Things to Do in Passo Tonale Besides Skiing

If you’re planning a ski trip to Passo Tonale, it’s natural to ask: What is there to do when you’re not skiing — and is it enough for a full week with kids?

Because even on a ski holiday, you’ll usually have:

• rest days

• shorter afternoons

• or time when not everyone wants to ski

This guide is for families with children who want a realistic view of what Passo Tonale offers beyond skiing — and whether it’s enough to keep the trip balanced and enjoyable.

Quick Answer: What is there to do in Passo Tonale besides Skiing?

Not a huge amount — and that’s part of the point.

Passo Tonale is a skiing-first resort, so compared to larger destinations, off-slope options are limited.

But in practice, we found that:

• simple activities

• shorter breaks

• and slower moments

were enough to balance a busy ski week — especially with school-age children.

We visited Passo Tonale during February half term as part of a Crystal Ski package, so we experienced it at its busiest. That gave us a clear view of what downtime actually looks like — not just what’s listed, but what you realistically end up doing as a family.

If you’re planning a wider trip or comparing resorts, make sure you also read: Visiting Passo Tonale with Children: What Parents Should Expect with Crystal Ski

Some links in this guide may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend activities and options we’ve personally tried or would book again.

From here, we’ll walk through:

• the best simple activities beyond skiing

• what worked well for us as a family

• and how to plan downtime so the trip doesn’t feel too intense

Is Passo Tonale a Skiing-First Resort?

Yes.

That's probably the most important thing to understand before booking.

There are a handful of non-ski activities, plus some organised excursions, but compared with resorts such as Ruka, La Thuile is much more focused on skiing itself.

For us, that wasn't a negative. We came to ski, and the handful of alternative activities were enough to break up the week.

Our Beginner Family Ski Destination Guide covers our comparison against other family ski resorts.

Walks and Exploring

Walking around the village isn’t as easy as you might expect.

• roads can be busy

• there are limited pedestrian-only paths

• and walking along pistes requires care

With younger children, it’s not ideal — but short walks around the hotel area still gave us:

• fresh air

• mountain views

• and a chance to slow the day down

Visit Ponte di Legno

One of the best things to do beyond skiing is taking the gondola to Ponte di Legno.

• the ride itself is scenic

• the slopes feel slightly more open

• and the town is nice for a short wander

Getting there by Gondola isn’t completely straightforward. The access route is designed for skiers, so you’ll need to:

• cross part of a piste

• and walk up to the lift station

There is a bus option, but it’s not included in the ski pass. We chose to walk — it was quicker overall, and already covered.

Presena Glacier & Glacier Cable Car

Even non-skiers can take the lift system up towards the Presena Glacier, which reaches around 3,000m altitude and offers spectacular views.

The journey itself is an attraction and helped us appreciate the scale of the mountains. The glacier area and the famous Paradiso cable car are regularly highlighted as key attractions in the area.

Hotel Activities: Swimming, Spa, Games Room

At Hotel Grand Paradiso, there are a few simple options for downtime:

• swimming pool (extra charge)

• games room (coins required)

• gym (quiet and accessible, free)

• paddle/pool table (extra charge)

We didn’t use the swimming pool, but the gym was a standout — quiet and easy to fit around the day. The games room was a useful fallback in bad weather.

If you’re staying here, this gives you a good feel for what to expect: See our full Hotel Grand Paradiso review

Does Passo Tonale Have a Spa?

Yes. Several hotels in Passo Tonale offer wellness facilities including swimming pools, saunas and spa areas. These can be especially welcome after a day on the slopes or during bad weather. If a spa is important to your holiday, it's worth checking hotel facilities before you book as they vary considerably between properties.

Simple Snow Fun

What Are the Best Winter Activities in Passo Tonale?

Aside from skiing, we'd say the most enjoyable winter activities are sledging, snowshoeing, winter walks, taking the lift up to enjoy the mountain views and simply experiencing life in a snowy Alpine resort. For families, the combination of skiing, snow play and relaxed mountain time is often what makes Passo Tonale such a successful winter holiday destination.

Can You Go Sledging in Passo Tonale?

Yes, and it's one of the easiest non-skiing activities for families. Many children enjoy sledging just as much as skiing, particularly younger kids who are still learning. It's also a great option for a rest afternoon when everyone wants to stay outdoors without spending another full day on the slopes.

Does Passo Tonale have an Ice Rink?

Ice skating is available in the wider Pontedilegno-Tonale area, although it isn't a major attraction in the main Passo Tonale resort itself. Most families still spend the majority of their non-ski time sledging, relaxing or exploring the village.

Food and Hot Chocolate Treats

One thing we quickly learned is that you don't always need a major activity to break up a ski week. Sometimes, simply taking the skis off for an hour and warming up somewhere cosy is enough.

A long lunch, an afternoon hot chocolate stop or an easy family meal became part of our routine, particularly on days when the weather wasn't at its best or everyone needed a break from ski school and the slopes.

Passo Tonale has a handful of casual cafés, bars and restaurants where families can escape the cold for a while. We found ourselves stopping regularly for hot chocolate, pastries and relaxed lunches, which often became just as memorable as the skiing itself. For children especially, these little breaks helped keep energy levels up and prevented the week from feeling like a non-stop cycle of skiing and lessons.

Our favourite casual option was Alpi Pizzeria, which offered generous portions, reasonable prices and a family-friendly atmosphere. It was the kind of place where you could walk in wearing snow boots, order pizza without much planning and enjoy an easy meal after a day on the mountain.

We also found that food stops provided one of the easiest ways to structure a non-ski afternoon. If the weather closed in or someone needed a break from skiing, grabbing lunch, exploring the village and treating ourselves to a hot chocolate was often enough to fill a couple of hours without needing to book a dedicated activity.

That probably sums up Passo Tonale quite well. The off-slope activities aren't endless, but there are enough small moments, cafés and family-friendly places to help balance the week and provide a welcome break from skiing when needed.

The Bottom Line: Does Passo Tonale Have Enough to Do Besides Skiing?

For us, the honest answer is somewhat, if you're happy for skiing to be the main focus of the holiday then there are things to do, but it is not extensive.

Passo Tonale has enough non-ski activities to break up the week. We enjoyed sledging, wandering around the village, relaxing at the hotel and simply spending time together away from the slopes. There are also organised excursions available, including snowmobile tours and other mountain experiences.

However, these tend to feel more like planned outings rather than easy, everyday activities you can dip in and out of throughout the week.

Compared to some of the other family ski resorts we've visited, we felt Passo Tonale offered fewer off-slope attractions and less variety for non-ski days. If you're looking for a holiday where skiing is only one part of the experience, there are other resorts we'd probably recommend first.

If you're trying to decide whether Passo Tonale is the right fit for your family, we'd suggest comparing it against some of the other resorts we've skied as a family: Beginner Family Ski Destination Guide

FAQs: Things to Do in Passo Tonale with Kids

Is Passo Tonale Good for Non-Skiers?

To a point, yes.

Non-skiers can enjoy winter walks, cafés, mountain views, spa facilities, sledging and time in the village. However, Passo Tonale is first and foremost a ski resort, and most activities revolve around the mountain.

If you're travelling with non-skiers, it's worth managing expectations. There are things to do, but not enough to fill every day without skiing.

What Is There to Do in Passo Tonale Besides Skiing?

The main non-ski activities include sledging, snow play, winter walks, spa time and relaxing around the village.

There are also organised activities such as snowmobile excursions and mountain experiences, but these tend to be pre-booked outings rather than attractions you can drop into throughout the day.

For us, these activities worked well as a break from skiing rather than the main reason to visit.

Are There Activities for Kids in Passo Tonale?

Yes, but most family activities still centre around the snow.

Children can enjoy:

• sledging

• snow play

• ski school

• beginner skiing

• village exploring

• hotel pools and games rooms (depending on where you stay)

School-age children who enjoy skiing will have plenty to do. Families looking for lots of off-slope entertainment may find the options more limited.

→ Is Passo Tonale Good for Families During Half-Term Holidays?

Is Passo Tonale Worth Visiting If You Don't Ski?

In all honesty, we probably wouldn't choose Passo Tonale purely as a winter destination if nobody in the family planned to ski. Although this was our situation, my Mum joined us who didn't ski. She spent time reading, enjoying a hot chocolate and waiting for the group to return from the slopes.

The resort works best when skiing is the main activity and everything else complements the holiday. If you're looking for a mountain holiday built around a wider range of attractions, there may be stronger alternatives.

What Are the Best Winter Activities in Passo Tonale?

Outside skiing, we'd recommend:

• sledging

• winter walks

• relaxing mountain lunches

• snow play with children

• spa facilities

• organised snowmobile excursions

However, we'd still view these as supporting activities rather than the main reason to visit Passo Tonale.

Is Passo Tonale Good for Families Who Don't Ski Every Day?

Yes.

We certainly didn't ski every waking hour. Some afternoons were spent relaxing, exploring the village or taking things slower.

That said, skiing remains the core activity. If your family only plans to ski for one or two days, you may find other family-friendly resorts offer more variety away from the slopes.

planning a ski trip?

Want the full picture? See what they are like for families, including accommodation overviews with our honest resort reviews here:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.