Salzburg itself is a beautiful historic city and is only an hour away. There is so much to see and do. A good way of getting oriented is to take one of the City sightseeing tours.
For those into 'high culture', the City was of course the birthplace and home of Mozart and there are many classical music concerts all year round to celebrate this fact, particularly in the summer months.
See Mozart Dinner Concert for more information. Salzburg was also where 'The Sound of Music' was filmed back in the 1960s and you can go on tours of the various locations and end up with a meal including 'snitzel with noodles' and a concert including many of the songs from the film if 'this is one of your favourite things'. Also don't miss the Christmas market from the end of November through December in the square just outside the cathedral.
For those into 20th century history, there is much to explore. At Ebensee is the location of a concentration camp established by the Nazis in 1943. There are some very touching memorials and informative displays reminding us of the atrocities perpetrated here during the War. Also worth a visit is the former Nazi concentration camp at Mathausen near Linz. This is a one and a half hours drive, but is very worthwhile and an extremely sobering and humbling experience. In a similar dark vein, Hitler's former retreat in Southern Bavaria, the so-called 'Eagle's nest' is worth a visit in nearby Berchtesgaden for those interested in this period of our history (see here for more information).
Closer to hand is the former imperial Austrian town of Bad Ischl. It's a twenty minute drive and is full of beautifully grand buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries when the Austrian emperor used to decamp here in the summer months away from the heat of Vienna. It's also a spa town and you can indulge yourself in the spa which is in the centre of the town if you wish. There are also plenty of shops and supermarkets in Bad Ischl if you are in need of retail therapy.
In short, there are so many possibilities in both the winter and summer months, the list is endless. Please explore the links provided for more information about these opportunities.
A short walk of 100 metres will take you to the Hornspitz chair lift which will whisk you into the heart of the Dachstein-west ski area.
There are some lovely traditional Austrian ski-huts on the mountain where you can drop in for a beer or a gluhwein or something stronger.
The atmosphere is very child friendly. There is a dedicated beginners area at the bottom of the hill near the Hornspitz chair lift.