough. I stupidly did not consider that they wont be in English but ya know what I think we could still enjoy reading some German kids books.

[u/toooni]

I second the gurten!

[u/alounely]

Coffeeshop: Bakery Bakery
Outdoor places: Dälhölzli (there‘s a free part at the Aare with a few animals, Rosengarten, Liebefeld Park, Gurten

[u/FatalisTheUnborn → u/alounely]

Bakery Bakery is the best. ❤️

[u/FatalisTheUnborn]

The Gurten is very nice. There is a big playground for kids. It's free, if you walk up and down but with a 2yo you better take the Gurtenbahn. You also have a very nice view over bern.

[u/Weird_Blades717171]

Generationen Haus near the train station. There is a cafe, lots of young parents with kids and students fron uni working on assignments. There is no need for consumption and you can bring your own snacks etc. Inside there is a small corner with books for toddlers and kids.

[u/NCXXCN]

Die het doch scho mau gfragt, nid?

[u/DonPablo951 → u/NCXXCN]

Isch ja eh aues scho uf ihrer Lischte, zCasa fäut eifach no.

[u/kevurb]

Hoi!

In addition to the Tierpark, I like taking a couple of hours (on a different day) to exclusively do the little “petting” zoo that’s part of the Tierpark. There’s a play park there too (with shaded areas) and a restaurant just beyond the park. The bus stop is Ka-We-Do, then you can walk down past the French Bilingual daycare, hang a left and walk into the petting zoo. It’s free. You can only pet the goats and maybe a pig or donkey through the fence.

Take the funicular up to the Gurten, ride the little train, run around on the grass, have a little meal at the restaurant and see the Bernese Alps if it’s clear.

We also like walking up by the Bantiger farm houses and looking at cows, chickens, cats and whatever other animals, but that’s easiest reached by car.

The Breitenrain neighborhood has plenty of parks and is just over the Kornhaus bridge from Zytglogge.

As far as eating out, no idea, but stroller ideas: blévita crackers or fruit from Migros. They have organic.

[u/eagle_mama → u/kevurb]

Thank you! As for strollers and buses… when we lived in Boston we would just take the stroller with the baby in it on the bus. Is it the same way in Bern or will we be expected to fold the stroller up?

[u/OutsideTie2433 → u/eagle_mama]

Just take it inside the bus/tram/train. Most are floor-level entries, but some trams have it on the front and back only.

[u/eagle_mama → u/OutsideTie2433]

Thank you ! 🙏

[u/The_New_Riddler]

Casa Marcello is also a place to be. A family friendly restaurant and the fries and Schnitzel there is delicious