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- Written by: Roger Fulton
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We talk a lot about family skiing but it’s important to remember that word ‘family’ does a lot of heavy lifting. What a first-time little skier needs is very different from what gets a teenager off their phone and onto the slopes. And let’s not forget parents. They’re not going to just be hovering on the sidelines watching their kids in ski school – not all the time, anyway! They need a resort that enables them to whizz off for a couple of hours without worrying about whether they’ll be back in time to collect their children.
And then there’s the morning faff. Getting everyone up and out is made a lot easier if there’s not a half-mile walk to the lifts and ski school.
What makes Obertauern ski resort especially suitable for families is that it ticks all these boxes – and more. From first ski lessons and playful adventures with mascot Bobby to exciting ski circuits for teenagers and activities away from the slopes, Obertauern offers a varied winter holiday programme.
Plus, as Austria’s scientifically proven ‘snowiest winter sports destination’ it’s got reliable snow, along with convenient ski-in/ski-out access, family-friendly infrastructure, short distances and dedicated children's attractions. Many hotels are located directly on or close to the slopes, making it easy to get around without a car. Ski schools, lifts, restaurants and accommodation are all within easy reach.
Located between 1,630 and 2,313m above sea level, the resort offers more than 100kms of ski slopes, with options for beginners, intermediate skiers and experienced winter sports enthusiasts. Moreover, the mountains here create a bowl-like setting around the village. There are slopes in every direction and the village centre is never far away.
For first-time skiers
Obertauern has several local ski and snowboard schools offering lessons for children of different ages and abilities, including group lessons and private tuition. Children under the age of six can use the ski lifts free of charge when accompanied by their parents.
There are dedicated learning areas and confidence-building play areas for young children. Children are particularly taken with Bobby the Snow Rabbit, Obertauern’s local mascot. Bobby is always there, whether it’s for their first attempts at skiing, tobogganing or snowball fights.
For little adventurers
The next step up comes sooner than parents think, especially with young children, and Obertauern has them well covered too, with Bobby Land, the Bibo Bear Family Ski Park and fun themed runs.
Located at Schaidberg, Bobby Land is a dedicated children’s ski area featuring a magic carpet, children's igloo, wave track, slalom course and fun figures. There is also a cosy area where children can take a break and warm up.
Bibo Bear Family Ski Park, located at the Edelweissbahn, is a family ski park featuring three specially designed slopes where children can develop their skiing skills through playful exercises, including waves, jumps and slalom elements.
Bobby’s Mountain of Animals, located at the Kehrkopfbahn on slopes 7a and 7b, is themed skiing adventure introducing children to Bobby and his animal friends through a playful mountain experience.
Must-do: Explore Bobby Land and the children’s ski areas.
For confident young skiers
As confidence grows and horizons extend, kids will find much to explore and enjoy in Obertauern. One of the resort’s most unusual attractions is the Ski Ghost Train - a 30-metre-long wooden ghost train tunnel in the Fairy Tale Park at Schaidberg. Children who are already confident on skis can ski through the tunnel and discover its spooky carved characters.
Just as there is the Tauernrunde for intermediates and above, so there are Kindertauernrunde for kids and teenagers:
Bobby Round: A family-friendly ski circuit designed for younger and less experienced skiers, connecting attractions such as the ghost train, fairy tale forest, wave track and Bibo Bear Family Ski Park.
My Track: A more adventurous ski circuit for confident young skiers and snowboarders, featuring fun slopes, a speed track and other exciting challenges.
Must-do: On both Tauern circuits, timed sections, ghost runs, and undulating runs encourage young guests to share their Obertauern experiences using the hashtag #LOVEOBERTAUERN.
For parents
Obertauern’s ski area extends to 100km and everyone from intermediate to advanced skier will love exploring the wider ski area, enjoying mountain restaurants and making the most of time on the slopes.
The area has some glorious terrain for early intermediates, and a morning cruising the blues while the kids are doing their thing is made more relaxing by knowing you can’t stray too far. More than half of the resort’s piste network is graded blue, meaning you can easily spend your whole trip cruising gentle, wide slopes without constantly being forced onto difficult terrain. Seekarspitz, Hundskogel and Plattenkar, especially, offer wide, enjoyable pistes ideal for intermediates.
A great way to get orientated is to ‘ski the Tauernrunde’. This circuit connects all access points, letting you explore the entire ski area on skis in two directions. The red Tauernrunde runs clockwise, and the green one goes anti-clockwise, linking the various sectors of the ski resort. This turns a day’s skiing into a varied circuit around the whole area.
For experienced skiers there’s plenty of powder off-piste as well as the challenge of skiing one of Europe’s steepest black runs, the Gamsleiten 2 (or Piste 26a) which features big moguls and sharp gradients.
Must-do: while the kids are in ski school enjoy a relaxing coffee stop at one of the many mountain lodges, with spectacular views from a sun terrace.
For everyone together
You’ve come as a family, so naturally you want to share slope time together, so you can share in and celebrate your kids’ progress and enjoyment, but there are also other activities you can do as a family. Depending on your children’s ages, you are sure to find something from a ‘menu’ with options such as:
Go tobogganing at Gnadenalm
The 1.5-kilometre illuminated toboggan run at Gnadenalm is a fantastic activity for families. Located approximately four kilometres from Obertauern, it can also be enjoyed in the evening. For tired little legs, a snowmobile toboggan taxi provides transport to the starting point.
Enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride
A horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow-covered winter landscape offers a relaxing and memorable experience for the whole family.
Take a hike
The Obertauern region offers fantastic winter walking opportunities and almost 70 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails.
Find some thrills
For an injection of adrenaline, take your teens snow-biking, which involves hurtling down snow-covered slopes on two runners rather than skis, or give snowkiting a go. Then there’s laser biathlon at the Gnadenalm, or even airboarding, where you whizz down a slope on a hi-tech cushion!
Enjoy the festive atmosphere during Advent
Families visiting in December can experience Obertauern's atmospheric Tauernadvent Christmas market and selected festive activities, including the Advent trail at the Wildlife and Leisure Park in nearby Untertauern.
Experience the children's cultural programme
During the 2026/27 winter season, Obertauern puts on a fantastic programme of family-friendly entertainment, including children's theatre, magic shows, interactive concerts and musical performances. The programme is always held in German, but all guests are warmly welcome to join in.
Highlights include:
- 30 December 2026 – Interactive Christmas Concert
- 5 January 2027 – Jola und Jiluis, children's theatre
- 3 February 2027 – Herr Sturm und sein Wurm, children's theatre
- 10 February 2027 – Magic Max, children's magic show
- 17 February 2027 – Dschungelbande by Rodscha & Tom, interactive concert
- 24 March 2027 – Peter and the Wolf, children's concert by the Salzburg Philharmonic
Must-do: Tobogganning has nearly always been a can’t fail family activity when it comes to keeping all ages happy.
And for an encore
As adults, especially older adults, we’re always convinced we had the best music growing up. But tell your kids about The Beatles and they’re likely to respond with that crushing response, ‘Who are they?’
Well in Obertauern you’ll have a chance to expand your children’s musical horizons as well as their skiing ones. Back in March 1965, the resort welcomed four young lads from Liverpool – The Beatles – who were making their second film ‘Help’. After filming against the backdrop of Obertauern’s snow-capped mountains, the world’s most famous band also gave an impromptu concert at the former Hotel Marietta, which remains their only performance in Austria to this day.
Today, three monuments commemorate those days: a statue of The Beatles on the slope by the Kirchbühel lift, a replica of their grand piano at the Grünwald -Kopfbahn mountain station, and four statues of the musicians in front of the Hotel Edelweiss. Be sure to make time to visit these Beatles-themed monuments, which make popular backdrops for souvenir photos while keeping alive the memory of Obertauern’s contribution to musical history.
Just make sure you have some top Beatles tracks ready on your Spotify or Apple Music playlist. Including Help!, of course…
Getting to Obertauern
Obertauern lies in the heart of central Austria’s SalzburgerLand. Getting there is usually via Salzburg Airport, just 90km away, with a transfer time of 75 mins. Eurowings operate flights from many UK airports.
For more info about taking a family ski holiday in Obertauern, go to obertauern.com
