Drive From Denver to Vail
 

We are flying into Denver in Feb to go skiing in Vail. With the high price of flights I was thinking of renting a car and driving from Den Airport to Vail. The car rental is 300 for the week vs plane is 1500. I have never made that drive and wanted to know if that is a reasonable plan?

We always fly into Denver when we ski at Vail. The drive is highway all the way, takes about two hours when taffic is moderate.

Going on a Friday evening or Saturday morning and returning on a Sunday evening can be very heavy traffic, and I'd plan flights to avoid that.

Sometimes the Eisenhower Tunnel closes, but in about 20 trips, we've not experienced that.

It is a totally reasonable plan. Vail is about 100 miles from Denver--1-70 all the way. It should take about 2 hours if you arrive at a non-rush hour time of day. Now if there's a snow storm that day, it will take longer, obviously.

Agree with all the above. It's a very reasonable plan.

As Abram wrote, Saturday mornings from 6:30 to 10:00 can be very crowded on westbound I-70 as the folks from the Denver area make their way up into the mountains for a weekend of skiing. And Sunday afternoons from about 2:00 to 7:00 can be slow, with stop & go traffic on eastbound I-70 from Dillon to Idaho Springs as people head back to Denver.

A snowstorm can slow you down also - just be careful and take it easy.

Thanks so much for your input, we are getting in on a Wed and not leaving till Monday so we should be fine. Wish us luck

Although you didn't ask this, when we go to Vail, we ski at Beaver Creek on weekends and holidays--it never seems to get crowded, which can't be said of Vail.

we are going in Feb as well and have driven it several times and knock on wood that haven't had too many issues but about a half hour before Vail there is a place that is notorious for getting totally snowed/avalanche issues.
I'd give it 3 hours+.

They have some great food and boy do we miss Cyranos!
Make sure you go to Grouse Mountain Grill in Beaver Creek..
Dave and Nancy are great people..food is excellent!

Car rentals are high this year..I'm getting quotes for $50 for a economy car on hotwire and expedia.

Vail Village and Beaver Creek are awesome and a great mountain to ski.
You should be fine but have some provisions just in case.

www.grousemountaingrill.com