Alright! I apologize in advance. I am bringing 30 Americans into the country, throughout the coming week. 30. 3-0.
Gettin' hitched on the 21st and they're starting the attack on Sunday. I will be at the airport twice a day through the week. (My lovely fellow is, however, taking the day after my bachelorette party, so that I may sleep in).

I NEED HELP.
Anyone got some fun ideas for entertaining Americans visiting the city? I got a couple small activities planned, but not many. The reason for this may be that the activities have certain requirements:
- cheap (ish)
- not early in the day
- not far away
- not anything that requires too much interaction with people who don't speak English.

Like I said, sorry. Hope they won't get in your way on the tram.

Any help'd be great!!!!!!

Picnic, so long as the weather holds. This can be done anywhere. Have some fun and do it at Paradeplatz, rugs and all.

The ferries on the lake are wonderfully relaxing. Picnic there. Drink wine.

Walk along the Uetliberg. Picnic. Drink some wine. Make a fire, grill lamb racks.

Arrange a private tour at the Masaola Hall at the Zoo. Swiss Jungle! Picnic.

Buy frisbees and spend the afternoon at the Lakeside, ZuriHorn, with the Rastas. You could have a picnic.

Of course, tell them to bring swimwear. (Your friends, not the Rastas)

Do a walking tour of Zurich. Search this on the Forum.

Bring them to the Talacker on Wednesday night. I guess a picnic would be OK there...

ah yes, I wondered how long the thinly-veiled "send the cute ones down the pub to meet me"-type post might take.

26 minutes

Take them on this:

Since this most definitely is on-topic for this forum - in that it directly concerns Switzerland I'm going to move it out of the off-topic area into the appropriate area for it - Travel, Day Trips and Free Time.

Fantastic ideas all, Uncle Max. All but the last, as it conflicts with my hen party. Priorities, priorities.
Thank you.
Any advice on what cheese to bring on this picnic? Just kidding

Hi, we had a week having a recce in May so did a couple of touristy things.

I can recommend a boat trip down Zurichsee to Rapperswil (we only went one way on teh boat, got the train back for various reasons) - good direction to go (ie south) as you're going towards the mountains.

Stunning if it's a fine day.

Or there's the 186 steps to the top of Grossmunster tower, where the views are stunning.

Enjoy the hen party

Uetliberg is excellent. Make sure you have your own mini-grill if you do plan on grilling there (unless I've missed out on the shared grills). The last time I was up there we even had people asking us if they could borrow ours (we had to leave because I was working at 6 am the next day).

Visit the "Biergarten" thread -- I'd say head to Baden for an evening, but maybe there is actually one in Zürich that is as good (Gemütlich) and as inexpensive.

Spend a day walking the Altstadt. Walk all around -- up to the Universities, along Niederdorf (visit the Grossmunster), go down to the Zürichhorn, back up across Quaibrücke and up Bahnhofstrasse (visit Fraumünster). While in the process of going up Bahnhofstrasse head up to Lindenhof -- the view is very nice.

Consider a day trip to either St. Gallen or Schaffhausen / Rheinfall. They're not that far away. Within that mold, why not Basel (1 hour away) or Luzern (50 minutes)? Zürich is very central...

If you want to save as much money as possible, why not go one a hike in the Zürcher Oberland? Or a take a very-close train trip (or as the others mentioned, boat ride) to Rapperswil.

As long as Max promises not to wear that tie again. Or at least to wear a different one...

dave

My 80's tie is retro; yours is original

Jess, I don't see why you can't enjoy the Talacker with the Honies after your Hen-night meal at the Subway around the corner. Come on, push the classy boat out for once!

The hen party is out of my hands and in those of my friend Olivia. Sorry.

Hey, what do y'all think about a scavenger hunt in the Bahnhoffstr?
Any ideas for questions that they can answer? At my old Uni we did a scavenger hunt on a market street and it was quite fun.

Do you all feel really bad for my guests now?
After the wedding were staying in Önigen on the Bodensee. so we'll do Rheinfall and what not then. The wedding is in Rohrschak, so San Galen is also covered.
It's sad that we have to stay near the city for the week. Got two trips to the airport a day to pick folks up.

Do y'all know that you can go underground at the Lindenhof? You gotta get the key from the Architecture school and then..... you can open the ground up!!!!!!!!!! Underneath is super old walls from Roman times. Quite interesting, but....YOU CAN OPEN UP THE GROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep the ideas coming y'all. They're great.

I would take them to the Greifensee (S-Bahn from Stadelhofen to Uster), lots of fun activities around the lake, grill by the lake, swim, drink beer in an open container in public (Americans=), etc.