Thinking of taking kids to the mountains for some winter sports adventures? Here’s some advice from our latest trip to beautiful Mayrhofen, in Austria
*We were fortunate enough to partner with Visit Tirol, Brúndl Sports and SMT Skischule during our latest visit to Mayrhofen, who kindly gifted us free ski lift passes, ski hire with locker, and kids ski lessons respectively, in exchange for promotion through our various online and social media channels. All opinions expressed below remain our own.
Background
As a family we are big fans of winter sports. Having tried skiing as children ourselves, then taken regular snowboarding trips as adults before having children, we were keen to introduce our own kids as soon as we could. We took our eldest daughter with us on her first family ski trip when she was only 8 weeks old!
Despite us both being snowboarders, we decided that we’d start our kids with skiing first (for simplicity), then let them decide later if they wanted to also try snowboarding. We’ve seen plenty of super cool little snowboarders in our time though, so this choice is up to you!
Having visited many resorts in different countries spanning the Alps and Pyranees mountains, in recent years we have settled on Mayrhofen in Austria for regular annual ski trips with our kids. As a resort it ticks a lot of boxes for the things we need, as well as providing good value for all that you get to experience.
Different people have different requirements and budgets when it comes to winter holidays, so there will never be a one-size-fits-all solution to suit everyone. Here we are aiming this article at an average family with an average budget to spend.
So, here are our top tips for an amazing family ski holiday in Mayrhofen.
About Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen is a town in the Zillertal valley in the Tyrol region of Austria, with a long history of snowsports tourism. Each winter season the population of the town swells to accommodate the waves of foreign and domestic visitors that arrive to experience winter sports in the surrounding mountains. Despite this, Mayrhofen has retained its traditional Alpine charm, with beautiful wooden chalets still dominating the town’s architecture.
The ski area at Mayrhofen, recently re-branded with the name ‘Mountopolis‘, is accessed via 2 primary lifts from the village – the smaller Ahornbahn cable car and the main Penkenbahn lift. These modern lifts have incredible uplift capacities, meaning there are rarely any queues. Additional lifts from just outside the town at Finkenberg and Stockach also link into the major ski area that is primarily served by the Penkanbahn.
The ski area boasts over 140km of ski pistes in total, with a range of options for beginners, intermediates and experts (including the famous and terrifying 78° Harakiri piste, the steepest in all of Austria). These slopes are serviced by 26 different ski lifts, many of which are modern chairlifts. The top point in the resort is over 2,500m high.
There is also a full snow park with jumps and rails, toboggan run and a good variety of mountain restaurants.
For those looking for even more variety, the ski pass at Mayrhofen allows you access to the entire Zillertal valley, including glacier skiing at Hintertux which is easily reached by bus, and other smaller resorts spread along the valley. These can be accessed by taking the cute and scenic Zillertalbahn train. All transport is provided for free for holders of a valid ski pass.
Getting to Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen can be accessed from several surrounding airports. The closest is Innsbruck, located only around 1 hour away. More flight options can be found using other surrounding airports, including Munich and Salzburg. We travelled from Spain, so our only available direct flight to Austria took us into Vienna. A 5 hour (but simple) train ride from there brings you to Mayrhofen. The trains have dedicated family carriages, so if travelling with kids look to reserve seats in there whenever possible.
You could of course hire a car from the airport but, because Mayrhofen has its own train station and excellent public transport around the resort and valley, you don’t really need one. It is possible to arrive by train from any direction. Also, the Zillertalbahn train that completes the journey to Mayrhofen takes you on a picturesque ride up the valley, which definitely adds to the feeling of excitement on arrival.
As is always the case, the earlier you are able to book your air and/or train travel, the more likely you will be to secure the best value options.
Top Tips for an Amazing Family Ski Holiday
Accommodation
With a range of accommodation options to suit all kinds of group sizes and budgets, Mayrhofen has too many to make specific recommendations. While the upscale town centre hotels offer comfort and convenience, they also usually come with a price tag to match that may be out of the reach of most family visitors. Local guesthouses, some offering b&b facilities, usually offer better value.
If you can manage to gather a larger group of family or friends together, some of the larger self catering chalets just outside of town offer great value. On our last trip we shared a large chalet that slept 18 with 2 other families, meaning the total cost of accommodation was split 3 ways, making it very affordable.
In general, kids don’t like walking much (mine anyway), especially when tired and/or in ski clothing, so be sure to investigate the location of the accommodation carefully. A local ski bus is very desirable. Fortunately, most of the town and surrounding area is served by a decent selection of buses and the train. Even if you have to take a few taxis during your stay, this cost can be balanced out against the saving of not staying somewhere in the town centre.
Ski School
If taking children skiing who are beginners, I would strongly recommend putting them into a ski school to get some lessons. Not only will they learn how to do it the correct way, but they will also most likely be more receptive to listening to instruction and not complaining as much if in a more formal learning environment (like they are probably used to at school). That’s not to say ski schools aren’t fun. My kids have had some of their best times being taken around the mountain by their instructors who know all of the most fun places to go.
Even if your kids can already ski, there is still a value to ski school. Not only will they continue to improve but, perhaps even more importantly, you will get some valuable time off from them to relax and explore the mountain on your own!
For many years we have always been really pleased by the service we have received from SMT Skischule in Mayrhofen. Based in the centre of Mayrhofen not far from the main Penkenbahn lift, lessons are easy to arrange either in advance by phone or internet, or in person in the town. Their range of instructors are multilingual and able to teach all abilities, either privately or in group lessons. Children as young as 3 or 4 can join lessons.
Our kids always go in group lessons, run specifically for children only and categorised by ability. The groups are never too large so kids are sure to get individual attention. We have always found all of the instructors to be polite and professional, as well as incredibly kind and patient with the kids (even when they are crying or, worse still, pelting them with snowballs!).
At the end of the week of lessons, SMT Skischule always run their own mini race competition, where the different ski classes compete down a small slalom course, complete with loudspeaker commentary! It is just for fun and not taken too seriously, although there is the chance to win a trophy if finishing in the top 3. All kids get a medal and certificate just for taking part, which is a nice touch.
Ski Hire
If you don’t own your own equipment, there are no shortage of ski or snowbaord hire shops distributed throughout Mayrhofen. When skiing with kids though, I think two things are most important – comfort and convenience.
If your children aren’t comfortable, if they’re anything like mine they won’t be shy in letting you know! It is therefore important to choose a hire shop that stocks a good range of different equipment sizes to ensure that they all get gear that fits well.
You also don’t want to be carrying the equipment too far, expecially if your kids are too small to carry their own and you get stuck carrying multiple small pairs of skis in addition to your own stuff. Convenience is key. This is especially true if any of your party decide they need to return and change anything (like to a different boot size). You don’t want a long round trip back to the hire shop.
With all of this in mind, perhaps the best option for families is to hire from Brúndl Sports. With several locations in Mayrhofen, including at both the bottom and top of the main Penkenbahn lift, they are definitely convenient. Their unparalleled selection of modern hire equipment also ensures that all of the family can find comfort with the exact sizes and specifications that they require. As well as standard foot measuring equipment they also have state-of-the-art machines to make sure that they get just the right boot size for everyone.
When using Brúndl Sports on our latest trip we found all of the staff could not have been more friendly towards our kids. Their system for processing people is also smooth and efficient, meaning we were all fully kitted out in no time. They were even able to provide tiny boots and skis for our 2 year old to have his first taste of the action!
The fact that they have locations at both the top and bottom of the Penkenbahn lift is also a big advantage. Even though we hired at the bottom, any equipment can be swapped or returned at either location, making any changes or adjustments to equipment incredibly convenient. They even happily let my eldest daughter swap to a snowboard for a day to give that a go.
Lockers
As I’ve said already, there is nothing worse than having to walk a long way carrying ski/snowboard equipment, especially if your kids are too small to carry their own. With that in mind, a great solution is to hire a locker to keep it all in. That way you will never have to struggle home with all of your stuff. Lockers can be hired from inside the Brúndl shop locations at either the top or bottom of the Penkenbahn lift.
The lockers come in a choice of sizes, depending on how many people’s equipment you need to store. The largest is for 4 people. However, if skiing with kids with only little equipment, you can fit a surprising amount in. We managed to squeeze in all of our stuff for 2 adults and 4 children, including helmets, into a 4 person locker. The lockers are heated overnight, so any boots, gloves etc. which are wet when put inside will be lovely and dry and toasty come the next morning.
If you are generally planning to only ski in the main ski area at the top of the Penkenbahn (which you will likely be doing if your kids are in ski school there), then it makes sense to have a locker at the top of the lift. That way you don’t need to carry any equipment on the lift. If, however, you plan on moving around between different ski areas and ski lifts, it makes more sense to have a locker at the bottom. Then you can just grab your equipment in the morning before taking a bus to wherever else you want to go.
Clothing
If you don’t want moaning kids on your hands (any more than usual anyway), then you’ll want them to be comfortable. You need to dress them for the conditions, making sure they won’t get either too cold or too hot while on the mountain. If they’re comfortable, they’re much more likely to enjoy the experience.
Proper ski clothing is always preferable as it will have been specially designed for the purpose. If struggling with the cost of kitting out multiple children, look at second hand selling pages online – you can sometimes pick up some amazing bargains. Of course, ski clothes can also be handed down to younger siblings when outgrown.
If it is cold or very snowy/wet, it is a good idea to have a spare pair of gloves/mittens for any kids. That way you can switch them at lunchtime if they’ve made their first pair too wet, ensuring their hands stay warm all day.
Eating on the Mountain
There are plenty of restaurant options on the mountain, which are generally quite reasonably priced (especially when compared to Alpine ski resorts in other countries like France or Switzerland).
Conveniently located near to the top of the main Penkenbahn lift and next to the meeting point for SMT Skischule, is the Pilzbar, a self-service restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating and a good selection of simple, home-cooked food. It makes the perfect lunch stop between morning and afternoon ski school lessons.
For a touch of novelty, if you are ever up on the ski area served by the Ahornbahn lift for a change, there is a real ice igloo that has been made into a bar. It’s fun to go and explore with kids.
Pushchairs
If you’re bringing smaller children that are too young or don’t want to try skiing, there is no problem in bringing a pushchair up on the Penkenbahn lift. It is possible to buy just a lift-only pass to access the mountain even if you are not intending to ski. We have found it is nice to just be up on the mountain with a little one, while we take it in turns between snowboarding and looking after the child.
One nice touch is that if you are travelling down on the Penkenbahn lift with a pushchair, they let you (and your whole group) access the lift via a separate entrance door that lets you onto the lift before anyone else. This is perfect if the lift is busy (as it can be at the end of the day), as you get to avoid the squeeze onto the lift with small children.
Snow Park & Fun Ride
When it comes to skiing at Mayrhofen, there are several purpose built attractions to keep your holiday fun. For anyone with some skills to show off, there is a good sized snow park, complete with an assortment of jumps, rails and boxes. These come in a range of sizes, intended for people of different abilities. If you’d rather just watch, there is a nice restaurant with large outdoor terrace located next to the snow park, so you can sit and enjoy watching the gravity-defying aerial tricks from the safety of your seat!
Another feature that kids are sure to enjoy once they’re getting confident on their skis, is the Fun Ride course. This purpose built track winds its way doen the hill, with banked bends and humps along the way. There are interactive hands to ‘high five’ on the way, before the course finishes by squeezing through a tunnel. It’s a lot of fun for all the family!
Other Activities in Mayrhofen
Not everyone necessarily wants to ski all of the time, so it is great that Mayrhofen has lots of other attractions to keep visitors entertained. These include:
Toboggan
It is possible to hire simple plastic sledges in some of the hire shops and take them up on the mountain for a quick slide about. Much better than that though, are the amazing PistenBock toboggans that can be hired from the ice igloo bar at the top of the Ahornbahn lift. These are like the Ferraris of sledges. Once hired, the toboggans have their own dedicated track to race down, as well as a chairlift to take you back up. You can ride with a small child on a double sledge, which is great fun for both riders. It is essential to wear helmets, but these can be hired if you don’t have your own.
Being privately run, there is an additional cost for the PistenBock toboggans, on top of the general lift pass. To get the most out of it, you want to pick a day when the snow will be hard packed so that the sledges run freely. Too much fresh snow or too much wet, slushy snow will slow the sledges down. If you pick the right day though, they really are incredibly enjoyable to ride on.
Swimming
Open all day, 7 days a week, is the Mayrhofen public indoor swimming pool. As well as a nice pool to swim in, the pool also boasts 2 different flume slides that open on a timed rotation. They can be surprisingly bruising for adults, so watch out!
Several of the private hotels also have pool or spa areas. You wouldn’t necessarily want to take children but, if you find you have some time off without any kids, then a relaxing spa session could be just the thing.
Paragliding
For those who like their activities to be more adrenalin-fueled, the steep terrain at the top of the Penkenbahn lift makes it a perfect place to take off for paragliding trips. Several outfits in the town offer tandem flights with fully trained and qualified instructors. These can usually be booked either in town, or at the top of the Penkenbahn lift when the small kiosk is manned.
Paragliding offers an unbeatable aerial perspective from which to view the mountain landscape from. Be warned though, although very safe it can be fairly terrifying, so be ready for that. Depending on the weather conditions, it is sometimes possible for children (even small ones) to take a tandem flight. They’d need to be very confident and fearless for this to be a good idea though.
Arena Coaster
Not actually located in Mayrhofen, but a short train ride away down the valley near to Zell am Ziller, is a luge ride (also sometimes known as a Russian sledge) called the Arena Coaster. The train journey is free if you hold a valid ski pass.
This Arena Coaster is a toboggan-style ride that uses fixed rails to guide the carriage down the mountain-side. Riders have the option to brake the luge to slow the descent, but otherwise it just follows the rail tracks. That said, it goes surprisingly fast so still makes for a very exciting ride, especially for kids (who have to ride with an accompanying adult).
In Summary
Mayrhofen and its ‘Mountopolis’ winter sports area provide both a beautiful and exciting ski resort for all the family. The ski lift infrastructure and Brúndl ski hire services are both modern and efficient, while the SMT Skischule provides professional and friendly ski lessons for visitors of all ages.
As well as the winter sports on offer, the Alpine charm of the resort, alongside all of the other activities available in the town and surrounding region, mean that everyone can be sure of an unforgettable holiday, wherever their interests lie.
The friendliness of the welcome, great value, and beautiful mountain scenery, mean that you will be sure to have an amazing family ski holiday in Mayrhofen.
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