Austria is one of our favorite countries to spend time in.  It has abundant opportunities for families in both city and country environments. This month I will highlight the areas we’ve been able to explore with our children.  Some trips I did without my husband and some I did with him.  And since it is my goal to start this year off by highlighting one country a month in alphabetical order, I’ll start our Austrian locations in order too.  First up is a Bregenz, a small town on Lake Constance (Bodensee in German).

“The Bodensee” or Lake Constance in English is the German/Austrian equivalent of the French Riviera.  Many native Germans and Austrians will have spent a few weeks of their life here at some point.  Bregenz, Austria sits right on the lake.  Yet this town is also right at the base of a large mountain range.  We only spent the day here but it was a wonderful stop for the kids.

Here are the highlights for children…

1. Walk around the Lake’s pedestrian promenade and take in the beautiful sights, then sit at a cafe and have delicious ice cream creations all while taking in the beauty of the lake.

A yummy ice cream mustache.

2. Take the Pfänderbahn funicular up to the top of the mountain. It’s walkable from the marina. We easily took our stroller with us into the cable car and each station at the top and bottom had a wonderful play area for the children to entertain themselves on days when the wait was long to get on the cable cars.  http://www.pfaenderbahn.at/en/

Little explorers.

Checking out the lake from the cable car.

3. Once you arrive at the top, you are immediately met with a “kinderparadies” (A children’s paradise).  The first thing that will catch their eye is the playground, with a towering slide.  Then off to the side they may notice the animal “farm” of boars, mountain goats and other native animals of the region.

4. There were several trails for easy strolling to advanced hiking that all began at the top station of the Pfänderbahn.  We set off on one leading to an open grass field where my boys looked like they were trying to recreate a scene from The Sound of Music.

5. Use this town like we did; a starting off point for the “KäseStrasse” or “Cheese Road” in English.  Not a road in the traditional sense but a collection of towns in this area that all make wonderful and unique to the region cheeses.  It will not only be a fun but delicious vacation! http://www.bregenzerwald.at/w/en/kaesestrasse-bregenzerwald