Vail in Colorado is a ‘bucket list’ destination for most skiers and snowboarders. Boasting vast amounts of varied terrain along with parks, pipes, kid zones and après aplenty, it ticks all the right boxes when it comes to picking your next snow holiday destination.
Still need convincing? SnowsBest reporter Christie Hampton gives us her top 10 reasons why you need to ski Vail at least once in your lifetime.
Size Matters
When it comes to skiable terrain, Vail is definitely a heavyweight. The resort covers just over 2,104 hectares, which makes it the biggest resort in the USA.
The place is a veritable melting pot of runs to suit any standard of skier or snowboarder. There’s everything from easygoing groomers to terrain parks, a (world-cup standard) halfpipe, kid zones and enough vert to knock your ski socks off.
Easy Access
Vail’s proximity to two major airports means it’s a cinch to get to. Denver International Airport is a two-hour drive away.
You can bridge the gap between airport and resort by booking with Colorado Mountain Express (CME), which operate on an hourly departure schedule. You can also fly into Eagle County Airport, which is just 30 minutes drive away. Again just book a berth with CME and you’ll be living it up mountain-side in no time at all.
Eat Your Heart Out
Vail is home to two main village centers, Vail Village and Lionshead.
Between them, along with plenty of on mountain dining options, there’s a plethora of places to exercise your gastronomic inclinations. An excellent example of just how fun, fabulous and flavorsome the dining in Vail can be is the historic Minturn Saloon. The restaurant serves a mix of Mexican cuisine, wild game and ribs, along with cocktails and a healthy side of authentic saloon style atmosphere.
Après Action
Anyone who visits Vail and says ‘I’m just here for the skiing’ is either lying to you or lying to themselves. Or both.
Vail loves to party, as evidenced by the numerous bars, pubs and clubs, many of which are accessible from the ski runs. Garfinkles, The Chop House and Los Amigos (just to name a few) are all located slope side so you won’t even have to remove your ski boots before diving into a full sized adult’s beverage.
No trip to Vail is complete without some time at the 10th Mountain Whiskey Distillery for local whiskey created in the mountains.
Festival Fever
Vail is a year round resort which means there’s loads to do both on and off the slopes whether it’s winter or not. During summer you can get your fill of action sports by checking out the GoPro Mountain Games, eat yourself silly at the Vail Farmers’ Market and Art Show or satiate your senses by taking part in the Vail International Dance Festival, the Vail Jazz Festival or the Vail Arts Festival.
In winter the good times kick off with Vail Snow Daze in early December and don’t stop, with giant on-snow events like the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships dotted throughout the calendar
Baby Got Back
For those who like to leave the groomers, lift queues and most of civilization behind, Vail offers its legendary back bowls, where the off-piste terrain is as seemingly endless as Colorado’s famous deep blue sky. So make like Magellan for a day and explore everything these boundless bowls have to offer.
Glorious Grooming
If you like to keep your feet firmly planted on the groomed trails then Vail has you sorted. The resort boasts more on-piste skiing than anywhere else on the planet and makes a supreme effort to machine as many runs as possible to perfection on a nightly basis.
Kids are Covered
Vail is a dream for kids and the parents who want to keep them happy and well occupied. You’ll find the perfect learning areas for children and the obligatory bubbly, fresh-faced instructors to match.
Once they’re off and racing the resort is riddled with Kid Adventure Zones including banked turns, tunnels and hidden glades. And don’t worry if the littlies suffer a sliding overdose, there’s loads to do besides skiing or boarding. Adventure Ridge offers tubing, zip lining, ski biking and kid specific snowmobiling.
Time to Unwind
No holiday is complete without some ‘down time’ so make sure you spend some time off the slopes pampering yourself. Vail offers more than 100,000 square feet of day spa happiness, all contained within the comforting, calming walls of The Arrabelle’s RockResorts Spa, which includes 11 treatment rooms, a fitness centre and a nail salon.
In a Nutshell, it’s Epic
If you’re a snow lover with the heart of a gypsy then you’ll find it hard to go past Vail’s Epic Pass. Thos who purchase the pass have free reign to wander no less than 11 resorts, including Australia’s own Perisher.
Aussies who ski Perisher can buy a version of the Epic Pass called the Freedom Pass with Epic Benefits, which gives them unlimited riding at Breckenridege, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Park City, Canyons, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood and ten days skiing at Beaver Creek and Vail.
Ski Max Vail package deal
Ski Max Holidays can take you to Vail from $1655 per person twin share. Stay seven nights in a twin share Valley View Room at Evergreen Lodge, including daily breakfast and an EPIC seven day lift pass.
*Conditions apply. Valid for travel 3-31 January 2016. Prices are subject to change and availability.
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