Updated Sept 2020
At a time of year when the majority of families are heading to the beach, we regularly opt for some mountain adventures in Thredbo to experience all that is on offer for summer mountain fun.
There are loads of fun things to do in Thredbo in summer including hiking, biking and village activities. Thredbo also does an absolutely fabulous job at curating kid friendly activities during the peak holiday periods so Thredbo is a must visit destination for summer school holidays.
How Long to Experience Thredbo in Summer?
I really can't recommend Thredbo highly enough if you love being in the outdoors and staying active. There are loads of things to do in summer so I recommend at least a 3-4 night stay or longer if you want to really relax and enjoy the whole area.
Thredbo Accommodation Summer
There are loads of family accommodation in Thredbo from resort style stays to private holiday rentals to find your own piece of mountain bliss. Here are some of the fabulous options to extend your stay.
Modern, warm and luxurious the 2 bedroom apartments are perfect for families and located a 1 minute walk from the village centre. Book your stay here.
Great option for family groups with 2 bedrooms in a modern apartment in the family friendly quiet part of town.
Located in my favourite part of Thredbo the Woodridge estate is peaceful and backs on to bushland and walk from your door hiking trails. This luxurious and spacious villa is great for larger families or small groups with three bedrooms and space to store bikes and other equipment.
Thredbo Summer Activities
So what is there for families to do in the school holidays in Thredbo? The list of options is huge but to give you a feel for what is possible, here we go.......
Please note that activities will depend on the age of your kids with more adventurous options possible the older your kids are).
The walk to Australia's highest peak is a must do in the region and is possible with kids - read my Kosciusko article for full details, hints and advice for making it to to the top with kids.
Thredbo Village Entertainment
Thredbo tourism really has nailed the family travel market before you even venture into the mountains themselves. They have a full schedule of family entertainment and activities and in school holidays they regularly offer School Holiday Adventure Festivals.
Village activities include bob sledding, face painting, trampolines,
The village green is where you will find a great kids park, younger kids bmx track, skate ramp, tennis courts and green space where each evening there were large groups of families playing soccer and touch footy. This green space is perfect for kids to play the day away while parents can either relax under a tree or get involved.
Our girls also loved and spent endless hours riding their bikes and scooters over the ramps course near the main chairlift and completed the Thredbo Treasure Hunt which involved unlocking clues and visiting many landmarks in the village to receive the necessary stamps to complete the hunt.
The village itself is very pedestrian friendly so once you arrive you can really park the car away and spend your time walking and riding everywhere which is nice.
A firm favourite for family fun is the Alpine Bob Sled located in Thredbo Village. The track winds down the mountain for 700 metres and is super exciting particularly for younger kids.
Kids under 9 or shorter than 130cm will need to pair up with a parent or older kids can ride solo. Note this activity can't run on wet days.
Tickets for the bob sled can be purchased from the Thredbo ticketing office at the base of the Kosciuszko Chairlift.
Thredbo Leisure Centre and Water Slides
The Thredbo Leisure Centre is the perfect wet weather option in Thredbo with an indoor pool complete with water slide which is a hit with the kids. The centre also offers a fantastic indoor sports set up including basketball, netball, table tennis, rock climbing and more.
We ran into a day of very rainy weather so it was great to still have so much on offer to keep the kids active instead of sitting in front of the telly.
Thredbo Hikes
So the real reason you want to visit the Snowy Mountains is the beautiful natural setting and the non stop options for outdoor adventure and relaxation.
With the kids we hiked the Merrits Traverse hike from the top of the Kosi chairlift down to Friday Flats which saw us follow a steep descent through some stunning high altitude mountain-scapes all the way down to the village.
There were some pretty waterfalls and forested areas along the way on this 5 kilometre hike which took us a bit over two and a half hours. This was at a very relaxed pace which was set by our four year old but with older kids or just adults you could do it in half the time. Both our kids managed it pretty well and were pretty happy with themselves once they got to the base and looked back to the top station and saw how far they had come. Note this walk is very steep and gravelly in sections so sturdy footwear is recommended.
A very easy, serene and pretty walk straight from the the village green is the Thredbo River Track. A great first hike option for those of you with smaller kids. I recommend doing this one early in the morning to really enjoy the sounds of the river with the quietness of nobody about.
There are literally dozens of trails for both hiking and mountain biking straight from the village and nearby along the main road. Check out the Thredbo website for full details.
On our most recent visit to Thredbo I was excited to complete the Thredbo Valley Trail which links Thredbo village to Lake Crackenback. Predominantly a gradual downhill in this direction but with some inclines along the way as well, the walk is 16.7 kilometres so a good workout and took me just over three hours to complete (this one I did on my own without the kids).
The scenery is the prettiest in the first 6 kilometre section so a shorter option with kids is to head out from Thredbo and reach a couple of the impressive suspension bridges over the river and then make your way back along the same path.
Alternately if someone can pick you up making it to Ngarigo campground is another good option and will cover the best scenery showcasing the gorgeousness of the river and surrounding forest. Its the kind of trail that is just fun, scenic and rewarding particularly to complete solo!
Surprisingly I didn't pass a single hiker on this trail but there were quite a few mountain bikers with many kids along for the ride. It's a fun cross country ride with plenty of challenging twists and turns to keep you concentrating.
If you hike this one alone as a female you will feel safe during the busy periods with enough cyclists and families passing by to know you are not alone.
I loved the horse ride I had with Thredbo Valley Horse Riding. This was a fantastic morning and as someone who has grown up riding horses I found the horses to be exceptionally well cared for and beautifully trained so they were very responsive to ride.
At the end of my ride the girls had a short ride each for a small extra cost that they found super exciting.
Lake Crackenback Resort
Venturing a short way from Thredbo (approximately 17 kms), the area of Lake Crackenback encompassed by the Novotel Lake Crackenback resort is another great spot to spend some time with the family.
With bike and walk trails around the lake, a swimming shore with sandy beach, grassy picnic areas and a convenience store and cafe for lunch or snacks this is a great place to stop and explore.
We stayed here recently so stay tuned for our full review of this fabulous holiday resort.
If you are keen to stay at the Novotel Lake Crackenback you can look at available dates and prices here.
The beauty of this holiday was that it wasn't just about keeping the kids happy. There are so many options for adults to chase their own little bit of adventure and we found the close proximity to everything meant we could easily duck out to do things, taking it in turn to be with the kids.
Hubby enjoyed some good hours fishing and is already planning a return trip in the next few weeks. Maybe that had something to do with the number of hours he put in without catching a fish :-)
If the cost in town is a little outside your budget (it can be quite pricey), it is worthwhile considering either staying in Jindabyne as a base and opting for day trips or there are several national park campgrounds within 15 minutes of the village.
If you can stay in town I highly recommend this option cause once the day trippers disappear a nice peaceful ambience settles over the place so early in the morning and at dusk it is a very peaceful and pretty experience.
Best Places to Eat in Thredbo
With regards to food there are a number of restaurants and cafes in town but with any small touristy spots you will find the prices higher than normal.
We had a good meal at the Thredbo hotel and it was a nice casual and easy spot to eat with the kids. The other nights we self catered after shopping at the Woolworths in Jindabyne on our way through.
I should note that there are also many gorgeous spots for picnics and bbqs with heaps of gas bbq's provided.
Make sure you stock up on snacks, fruit, groceries etc at Jindabyne to get you through your stay as the small supermarket in Thredbo is better saved for forgotten supplies only. There is a nice bakery and cafe in the village but both can be very busy so in the end we found it easier to be self sufficient.
All in all, Thredbo is a delightful mix of activity, fun and easy family time and I love the fact that the kids were so excited to be out and about being active and outdoors. It is a regular spot for a family break for us - the mix of activities, scenery and accessibility at Thredbo means you really cant go wrong. The whole family will be exhausted but very content.
After days of non stop action the kids tucked themselves into bed each night and were in a dreamy state of contentment very quickly. I must say that I also feel very refreshed and relaxed after a wonderful few days away.
NEXT: More mountain inspiration from around the World
Swiss Alps for Families
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