The beautiful town of Vail is an easy choice for adventure enthusiasts. The gorgeous landscape and beauty of the mountains and surrounding nature can be appreciated year-round. Vail provides an abundance of quality lodging – both moderate and luxury, plus shopping, and dining experiences, attractions, and a lively nightlife scene that all come together to create an interesting and worthwhile trip.
Winter – Skiing
Peak season in Vail is traditionally the winter season with dry and cold weather and average temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees. Skiing is the valley’s most popular activity. Visitors can’t go wrong with a choice of downhill or cross-country skiing. Other winter sports and adventures in the region include snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, tubing, sleigh rides, spotting regional wildlife, sightseeing from the scenic gondolas, and skating in Vail Square.
Certainly, Vail attracts large numbers of tourists in the winter months, but for those travelers preferring to avoid crowds and embark on other outdoor activities, consider planning a trip during the off-season.
Off-season activities can be enjoyed in spring, summer, and fall, and are the most affordable times of the year to visit. With temperatures averaging 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (21 – 32 Celsius) during this time, it’s possible to enjoy mild to hot weather and an abundance of activities. These include ziplining, mountain biking, fly-fishing, kayaking and canoeing, rafting, and white-water rafting. There’s also golf, waterfall hiking, unique hikes and lunches with llamas, and spotting regional wildlife.
Spring – Scenery
The GoPro Mountain Games take place during the month of June and are the country’s most celebrated festival of adventure sports, art, and music. After a long day in the great outdoors, cap things off with a visit to the upscale Spa at The Arrabelle and experience an alpine-inspired treatment.
Craft beer is well-known in Colorado and travelers to this region can enjoy the local flavors at Vail Brewing Co. The beers are crafted and inspired by the daily activities and lifestyle of the valley. Thinking of dining in nature with a picnic? Choose from a range of charcuterie boards created by a “picnic concierge” at The Grazing Fox.
For those that prefer to dine indoors and with spectacular views, the rustic Beano’s Cabin doesn’t sound upscale given the name, but it’s one of Colorado’s top gourmet restaurants tucked into an on-mountain meadow at the base of Larkspur Bowl. Given the location, access is provided by sleigh during the winter months, and by shuttle van, a one-hour horseback ride, or a 20-minute wagon ride during the summer.
Summer – Downtown Vail
Live music is played around town and can be experienced at Shakedown Bar, and Pepi’s. The outdoor venue, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater hosts music and dance festivals in the summer. A couple of highlighted events include the Hot Summer Nights concert series and the Vail Dance Festival. Other exciting annual events and festivities include Vail Jazz Festival and Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival.
Visitors can discover exotic alpine wildflowers and plants at the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. The assortment of unique high-elevation plants can be explored 8,250 feet above sea level. Tourists can also capture memorable photos of the Covered Bridge, one of Vail’s iconic landmarks.
Fall – Covered Bridge
Vail hosts a wide range of places to stay with accommodations to best suit their needs. For a high-end experience, The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is set within the Beaver Creek Ski Resort. With luxurious services and activities offered year-round, guests can be pampered with nature-inspired holistic treatments. Grand Hyatt Vail is an upscale resort that offers ski-in/ski-out access to Vail Mountain. For lower price points, great places to stay include the bed-and-breakfast, Frisco Lodge (located in central Colorado), or The Bunkhouse which is a unique hostel-style lodging.
No matter where you choose to eat or stay, it’s doubtful you’ll stay indoors for long. With so much to see and do year-round, Vail is the perfect destination for sports, nature lovers, and active lifestyles.