Austria

Well-priced Alps

Austria is hands down just an outstanding snow sports location with, what seems like, a never-ending amount of slope areas to spend time on (nearly 390, actually). Its German is a bit prettier than Germany’s German, it operates on the Euro as currency, and the best ski schools I’ve found for our kids tend to be in Austria. Much like Switzerland, don’t travel to Austria without a windshield sticker for Austria’s highways. You’re inviting problems.

I love Austria. From its ridiculous landscape to the amazingly ridiculous Euro-techno music constantly blasting from the slope huts, it’s a more affordable location (on the Euro) than Switzerland and the mood is just so relaxed. So far in our two years on the slopes in Europe, the absolute best slope region for kids that I have located has been in Ehrwald Alm.

Most of the time we have spent has been in the Tyrol and the Ötztal alpine regions. In this guy’s opinion, Austrian snow towns have the best mixture of family environments as well as decent nightlife if you’re lucky enough for your Spouse to let you have a ladies’ or guys’ trip, there. Typical of the German-speaking alpine landscape, egg noodles, gravies, pork, and incredible beers are what you’ll most commonly find in the mountains for replenishment/ill-advised runs.

If you’re lucky enough, you’ll even have the opportunity to piss off an entire Austrian restaurant by eating a burger with your hands and not a knife and fork! I enjoy calling these “cultural clashes”.

*My buddy Brandon looking out over Tyrol*

Quick tip: Don’t speed in Austria. Just don’t. In addition to traffic cameras, they also have insanely reckless cops who will literally step out into the road and hold their hand out to stop you…….I’ll explain in my Soelden recap.

There is too much to love about Austria to list. I suppose that’s why I write blog posts about them 😉