Top Reasons to Go

Top Reasons to Go

The Slopes: Despite the somewhat corny faux-Tyrolean ambience of the village, Vail has as real and challenging a ski mountain as you will find anywhere in the western United States, with the steeps and back bowls to prove it.

Romantic Meals: The art of romantic dining has been perfected here. Both Vail and Beaver Creek have a number of intimate restaurants hidden away among the peaks reachable by ski, on horseback, and even by horse-drawn sleighs (van shuttles are also available).

Rugged Scenery: If you're expecting the alps—sheer, glacier-scraped peaks—you might be disappointed with much of Colorado's High Country, which tends toward rounded summits and eroded ridges. But not in the Vail Valley. The Gore Range to the north sports some of the most rugged and sharp-spined backcountry in the state with ice-cold tarns and sheer cliffs. Not surprisingly, shaggy white mountain goats are frequently seen here.

Golfing: The thin air at this altitude lets your Titleist fly much farther than in the denser air at sea level. And you'll have plenty of venues—more than a dozen—to play on, so enjoy those hero swings.

Festivals: If hiking the steeps in summer doesn't appeal to you, check out some of Vail's many cultural activities—summer is full of music and dance festivals.