Travel Expectations vs. Reality: A Day in Geneva (Photos)
Our day in Geneva did not follow the plan, but it gave us these memories
Geneva was the first full day of our family trip to Europe. On paper the plan looked perfect. Breakfast at the hotel, chocolate tastings, a cruise on the lake, some shopping, and a sunset walk to close out the night. It was the kind of day you picture when planning a trip with Pinterest boards and Canva itineraries.
Our plan was social media-perfect, but the reality was messy and more true to who we are as a family.
I woke up ready to kick off our first adventure in style. Geneva is beautiful, clean, and full of history, and I wanted our kids to soak up as much as possible. But traveling with a family means things rarely stick to the schedule. And honestly, that is where the best stories come from.
Geneva Expectations vs. Reality
Expectations: Breakfast at the Hotel
Reality: Breakfast On Our Own
The hotel offered breakfast but you had to reserve it the night before because they order precise amounts of food per guest. We did not know that, so we missed out. Snooze you lose, literally.
VIew of Mont Blanc from our hotel in Prévessin-Moëns of the Swiss Alps
✅ Geneva Choco Pass (Overload)
Geneva has a Choco Pass that gives you access to tastings at 10 different chocolate shops. I imagined us as chocolate connoisseurs visiting them all. In reality we made it to about three or four before the kids tapped out. There really is such a thing as too much chocolate.
Lunch & Walk through Geneva Old Town
We didn’t really know what to do here. We saw a beautiful old fountain and just strolled through the streets but then we just gravitated toward the city center.
Walking through Old Town our way to Choco Pass
Cruise On Walk Around Lake Geneva
I had a lake cruise on the schedule but the family energy just was not there. We skipped it, which was a little disappointing at first but ultimately made sense for everyone’s mood. Instead we came across the Jet d'Eau de Genève, which was pretty amazing up close and personal!
Expectations: Free Time for Shopping for Road Trip & Dinner & Sunset Walk
Reality: No Shopping, No Sunset Walk
The shopping time did not happen. The romantic sunset walk did not happen either. What did happen was dinner at French McDonald’s. The kids really wanted to try it so we did. Sometimes fries win over fine dining.
What I Learned:
Always check European hotel breakfast rules before going to bed.
A little chocolate goes a long way.
It is okay to skip something on the itinerary if the energy is not there.
The so-called failures often become the funniest family memories.
Our first day in Geneva was not perfect, but it was real, and it was ours. And that is exactly what this series is about. Stay tuned for the next stop on our family trip: road trip to the south of France!
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Family day in Geneva — chocolate shops, lake views, and French McDonald’s instead of a romantic sunset walk.