Austria

Why we went…

We chose to travel to Austria with the kids for our summer trip for a few reasons: there is a new direct flight on Austrian Air from LAX to Vienna, there are some fabulous SPG Luxury Collection hotel options in Vienna and Salzburg, and Rick and the kids had never been to Austria.

How we got there…

We flew direct from LAX to Vienna on Austrian Air, using 120,000 United points (converted from Chase Ultimate Rewards) for the four of us.  After our time in Austria, we took the train to Munich (see separate Munich post here).  We then flew home direct from Munich to LAX on Lufthansa, using another 120,000 United points (converted from Chase Ultimate Rewards) for the four of us. 

Where we stayed…

Hotel Bristol, Vienna – The location of this hotel is perfect for exploring the historic center of Vienna. We loved its old-world charm and the modern amenities that made it a great hotel for our family. The rooms were spacious and clean.

Schloss Fuschl Resort and Spa – Spectacular! This hotel has it all. Natural beauty, charm, history, modern amenities, top-notch service and excellent dining. We normally use our hotels as a base for exploring the region, but on this trip we devoted two entire days to enjoying the property.

The kids enjoyed all that the lake had to offer. Lake Fuschl is drinking quality water. It is crisp and cold, but the kids loved jumping in. We enjoyed boating around the lake, as well. As adults, sitting on the dock looking out over the turquoise waters provided an ideal setting for a glass of Gruner Vetliner or a spritzer. There is also a hiking trail around the lake for active guests who want to explore the forest a bit.

Our kids also enjoyed the spa pool on the rainy afternoons.

What we did…

It was easy to explore the historic old town in Vienna from our hotel. Since it was extremely hot while we were in Vienna and we only had an afternoon to see the sites, we opted to take a bike tuk tuk tour. This gave us a great overview of what Vienna had to offer.

Schonnbrunn Palace and Gardens – The palace is very impressive. We bought our tickets in advance online and avoided the long lines. We walked quickly through the apartments. The kids enjoyed imagining what life was like for the royal family, but were excited to get outside into the gardens. The gardens were definitely the highlight for our family. The kids loved the open spaces and the maze garden. The views of the palace and the impressive fountains were a highlight for Rick and me.

The Vienna Zoo – The Vienna Zoo is attached to the Schonnbrun gardens. It was fun to explore the world’s oldest zoo. We loved the giraffes, hippos and pandas. The older enclosures and zoo buildings added to the overall experience.

The Belvedere Palace – Seeing Gustav Klimpt’s The Kiss is a must! We enjoyed walking through the museums and gardens too.  Salm Brau is a great Austrian restaurant and brewery near the lower entrance to the Palace. We enjoyed cooling off and refueling here before we visited the museum.

Where we ate in Vienna…

Melker Stiftskeller – Hearty authentic Austrian food with an extensive local wine list. The pork shoulder was the best we had on the trip. The kids loved eating in the cellar and it was nice and cool on a very hot summer day. Fun to try local flavors with local wines.

Silberwirt – Wonderful Austrian food with a great outdoor patio.

How we got from Vienna to Saltzburg…

The Daytrip service is one of my new favorite travel finds in Europe. It is like Uber but the driver takes you from one city to the next and can make tourist stops along the way. It is reasonably priced and you can make the most out of your travel day. Rick and I wanted to visit wine country, but didn’t want to waste one of our days in Vienna to do so, and we didn’t want to pay for any expensive tour with the kids. Though our driver wasn’t supposed to be a tour guide, he knew a lot about the region and gave us a wonderful experience.

One the way to Salzburg, we visited the spectacular Melk Abbey, which is a beautiful representation of Baroque architecture on the Danube river. The gardens were especially fun for the kids to explore.

We continued along the Danube to the quaint little town of
Dürnstein in the Wachau Valley. The steep vine covered hills, majestic Danube river and charming towns, make this is one of the most picturesque wine countries in the world. The wine was pretty good too! We enjoyed trying Austrian varietals such as Gruner Vetliner and Blaufrankisch.

What we did in Saltzburg…

Exploring Schloss Fuschl – We enojoyed all the lake activities: hiking, boating and swimming.

Sound of Music Tour – It was cold and rainy, but the Sound of Music is a must do. We don’t typically like tours on giant tour buses, but we wouldn’t have done the Sound of Music tour any other way especially with the kids.

Salzburg – Such a wonderful walking town, and very easy to navigate with the kids. We loved exploring the small shop filled streets and gazing at the beautiful churches. Though the restaurant was fancier and more expensive that we normally like with the kids, eating the oldest restaurant in Europe, St. Peter Stiftskulinarium, was a treat.

Hallstatt and the Salt Mines – Hallstatt may be one of the most picturesque lake villages in the world. It is incredibly popular and overrun with Chinese tourists, but in my mind it is absolutely worth the visit. Get there early! We arrived just before the mines opened at 9 a.m. and great parking spot at the base of the salt mine funicular. The salt mines were fascinating. You travel deep into the mountain, slide down wooden slides to access deeper parts of the mine, and are treated to an entertaining and education presentation. The views from the top of the mountain are spectacular as well. After the salt mine tour, it was a short walk into town. The town itself is small and photo opportunities are endless. Braügasthof was a nice lunch stop as we walked into town.

Where we ate in Salzburg…

Schloss Resturant at the Schloss Fuschl Hotel – Exquisite fine dining experience. If the weather is nice, eating on the patio is spectacular.

Schloss Fuschl Fisherei – My daughter’s favorite restaurant in the world! The menu is simple: whole smoked fish. We loved it so much, we came 3 times.

Foresthaus Wartenfels – A little pricey and hard to get to, but well worth it for our kids first ever fondue experience. Kids loved it and it was a nice break from weiner schnitzel.

Restaurant Jagdhof – Lovely and cozy Austrian atmosphere and food. A great alternative to the very pricy Schloss Restaurant while staying at Schloss Fuschl.