Zell am See - bad forecast

[House4DS]

Hi

We're going to Zell am See for a week shortly and the forecast isn't great!
I'm hoping it's typical mountain weather that won't be as bad as it looks but......

Any suggestions for wet weather activities?

And clothing? We hope to do some hiking - leggings, sweatshirt, fleece, waterproofs for on the glacier?

General suggestions and tips from anyone that's been in the summer would be appreciated. The hotel includes the summer card which we'll try and get the most out of!

Thanks!

The forecast for the next 10 days doesn't look too bad! A mix of sunny days with temperatures reaching the high 20's and a few cloudy/rainy days. Often the forecasts change from day to day. Use an app/website like Bergfex for the best info.

Typically the rain comes in the evenings at around 8pm - often big, spectacular thunderstorms after a hot, sunny day.

Re. the glacier at Kitzsteinhorn. Don't go on a cloudy day as you won't see anything (unless you can see on the live cameras on your hotel TV that the cloud is actually lower than the peaks - like looking out of an aircraft window). Depending on which lifts are running, part of the journey is sometimes on a chair lift, so wrap up as it can be cold (2 deg or lower) and windy. The Summer Card only includes access from the Kitzsteinhorn car park/bus stop using the Gletcherjet or Panoramabahn lifts - the trip using the 3K-Konnection lift costs an (expensive) additional fee.

Things to do on a rainy day (the Tourist Office used to have a "rainy day" guide but I can't find it on their website) ...

• Tauern Spa, Kaprun - but get there early on a rainy day as tickets are limited;
• Veteran car museum in Kaprun;
• Europe's biggest limestone cave - Lamprechtshohle near Lofer (drive or take #260 bus);
• Guided tour of a 400-year old silver mine - Leogang (car required to get there);
• Take the valley train (which is pulled by a veteran steam loco on Thursday mornings) to Krimml
• White water rafting at Base Camp in Lofer - you're going to get very wet anyway! (Drive there or take #260 bus).

I am just back from a couple of mountain holiday lets near Innsbruck and Salzburg and the forecast wasn't great but we actually only had a little rain in the fortnight. The weather in the Alps is very changeable and the forecast constantly changed. The rain tended to be in the evening or overnight, often accompanied by thunderstorms, so it didn't impact on our daily activities. We took heavy duty waterproof jackets but they were never worn.

Thanks for the reassurance and suggestions.
It's just me and 2 teens who like to be busy and I was starting to wobble!
The forecast does look a bit better today.

We've already got white water rafting booked for Monday and will swim whatever the weather (storms excepted).

We love watching a good storm so if they can wait until evenings we'll be happy 🙂.

The Summer Card also includes the 680 bus to Saalbach-Hinterglemm, which also has loads of activities.

If the teens are into high-ropes and zip wires, then one of Europe's biggest parks for this is at the end of the Glemm valley, which is great for a sunny day. Take the 680 bus from Zell am See, through Saalbach and Hinterglemm to the very last stop at Lengau, then walk past the big hotel, through the car park and follow the river (keep the river on your left-hand side) and walk up to the "Talschluss" and the Lindlingalm mountain restaurant to the Hochseilpark. The walk takes about half an hour.
The largest High Ropes Park of Europe (hochseilpark.at)

@Havanananana right up their street! Added to the list.

@House4DS Just to let you know, at the Hochseilpark all payment is by Cash only.

We’re going next week, a couple of days in Salzburg (haven’t yet booked!!!) and over a week in Zell Am See. Fab advice and tips from @Havanananana thankyou!
Could I please ask @House4DS how your trip was, weather, was the summer card useful (it’s included with our apartment), did your teens like the white water rafting, did you go up the cable cars, swimming etc?
Thanks in advance!

@Linnki I'm on the bus back from tobogganing, cable car, hike and Sigmun Thun gorge right now!
It's great! We've got 8 nights here and have used the card everyday. I'm a bit of a geek and adding up how much the card has been worth to us. Around £400 so far I think.
As well as bigger things it means we hop on and off buses to save a bit of walking.
Buses and trains are fantastic.
This site is fab for times, and they do run pretty much to time.
Timetables
I'll add ideas that worked for us later on.

The Summer Cards that the various towns and areas in Austria offer are really good - particularly as they are usually free as part of the accommodation deal. Similar to @House4DS in Zell am See, we worked out that the Saalbach-Hinterglemm Joker Card must have saved our family of 4 something like €100 a day compared with the full price that would have been paid for the cable cars, buses, outdoor pool, mini-golf and so on.

@Linnki
We're staying at the bottom of the lake but the kids prefer the Zell lido - has the diving board tower thing and 2 slides.
They came on their own on the bus too one day - feels very safe.

Weather - mixed, but we haven't been rained on. Some spectacular night storms though. Do bring a raincoat, trousers and jumper just in case. We've been in shorts and t shirts with occasional jumper on.

Getting here from Salzburg - train apparently is particularly scenic. We came in the dark! Download oebb app for tickets.
I've done it by bus too - 260 postbus - very good.

Depending on kids ages this ticket might be good. https://salzburg-verkehr.at/tickets-preise/einzelfahrkarten/freizeit-ticket-salzburg/
I only discovered it yesterday so will test out for our return to Salzburg. Think it covers the bus not train.

Like hiking? Endless options using cable cars and buses. Bring hiking boots if you have them.

Rafting - we used Adventure services as near us - loads of fun.

Schmittenhohe - cable car up, walk across to next cable car, then frisbee golf to lower cable car was a big hit.

Kitzteinhorn - glacier, amazing views, sledges at 2 ice/snow areas (free)

Kaprun - Maisi flitzer toboggan (15 euros), then cable car up, hike down to the gorge.

Krimml waterfalls - busy but stunning. If you continue walking once you get to the top there are beautiful alpine pastures and a couple of restaurants.

Have a great time!

Which hotel did you stay at? I'm really struggling to find accommodation for next summer

@user1505456587
We stayed here at the bottom of the lake.
https://www.booking.com/Share-kcL2yuC
It's saying no availablity for next summer, yet I only booked in June for July this year.
I think you're probably just way too early if the options are limited.
Make sure your accomodation includes the summer card.

Agree you may be too early for next summer.

We are currently in Zell am See at Hotel Stadt Wien, I booked in September for this August.

If you find somewhere you really like and booking isn't open, it's worth emailing them - I did this when I booked for last year and they honoured the previous year's price. No guarantee obviously but worth contacting them direct if you definitely want to go.

Thank you, I hadn't looked as far from the main town as that. There looks to be quite a few more places to look into now.

Watching.
Were actually on our way at the moment, except we decided to go by train, and tte lner train we are in from Leeds to London has terminated south of Peterborough.

We're due on a Eurostar at St P at 8.15 tomorrow morning. 🤞

We have stayed there for skiing 4 times !!! Loved it so much .

Going to these two hotels next summer . Quotes by email as dates were not on the system .

https://www.alpinresort.com/en/premium-all-inclusive-austria/1-0.html

https://www.alpenblick.at/en/

@user1505456587 it was a 20 mins maximum walk along the lakeside path into Zell for dinner or icecream. Or bus or local train. Near to Lidl for picnic food. I didn't feel we missed anything by staying at that end.

Thanks to @House4DS @Havanananana and other posters again! We’re back now and teens loved it all!
Didn’t rain at all, mostly sunny 27/28 ish with one evening thunderstorm..
Very different from a beach all inclusive and it felt amazing to walk on the mountain tops..not to though, used the free cable cars! Plus ate loads of schnitzel and bratwurst.
Vienna for a few days then a 3hr train to Salzburg with an upper deck.
the summer card is excellent value, we stayed in Lofer for a couple of days so we’re given their own free card-free travel from Salzburg on bus 260.
Highly recommend our two apartments
Lofer https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/12132447?adults=5&children=0&enable_m3_private_room=true&infants=0&location=Unken%2C%20Austria&pets=0&search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2024-09-08&check_out=2024-09-13&source_impression_id=p3_1724133355_P3TiFPErCiEX_-ya&previous_page_section_name=1001
Zell Am See-south, but very peaceful and excellent bus route to everywhere https://www.haus-vera.at/en/

We're in Zell at the moment and are off to Vienna for 3 days tomorrow, before flying home on Saturday. Is there anything you'd recommend in Vienna? We have a (bored and surly) DS(nearly 16) and engaged and exited DD (12).

We had a bored DS similar aged too, although he was quite happy in Zell with all the mountain walks etc. Vienna, he seemed to enjoy trying different schnitzel places everyday. Special mention to schnitzel king near Belvedere Palace, incredible prices and great tasting. Plus wurstel from those little stands across the city. They will get into almost all museums for free if that’s of any interest.
Ours loved the schonbrunn palace maze. We didn’t pay to go into the palace, just 5.50 for the maze each.plus they liked climbing to the top of the gloriette. Suggest keeping more than half a day for Schonbrunn, just the gardens are good to walk around/into.
Kids under 15 go free on public transport in Vienna school holidays as confirmed by the Wien liner desk.
More than Cafe Sacher, they enjoyed cafe central though the Sachertorte tasted similar to me in both places!!!
Have a lovely time!