Family Skiing Trips: The Tirol, Austria
by Take The Family
Choosing the perfect family ski holiday can be a challenge – as children grow up and situations change, you’ll find different resorts better suited to your particular life stage, as you evolve from needing childcare to watching your teens overtake you on the slopes.
A Child’s First Ski Trip
When introducing a child to skiing, choose a resort where they can experience both skiing and non-ski activities – trying to push them to ski all day rarely works as they get very tired and are eager to play in the snow as well. Quiet, convenient,and just over 1hr from Innsbruck airport, the beautiful village of Serfaus offers extensive snow-sure skiing and excellent kindergartens with English-speaking staff, dedicated areas for easy learning and the Serfaus Kinderschneealm just for kids, with its own cablecar, restaurant, merry-go-round, bouncy castle, igloo, mini-skidoos and toboggan run. See our feature on a family ski holiday in Serfaus.
With Grandparents Who Don’t Ski
More and more families are opting for three-generation holidays in which grandparents fill the childcare gap, allowing parents can enjoy the slopes to the full. A resort such as Seefeld is an ideal choice for all generations – it’s perfect beginner territory for children to take their first turns and has enough to keep parents happy on the Gschwandkopf and Rosshuette, while grandparents can enjoy winter walking or a day-trip to the nearby city of Innsbruck on their 'day-off'! Try Neilson for family ski holidays in Seefeld.
With Kids 12 and Over
When the kids reach the grand old age of about 12, they start costing more – most resorts charge full adult prices for accommodation and lift passes. So it pays to do your research and pick a resort with a higher child-age limit, such as Obergurgl with its fresh snow, flattering slopes and friendly ski instructors – try our partners Esprit.
With Advanced Teens
It happens to every parent – it seems only moments ago that you watched them carve their first turns but now they’re whizzing past you on the slopes and leaving you way behind. The most important challenge is to keep teens happy, entertained and of course safe. St Anton in the Austrian Tirol is considered one of the best high-alpine ski resorts in the world. Think about enrolling teens in a Piste to Powder course with highly experienced mountain guides who’ll teach them to be safe in the mountains; prices start at €90/day, including guide and safety equipment (transceiver, shovel, probe).
When YOU Want To Be Looked After
Kinderhotels group focus as much on parents as on children, so everybody gets a relaxing holiday break. In the heart of the Alpbach valley, for instance, the Hotel Galtenberg offers free childcare (up to 56hrs a week), skiing to the door, an indoor soft-play area, a cinema and a wide range programme of activities. And in 2011 there’ll be a brand new pool and spa with special areas 'only for children' and 'only for adults'!
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