KRONEThings to do in Zell am See and Kaprun with kids: 12 family favourites
By KRONE Alpine Stays · Last updated: October 2026
Short answer: The best things to do in Zell am See with kids are the Schmidolin dragon trail on the Schmittenhöhe, boat trips and lidos on Lake Zell, the Maisi Flitzer coaster and Maiskogel playgrounds in Kaprun, and the Kitzsteinhorn summit. Within a day trip are the Grossglockner road, the Ferleiten wildlife park and the Krimml Waterfalls.
Parents looking for things to do in Zell am See want details that matter with children: suitable ages, opening seasons, how long each visit takes, and whether the Summer Card covers it. This guide lists twelve family favourites with those details, first in the two towns and then on easy day trips, followed by a rainy-day plan and a sample week.
Things to do in Zell am See at a glance
| Activity | Where | Good for | Season | Summer Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schmidolin dragon world | Schmittenhöhe, Zell am See | Young children | Summer | Lift included |
| Lake boat trips | Zell am See | All ages | Summer | Included |
| Lidos and indoor pool | Zell am See, Thumersbach, Schüttdorf | All ages | Summer; pool for rainy days | Included |
| Maisi Flitzer coaster | Kaprun | From age 3 with an adult | All year | Not listed |
| Kitzsteinhorn summit | Kaprun | Whole family | All year | Included |
| High mountain reservoirs | Kaprun | Whole family | June – mid-October | Included |
| Ferleiten wildlife park | Grossglockner road | Children | Early May – early November | Discount |
| Krimml Waterfalls | Krimml | Children who can walk | 1 May – end of October | Discount |
Summer Card status is taken from the official partner list (Summer Card partners); other sources are linked in each section.
Things to do in Zell am See with kids
1. The Schmidolin dragon world on the Schmittenhöhe
Schmidolin is the little dragon mascot of the Schmittenhöhe, and a set of family activities on the mountain carries his name (Zell am See-Kaprun). The highlight is “Schmidolin’s Baptism of Fire”, a forest adventure trail where children solve tasks and tests of courage and record their answers in an adventure passport.
Admission to the trail is included in the children’s cable car ticket. Nearby you will also find:
- Dragon Fire play tower for climbing, crawling, swinging and sliding, with a lookout.
- Wooden marble runs at the areitXpress top station and along the High Altitude Promenade.
- Schmidolin’s Hot Wheels, a secured e-bike circuit for children from age 6, with instruction for beginners.
In summer 2026 the areitXpress, which serves these activities, ran from 23 May to 13 September (Schmittenhöhe). Children born in 2021 or later ride the Schmittenhöhe lifts free with an adult (Schmittenhöhe tickets).
2. Boat trips on Lake Zell
The lake boats stop at several piers around the shore, so you can cross the lake or take a full round trip (Zell am See-Kaprun). The largest boat, the MS Schmittenhöhe, holds 255 passengers.
Since June 2026 the fleet has also included a silent electric boat, the “Maria Franziska von Trapp”. She is named after a member of the von Trapp family born in 1914 in Thumersbach, across the lake. Round trips and lake crossings are included in the Summer Card, while the small self-drive electric boats are a discount only.
3. Lidos and the indoor pool
Three lidos line Lake Zell, in Zell am See, Thumersbach and Seespitz in Schüttdorf, and the water can reach up to 23 °C in summer (Zell am See-Kaprun). The lidos and the indoor pool in Zell am See are both Summer Card premium partners.
4. Vogtturm and the Ski Museum
Two Zell am See museums are included in the Summer Card: the Vogtturm Museum and the Ski Museum at Alpenblick (Summer Card partners). Both are short visits that work well on a showery afternoon.
Things to do in Kaprun with kids
5. The Maisi Flitzer alpine coaster
The Maisi Flitzer is an alpine coaster in the centre of Kaprun, at the Maiskogelbahn valley station (Kitzsteinhorn). The descent is 1,300 metres long, riders control their speed up to 40 km/h, and a ride takes about 12 minutes. It runs daily all year, from 9:30 am to 5 pm.
- Ages 3 to 7: ride together with an adult.
- Age 8 and at least 1.25 m tall: may ride alone.
The coaster is not on the Summer Card partner list, so budget for tickets.
6. Maiskogel playgrounds
The MK Maiskogelbahn climbs to a top station at 1,570 metres, where a playground has a marble run, climbing wall, slide and swings, next to a panoramic platform over the Salzach valley and Lake Zell (Kitzsteinhorn). At the foot of the mountain, the Family & Leisure Park Maiskogel adds slides, a bouncy castle, climbing walls and a carousel. Maiskogel is a Summer Card premium partner.
7. The Kitzsteinhorn summit and ICE ARENA
The TOP OF SALZBURG platform on the Kitzsteinhorn stands at 3,029 metres, which the tourist board calls Salzburg’s highest-situated excursion destination (Zell am See-Kaprun). Gipfelwelt 3000 at the top includes the National Park Gallery and Cinema 3000, and both are open all year.
In July and August the ICE ARENA adds summer tobogganing on snow (Kitzsteinhorn). Free National Park ranger tours run twice a day in summer, and the paid Explorer Tour through four climate zones is described as suitable for the whole family.
8. The high mountain reservoirs
The Kaprun high mountain reservoirs, Wasserfallboden and Mooserboden, sit at about 2,040 metres (Zell am See-Kaprun). Private cars are not allowed: you go up by transfer bus and the Lärchwand inclined lift. The area is open from the beginning of June to mid-October.
For children there is the Electricity Adventure World, included in the admission fee, plus a pram-friendly Electricity Trail with six stations ending at a water playground. Adults can join the daily dam wall tours or walk the herb trail from the Mooserboden restaurant in under 45 minutes.
9. Sigmund Thun Gorge
The Sigmund Thun Gorge is the only one of the Summer Card’s four included gorges that lies in Kaprun itself (Summer Card partners). It pairs well with a Maiskogel morning, since both are in Kaprun.
Zell am See day trips for families
10. Grossglockner High Alpine Road
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a classic Zell am See day trip into the Hohe Tauern. For 2026 a car day ticket costs €46.50, or €36.50 for trips after 6 pm (Grossglockner). From 1 June to 31 August the road is open from 5:30 am to 9 pm, with last entry at 8:15 pm. The road reopened on 25 April 2026 and normally closes in early November (Grossglockner 2026 opening).
11. Ferleiten Wildlife & Adventure Park
The Ferleiten wildlife park is on the Salzburg side of the Grossglockner road, near the toll booth in Fusch (Grossglockner). Around 200 alpine animals, including ibex, wolves, marmots and chamois, live on 15 hectares. Next door is a 20,000 m² children’s theme park. It opens daily from early May to early November, from 8 am until nightfall, and the Summer Card gives a discount.
12. Krimml Waterfalls
The Krimml Waterfalls drop 380 metres in three tiers, and Austria’s tourist board calls them the highest waterfalls in Europe (Austria.info). Plan your visit around these figures:
- Parking to the lower falls: 10 to 15 minutes on foot, easy for small children.
- Lower falls to the upper falls: about another 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Whole visit: about 3 hours.
- Paid trail season: 1 May to the end of October.
WasserWelten, an interactive water exhibition, is at the trail entrance. The falls are a Summer Card discount partner (Summer Card partners). Our Mittersill guide covers the valley on the way.
Rainy-day things to do in Zell am See
- Cinema 3000 and the National Park Gallery on the Kitzsteinhorn, open all year.
- National Park Worlds in Mittersill, a Summer Card premium partner.
- Indoor pool, Vogtturm and Ski Museum in Zell am See, plus the Kaprun Museum.
- Tauern SPA in Kaprun and the Diesel Kino in Bruck, both Summer Card discounts (Summer Card partners).
A sample family week
This flexible plan uses the attractions above and keeps arrival day light. In high summer some Summer Card attractions only work from day two, as our Zell am See Summer Card guide explains.
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Lido and a walk along the lake |
| Day 2 | Schmittenhöhe and the Schmidolin trail |
| Day 3 | Maiskogel playgrounds and the Maisi Flitzer, then Sigmund Thun Gorge |
| Day 4 | Kitzsteinhorn summit on the clearest day |
| Day 5 | High mountain reservoirs |
| Day 6 | Grossglockner road with a stop at Ferleiten |
| Spare day | Krimml Waterfalls, or a rainy-day option |
Where to stay for these activities
For lake days and the Schmittenhöhe, our Family Chalet in Zell am See sleeps up to ten. If the Maiskogel and the glacier are your focus, stay in Kaprun, for example in the Penthouse in Kaprun for up to eight. Compare all properties on our stays page, and check the season in our guide to the best time to visit Zell am See.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best things to do in Zell am See with young children?
The Schmidolin trail on the Schmittenhöhe, the lidos and the lake boats. All three are close to town, and the lift, lidos and boats are Summer Card partners.
From what age can children ride the Maisi Flitzer?
From age 3 with an adult. Children can ride alone from age 8 if they are at least 1.25 m tall.
How much does the Grossglockner road cost?
A car day ticket costs €46.50 in 2026, or €36.50 for trips after 6 pm.
How long does a visit to the Krimml Waterfalls take?
About 3 hours for the whole trail. The lower falls are 10 to 15 minutes from the car park.
What can we do in Zell am See when it rains?
Cinema 3000 on the Kitzsteinhorn, the National Park Worlds in Mittersill, the indoor pool and museums, or Tauern SPA in Kaprun.
Can we drive to the Kaprun reservoirs?
No. Cars and bikes cannot drive up; you take the transfer bus and the Lärchwand inclined lift between June and mid-October.
Plan your family week
There are enough things to do in Zell am See and Kaprun for a full week without repeating a day; the trick is to match mountain days to clear skies. Send us your dates and group size through our contact page or WhatsApp, and we reply with available stays and the full price. Read the Kaprun guide for more on the glacier village.
Sources
- Zell am See-Kaprun – Schmidolin
- Schmittenhöhe – 2026 summer season
- Schmittenhöhe – Summer tickets
- Zell am See-Kaprun – Boat trips
- Zell am See-Kaprun – Lidos
- Zell am See-Kaprun – Summer Card partners
- Kitzsteinhorn – Maisi Flitzer
- Kitzsteinhorn – Maiskogel
- Zell am See-Kaprun – Kitzsteinhorn in summer
- Kitzsteinhorn – 365 days
- Zell am See-Kaprun – High mountain reservoirs
- Grossglockner – Prices and opening times
- Grossglockner – 2026 opening
- Grossglockner – Ferleiten wildlife park
- Austria.info – Krimml Waterfalls
Plan a family week in Zell am See
Send your arrival date, nights and group size. We reply with availability and the full price.