Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Much ado has been made recently about European ski trips costing less than vacationing at Western resorts (especially if you’re traveling from the East Coast). Providing you can find reasonable airfares, just about everything else once you get there—including lift tickets, lodging, meals, and lessons—is less expensive on the other side of the pond. Still, when it comes to the best ski resorts for families, there’s a common assumption that vacationing in the Alps might be challenging or unsuitable for kids. Not so.
English is commonly spoken in the majority of resorts, and European ski culture warmly embraces children, with little ones being welcome everywhere, including the leisurely midday meals at on-slope chalets. Additionally, ski school fees in the Alps are notably lower than those in North America, making private lessons much more budget-friendly.
An Alps ski trip isn’t just about hitting the slopes—it’s a chance to dive into ski history, experience new cultures, and spark a passion for global travel in your family. Handpicked by SKI editors, these five resorts have everything families need for an unforgettable skiing adventure, regardless of age or skill level.
(Photo: Courtesy of Flims-Laax-Falera/Philipp Ruggli)
Top European Ski Resorts for Family Travel
La Rosière, France
- Getting There: Fly into Geneva International Airport and book a shuttle to La Rosière.
This medium-sized French Alps resort is a great choice for families with kids of all ages, but is especially well-suited to groms just getting a little more independent on skis. The place is rife with gentle, rolling beginner runs and cruisy groomers with incredible views in every direction. The resort doesn’t feel too big, but it’s also large enough to keep you busy and exploring for the better part of a week.
The resort doesn’t get too crowded since the major ski area in the region is massive Les Arcs, just across the Tarentaise valley. Another boon for La Rosière is that the skiing starts at above 6,000 feet, which is a factor when choosing an Alps trip. You don’t want to have to worry about coverage during a low-snow year.
Also Read: 5 Resorts Where You Can Ski Across the Border
But our favorite part? You can ski across the border to the Italian resort of La Thuile and have an authentic pasta lunch in one of many on-mountain refugios to refuel for the ski back over to France.
Grindelwald, Switzerland
- Getting There: Fly into Zurich International Airport, take the train to Grindelwald via Bern
Grindelwald is the type of postcard-pretty Swiss village that your imagination immediately conjures when you think about skiing the Alps. It has a welcoming and picturesque little town and is surrounded by dramatic and legendary peaks, including the Eiger and the Wetterhorn.
As for the skiing, there’s plenty of mellow, scenic terrain for families, much of it accessed by a ski train from the village, which is always a big hit with kids. Grindelwald is a pretty big resort, with runs spread across three peaks, but the majority of the terrain is advanced beginner to intermediate. You can cruise around for days, exploring the place, and not take the same run twice. Of course, the ski school is accommodating, and private lessons are not much more than group lessons for families who want more flexibility.
In addition to skiing, Grindelwald is known for its amazing sledding slopes. The Eiger Run is one of the longest sledding runs in the world, and it’s open for lighted night sliding, too—a memorable adventure for older kids and their adults.
San Cassiano, Italy
- Getting There: Fly into Innsbruck, Austria, then take the train to Brixen, then the bus to San Cassiano
Scenic, inviting, and completely unintimidating, sunny San Cassiano is a perfect choice for young families who prioritize having the least stressful ski vacation possible. While you wouldn’t be wrong to think that “stress-free” and “ski vacation” don’t belong in the same sentence, if possible, anywhere, it’s at this Alta Badia-region resort.
San Cassiano is an authentic ski village at the base of a compact mountain criss-crossed with beginner and intermediate trails. It’s quiet during the evenings, but there are many good restaurants if authentic Italian cuisine is on the itinerary. The ski school is small and personable; group lessons are valuable here. There’s also childcare for non-skiing kiddos and off-slope diversions such as ice skating, swimming, and shopping.
Flims-Laax-Falera, Switzerland
- Getting There: Fly into Zurich International Airport, then take the train to Chür, then the bus to Flims.
This friendly resort in the country’s Graubunden region has three connected ski areas, and them they offer a well-rounded family vacation. Laax’s more modern town has all of the amenities and roomier lodging, while more traditional Flims makes good on the Swiss ambiance and architecture.
The skiing also serves up a great variety, and it does it efficiently thanks to a modern, high-speed lift system. The high-alpine runs are accessible for intermediates and up, but our favorite aspect of this resort is the woodsy tree runs that wind down the lower slopes and into the village. If you have a kid (or a kid at heart) who loves terrain parks, this is the place to go. There are several, plus an Olympic superpipe and an indoor freestyle training facility.
Sölden, Austria
- Getting There: Fly into Zurich International Airport, take the train to Ötztal.
While Sölden doesn’t immediately come to mind when you think about family trips to the Alps, the large, purpose-built Austrian resort is a good pick for families with teens and older kids, especially if they’re skilled skiers and are looking for a bit of a challenge. The Rettenbach and Tiefenbach Glaciers, at 10,000 feet, are among the most snow-sure slopes in Austria, so you can have peace of mind even booking far in advance.
Sölden’s expansive slopes—served by some 35 lifts—boast all kinds of terrain, from scenic cruisers to steep chutes and wide-open bowls. Consider booking a guide for at least a day to get the lay of the land, especially with kids in tow.
The lively village goes off most nights of the week, but there are plenty of family-friendly restaurants and off-slope activities, from sledding under the lights to ice skating and indoor climbing. After all, the bigger the town, the greater the amenities.