Ski Guide to ski with children in Innsbruck

Welcome to our guide for skiing with children in Innsbruck!

Welcome to our guide for a family ski holiday in Innsbruck, Austria! Here you’re going to find everything you need to know about this dreamy ski destination and what it has to offer. 

Before we get started, we want to point out that if you’re booking a ski holiday in Innsbruck on Esquiades.com, you’re in for so much more than a ski holiday! Our package deals include a Ski plus City Pass which includes the following services: 

✓ Access to 13 ski resorts 

✓ 22 visits of the main sightseeing spots in Innsbruck

✓ Ski Bus 

✓ Access to 3 Indoor Pools 

**We’ve prepared a special post about skiing in Innsbruck and the Ski plus City Pass where you have everything you need to know about what’s included in your ski holiday with Esquiades.com

So, in this ski guide you're going to find the following information:

✅ Is Innsbruck good for skiing?

✅ The best ski resorts in Austria for families 

✅ The best family-friendly restaurants on the slopes

✅ Ski and snowboard schools for children in Innsbruck

✅ Ski and Snowboard rental shops in Innsbruck

✅ Family après-ski activities

✅ The best sightseeing spots in Innsbruck

✅ Our TOP family hotels and apartments in Innsbruck

❄ Is Innsbruck good for skiing? ❄

You may not know this but Innsbruck has been host of the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976, so we can safely say that this Austrian ski destination knows quite a lot about winter sports. Skiers and snowboarders have access to 13 ski resorts spread across a total of 291 km. 

We’d also like to point out that Innsbruck also offers one of the longest ski seasons in Europe as its ski resorts open from the end of November until the end of March. Some of the ski resorts have glaciers which can even stay open during the Summer. So, to answer your question, YES, Innsbruck is one of the best snow-sure ski destinations in Austria and Europe for that matter. 

❄ Which is the best ski resort in Austria for a family ski holiday? ❄

Innsbruck is definitely a family-friendly ski destination and as we’ve already mentioned, it offers more than a skiing experience, it offers a cultural experience. Your family will have the time of their lives during their vacation here and will most definitely want to return. 

❄ Which ski areas in Innsbruck are better for children? ❄

Out of the 13 ski areas that are a short transfer from Innsbruck, we would suggest for you to visit the following with the family: 

1. Stubai Glacier ski resort

❄ The best part of this ski resort is for children and teenagers. There’s an area called the Big Family Ski Camp where children can stay and be under expert supervision while you’re skiing down the slopes. 

❄ There’s also a children’s restaurant in the resort. 

❄ Other attractions are: a snow carousel and a special Kids’ Line in the Stubai Zoo Snowpark. 

2. Skizentrum Schlick 2000.

❄ Perfect for a family ski holiday, this ski area is only 15 minutes from Innsbruck and offers a great selection of restaurants and cosy lodges where you can make your pit-stop to recharge. 

❄ In this ski area there’s Big Ron’s Kinderland, a children’s ski area with magic carpets, snow carousel and other attractions where kids can gain confidence on the snow and have some fun too. 

❄ Those that are already feeling quite confident on the snow can head over to the Schanzlin practice area where they can ride lifts on a tow rope or a tow lift. 

❄ There’s also a daycare centre located in the Schischule Stubai where kids as young as 3 months are looked after. 

3. Hochöetz

❄ It's one of the five sunniest ski areas in all Austria, so you’re in for a fantastic ski holiday with the kids. 

❄ Here you’ll find a total of 39 kilometres of pistes and it’s considered to be the winter paradise for families as it hosts loads of different events. 

❄ At the top station of Acherkogel gondola is WIDI’s Kids Land where the little ones that have never skied before can practice skiing in a playful way. There are also four practicing lifts available. 

4. Muttereralm

❄ If you’re looking for a cosy ski resort to visit with your family, Mutterer Alm is perfect for you. 

❄ Here there are 15 km of slopes with lengths between 700 and 4.200 metres. 

❄ A great ski area if you want something laidback where the kids can gain confidence on the snow. 

❄ There’s a Kinderland with 2 magic carpets close to the Almboden lift where there’s also a ski slope for beginners. 

❄ The Fairy Tale Forest ski school is definitely the highlight of this ski area. 

5. Serlesbahnen Mieders

❄ There are 6km of well-groomed ski slopes all of easy and medium difficulty. 

❄ Perfectly manageable for beginners and families. 

❄ There’s a special area for kids called King Serli Kids' Land where there’s a magic carpet and also the Stubai Tyrol Ski School.

❄ If there are snowboarders in the family, there’s a boardercross track. 

❄ There’s also an off-slope ski area around Mt. Serles, ideal for a ski tour. 

6. Patscherkofel

❄ Simply a 15-minute drive from Innsbruck city centre, it’s known as “the local’s ski resort”. 

❄ There are 3 children's areas located on 3 different levels of the ski resort and a number of “family-friendly” slopes, so you can all ski down the hills together. 

❄ What are the best family-friendly restaurants on the slopes? ❄

All of the ski resorts have excellent huts and restaurants where you can all make a pit-stop as a family. If you want our personal recommendations, we would suggest the following:

1. Panorama Restaurant Kreuzjoch (at 2.136 metres in Schlick 2000). 

It offers homemade pizzas and incredible views of the ski area. They also have a variety of options every day (spare ribs, chicken, salads, etc) and a kiddies menu. 

2. SB Marktrestaurant Gamsgarten 

It’s the largest restaurant in the Stubai Glacier ski resort and serves a buffet service, great to suit everyone. There’s a large sun terrace with comfortable loungers where you can sit under the sun after lunch. 

3. Erlebnisrestaurant Muttereralm

This is a great place to stop for lunch with the little ones as it’s right next to the kiddies area, so you can enjoy a drink before lunch from the terrace whilst the children are still playing around in the snow. The restaurant serves typical Tyrolean cuisine. Yum! 

Inside the Panorama Restaurant Kreuzjoch

❄ Where are the Ski and Snowboard Schools for children in Innsbruck? 

❄ If your children need to take ski and snowboard lessons during your ski holiday in Innsbruck, we recommend you to go to the following ski schools:

1. Schischule Stubai Tirol.

Located in Schlick 2000 ski resort, it offers excellent courses and programs for children.  This ski school has won the “Quality Award” for its excellent service. If you book lessons here, the ski school guarantees: 

✔High Quality Instruction

✔Highest Achievement of training and education of the Ski Instructors

✔High Level with Child Supervision and Childrens Instruction

✔High Quality Infrastructure and Service

2. Skischule Neustift.

This ski school is located on the Stubai Glacier and it offers lessons for children of all ages. In its facilities you’ll find a play area, a warm-up area where the kids can stretch before starting the lesson. 

Good to know: Next door there’s a restaurant called the Big Family Restaurant where you all can stop for lunch. 

3. AGE and Oetz-Hochoetz. 

Both ski schools are located in the Hochöetz ski area and ensure a cheerful atmosphere. Once the kids have gained confidence in WIDIs Kids Land, they can then move on to the family-friendly slopes of Hochoetz. 

4. Skischool Götzens 

Located in the Muttereralm Ski Resort, this ski school has a wide range of programs and courses for both adults and children. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate and want to take skiing to the next level, you’ll surely find a program to suit you and your family. The instructors speak perfect German, English and Dutch. 

5. The Alpin Ski School 

Located right at the foot of Patscherkofel’s ski resort, it offers ski and snowboard lessons for both adults and children and the instructors speak different languages. 

Children learning to ski at the Stubai Tirol Ski School. 

❄ Where are the Ski and Snowboard rental shops for children in Innsbruck.❄

As you’re going to be based in Innsbruck, the best place to go is Die Börse Rental Ski & Snowboard Service located in the Old Town.  

This shop has all kinds of winter sports equipment: snowboards, touring skis, splitboards, skis, toboggans and snowshoes. 

If you need to rent clothing, they also provide this service and if you’d like to purchase clothing, they’ll let you try some on the slopes before marking a purchase (please check prices at the shop). 

Die Börse Rental Shop in Innsbruck. 

❄ How can you get from the rental shop to the slopes? ❄

Die Börse rental shop is quite close to the Triumphpforte (Triumphal Arch) where you can take the free ski bus to the following ski resorts:

✓ Stubai Glacier

✓ Axamer Lizum

✓ Schlick 2000

If you’d rather head to the Muttereralm ski area, you can walk down to the main train station. 

If you’re going to either the Nordkette or Patscherkofel ski areas, the closest stop from Die Börse is a 4-minute walk to Maria-Theresien-Strasse. 

❄ Is it mandatory for children to ski with a helmet? ❄

In Austria, children under the age of 16 have to wear a helmet at all times. So, make sure to rent helmets when collecting your ski and snowboard equipment from the shop. 

❄ What other snow-related activities can I do with the family in Innsbruck? ❄

You cannot go skiing to Austria and not give tobogganing a go. It’s one of the most popular snow activities in the country. So, here are the tobogganing runs you need to try out: 

❄ Schlickeralm toboggan run (in Schlick 2000 ski area).

This is a fun activity to do with your family. It’s a sled ride down a run that takes you all the way down to the Kreuzjoch lift. You first need to head to the sled rental shop located at the base of this ski area and from there take the Kreuzjoch lift to Froneben where there’s a “toboggan taxi” that will take you to Schlickeralm.

❄ Serlesbahnen 

You can hire sledges at the Serles lift and them hike up the hill to the take a 4km run down. 

❄ Axamer Lizum

This run is a bit difficult and goes from Axamer Lizum ski resort to the village of Axams. You can take the free ski bus that will drop you off at the top of the run and covers a distance of about 4 km. 

❄ Family Toboggan run in Muttereralm

This run goes from the mountain station down to the middle station. 

❄ Kühtai Toboggan Run (in Kühtai Ski Area) 

There are also other tobogganing runs in the ski areas that require a hike up the mountain. 

Tobogganing in Kühtai

❄ Which are the best sightseeing spots in Innsbruck to do with the children? ❄

As we have mentioned, your Ski plus City Pass includes visits to a total of 22 sightseeing spots in Innsbruck. Our ski and snowboard experts recommend you to do: 

✓ Alpine Zoo 

✓ City tour by bike 

✓ The Ice Grotto at Stubai Glacier

✓ Swarovski Crystal Worlds

Find out more about the après-ski activities you can do in Innsbruck here and start drawing out your itinerary! 

The Alpine Zoo in Innsbruck.

❄ Our TOP family hotels and apartments in Innsbruck ❄

Hotel Mondschein ****

This hotel is overlooking the river Inn and is a short walk to the Old Town. You can book a family deluxe room on Esquiades.com with breakfast included. The room has a double bed and a double sofa-bed. 

Hotel Mondschein overlooking the river Inn.

Ramada Innsbruck Tivoli***

It's located right opposite Olympia Word, which is the largest sporting event center in Tyrol. It's a very modern looking hotel and the family rooms are apartments of about 41m2 where there's a bedroom, living room with a pull-out sofa-bed and a separate bathroom. 

Family room in the Ramada Innsbruck Tivoli Hotel. 

Hotel Das Innsbruck**** 

The hotel is located around the corner from Maria Theresien Strasse train stop. The family rooms may have views of either the old town or the courtyard. All of the rooms have a double bed and a double sofa-bed as well as a separate bathroom. 

Das Innsbruck Hotel located in Innenstadt. 

Adlers Hotel****

A short walk from the Innsbruck main train station and about a 15-minute walk to Die Börse equipment rental shop. This hotel is great if you're looking for something more sophisticated and close to the main sightseeing spots of Innsbruck city centre. 

Views of Hungerberg mountain from the family room in the Alders Hotel.

Find more useful information on our ski guide for families where we tell you how to identify the perfect ski and snowboard program for your children and give you many tips and advice to guarantee a successful family ski holiday!

So, are you ready to book your next ski holiday to Austria? If so, have a look at our ski deals in Innsbruck and secure your rooms before it's too late! A lot of our ski holidays include a free cancellation policy!