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Austria or Switzerland with young children for a 40th birthday holiday?

8 replies

SParr87 · 12/04/2026 07:30

I’ve previously been looking at Austria for my 40th birthday holiday to take our 2 kids (Aged 7 and 3) thinking it would be a good choice for our outdoors loving family. But someone has now set me into Switzerland! Has anybody been with a young family and do you have any recommendations? Interlaken has been recommended but I was intrigued to know if there’s somewhere slightly outside of interlaken which might offer half board at the hotel but still be close to catch the train into interlaken Does anybody have any experience of the area?

OP posts:
YouBelongWithMe · 12/04/2026 07:31

We've done Switzerland in summer, at a Eurocamp. Loved it. The views are insane. Very expensive though.

Velvian · 12/04/2026 07:34

We stayed in Lauterbrunnen. It is beautiful. There is a lovely outdoor pool in the town, you swim with the most amazing views. Very regular train to Interlaken.

keeponrunning85 · 12/04/2026 07:35

Can't comment on Switzerland but we had a brilliant holiday last summer to Zell am See in Austria with our two who were 5 and 7. We stayed in Hotel Stadt Wein on a TUI package. Enjoyed it so much that we are going back to the same hotel this year but have sorted out own travel to bookend the trip with time in Amsterdam at the beginning and Munich at the end.

middleagedandinarage · 08/09/2026 11:22

Hello, appreciate this was a few months ago. Can I ask what you decided ad any tips. I'm thinking about the exact same for my 40th with children 9 and 6. I would love traditional mountain Austria but with things to keep the kids entertained too.

Havanananana · 08/09/2026 13:46

Mountain holidays have heaps of things for kids to do.

Zell am See (mentioned above) has a lake and several outdoor lidos, cable cars, an alpine coaster at Kaprun, a snow play park on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, a veteran steam train every Thursday and much more.

Nearby Saalbach-Hinterglemm doesn't have a lake, but it has a great outdoor lido, cable cars, Europe's largest high ropes park (like Go Ape) with areas that even a 6 year old can do, treasure trails on the mountains, numerous playgrounds at the top of the mountains, mountain restaurants, mountain biking, mini golf, archery.

Both resorts offer summer guest cards that give free use of the cable cars and most outdoor facilities, and both are in Salzburgerland, where public transport - trains and buses - are free of charge to tourists who obtain the Mobility Card from their accommodation provider or tour operator.

If keeping the kids occupied is a concern (there's already plenty to do!) there are also hotels that cater for families with children. There are marketed in Austria under the common term of "Kinderhotel" although each hotel is independently owned and managed, usually by a family. These hotels have pool areas, play areas, usually a nanny or a team who entertain the kids, and often also a working farm with animals to pet and feed, ponies to ride and so on. Google "Kinderhotel Austria" or look at somewhere typical such as the Ellmauhof in Hinterglemm for more details.

middleagedandinarage · 08/09/2026 14:14

Havanananana · 08/09/2026 13:46

Mountain holidays have heaps of things for kids to do.

Zell am See (mentioned above) has a lake and several outdoor lidos, cable cars, an alpine coaster at Kaprun, a snow play park on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, a veteran steam train every Thursday and much more.

Nearby Saalbach-Hinterglemm doesn't have a lake, but it has a great outdoor lido, cable cars, Europe's largest high ropes park (like Go Ape) with areas that even a 6 year old can do, treasure trails on the mountains, numerous playgrounds at the top of the mountains, mountain restaurants, mountain biking, mini golf, archery.

Both resorts offer summer guest cards that give free use of the cable cars and most outdoor facilities, and both are in Salzburgerland, where public transport - trains and buses - are free of charge to tourists who obtain the Mobility Card from their accommodation provider or tour operator.

If keeping the kids occupied is a concern (there's already plenty to do!) there are also hotels that cater for families with children. There are marketed in Austria under the common term of "Kinderhotel" although each hotel is independently owned and managed, usually by a family. These hotels have pool areas, play areas, usually a nanny or a team who entertain the kids, and often also a working farm with animals to pet and feed, ponies to ride and so on. Google "Kinderhotel Austria" or look at somewhere typical such as the Ellmauhof in Hinterglemm for more details.

Thank you, this is very helpful. Staying on a working farm would be right up our street

Username25826 · 08/09/2026 18:51

middleagedandinarage · 08/09/2026 14:14

Thank you, this is very helpful. Staying on a working farm would be right up our street

If a farm would be of interest, this may be worth a look

It's summer at "Urlaub am Bauernhof"

We booked through them when holidaying in Austria when ours were young and had a lovely time with the animals - petting horses, feeding calves etc! Different types of accommodation - farms, Alpine huts, riding stables.

If you're in Austria there are some great toboggan runs, which were a highlight of our kids' holidays, summer or winter.

Es ist Sommer bei "Urlaub am Bauernhof"

Sommer am Bauernhof mit jeder Menge Freiheit, Natur pur, vielen tollen Aktivitäten, Entspannen und nachhaltigen Genussangeboten. Das bekommt ihr bei

https://www.urlaubambauernhof.at/de

bababamama · 08/09/2026 18:58

Also consider Germany eg Black Forest. Easy to drive from the U.K. and a lot cheaper that Switzerland despite being able to see it sometimes! If driving I recommend going to europa parc on the way home, we prefer it to Disney

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