Dolomites.
Dolomiti.
Dolomiten.
Call ’em what you want, these magical alps will drop that jaw of yours before you can say “bellissima!”
Or before you can say “schon!” if you’re gonna go the German route.
In the cute little villages throughout the Dolomites, they speak Italian and German (as well as their own native language, Ladin). After World War I, South Tyrol became part of Italy but before that had been part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. More than a century later, both cultures are holding strong.
So, if Italian and German cultures sound intriguing, then head to the Dolomites for the best of both!
My husband and I can get by with both languages (his German skills are better whereas Italian comes easier to me, so we actually made a good pair there). But our travel-fatigued brains were working overtime trying to decide which language to use. At times we used both in the same conversation, maybe even in the same sentence, and we weren’t the only ones. “Sprechen sie….italiano?!”
And of course if it’s adventure you’re seeking, this outdoor lover’s paradise will take you to new heights. Literally.
Take a gondola to the top of a peak and find a single-track to bike or hike down. Face your fear of heights on a via ferrata. Scream your way down the longest zipline in Europe.
Whether you have little ones on your back or you’re as free as can be, the alps are your oyster…
How to Get To An Adventure with Kids in the Dolomites
Milan is the closest international airport. Other nearby airports include Bolzano, Venice, Innsbruck and Verona.
We prefer to use our United miles and fly into Munich and then take a loop-de-loop road trip from there. If you and your partner each get the United Gateway Card (no annual fee), or just one of you gets the Explorer Card, you’ll earn 60,000 bonus miles. That gets us at least one roundtrip ticket from SFO to Munich! We’ve been hooked on United ever since. You can read more info about that and other cards here.
Adventure Parks Galore
The Dolomites are one massive outdoor playground, overflowing with fun activities for everyone, not just us adrenaline-seeking parents.
They have ‘adventure parks’ practically everywhere. Google “Dolomites adventure park” to find one closest to your bnb/hotel or pick one of these and book a place nearby.
Piz de Plaies was a fun spot within hiking distance of our hotel,
…Or so we thought.
Mid-hike we decided to take a gondola to the top, since we were half-lost and more-than-half-tired.
We had a quick beer at the cute little restaurant atop the mountain,
… and then sat and ate our picnic lunch on the tables outside of it (with no view, of course), since they don’t allow you to bring in your own food.
Jameson was in kiddo-heaven playing with digger trucks in the sandbox and testing his digestive system on the giant trampoline (it passed).
Hopefully we’ll be back when the kids are old enough to ride the mini flow trail!
After the kids had their fill of fun, we hiked back down to really take it all in, and it was so worth it!
Cermislandia Playground is another free, yes free, play area. Well, “free” after you pay for your gondola ticket to get there.
Actually, most of the alps adventure playgrounds are free, surprisingly, because “playground” is an understatement. They have more than just a simple play structure, but rather all kinds of activities like mini zip lines, water wheels, rock climbing walls, rope courses and alpine coasters, just to name a few.
SummerPark La Crusc park in the Alta Badia region is full of play “stations”. No, not that kind of PlayStation. More like panning for gold or petting an alpaca. You can find it on the first section of the La Crusc chair lift.
Go to alta-badia.org for more info about adventure parks in the area.
European alps MUST DO: Forget the PB&J’s and enjoy a homemade local favorite at a mountain ‘hut’ (it’s a restaurant that may also have a hotel attached for more determined hikers who need a place to crash). If you’re lucky, you can find one randomly in the middle of the alps as you backpack your way through Europe (or just take a leisurely mountain stroll from your hotel or gondola). Many of them are listed online now as well.
We all fought over melt-in-your-mouth lasagna after we stumbled upon a hut in the Swiss alps. We sat and got to know some fellow hikers from the area. What a fun way to meet locals and foreigners alike. Hands down, one of our favorite memories in the alps.
Climb Amongst the Treetops
If you or your kids are looking for a challenge, there are treetop climbing courses throughout the area:
Colfosco Adventure Park has varying difficulty levels, so adults as well as children as young as three years old can have a go. Other climbing options are Alpe Cermis Adventure Park and Civetta Adventure Park.
I can’t wait to go back and do this when the kids can hang, literally. I’m not sure who is more excited though, our four-year-old son or his crazy mama.
If that doesn’t get your heart pumping, then a via ferrata might be more in your wheelhouse. Check out Alta Badia Guides for via ferrata options, including beginner levels if you’re a newb to the sport (me!). I’m obsessed after doing one in El Chorro, Spain, near Caminito del Rey.
Get Pumping at Piz La Ila
Active Park Piz La Ila is full of games and activities for all ages. To reach the panoramic playground, take the Piz La Ila cable car in La Villa, then test your athletic side with fitness equipment, balancing lines, free-climbing walls, and a rope climb. Or jump into some acrobatics on the giant Air Bag.
On their Pumptrack, bikers, scooters, and skaters don’t pedal, but rather they “pump” the ups and downs of the track. Don’t worry about bringing a bike – they rent them out for kids.
The Alta Badia region near San Cassiano has all kinds of these parks. Another popular one is Bear Park Piz Sorega, with its zip line, mini golf, fossil-digging and water games, you and the kids are destined for fun.
And they are all FREE (after the lift ticket to get there, of course)!
“Coast” Down the Mountain
Throughout the European alps, alpine coasters (or summer toboggans if you will) are hard to miss. Now before I became obsessed, I didn’t know what they were, so I’ll tell ya…
Most are similar to the one pictured below. It’s a two-seater cart that propels you down the mountain on a track, and if you’re lucky, you control the speed with a brake. Or don’t use it at all… ahem, Dada.
We’ve seen a lot of these in Bavaria and the Austrian alps, but the Dolomites does not disappoint either. You can find one in Gardone and Trentino.
Zip the Biggest Line in Europe
If you think those jagged peaks are impressive from ground level, then imagine what they’d look like from 100 meters up! You’d have plenty of time to appreciate those views as you zip down 3200 meters of line, going 80 kmph. Well, maybe not plenty of time.
Adrenaline X-treme Adventures Park was actually walking distance from our hotel in San Vigilio. We saw it (and the wailing zipliners) on our walk back down from the adventure park.
Although San Vigilio where we stayed was just a quiet little village town (they didn’t even have a laundromat!), it was actually the perfect central location to most of these adventures.
Loop the Lago
Lago di Braies, that is.
Or if you prefer Deutsche, then it’s Pragser Wildsee.
You probably recognize this lake from famed pictures across Instagram. You know the classic – mountains surrounding a turquoise lake, with cute little vintage boats floating around. Or are they canoes? No cuh-lue.
The “easy” 3 miles around the lake might have you questioning whether it’s really 3 miles. With the two kids, one of whom an impressive hiker, it felt longer than I expected. And I wasn’t the one with the baby on my back. The lake that just keeps on going…
Accessibility: A portion of the path around the lake is wheelchair/stroller friendly, reaching to the north and western sides of the lake. If you’re facing the lake, turn left at the boathouse for these pretty views.
Ride the Gondola to Kronplatz
If you stay in San Vigilio, take the gondola from the center of town up to Kronplatz (unless you are crazy and kid-less and want to do the 4-hour hike to the top).
I’m glad we hiked back down, so we could enjoy the unforgettable landscape. It wasn’t outerspace but it definitely felt out of this world. I’m surprised I didn’t fall on my face, looking up constantly.
The top of Plan de Corones / Kronplatz is where you’ll find one of the best panoramic views of World Heritage mountaintops including Sass de la Crusc, Marmolada, and Fanes Sennes Braiesas, to name a few.
There are restaurants, playgrounds, mountain bike descents, and if you’re lucky, wild Clydesdale horses.
With our lift ticket came a scavenger hunt, but I didn’t completely understand it, and the three-year-old couldn’t be less interested.
Once you’re done perusing the perimeter, scream for your life on the giant Skyscraper swing. (I regret not doing this one).
But first (well, and after), you might want to calm your nerves with a beer at the panoramic restaurant. I’d suggest splurging on a charcuterie board. It looked so good! Coulda woulda.
While you bask in the mountain sun with your delicious prosciutto, the kids can go wild at the playground adjacent to the restaurant.
Baby travel tip: There is no changing table in the bathroom, but they had a make-shift one outside of the bathroom. I thought my little chubbers would break the antique table from grandmother’s house. She didn’t. That rustic thing was solid. And authentic. We were in the alps! Call me nerdy, but I loved it.
But then enters, MILK!!!
Accessibility: Once you reach the top via gondola, it’s pretty flat, but the road is mainly gravel. For info about Kronplatz accessibility, check out the Outdoor Active site I found.
Fun, Without Even Leaving Your Hotel…?!
Yes! Believe it.
If you want to take a break from venturing out, then stay at Excelsior Dolomites Life Hotel, where there is never a dull moment. We stayed busy on mini zip lines, the adventure playground, kids club, archery, via ferrata, and more – all of which was included in our hotel stay!
Find out more about our fun Dolomites hotel in my blog post.
After all the alpine thrills, sit back on your balcony and enjoy an aperitivo while gazing at the Italian alps. The Italian alps!!! Pinch yourself…
…and enjoy every little bit, from the baby kisses to the sun-kissed mountains, because before you know it, you’ll be back at home having vivid dreams of the Dolomites as you drive to work…
But only to make money for your next adventure…right?
Where will it be?
