Filed under: adventure, featuredarticle1, outdoor recreation, skiing, snow, top-feature, winter
Vail: Your Next Ski Vacation Destination
Like cathedrals of ice and snow, the mountains of Vail are some of the most picturesque in all of North America. And so is Vail itself. It’s where Hollywood’s elite come to play in the winter with its high-end restaurants, and it’s where many skiers and snowboarders vacation, being drawn to Vail’s snow capped Colorado Rockies that provide diverse terrain for all levels, including steep runs that are challenging for experts and trails that are flatter and more serene for beginners.
A blue sky day skiing in Vail, Colorado
About Vail
Vail (travel guide) is considered to be one of Colorado’s most popular ski destinations and a lot of that has to do with Mother Nature, which graces the mountain town’s seven Back Bowls and its Front-Side and Blue Sky Basin with over 40 feet of powder most years and Colorado’s trademark blue skies 300 days a year. (Tip: Vail is broken up into three sections: Back Bowls, Front-Side and Blue Sky Basin.)
According to Vail’s Web site, Vail’s summit elevation is roughly 12,000 feet and its base elevation is around 8,000 feet. The mountain’s vertical drop is almost 3,500 feet and land for skiing is more than 5,000 acres, making it the second largest ski resort in North America after Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia. Average snowfall is about 350 inches.
Vail has over 190 trails that are for beginners, novices and experts, although over 50 percent of the trails are for advanced skiers. The longest run called Riva is nearly four miles long. Vail is often the first choice for families because of its groomed trails that make learning how to ski easy for children.
If you are a night skier, you are out of luck at Vail: no night skiing is offered.
This year Vail is opening on November 19, 2010 and will have one of its longest seasons, closing on April 24, 2011. Why the long season you might wonder? That has to do with Easter falling in April.
Planning
Located about 120 miles west of Denver off of I-70 in Eagle County, Vail is easy to get to by car or shuttle if you are flying into Denver International Airport (DIA), or by plane with close proximity (approximately 30 minutes) to the Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport. If you do drive from DIA, expect it to take about three hours depending on snow conditions.
Weather conditions can vary in Vail so it is important to plan for whatever Mother Nature can throw at you: snow, sleet, fog, sun and more. It is recommended to layer your clothing, especially considering it can be warmer at the base of the mountain than at the top where wind can be a factor. Plan to pack hats; gloves; glove warmers that can fit inside your gloves or ski boots; ski socks; ski pants and jackets; goggles or sunglasses; and an outer shell to protect against wind and rain. It is also smart to buy small tubes of sunblock and lip moisturizer and keep them in one of your ski jacket’s pockets.
If you are an avid skier or boarder and have your own equipment, you can send it as checked luggage on your flight or ship it out ahead of time via Fed-Ex. You can also rent skis and poles and boards in Vail if you prefer not to travel with them.
For more ideas on packing for your snow vacation, check out these ski planning tips.
Lift Tickets
They are a number of ways you can save on lift tickets at Vail, including:
- Buying online more than seven days before your arrival.
- Buying a Season Pass, especially if you plan on skiing or boarding more than five days.
- Buying lift tickets as part of a Lift & Lodging Vacation Deal.
Daily lift ticket prices include:
- $43 for children (5-12).
- $70 for adults (13-65).
- $63 for seniors (65+).
Because the Vail Ski Resort is owned by Vail Resorts, which also operates three other ski resorts in Colorado, Breckenridge (travel guide), Keystone (travel guide) and the nearby Beaver Creek (travel guide), you can purchase an Epic Pass that allows you to ski at all of these resorts plus other ski resorts that Vail Resorts owns in California, for various prices, starting at about $429 for adults.
Off the Slopes
If you are looking to take a day away from the slopes, there is plenty to do in Vail. Some off-slope activities include:
- Adventure Ridge (travel guide) – a newly expanded tubing hill that also has snowshoeing with free daily guided tours with an expert naturalist; a Nature Discovery Center; and ski biking at night by headlamp.
- Bol – a bowling alley that also has a restaurant and bar and TVs at the end of each lane.
- Cinebistro – envision a movie theater set up like international business class seating (front row has ottomans) with trays for your martini, calamari, ceviche, burger and more.
- Ice skating – at Vail Square on the Alderhof Ice Rink (travel guide).
Restaurants
Vail is certainly in no short supply of good restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some “locals’ favorites” include:
Breakfast:
- Cucina Rustica (travel guide) at the Lodge at Vail has a top-rated buffet and is right next to the Vista Bahn Express Lift (#16) in Vail Village. The Sonnenalp also comes highly recommended, mostly for its buffet.
- For a fancy coffee drink, try Les Delices De France (travel guide). Loaded Joe’s (travel guide) is also a good coffee stop.
Lunch and Dinner:
- Game Creek Restaurant (travel guide) – Inside a chalet tucked away in Vail’s Game Creek Bowl, this restaurant doubles as a private club during the day but at night is open to the public with seasonal dishes and an extensive wine list.
- Larkspur (travel guide) - Known for a focus on “American cuisine,” a giant wine room, talented sommeliers, and dishes like the Carnaroli Risotto with Maine lobster, golden chanterelles and truffle oil.
- Sweet Basil (travel guide) – A Vail Village hot spot with contemporary dishes like duck and a highly recommended sticky toffee dessert.
- Kelly Liken (travel guide) – The namesake has been on Bravo TV’s Top Chef and makes one of Vail’s best potato crusted trout dishes.
Après Ski:
- Tavern on the Square – A brick wall tavern with live music, high tables throughout, plenty of TV screens for big games, and a long beer list. Tasty snacks include the elk quesadilla and waffle fries with blue cheese.
- Los Amigo’s (travel guide) – Great for watching skiers come down the mountain at the end of the day. Also serves decent margaritas.
- Pepi’s (travel guide) – A locals’ scene with plenty of German grub and beer and a spacious outdoor deck.
- The Red Lion (travel guide) – If you like to sing and dance after skiing, then this is your place to turn on your Diana Ross.
For more insider tips on restaurants and après ski, check out this Web site filled with locals’ recommendations.
Photo credit: Vail Resorts
