When my eyes spy a little sign that says "Sommerrodelbahn" I make sure to tell my non-German…read morespeaking husband to bust a u-turn. We have got to go, and we have got to go now! My poor unsuspecting stepdaughter had no idea what she was in for, but the fun began taking the one-person sesselbahn up the mountain. Dangling under a cable with nothing more than a thin metal railing to keep her from plummeting down the mountain was a bit of a culture shock, I'm afraid. If only she understood German she would have known that Sommer rodelbahn, rodelbahn and alpine coaster all mean the same thing. A fun-as-hell, fast ride down a mountain! The rodelbahn, or (dry) toboggan run, is essentially a little cart on wheels, seated in a low metal half pipe with a stick to operate it. Push the stick forward and you go faster, pull it towards you and it slows you down. My Mr and I are big kids at heart (and assholes..) so we whipped down the run with as little braking as possible. Be careful though, you'll quickly reach high speeds and it is possible to fly out.. especially around tight corners. Stepdaughter took the cautious approach, but she ended up loving it! This über popular summer past time is fun for kids of all ages, and at around €7 a pop why would you not? Tickets include a lift ticket up to the mittelstation and a rodel down. If you feel like hiking up instead of taking the lift, rodeling is even cheaper.

From the owner: Mit den modernen Achterkabinen der Ehrwalder Almbahn gelangen Urlauber auf die Ehrwalder Alm. Hier…read morefinden Sportler im Winter ein familienfreundliches Ski- und Snowboardparadies mit 27,5 bestens präparierten Pistenkilometern sowie 14 Kilometer gespurte Loipen und ideales Terrain für Winterwanderer. Im Sommer ist die Bergstation Ausgangspunkt für reizvolle Wander- und Mountainbiketouren. Das angegliederte "Tirolerhaus" auf 1.500 Metern überzeugt ganzjährig mit Top-Berggastronomie.

Ski Welt is an awesome resort, truly huge- you can definitely spend several days here. There are…read morelots of different access points to the resort, we used the Scheffau parking lot- convenient enough, there were several gondolas and a ski-out for the end of the day. Make sure you take a map, there are lots of different areas, and it can take several lifts / runs to get back to where you started from, so make sure you allow enough time before closing. Plenty of hospitality on the mountain with bars and restaurants, at the usual ski resort prices. My only gripe- don't go during German or Austrian holidays, the mountain can be a Zoo when full.

This is my only experience skiing in Austria. Resort itself crosses several mountains, so very big…read morewith lots of lifts and runs (not many super long ones though). Has a good number of gondolas too. I dont speak German and thought it was a bit confusing to get around. Especially getting back to the area where you came from. The map has alot of horizontal lifts and runs, which makes it hard to see the direction they go in. Plus, there were several lifts on the map, that were not present.

A nice ski mountain with a some groomed beginning and intermediate runs. The advanced runs were…read moreall ungroomed and a bit chunky today. The lifts are good, but after buying your ticket walk further up the road to the red bahn that takes you to the top. If you skip the lower chairlifts and head straight to the bergbahn you get to the top faster and warmer. When you're at the top, you gotta stop and eat. The food is fantastic and the views beyond memorable. The beer is great too. Try the dunkelweizen zum fass...hard to find and impossible to beat in my opinion.

The Herzogstandbahn (bahn = gondola) is about a one-hour drive from Munich, making it an easy…read moreday-trip into the Alps. Beside easy access to the high country, if your family outings are like ours, you'll appreciate the many trail options and planning flexibility the Herzogstandbahn affords. You can easily customize your day's hiking to your group. For a one hour hike or less, buy a roundtrip ticket, and from the top of the gondola you can easily reach one of two nearby summits or a small chapel. For a 2 hour hike, ride the gondola one way and hike the rest. It takes about about 4 hours if you park in the Herzogstandbahn lot and hike roundtrip to the summit of the Herzogstand, skipping the gondola altogether. The Berggasthaus Herzogstand hut is about 10 minutes walk from where the gondola lets you off and provides welcome refreshment in the form of local beers and sausage and a few coffee and salad options. Dogs welcome. Once you're back down to your car, you have the option to drive a few minutes to the cove settlement of Einsiedel with its easy swimming and boating access to the Walchensee. The lake and its most famous peak, the Herzogstand, are a perfect summer-time destination for the whole family. We'll be back in the winter to try randonee skiing in the back bowl!