Oui!!

BTilke and dmlove-I love you both. Thank you for seeing things similarly. And for the OP-not everyone has to be in total agreement about Vail, so if you want to not recommend it be my guest. Some of us will, and some of us won't. That's life.

Vail Resorts also owns Heavenly Valley at Lake Tahoe.

I've been to Aspen, Snowmass and Steamboat Springs. For skiing, I still prefer Vail. For non-skiing, I stay in California which IMHO offers more than Colorado.

We got stuck one too many times at the Aspen Airport to ever want to fly in there again. Not the ski company's fault, but it certainly put a disastrous end to a nice vacation. And I even have a free, ski-in-ski-out place to stay there!

Steamboat didn't "click" for me.

We got stuck one too many times at the Aspen Airport to ever want to fly in there again. Not the ski company's fault, but it certainly put a disastrous end to a nice vacation. And I even have a free, ski-in-ski-out place to stay there!

I know this is totally OT, but my husband recently had his flight out of Aspen cancelled after being at the airport for 6 hours. He ended up renting a car and driving to Denver, arriving at 2 a.m. and slept on the floor at the airport and caught a 6 a.m. flight home. It's pretty bad.

(sigh!)

I feel like Charlie Brown searching for the real meaning of Christmas, and coming up with ......nothing.

There's been a lot of tangential blustering in this thread that has grown out of misunderstood vernacular and intention.....and unfortunately detracted from the original question.

I wonder how different this conversation would have been had we all been gathered face to face around the fireplace sipping our favorite adult beverages.

I really do appreciate the attempt of those few who have seriously tried to answer the original question, but I feel those attempts have fallen short of what I was looking for. In asking the original question, I (like Charlie Brown at Christmastime) was hoping to get something really insightful and inspiring. Yet most all I've gotten so far - and don't take this the wrong way all you staunch Vailophiles out there because it's expressed purely out of a tired, and resigned frustration - are answers that are mostly either patent, nebulous, defensively shallow, or a combination of the three.

I'm looking for inspiration here, guys; and again I'm sorry in advance if I step on anyones sensitive sensibilities, but answers in the vain of "Well, I've been to Vail and I love it, and if you don't like it maybe you just shouldn't go there", just don't cut it.

And they certainly don't answer the original question.

So far I've got nothing to convince me that it's a whole lot more than just hype and marketing.

~sigh~

Don't fret, Charlie Brown.

I don't know what else to tell you. Easy to get to? My husband and I fly into Denver and Vail/Beaver Creek was an easy trip. We avoided Breckenridge and Keystone because it was too crowded and too many families/kids at the time. Travel time sometimes dictated which ski resort to visit. When the kids were around they surely did as well -- location determined by the other kids and where they were staying.

I have friends that want to stay in Vail/Beaver Creek for the high-end shopping and atmosphere of the rich and famous (and easy flight to Denver). I feel like that ship has moved on to other places such as Aspen but I don't care. I don't look for that. In fact, I like just the opposite but Vail was/is still an enjoyable visit with all it had to offer in the summer months. DH had people he met with while in Vail so it was a little work and play -- mostly play.

I think there are many places to visit in Colorado that are spectacular and have many activities to offer. Some places I would love to go on a regular basis but it is such an effort to get there from where we live.

Maybe Vail is a still a top choice because of location and ease of traveling. Maybe it's a name that has been around for years and is still hanging on to that reputation from years gone by. Who knows. But it still has many things to offer and for some of us that is pretty darn good when we don't get to see and do that every day of the year like some of you lucky residents.

Bottom line, I don't think there is an answer to tell you why some people choose one place over others. I guess it is no different than why some like NYC over LA. Or Hawaii over the Caribbean. Each similar but different. Something for all of us.

Signed,
Lucy

(That'll be 5 cents, please. )

Fair 'nough BeachGirl.

Now.....you haven't seen my kite, have you???

Sorry Charlie.

So, FLL, What are your favorite places in Colorado?

furledleader,

you've given me advice for our upcoming trip in april (to denver) and it was much appreciated.

i too had said I wanted to see vail and my explanation is simple and perhaps confirms your suspicions that it is indeed hype and marketing. as a first timer to colorado (ok, we did a side trip from new mexico on twooccations to see great sand dunes and the other mesa verde but i dont consider those "colorado trips"), i wanted to see vail because as someone had posted, it conjures up images of the rich and famous. vail does have alot of recognition to it and for us, we wanted to go just to see what the hype was all about. perhaps like you, we may get there and say "hmmm, wonder what the hype is all about" or we could just love it but as first timers, we want to have a chance to form our own opinions of vail. so perhaps that is why most people that asks for advice on "what to do in colorado" says "i want to see vail". when there's enough hype, people tend to want to see for themselves what that hype is all about.

that's the best way I can explain it. i hope it helped.

maria

sorry for all the typing errors...typing too fast today. need to slooooooow down.

Furledleader, I think you achieved exactly what you wanted. You wanted a platform to disseminate you views on Vail. No problem, it was kind of a fun discussion. The passive/aggressive Charlie Brown analogy is a nice touch but not very convincing. There was no original question. This is an old debating technique. Threw out a ghost question and then proceed to answer it by presenting your arguments before anyone else can respond. Therefore, you establish the framework that other answers must fit and, if they don’t, you refuse them as being unresponsive or not on point. You can reject facts but you cannot refuse opinions. Opinions are opinions -- they are what they are -- neither right nor wrong.

For you to suggest that the answers were

……… mostly either patent, nebulous, defensively shallow, or a combination of the three……

reveals that you had a preconceived position and were more interested in convincing other posters of your position rather than being open to having your position being changed. Proof of that statement ??? Your last statement ----

…..So far I've got nothing to convince me that it's a whole lot more than just hype and marketing…….

As a long time resident of Denver and probably have skied at Vail much longer than you have, I like Vail --- recommend it often, summer and winter, for a whole bunch of reasons that you will reject as nebulous or shallow. But I don’t need to justify my opinion to you nor does anyone else.

PS. Check your Webster before using patent again. I believe the word you wanted was patency.

Well I have to say that Vail is my favorite mountain by far for skiing - and I have been fortunate to ski in many places. That said I really don't like the town - poorly planned, too spread out like a series of strip malls...Don't like the faux Bavarian architecture.Restaurants are fine. Have been there summer and winter and would not go back in summer - there are much prettier places.
Aspen, despite all the pretense is a much prettier town architecturally/historically.
If people ask I say it is worth going to Vail once for the skiing...

Well, you did get some answers, but you shot them down or chose to argue their merits. I doubt you really care what people think about Vail, or perhaps you figured you could convert the ignorant. Give it up. Enjoy wherever it is you choose to play in Colorado, and let everyone else do the same.

My husband and I have been to Vail twice (both times in summer) The first time we went for our 30th wedding anniversary. We stayed at the Sonnenalp and had a fabulous time. We thought Vail was lovely. We enjoyed walking through the Village, attended a concert at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater and just had a great time.

We returned to Vail two years later over the 4th of July and again had a great time. On the 4th of July, we simply walked out of the front door of the Sonnenalp and enjoyed a great little parade in Vail Village.

We thought Colorado was spectacular and enjoyed our time in Vail. Of course, we took day trips to Glenwood Springs, Frisco, Dillon, Breckenridge, Leadville, etc. We thought Vail was a perfect base for our trip.

Colle, my sentiments exactly. Well said.

Again, I say, to each his/her own, non?
>-

MIKEMOM, you are right about the parade. When the boys were younger we hit the parade every 4th. Was the lawn chair drill squad still doing their thing for you? Bought lots of ski gear over the 4th. Prices better than SNIGRAB in Denver.

I'm wondering if Colorado natives are more anti-Vail than would be visitors from elsewhere.

I am a Coloradan, not particularly enamored with Vail, because it's a fake European alpine town, plunked into Colorado, right next to the freeway. The developers found the great ski mountain, then built the town to bring in as much tourist money as possible.

Compared to my favorites-- like Aspen, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Breckenridge-- original Colorado towns, which naturally grew into ski towns. They grew organically from mining/ranching roots, not fake replicas of Austria or wherever.

People appreciate Vail's easy to reach location, and all the amenities it offers visitors. But, maybe we Coloradans, are a little bit offended by its facade.

Just my thoughts.
>-

Aspen and the others started as mining or ranching towns, but those roots are definitely part of their romantic past. Some of the newer construction in Aspen, Snowmass and the rest looks quite a bit like the newer construction in areas of Vail outside the village core area. "Organically grown" or not, these towns have been re-purposed to "bring in as much tourist money as possible." Just look at the rates at the Jerome.

Jean, "their romantic past" is what I like about those towns. New construction is new construction, but I just don't like the fake Austrian alp look this is Vail's trademark style. It doesn't really belong in Colorado, is my point.

And, being right on the freeway, where you cross over and under it all the time, get on the freeway to move to other spots in Vail-- just not my cup of tea.

I have stated why I do not like it, and why I think a lot of Coloradans ski there but don't particularly go there to stay.
>-

I grew up in Colorado and was an avid skier in the 70's, 80's and 90's. I would say the majority of CO natives I know LOVE Vail, while certainly some on this board do not. There are so many wonderful places to ski in CO, but Vail is hands-down my fave - with Breckenridge a close 2nd. As for summer - love it then as well! Why? It's beautiful, esp. the wildflowers, the weather is great, lots to do (mountain biking, golf, etc), the rates are very reasonable, there's lots of concerts, and great restaurants, both upscale and reasonable. While clearly the OP and other are not fans, obviously many, many people are. Agree with others - the original question is a little silly - if you've already been there and clearly didn't like it, what's the point? My parents had a BALL in Branson, I have no desire to go - is one of us right and one of us wrong? Would it make sense for my dad and I to argue about whether it's a good vacation spot? I don't think so... And the best part? I will be in Vail in 2 weeks - woooo hoooooooooo!!!!