If the thought of family skiing in Austria is crossing your mind this season, firm up that idea right now and look no further than Zell am See-Kaprun in easy to reach SalzburgerLand.
Skiing, Schmittenhöhe ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus
Zell am See-Kaprun is all about making family skiing in Austria easier this season, starting with the Ski ALPIN CARD. A single card that covers all three ski regions; 408km of pistes; children’s areas and snow parks; 121 lifts and cable cars; a wide variety of ski experiences including skiing the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, and the pleasure of over 100 mountain huts and restaurants.
Plus, this season the Ski ALPIN CARD comes with generous offers for teenagers every Saturday and free ski passes for younger kids during Easter 2026. More on that in a minute, first take a look at why Zell am See-Kaprun is such a big deal all by itself.
Kaprun ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus/EXPA/JFK
Where families ski between glacier, mountain and lake
Between glacier, mountain and lake is the expression that encapsulates Zell am See-Kaprun’s singular geography. Yet, monumental as that sounds, it’s a wonderfully accessible landscape that intersects with all three ski regions, astonishes you with incredible views, delivers piste after piste, and also manages to be the type of vast, natural playground that makes family skiing in Austria so popular.
Sunny skiing, Schmittenhöhe ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus
Begin with the fun of Schmittenhöhe: the ‘family mountain’
With over 30 peaks soaring to 3,000m and panoramas of Lake Zell, Schmittenhöhe is stunningly scenic and famously child-friendly.
It’s the ideal mountain for beginners and intermediates, famous for wide and perfectly groomed family pistes, as well as snow parks, funslopes and cosy mountain huts with sun terraces: Schmittenhöhe gets a lot of sun, even in winter. Pistes here total 77km and include the steep Trass Run, so advanced skiers have plenty to test their nerve and skills too.
Fun on Kitzsteinhorn ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus
Kitzsteinhorn Glacier: soar from Kaprun to the TOP OF SALZBURG
At 3,029m Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is the highest point in SalzburgerLand, and still amazingly accessible for families, thanks to the Kaprun-Maikogel-Kitzsteinhorn cable car from the centre of Kaprun to the ski resort. The view-rich ride up is an experience in itself, but it’s only the start.
Snow-sure, with an extra long season and 61 kilometres of pistes, Kitzsteinhorn is where serious skiers can indulge their passion for powder. So it’s all the more surprising to find that families are well looked after here too. Maisi Park on the Maiskogel at the foot of the glacier is a wild old time for younger kids, and no fewer than four snow parks bring the challenge for ambitious teens.
Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn
Also, the Ski ALPIN CARD gives you access to Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. This is one of the largest ski areas in Austria with 270km pistes and a mix of blue, red and black runs, along with snow parks, freeride parks, mountain huts and restaurants, toboggan runs and even floodlit skiing. Needless to say, like the rest of Zell am See-Kaprun, it’s very family-friendly and the views are spectacular.
Schmidolin ‘the coolest dragon in the world’ ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus
The only-in-Zell am See-Kaprun experiences your kids can’t wait to try
If there’s one thing that defines family skiing in Austria it’s a mountain mascot, and Zell am See-Kaprun delivers that big style with Schmidolin, ‘the coolest dragon in the world’ and star of Schmittenhöhe. Like all the best mascots, Schmidolin pops up all over the place from the kids slopes to the Dragon Park, and he’s particularly at home in Schmidolin’s Kinder Ski Land. But, unlike a lot of mascots, this one also skis.
Snow Park fun ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus
World beating fun slopes and snow parks for everyone
As the name implies Schmidolin’s Kinder Ski Land is a snowy world of adventure where kids learn to ski playfully. Even youngers ones pick up the basics more quickly when it’s just like playing with a skiing dragon, fun slopes, cute obstacles and plenty of other excited, happy children.
Older kids, beyond the pizza and fries stage and well on their way to freeriding, can’t get enough of the Funslope XXL at Schmittenhöhe. At 1.3 kilometres, it’s one of the longest in the world and designed so you curve and flow through natural terrain punctuated with tunnels and obstacles, jumps, spirals and some very large hands: give them a good hard slap as you fly past. The speed boost at the end is an extra thrill.
Ready for your first freestyle adventures? Easy Park on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is ideal for beginners as well as more advanced skiers. Then for fresh to the fun kids, Maisi Park on the Maiskogel is a playground of first time wave runs that will have mini-freestylers and snowboarders hooked instantly.
Kitzsteinhorn Explorer Tour ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus/Kitzsteinhorn
High-flyers and toboggan fiends love Zell am See-Kaprun
The Maisi Flitzer Alpine Coaster goes straight from Maiskogel in Kaprun for 1,300m at a speed of 40kmph and you can ride it all on your own, or double the fun and share a toboggan with one of your kids. It’s open year round, but for our money, nothing beats the feeling of flying down the track under a clear, blue winter sky with snow all around.
Speaking of flying, you have to try the soaring experience of the 3K K-onnection gondola from Maiskogel to Kitzsteinhorn. One up from bird’s eye view, this one gives you an eagle’s perspective on the entirety of Zell am See-Kaprun from its immense mountains and valleys to the glacial still of Lake Zell. Plus, it takes you right up to the TOP OF SALZBURG, which is just about as high as you can go round these parts.
Taking that high-flying feeling even further this winter, there are also weekly Kitzsteinhorn Explorer Tours for families which take you to heights of 3,029m on the 3K K-onnection for guided hikes and downhill or uphill rides in the company of rangers from the National Park Hohe Tauern: Zell am See-Kaprun sits on the edge of the park.
If you prefer your tobogganing a bit more classic, Zell am See-Kaprun does that very well too. You’ll find runs that run for kilometres, floodlit runs for wide-awake-after-dark kids and even tobogganing excursions made for families. The run from Köhlergraben through Shmittental is a good start, at just over a kilometre long it’s ideal for younger kids and open until 10pm most nights, snow permitting.
Tobogganing ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismu
Not all the excitement is on the mountains or even in the snow
Off the mountain and straight into soothing, the Tauern Spa is the perfect place to end a busy snow day. It’s pretty immense with 12 pools, 10 saunas and steam baths, relaxation rooms and even an outdoor saltwater pool with heart-melting views. But the best news for families is the Kidstein Spa just for children who might be more up for fun than relaxation. In fact that’s what this mini-spa encourages with everything from baby pools and slides to an adventure grotto, climbing wall, karaoke room and even a bear cave: who doesn’t love a bear cave?
Park Areit 1400 is another source of indoor excitement for kids, and better than ever this season after its recent redesign. The enormous bouncy castle is a winner, of course, but it gets strong competition from the slide car track and crawler park. Teens are in on the fun here too with an excellent Game Corner featuring snooker tables and gaming stations. Then, if you want to spin out your stay, the AreitLounge is a cosy spot to eat, have a hot drink and just relax, good news for parents.
Christmas, Zell am See ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus/Johannes Radlwimmer
Take your pick of ski-in-ski-out family hotels at Zell am See-Kaprun
Short transfer times and direct flights to so many regions, always give family skiing in Austria the edge, and Zell am See-Kaprun doesn’t disappoint, as Salzburg Airport is just over an hour’s drive away.
The wide choice of places to stay, from five-star hotels and luxury chalets to cosy apartments and guesthouses is another reason families love it here. Plus, a lot of accommodation is ski-in-ski-out, and we probably don’t need to tell you what a difference that makes at the end of a snow day.
Ski lessons ©Zell am See-Kaprun Tourismus
Free skiing for kids this Easter, and Super Saturday offers for teens all season
Thinking about Easter skiing next year? Put Zell am See-Kaprun on the list for that too and, from 28 March to 6 April 2026, under 15s get a free ski pass when parents buy a four or more day Ski ALPIN CARD. And also, under-fives ski free all the time: just one more reason it’s such a great place for pre-schoolers to try skiing for the first time.
Before you head off to investigate further, there’s one more thing to get excited about at Zell am See-Kaprun this season. The Junior XPLORE CARD is introducing Super Saturday tickets to give 15 to 18 year olds all the benefits of the Ski ALPIN CARD for just 15€, every single Saturday from 29 November 2025 to 4 April 2026.
Now find out more about family skiing in Zell am See-Kaprun this season