Less known than Switzerland’s dramatic alpine destinations, the southern region of Ticino is a popular year-round destination for European travelers. There’s still time to enjoy a host of family-friendly pursuits during a summertime escape. Lake Maggiore extends from northern Italy into this Swiss region, and you can try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding on the lake’s Ascona Sunset Beach, or watch your kids while you indulge in a cooling cocktail at Ascona Lido Sunset Bar. Fifty new, colorful bungalows perfect for families — complete with kitchens, bedding, WiFi, televisions and deckchairs — are available at Campofelice in Tenero, also on the shore of Lake Maggiore. For fun, board the funicular train located in the village of Piotta, then hike the lakeside mountain paths in Val Piora through meadows of cows wearing tinkling bells. Other area activities include exploring the Monte San Giorgio fossil museum in Meride, where fossils dating back 230 million years ago are on display, pulled from the ancient sea basin that comprises present-day Ticino. There’s even an educational geological-paleontological trail. You can also experience Switzerland’s popular Foxtrail, a scavenger hunt through urban Lugano. The two-plus hour-long hunt winds through the charming town’s hidden corners and byways. Families can also embark on a llama-trekking expedition in various Ticino locations, including Hanspeter Frei in Malcantone. Mount Tamaro’s Adventure Park provides opportunities for thrilling activities such as a rope course through the treetops, a 2,600-plus-long toboggan run, mountain bike descents and water time at Splash & Spa water park, complete with wave pool. Also nearby, visitors can experience the art of falconry at Locarno Falconry, where horseback riders perform dressage maneuvers in a roofed gallery while eagles, buzzards, owls and vultures soar above them.