Weather – The weather patterns (or lack thereof) that move in between the hundreds of Alpine mountain valleys can be unpredictable. A lot of basic weather apps will oftentimes not provide the full picture of what to expect. As you travel up and down altitude, temperatures can also fluctuate a fair amount. Be prepared for nearly anything and don’t get caught in the mountains without winter tires or snow chains. Regarding snow chains, make sure you’ve practiced putting them on before making your journey. Freezing temperatures at night with windchill is not when you want to have your first snow chain installation experience!

Vignettes and Tolls – Know when you need to buy vignettes/stickers for certain countries and how much tolls can cost. Switzerland, Slovenia, and Austria all require stickers. If you don’t do your route research, you can also find yourself getting surprised with  expensive tolls.

Non-driving cities – Know the Zermatt Sign and what it means! Don’t do what I did and listen to your aloof backseat friends that say, “I’m sure it’s fine. You can drive in.” If you’re headed to high alpine Swiss towns, avoid the high-stakes panic attack that I had and leave your car outside of town. You don’t want to come across the Swiss Polizei in a private automobile in one of these places. You’ll drive away 350 Francs lighter.

Look for your Lift Tickets Ahead of Time – Many locations like Sölden and Ehrwald, Austria will offer slightly discounted lift and funicular tickets if you purchase them ahead of time. Generally, the discount will be somewhere between 5-10% of the normal cost. You can also avoid, what can be ridiculously long, Reit im Winkl Ticket Lines if you’ve already got yours in hand! Another note on lift tickets can be found in an example like the Top Snow Card: A regional ski pass used in both the German and Austrian regions of the Zugspitze. A card like this will come in cheaper rather than purchasing single-day and single-resort tickets...plus you get to change up your ski area from day to day if you feel up to it! The Ötztal Super Ski Pass is another great example to look into.

Another note on lift tickets can be found in an example like the Top Snow Card: A regional ski pass used in both the German and Austrian regions of the Zugspitze. A card like this will come in cheaper rather than purchasing single-day and single-resort tickets...plus you get to change up your ski area from day to day if you feel up to it! The Ötztal Super Ski Pass is another great example to look into.

Early parking – Europeans DO NOT MESS AROUND when it comes to getting to the lift parking lots early. Whatever you think is early, get there a little earlier. Your ideal parking spot awaits you if you can accomplish this simple task and your morning will go so much smoother.

Ski schools – There is too much to write on the topic of ski schools.  The experience usually differs a little bit depending on which country you decide to visit. Nearly everywhere a course is broken out into two to three hour blocks either in the morning or afternoon. When booking, which you should do ahead of time, you have the option of doing either half-days or full-days. It’s also very important to take note of meeting points for each course that you book. Lastly, one of the most important notes, your ski school cost will rarely include a lift ticket in it. Ski schools for kids – This is where things get tricky. All of the time you would normally allow for you, allow even more for the little guys and gals. Take their patience and their skills into account when considering a half or full-day lesson. Be sure to stuff snacks in their pockets and don’t forget to jam their lift ticket(s) into their jacket!

Ski schools for kids – This is where things get tricky. All of the time you would normally allow for you, allow even more for the little guys and gals. Take their patience and their skills into account when considering a half or full-day lesson. Be sure to stuff snacks in their pockets and don’t forget to jam their lift ticket(s) into their jacket!

Another note on lift tickets can be found in an example like the Top Snow Card: A regional ski pass used in both the German and Austrian regions of the Zugspitze. A card like this will come in cheaper rather than purchasing single-day and single-resort tickets...plus you get to change up your ski area from day to day if you feel up to it! The Ötztal Super Ski Pass is another great example to look into.

Ski schools for kids – This is where things get tricky. All of the time you would normally allow for you, allow even more for the little guys and gals. Take their patience and their skills into account when considering a half or full-day lesson. Be sure to stuff snacks in their pockets and don’t forget to jam their lift ticket(s) into their jacket!

Ski Kindergartens – Another kid-oriented consideration to consider is a ski kindergarten or alternative to skiing. When that nightmare occurs, your child telling you they don’t want to ski today, it is always important to have an alternative so you can still enjoy your alone time on the slopes as a parent. When searching for the right slope area with this factor, be sure to search for ski kindergartens, indoor play arenas or trampoline parks, or simply bring a sled along with you as an outdoor option. Ehrwald, Austria and Sainte-Foy, France have incredible kindergartens on-site. Feldberg, Germany has a large indoor play place directly next to the main lift area. Reit im Winkl, Germany even has snow tubing with a lift to experience.

Après Ski –The term Après Ski is French for literally “After Ski.” Après Ski refers to the party and nightlife culture that takes off the moment the lifts close down for the day at a slope area. Places like Ishgl, St. Anton, and Sölden, Austria are famous for their after ski culture and a night owl will likely never be disappointed in these ski towns. For those parents or adults that bring kids along, it can be difficult to find family-oriented things to do.. The usual after ski events for families are simply dinner, movie theaters, or even going to a heated Thermal Bad to relax the day’s tensions and aches away.