Located on the shores of the Rhein river in Zurich’s “Unterland” amongst tall shady trees, you will find the modern camping ground TCS – Flaach am Rhein. From pitches for vans and tents to adorable rentable safari-style huts, this Swiss campground, located next to the local swimming pool and nature museum, is perfect for families, nature lovers and especially those with bikes.
So one Friday afternoon in late August, we, in our VW van, and friends in a rented Motorhome, spent a rainy weekend at TCS Flaach, and this is what we discovered:
What type of accommodation is on offer at TCS Flaach am Rhein?
This campground is divided into three sections:
- The front tree-filled area with large pitches suitable for pop-top vans, caravans and large motorhomes. This is also where you will find rentable accommodation such as safari tents, cabins and circus wagons.
- The large back grassed lot is a lot more open plan, with minimal trees. But has generous pitches for all types of vans.
- The grassed riverside field is reserved especially for tents, where only a row of trees separates you from the Rhein river.
The facilities at TCS Flaach am Rhein?
You will find two amenities blocks, one in the centre of the campground, the other closer to the front, both with well maintained and modern bathroom facilities. Here you will also find washing up and laundry facilities, including dryers.
The campground boasts a helpful front desk and undercover outdoor lounge area at the main entrance. The kids will love the games room and ping pong table and enjoy the organised kids’ activities (only at peak times).
The campground has a small grocery shop with the basics and the possibility to pre-order fresh bread. Even garden-fresh herbs are available to pick to use for your dinner right near reception. But as there is no closeby supermarket, you will want to bring most of your supplies with you.
All about the food – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner: What are your recommendations?
We knew we would arrive quite late on Friday evening, so we booked ahead to eat at the on-site restaurant “Rübis und Stübis“. Lucky we did! Even with the campground only half-full, the restaurant was booked out. The food we ordered was delicious, and the atmosphere was so welcoming that guests also came from outside the campground. If the restaurant is full, you could, though, order takeaway to eat at your pitch.
I was glad we had planned our meals for the rest of our trip, as the small shop on-site only was stocked for basic meals, and there was no supermarket within close proximity. For our next visit, we will be sure to pack some marshmallows to roast on one of the fire pits.
Tip: The local farm Rafz, which belongs to the Jucker Farm group, has a large farm shop just off the highway, which is an excellent place to stock up on local produce.
What activities does the campsite offer?
Right on-site, you will find “Naturzentrum Thurauen“, a nature centre with interactive elements and an educational walk, included in your accommodation price. The younger members of our group loved the interactive aspects of the nature museum, learning about the local animals and plants. Us parents loved that we had an easy to do activity right on our doorstep.
Also, right next door, you will find the local swimming pool, which even has a slide and is also free to use for camping guests. We, unfortunately, didn’t get to swim thanks to the cold and wet weather. There are also swimming and floating options in the river too.
The campsite offers bike rental for exploring the area, and as mentioned above, organised activities for kids in peak seasons.
What to see and do outside the campground?
Thanks to the campground’s location on relatively flat (well for Switzerland) terrain, the campground is an excellent base for long walks and bike rides through idyllic fields.
There is a lot to see in the area, from walking through small villages and visiting small farm shops and local vineyards to sites a little further afield like Eglisau, the Rhein waterfalls or Bad Zurzach.
Any tips for what not to forget?
Bikes! TCS Flaach is a bikers paradise and a great place to get your kids biking longer distances on safe bike paths! Also, don’t forget to bring food supplies if you don’t want to leave the campground or eat at the restaurant.
Best way to book?:
Book directly through the TCS website. And since this is one of their most popular campgrounds, especially in the summer holidays, make sure you book in advance.
Good to know:
The campground is located past Zurich airport, so if arriving on a Friday for a weekend, be mindful you may get stuck in peak hour traffic on your drive there.
Also, on arrival, I remember a staff member being very protective of their green grass when showing us our pitch, asking us not to use plastic lined blankets and tarps on our site. I am, however, unsure if this had to do with the wet weather or not.
The verdict: What sets this campground apart from the rest?
Despite it raining 80% of our trip and our pitch turning into a puddle, we still managed to have an excellent time and can’t wait to return one day for longer than a weekend to explore the area. This time, of course, with our bikes.
I was also surprised at how beautiful this area of canton Zürich is! While not the mountains Switzerland is famous for, the flatlands of Zurich’s wine and agriculture region is really an underrated gem!
