Flachau: 3 tips for activities with kids

After the exciting Saalbach, which I discussed in my previous article, we moved to the Flachau area for a few days, where the program continued as usual = Jonáš and Nina had a great time at the playgrounds, and we had a great time watching them have a great time. It was the ideal combination, and everyone was happy...

Where to stay?

This time, I decided to book an apartment so that we would have more privacy and also so that we wouldn't have to eat out all the time. So, for four nights, our base was Ferienhaus Alpenland, where we got a price of € 92/night for an apartment with a bedroom and living room connected to a kitchenette. Overall, the kitchen was nicely equipped with everything you need, including plenty of dishes, a microwave, electric kettle, and coffee maker. Alternatively, check out my other tips here:

• cheaper: Ferienhaus Eva nebo Landhotel Hinteraigengut - Both are highly rated accommodations, where you can stay for two with breakfast included for less € 120
• more expensive: design Uncle Jacks or family paradise Familienhotel Felsenhof

Flachau Sommer Card / 12 Peaks

In addition to the accommodation mentioned above, we also received a local summer card and a free public transport card (mobility card). The Flachau Sommer Card offers more "organized" entertainment, such as guided tours and walks, various sports tournaments, exercise classes, etc., plus discounts at various tourist attractions. A complete list can be found on the official website. Don't expect free cable cars like with the Joker Card in Saalbach. 

However, I noticed that there were two "children's hills" near Flachau, and when I was thinking about how to get there in the most economical way, I came up with the 12 Peaks Adventure Card. This card includes 6 peaks and XX cable cars, which you can use unlimitedly on the day of validity. Realistically, though, I think you'll only manage one hill per day (with kids) anyway :) The advantage is that if you buy it online and enter your Flachau Sommer Card numbers, you get a 20% discount. You can find a complete price list on this website. 

The weather was getting worse and we didn't want to take any chances, so we only bought two 6-day passes, which cost €56 for an adult and €14.60 for Nina (Mini 3-5 years). If we had been staying longer and the weather had been sunny, we would definitely have bought a 12 Peaks pass valid for several days, because as is often the case, the more you buy, the cheaper it is. And secondly, there are lots of family walks to choose from here. Out of all the options, I finally chose these:

1. Geisterberg

I don't know if there is a bigger playground in Austria than Geisterberg... You can't expect anything else but a day spent climbing, sliding, swinging, jumping, and splashing in the water. It's a total paradise for kids! If you have older children, you'll probably just sit on the benches with a blank expression on your face. With younger children, you'll have to get more involved, at least when they get lost in the huge ghost castle. And they will definitely get lost there!

Practical: pick up game cards in the shape of large medals at the cable car station, which the children can then stick stickers on for completed tasks. In reality, this means correctly placing the game medal on a special panel. In total, you will pass through 11 stops divided according to the elements - water, air, fire, and earth. On this expedition, you will of course meet lots of fairy-tale characters, from devils and witches to dragons, goblins, and water nymphs, which will entertain children of all ages. In addition, the individual stations are quite close to each other, so you won't spend too much time walking and will have more time left for playing. Yay! :)

Let me add three additional comments:

• We liked the dragon play structure the most, which even breathes smoke from its mouth from time to time. Definitely don't miss it, plus the castle between the upper cable car station and the train stop, from which you can jump into a large inflatable landing area.
• Surprisingly, the water elements also include a water playground, so bring a change of clothes/towels with you.
• Spoiler alert, okay? But when you see a small wooden arch bridge that looks completely useless at first glance, pay attention. It's been a long time since I've been so frightened :)

Accessibility: You will be interested in the Alpendorf cable car in St. Johann in Pongau. Parking is free, but before you get to the lower station, you will (unfortunately) have to walk through a large playground. So... prepare your arguments in advance :) If you don't have a 12 Peaks card, an adult ticket costs €37.10 (slightly less if purchased online in advance). And don't forget that children aged 3 and above pay for a ticket; specific prices are listed here. 

You can get to the top in a few minutes and then you have two options. Either you walk from the cable car to the top along trail no. 712, which is 1.7 km long. Or the second option - you walk about 800 m to the "train" stop, which will take you up for free. The train is, of course, a tractor with a comfortable carriage and also stops at the Buchauhutte hut. And since all the trails on Geisterberg are accessible with a stroller, you will find space for them in the front part of the train.

How did we do it? We took the lift up so that we would have as much energy as possible for all the activities, and we walked back to Buchauhutte. In this section, you will pass the local Drachis via ferrata, but otherwise there is nothing particularly interesting on the route, and the views are not particularly impressive either. In any case, a late lunch came in handy at the hut, and the children played on the playground until the train arrived to take us back to the lower station.

2. Grafenberg

And here's another batch of playgrounds, this time spread out over a 3-kilometer loop, which you can easily cover even with a stroller. Right at the cable car exit, you'll stop by the animals and the well-maintained sandpit, where you'll be amazed at the ways sand can be transported! Then you can test your nerves on a large inflatable trampoline (personally, I can't stand trampolines combined with 50 jumping children) and strengthen your muscles on a raft trip across the reservoir. All in all, you haven't even started the route and it's already noon. What am I trying to say? Come on time :)

The highlight here is the KUHbidu adventure trail, where you can have fun and learn something new at the same time. The main theme at Grafenberg is cows, and a few questions also relate to beekeeping. In total, you will pass through more than two dozen stations, and unlike at Geisterberg, the correct answers are not stuck on but scraped off. During our visit, we were lucky enough to enjoy a special program with various crafts, mini tractor rides, and face painting (all free of charge). During the summer, this event takes place every Thursday in the forest by the giant swings, which we liked the most of all (+ the wooden farm was also great), and we all had a great time here.

The last part of the trail is lined with water features playgrounds, and all this wet madness culminates at the Hachaualm hut, from where you will slowly turn back towards the cable car. So if you don't want to go home with your kids completely soaked to the skin, bring a change of clothes. In our case, I would also appreciate a change of shoes :)

Availability: Parking is free again at the Grafenbergbahm cable car in Wagrain. If you have a 12 Peaks Card, you're all set. If not, you can buy a ticket at the counter for €37.10 for adults or online at least one day in advance for a slightly lower price, see the website here. Don't forget to pick up notebooks for your children so they can enjoy their rewards (in 2025, bubble blowers, notepads, and diplomas).

3. Kids World at Lucky Flitzer

Still haven't had enough of children's attractions? No? Then this will be the last straw! :)  It was a completely random discovery for us, and we couldn't believe our eyes. Lucky Flitzer looks like a bobsleigh track on Google Maps, which is great in itself, or at least Nina is always excited about bobsleighing, but that's not all... During the season, the complex also features several giant inflatable castles with various themes, a water car track, electric cars for children, and a classic wooden playground. And close to all of this is the Rodelalm restaurant, which can guarantee a pleasant afternoon with older children :)

Practical information: great news for you – all bouncy castles are free! Water cars and classic cars run on tokens (€2), which you can exchange for cash at the vending machine. Of course, you have to pay for the bobsleigh track; prices can be found on the official website here, but its length of more than a kilometer will ensure you have a really nice ride. Parking is free here.

From Flachau, we took a trip to the Liechtenstein Gorge, and on the way back to the Czech Republic, we stopped at Red Bull Hangar 7 in Salzburg. We can recommend both, and I have written more detailed information about these places in an older article, 10 tips for trips in the Salzkammergut. And if you are looking for more tips for trips in Austria, whether with or without children, be sure to check here:

• Saalbach: paradise for kids and parents
• TOP trips in Schladming area
• The charming town of Hallstatt
  
• 10 tips for trips in the Salzkammergut
  
• 3 TOP trips in Tyrol
• TOP trips in Zell am See

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