And then there’s skiing with a two-year-old.
And honestly? I highly recommend it — but only if you enter with the right mindset, which is:
embrace the chaos, pack the snacks, and accept that you’ll never be fully dry.
“Skiing with a toddler isn’t peaceful — but it is pure magic wrapped in layers of chaos.”
We booked a week in Zell am See, staying at The Grand Hotel with Crystal Ski, after cleverly timing the trip with… our entire hallway floor being redone.
Because nothing screams relaxing winter getaway like escaping a building site.
The Journey Begins (AKA: The 5am Life Chose Us)
We flew from Manchester, which meant a very lovely stay at Crown Plaza airport hotel stay the night before, where you lie awake thinking:
- “Did I pack enough layers for the toddler?”
- “Will she nap?”
- “Wonder where will be open for breakfast”
- “I must remember to pick up my boots pre order for milk”
- “Why did we choose a 5am check-in?”
The next morning, armed with caffeine and the optimism only holiday-mode parents possess, we glided through the airport…
Okay, no, we shuffled through with a two-year-old, 17 bags, one buggy, a suitcase of snacks and determination. Success on at least two of those.
Airport shopping? Oh absolutely.
A tradition.
A necessity.
A little reward for surviving security with a toddler. Elemis goodies for Mum, Vodka and aftershave for Dad and some cool Raybans for the littlest one.
Welcome to Zell am See — Actual Postcard Perfection
Imagine a place where every corner looks like the front of a Christmas card.
Fresh snow, pastel buildings, sparkling lake, cosy cafés, mountain views so pretty you question whether your eyes are glitching.
That’s Zell am See.
A lovely town with shops that make you think you’re the kind of family who strolls mountains hand-in-hand drinking hot chocolate…
when in reality you’re sprinting after your toddler who has discovered The Snow Pile of Their Dreams.
Taking My Mum — The Greatest Decision of All Time
We brought my mum with us, partly for the memories, mostly for the childcare, entirely because she’s wonderful.
It meant:
- Special snowy adventures for her and Primrose
- Gorgeous mountain lunches all together
- And crucially… time for me and my husband to actually ski together (unlike the year previous where we alternated our ski runs)
Honestly? 10/10.
Highly recommend a “ski granny.”
The Grand Hotel: Friendly, Fabulous, and Home of Endi Bear
The hotel itself?
Lovely.
Warm.
Full of families.
And most importantly — food that made us feel like we were dining somewhere fancy, even though we had a toddler wearing half a bread roll as a mitten.
The staff were unbelievably friendly — we had the same server every night, Endi, who basically adopted us.
On the last day he handed Primrose a little teddy bear… now known proudly as Endi Bear.
My heart? Melted.
My toddler’s heart? OBSESSED.
Endi Bear? Now a key family member.
Hotel Transfers: A Mum’s Dream
The Grand Hotel ran transfers to the ski lifts all day, meaning:
No trudging through snow with skis.
No toddler meltdowns halfway to the gondola.
No marital tension disguised as “discussion.”
Just hop on, hop off, and straight up the mountain.
Skiing as Parents: Romantic, Chaotic, Hilarious
Skiing with your partner when you also have a toddler is like a date…
but with time limits, logistics, snacks, and a walkie-talkie level of coordination.
But those moments — just us, the snow, the peace, the views —
they were magic.
And then we’d bomb back down the hill, leg-burning speed, for special time all together enjoying afternoon tea .
Meanwhile: Primrose’s First Real Snow Experience
Technically she’d seen snow before — in Italy under the age of one —
but this was the first time she was old enough to actually react.
And react she did.
Highlights included:
- falling over every 6 minutes
- loving it anyway
- eating snow (obviously)
- sledging
- Lake walks with Grandma
- shouting “WHEEEEE” at every slope
Pure joy.
Pure chaos.
Pure core memory.
Mountain Lunches — The Stuff of Dreams
Having lunch together on the mountain felt like something out of a film.
Fresh air.
Stunning backdrops.
A toddler stealing half my chips.
My mum smiling next to her granddaughter.
These are the moments I’ll keep forever.
Would I Do It Again? Yes — With Snacks and Low Expectations
Skiing with a two-year-old is not relaxing.
It’s not serene.
You’re not reading on a lounger while sipping anything warm.
But it is joyful.
Funny.
Bonding.
Messy.
Magical.
And one of those trips where you look back and think:
“That was worth every single meltdown.”
So yes.
I’d absolutely do it again —
Endi Bear and all.le wardrobes and ethically produced garments.
