You might think skiing in the Alps is only for experts, but not all Europeans ski like James Bond. Their kids learn on bunny slopes just like ours, and, in Switzerland, most ski resorts are family-friendly, with facilities, lessons, ski trails and lifts catering to young skiers. In fact, the whole family, from first-timer skiers to black-diamond experts, will find their perfect snow at these top Swiss ski resorts.
With the sharp summit of the Matterhorn visible from all over the picture-perfect Alpine town, Zermatt is Switzerland’s poster-child ski resort. It’s known for some of the best skiing for experts, but also a favorite for families. Kids age 9 and under ride free when accompanied by an adult with a multiday pass. The free Wolli Card lets them ride the Gornergrat Bahn and gets them free lodging in some Zermatt hotels. Kids find easy terrain with kid-pleasing play features at Wolli’s Park, at the top of the Sunnegga funicular.
One of the world’s oldest winter resorts, St Moritz twice hosted the Olympics, but has plenty of snow for everybody who can afford its notoriously high prices. But only a few minutes from the glitzy town is Silvaplana, where there are plenty of family-friendly places to stay and a gentle slope where kids can learn and beginners can practice. More experienced family members can take the lift and cable car from here to San Moritz’s Corvatsch ski area. The terrain here is known for its long intermediate runs.
On ski slope in famous Jungfraujoch ski resort © Eva Bocek | Dreamstime.com
With 206 kilometers of slopes and ski runs, the Jungfrau is also known for its long runs, but that’s not all it offers. Of its cluster of idyllic little Alpine villages, choose Wengen if you’re skiing with kids and beginning skiers, as its nearby slopes are gentle and the runs shorter. When the kids get tired, amuse them by riding the many cable cars and rack railways from town to town.
Sitting close to Switzerland’s highest peak, which assures dependable snow, Saas-Fee has 96 kilometers of ski trails classed for intermediate skiers, plus 37 kilometers of beginner trails. The beginners lift and learning slope is right at the edge of the village, so no long treks to get the kids from lodgings to lifts. Experts can head higher for Alpine thrills, and teens love the snow park’s freestyle challenges.
Another mountain known for its intermediate terrain is Crans-Montana, in the upper Rhone valley near Lake Geneva. But 55 kilometers of slopes and runs are rated as easy, and the resort further caters to kids with its new covered magic carpet at the Ski Kindergarten. Kids also love the snow-tubing hill, with its own magic carpet lift. Teens keep busy at the dedicated snow park for boarders and in the new Chalet Alaïa, an action sports center opened this winter, with trampolines and a large outdoor skate park.
Read This Next
5 Family-Friendly Museums in Charleston
Destinations / North America
Aug 22, 2024#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedDestinations / North America
Jul 9, 20265 Places to Have a European-Style Vacation Without Leaving the Country
Flying isn’t cheap, especially for a whole family. Luckily, if you want a European vacation but it just isn’t in the budget, you can get creative with your destination and have a European-style vacation without ever leaving the country.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Destinations / Latin America
Jul 9, 20268 Savannah, Georgia, Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Savannah, Georgia, with us.
Hotels
Jul 9, 2026Refreshed Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa Elevates Family Getaways
Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, a 560-room resort in the Greater Palm Springs area, recently completed a comprehensive, multimillion-dollar renovation. With the updates come new resort experiences, a Kids Eat Free package, new pickleball courts, upgraded poolside cabanas, the debut of Seven Olive Modern Gastropub and Topgolf Swing Suites, and more.
Destinations / Europe
Jul 8, 2026A Trip to London: Exploring the South Bank
Courtesy of a night spent at London’s Sea Containers hotel, I had the opportunity to explore the South Bank neighborhood. Let’s dive into some family-friendly highlights:
Destinations / North America
Jul 8, 2026Summer Fun Awaits in New Hampshire’s Lakes
When you’re traveling in New Hampshire, you’re never far from water. Although its Atlantic coastline is short, lakes — including New England’s largest — are scattered throughout the state, so family travelers will have plenty of opportunities for swimming and water sports.
ShareThis