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Switzerland has some of the greatest skiing in the world and is a highlight of any winter vacation. Whether you enjoy downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, or snowboarding, there are ski resorts that cater to your needs. Most importantly, when traveling with children it is essential to know which ski resorts are family-friendly. Here is a list of Alpenwild’s top ten family ski areas that will be a highlight of your winter ski tour.
Zermatt is a car-free ski resort at the foot of Switzerland's most famous mountain, the Matterhorn. This ski resort is the highest ski resort in Europe and is Switzerland’s most famous resort. They have snow as early as November which makes this a great location for those wanting to get a jump on the ski season. Skiing in Zermatt is perfect for families with a perfect blend of Alpine village, modern ski lifts, vast variety of ski trails and ski clubs that introduce children and beginners to the world of skiing. There are three lift stations in Zermatt which are the Gornergrat railway (next to the main railway station), the Sunnegga funicular, a couple of hundred yards away on the far side of the river, and the Furi gondola, more than half a mile from the station. The area of Sunnegga is a favorite for families as it is sunny and has an area called Wolli Park which is perfect for first-time skiers. Rest assured that there are plenty of great choices for top quality skiing in Zermatt.
Visiting Grindelwald for a ski holiday you will find a welcoming glacier village, surrounded by the snow covered mountain tops of Wetterhorn, Eiger and Mönch. Situated in the Bernese Oberland, Grindelwald ski resort is great for skiing and is actually Switzerland’s hot spot for tobogganing. The run that leads down from the Faulhorn to Grindelwald is the longest toboggan run in the Alps (15 km length). Another attraction for older children is the First Flyer zip-line which they can ride for free with their ski pass. Grindelwald has great skiing for families as well as incredible views across the 4000m peaks of the Bernese Oberland and north across the Swiss plains to Germany.
St. Moritz is one of the most important winter sports areas in Switzerland. Ski resorts in this region are famous for its numerous winter activities, warm ski huts, panorama restaurants, snow, and sun. In addition to all of this, St. Moritz-Corviglia is just a short bus ride from town and closest to the Bad Village. It provides a variety of children's areas at certain locations in the ski resort which are usually in sunny areas and also offer childcare and facilities for children near the slopes. Many hotels in the St. Moritz area have also started catering toward families offering kid programs in the hotel. Salastrains and Provulèr Kids’ Parks give youngsters the chance to let off steam and try out freestyle tricks all day long. Located in the St. Moritz Corviglia ski region and above Celerina on Marguns is Provulèr which has a kids’ fun box, a kids’ rainbow box (3 m), a kid’s up & down box (3m), waves, steep curves and a mini roller. Other winter activities include cross-country skiing, horse drawn sleigh rides, bobsledding, snowshoeing, winter walking, ice skating, curling, and sledging.
Wengen is a beautiful car-free Swiss mountain resort that is perched at the foot of the Jungfrau and can only be reached by the cog railway. The resort is family oriented and brings repeat visitors year after year. Wengen has some of the best views in the Alps and is ideal for all levels of skiers, especially beginners and intermediates. Wengen is close to Grindelwald and provides breathtaking panoramic views with the backdrop of the Eiger, Monch as well as the Jungfrau mountains. This resort is ideal for those looking for additional activities beyond skiing. You can visit the Jungfraujoch, tobogganing, and night-time sledging. The village center is home to an ice rink, with curling and skating, and a cinema that frequently shows films in English.
Engelberg was formerly a quiet monastery village and has become a modern winter sports center with international guests. The old mountain village is the largest family winter sports resort in central Switzerland and is just over an hour away from Zurich. There are a variety of ski slopes in Engelberg offering numerous descents of varying difficulty for skiers and snowboarders. In Brunni children can enjoy 7 kilometers of well-prepared trails and the sunniest slopes for skiing and snowboarding in Central Switzerland. The Globis Winterland – Klostermatte is the perfect area for beginners. There are two lifts and a large children’s area with magic carpet conveyors. In addition to skiing, families can enjoy snowshoeing, an igloo village, snowmobiling, a high rope park, winter hiking, and sledding.
Hasliberg in Meiringen is especially suitable for families. You will mainly find slopes of moderate difficulty here. For children there are many activities to choose from such as a special training area, wave runs, a ski carousel, an igloo village, and a magic carpet and ski school. There is also a good free ride area as well as the snow park. Skihäsliland Bidmi children’s ski area is one of the best learning areas in Switzerland. Here kids can have great fun while learning to ski at the same time! Kids can enjoy their first attempts at skiing in this safe area under the watchful eyes of trained ski instructors. Junior Park Mägisalp is a junior freestyle park between Häägen and Mägisalp and has been specially shaped for families and children. It is the first fun park of its kind in the Bernese Oberland. The Junior Park offers a great opportunity for families and kids to improve their freestyle techniques.
Davos is one of the highest Alpine resorts in Europe with a vast network of ski slopes ranging from an altitude of 1560 to 2844m and stretches from the Rinerhorn, southwest of Davos, to Pischa in the northeast. Davos-Klosers is comprised of six different ski areas; each mountain has its own distinct personality and ski offering. It’s important to know that these mountains are not all interconnected where you can get from one to the other on skis. In Davos-Klosters, the different resorts are connected via bus. Most people just choose one mountain to ski in a day — so you can still get all the benefit of variety within a single holiday. Kids are everywhere and they offer several dedicated kids’ play zones that are perfect for young children. Madrisa ski resort, high above the village of Klosters, is completely focused on families and children and has the biggest kids land. “Madrisa Land” is where children can enjoy tubing down the snowy slopes, playing in the bouncy castle, jumping on the trampoline, building snowmen, or taking ski lessons.
The ski region of Arosa Lenzerheide is in the Graubünden region and draws in winter sports enthusiasts with its guaranteed snow and its impressive mountain peaks in all directions. The ski resort is family friendly with a few children’s areas, a Junior Club and the popular Praetschil lift for the whole family. Some of the ski schools have also build child-friendly snowparks. According to Myswitzerland.com, the Auarara children’s area includes a magic carpet, a carousel, a tow rope, a teepee, and practice equipment for all beginners. The ski slopes are suitable for all levels of difficulty and are well-groomed.
Laax-Flims is about 2 hours southeast of Zurich and is rising up the list of favored resorts. The ski region of Flims Laax Falera is expansive and includes pistes of all grades of difficulty. In addition to Alpine skiing, snowboarding and carving, guests with a passion for sports can enjoy cross-country skiing, curling, winter hiking and paragliding. The sunny location of Falera along with the charm of a Graubünden makes this a great location for families. There is a large children’s area with wide slopes in the ski resort making this suitable for the whole family. Ami Sabi Snow Wonderland is a unique skiing school centered around the magician Ami Sabi. In his wonderland, the children hear stories, sing songs and learn a lot about the forest, the animals and the mountains and have great fun learning to ski.
The Grächen village is situated on a broad sun terrace, high above the Zermatt valley at an altitude of 1620 meters. The ski resort specializes in families and children and has a fairy tale gondola. The main attraction for families is Switzerland’s largest and most exciting family park, "SiSu Familienpark". The three-story family park covers an area of more than 50,000m and offers everything that will excite families of all ages. With four magic carpets, a ski carousel, a hang-glider, a snow tubing run, or visiting the ‘cinema in the igloo’ or the ‘Mäc SiSu’ family restaurant, will thrill and entertain families on end. There is also a day care facility right in the skiing area so parents can leave their children in the care of professionals with no worries.
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