Overview
Vail is a U.S. ski resort town set in the Rocky Mountains. Vail is located in the Northwestern region of the state of Colorado. It is 100 miles west of Denver and 35 miles (56 km) east of Eagle.
2 sights · 47 things to do · 19 places to eat · 4 bars & cafés · 15 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Vail
Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum
Might be interesting.
Shrine Pass
Aalta Sports
Breeze Ski Rentals
Black Tie Ski Rentals
Charter Sports
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 15°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby Rocky Mountain National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- EGE Eagle County Regional Airport, Eagle — 30 mi away. Directions
- ASE Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field), Aspen — 39 mi away. Directions
- DEN Denver International Airport, Denver — 91 mi away (major hub). Directions
I-70 is a direct route into Vail. It's exactly 100 miles from Denver, and about 130 miles from Denver International Airport.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $200–$399 a night (typical $399), from 3 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$240, mid-range ~$470, comfortable ~$560.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum, Breeze Ski Rentals, Christy Sports
- Lunch Wildwood Shelter
- Afternoon Pepi Sports, Vail Mountain Adventure Center
- Dinner Two Elk
- Evening The Club
Day 2
- Morning Shrine Pass, Black Tie Ski Rentals, Double Diamond Ski Shop
- Lunch Route 6 Cafe
- Afternoon Ski Base Inc, Vail Sports
- Dinner Vail Grocery Delivery
- Evening Garfinkel's
Day 3
- Morning Aalta Sports, Charter Sports, Gravity Jones Ski Werks
- Lunch The Westside Cafe
- Afternoon Troy's Ski Shop, Rentskis
- Dinner Bart & Yetis
- Evening The George
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
There are many options to eat in both Vail Village and Lionshead. Another good idea is to pack a lunch, or grill your own burgers or hot dogs at the free public bbq at Blue Sky Basin.
If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the town of Vail (well sort of, you'll still have to wait but at least you see something a little more local) then try some of these spots:
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Roughly Vail is divided into four zones; West Vail, Vail Village, Lionshead, and East Vail.
Get in
By car
I-70 is a direct route into Vail. It's exactly 100 miles from Denver, and about 130 miles from Denver International Airport.
During peak times, I-70 can get very congested and it is not unheard-of for a trip from Vail to Denver to take 3 hours or more. Peak times are weekend afternoons (2-6PM) both in the summer and winter. Plan accordingly and either leave in the morning, or leave Vail after 5PM in the winter. If you do leave after dusk, however, be warned that road conditions can get icy. If you are from a major metropolitan area, the drive may also seem very dark to you with virtually no highway lighting and no reflectors on the roadway. Due to the darkness, high beam laws are often ignored. You can get a snapshot of travel conditions on the Colorado Highway Patrol web site .
If you are not experienced with winter driving conditions, you may want to think twice about travelling to Vail by rental car. Although most of the time you'll find the highway dry and perfectly fine, when it snows the road can get nasty. The ride from Denver takes you from 5,280 ft to the Eisenhower pass/tunnel at over 11,000 ft. After a steep drop to Silverthorne at 8,750 ft, I-70 winds through Officer's Gulch which is notorious for black ice conditions, high winds and white out conditions when the weather is severe. I-70 then climbs over Vail Pass at 10,650 ft before the drop to the Vail Valley floor at 8,120 ft. If you are uncomfortable driving in the severe conditions that may occur on this drive, it is recommended that you spend a little extra money and employ one of the private charter services available in the Vail Valley. Although some Denver-based companies also offered chartered service to Vail, their drivers often have limited experience in severe weather. Many Denver charter companies also use all season tires in the winter. If you do a little research, you should be able to find a reputable Vail based company that uses studded snow tires during the winter.
Scheduled and chartered services are available from Denver International Airport and Eagle County Regional Airport.
By plane
Fly into Eagle County Airport (EGE) or Denver International Airport (DEN). Vail/Eagle County Airport is about 35 miles from Vail; a shared ride in a van from there to Vail will cost you about $70 per person. If you are traveling with your family or in a group, there are a number of private charter services that are also available. These are often more convenient than a shared ride service since they transport you door to door. Although you might think about renting a car, parking is expensive in Vail and most everything is in walking distance or a short ride away on the town's extensive free bus system. If you fly into Denver, you might think about renting a car, but you should be warned that the more than 100 mile trip from Denver takes you over 2 mountain passes at elevations of 11,000 and 10,600 feet. An option to get from Denver Airport to Vail is to take a private chartered service that is familiar with the drive and road conditions.
Another option from Eagle Airport is to use the county bus system (ECO). This is difficult to find: exit the airport out the front door, make a right and walk about 100 feet to the bus stop. The bus takes about 80 minutes. The bus runs from Eagle Airport through most of the towns and goes to the Vail Transportation Center. The cost in 2018 was $4 each way.
Most private transport companies quote prices of $120 to $180 each way for a trip into Vail.
By bus or shuttle
The Vail Transportation Center at 241 S Frontage Road E (between Vail Road and Vail Valley Drive) acts as the local bus station.
Several carriers offer limo, van, or bus service to and from Aspen, Denver, and other cities in Colorado ($300 one-way), or the Eagle Vail airport ($100 one-way). Greyhound will be the cheapest at $12-30 one-way with advance purchase.
- Bustang links Vail with Glenwood Springs and Eagle to the west and Denver and Frisco to the east.
Place Colorado Airport Express (CAE)
Door to door private SUV and van services from the Denver International Airport to the Vail Valley.
Get around
If you are staying in Vail or Lionshead, having a car will be more hindrance (parking fees) than a value. The town is set up so you can walk between most places and the slopes. There is also a free shuttle that will take you to the immediate surroundings and up to Beaver Creek.
By car
If you are coming from somewhere else and skiing, you can park on site. It will cost about $25 (2010) per day. Best advice arrive early (before 9AM) on busy days and you won't have problems. There are two parking garages, one in Vail and one in Lionshead. The Lionshead garage is the shortest walk to the slopes.
If the garages do fill up, you may to park on the road. The problem being that they don't let you park on the road until both garages are filled. So say you drop your friends off at Golden Peak (so they can put their kids in child care) then go back to the Vail parking lot, its full, so you then have to go park in Lionshead and take a bus back to catch your friends.
For those doing child care there is also a ($25/day) valet parking at Golden Peak, cheaper to park at the main Vail garage and walk (5 mins). Most Hotels in Vail, (see: upscale) will provide you with a free shuttle, just ask before you arrive.
Most major car-rental firms are located at Denver International Airport and some in Eagle Regional Airport. Once you arrive in Vail, there is a free in-town bus system.
See
See Shrine Pass
Do
Winter sports
Ski/snowboard Lift Tickets $356 (updated 2026 ) a day too steep? Want to save some money? Well there are a couple of ways, but they are not easy:
- Use of the snow.com or vail.com website has seven day advance internet purchases with discounted rates.
- Colorado Pass - The Colorado Pass provides unlimited slope access at Breckenridge, Keystone and A-Basin, as well as 10 days' access to the lifts at Vail or Beaver Creek. The Colorado Pass costs $449 (2008). It is blocked out on certain dates.
- eBay - Typically for $10 you can buy a 2 for 1 coupon that was issued somewhere in the country. There have been counterfeits so your mileage may vary.
- Grocery stores - Discounted tickets for Vail are no longer available at grocery stores on Denver as they once were.
- Locals - If you have friends in Vail, and they have a season pass, they get 5 "Buddy Passes" that allow you to ski for $35 a day, so make some friends, and ski for less.
Avoid the lines If you can get on the mountain a little earlier (before 9:30AM) than everyone else you can stay ahead of the crowds and never wait in a line more than 5 minutes. Here are some suggested starting routes:
- Favorite: Start at golden peak, and take the lift past the first drop off to the top. Get off and take lift 11 (Northwoods) to the very top of the Mt. From there drop into China Bowl or go off to Blue Sky basin. Come back to the front after noon and you'll see a lot of the mountain.
- Starting at Vail Village. If the Vista-Bahn is really full, take the little two seater chair up.
- They do not run the two seater chair, except for races.
- Ski over to Golden Peak and follow along above.
Lionshead - Don't wait for the gondola, take the quad chair. Ski over to the far side (the far side can be much shorter) of lift 2 and up.
Avoid: Chair 4 from mid-vail. Always crowded. Chair 11 can get crowded. Check the status boards for the back bowl lift and game creek bowl lifts before going into each as they can fill up and there is only one chair in each bowl.
Ski & snowboard equipment rental: Vail resort has a huge range of ski and snowboard rental options. Vail's village is spread over a huge area from Lionshead, Vail Village and Golden Peak, so it is best to source your ski or snowboard rental close to your hotel or even better close to the lifts. Here are just a few of the many ski rental stores found in Vail.
Do Aalta Sports
Do Breeze Ski Rentals
Do Black Tie Ski Rentals
Do Charter Sports
Do Christy Sports
Do Double Diamond Ski Shop
Do Gravity Jones Ski Werks
Do Pepi Sports
Do Ski Base Inc
Do Troy's Ski Shop
Do Vail Mountain Adventure Center
Do Vail Sports
Do Rentskis
You can also book your Vail ski or snowboard rental online before you leave possibly saving you time in the rental store and even some money as most offer discounts for pre-booking. Here are the main ski rentals stores that offer online booking service;
Do Breeze Rentals
Do Charter Sports
Do Christy Sports
Do Double Diamond Ski Shop
Do Rentskis
Child care: Vail has an excellent child-care center for all ages of kids. For babies to toddlers, the nursery provides great, on mountain, care. As young as 3 years old the Ski School can really teach your kids to ski and give them a fun day too (and free you up to ski with your spouse). All this does not come cheap, but you get a good quality product and don't have to worry about your kids.
Book early (like a month before you get there) for the nursery. They do fill up.
Do Ride the Gondola
The Gondola is free for foot traffic after 2PM. Before 2PM the ticket price is $24 for adults (2009). It is a good way to get the non-skiers and the kids up to the top.
Do Adventure Ridge
A fun place to bring kids or friends who don't like to ski! Activities include: ski-biking, kids' snowmobile track and tubing.
Summer
Mountain bike: In the off season, Mountain Bike rentals and lift tickets are available for a reasonable cost. Ride the lift up to the top and bike your way down, taking in thrills, scenery, and encounters with wildlife. Trails are rated by difficulty and are well-maintained. It is certainly easy and fun to ride the gondola up and ride the bike down.
Do Gondola Ride
As of summer of 2022 it was $52 to ride the Gondola to the top of the mountain. At the top there is an outside bar with a great view, and a pretty pricey grill (check times). You can get a $15 discount at the grill with a $5 coupon. The burger is excellent. If you want a work out and want to save the money walk up to the top. The Gondola is always a free ride down! The hike will take you about 1-2 hours (depending on fitness). Take the Berry Picker trail from Lionshead.
Do Piney Lake
A gorgeous view awaits you if you brave the 12 mile dirt road up to the Piney Lake. You can also grab some grub or rent a boat at the Piney River Ranch.
In the Vail Valley
Do Timberline Tours
Based in the town of Eagle and offers trips on the Eagle, Colorado, and Arkansas River. Door-to-door transportation from your hotel is usually included. Also offers jeep tours. Timverline Tours also offers group chartered transportation services. Since the company uses its busses during the day for rafting trips, their seats may often be wet for early evening movements.
Rafting
Vail is a great location to plan some rafting adventures. The Eagle River runs through the Vail Valley -- it offers outstanding rafting during its short season (typically May & June, sometimes into July). The Colorado River is just downvalley and offers ample opportunity, especially during summer months, because it has such a reliable water source. The stretch above and through Glenwood Springs is a favorite hot-weather summer family ride. The Arkansas River is about an hour away, and offers several famous whitewater stretches as well.
Golf
The Vail Valley has half a dozen nice golf courses.
Do Eagle-Vail Golf Course
Do Beaver Creek Golf Course
Do Arrowhead Golf Course
Do Singletree Golf Course
Disc golf
The Vail Valley has several disc golf courses.
Dude ranches
The Vail area has many places to ride a horse.
Buy
Vail has all your typical resort shops.
Eat
Budget
There are many options to eat in both Vail Village and Lionshead. Another good idea is to pack a lunch, or grill your own burgers or hot dogs at the free public bbq at Blue Sky Basin.
Eat Wildwood Shelter
Best value on the mountain is the Combo at the Wildwood shelter. $11 for a great barbeque beef or pork sandwich, soup and side. Plus Wildwood is much smaller than most of the other places on mountain so you can find your group. And there is a good view.
Eat Two Elk
This place has beautiful architecture (a giant log structure) nice furniture, but has expensive, average food. See it once then head to Wildwood for your next meal.
Eat Vail Grocery Delivery
Offers pre-arrival grocery delivery for guests staying in Vail and Beaver Creek.
Mid-range
Eat The Westside Cafe
A Vail restaurants staple. Do not miss this classic locals place.
Eat Bart & Yetis
A favorite and a great place to find 3rd generation locals. Bart & Yetis is in Lionshead Village, a short intown bus ride from the covered bridge.
Eat Pazzo's Pizza
A famous pizza joint in Vail.
Eat The Tap Room at Bridge Street
Located on the second floor of the Vista Bahn Building, the Tap Room is a must for apres ski! Not only is it a nice place to go for a beer, but the food is worth a stop as well. Pretty inexpensive, the Tap Room typically has specials during the week such as all-you-can-eat wings--check the free local paper, The Vail Daily, for details.
Eat Vendetta's Italian Restaurant
Typical Italian food for about $20 a plate.
Splurge
Eat Restaurant Kelly Liken
American cuisine featuring ingredients that are harvested locally and in season.
Eat Game Creek Restaurant
Typically, at a place with great views and the requirement to take a snow cat (winter) or (Suburban) to get there you would dismiss it as a tourist-trap, pay for the view type of place. Well the Game Creek Restaurant is not, it actually has the food and service to back it up. It is a great dinner, in a very nice (if you like modern-Bavarian style) setting, with a great view.
Eat La Tour
Great French food, consistently excellent.
Eat Larkspur Restaurant
Contemporary American cuisine, potato croutons highly recommended
Eat The Savory Inn
For a great time, eat amazing food and learn some new culinary techniques. (And drink some vino!) Vail's best kept secret!
Eat Sweet Basil
Consistent quality. Service is impeccable. Great food.
Near Vail
If you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the town of Vail (well sort of, you'll still have to wait but at least you see something a little more local) then try some of these spots:
Eagle-Vail
Eat Route 6 Cafe
Great local breakfast, lunch and dinner place. There is also live entertainment on weekend nights. On weekends the place fills up by 9AM, weekdays are usually no problem.
Minturn
Edwards
Eat Gas House
34129 Highway 6, Edwards. In Edwards Colorado, another 10 minutes west of Minturn. Want meat, go here! Lots of animal heads on the wall.
Eat Gore Range Brewery
Gore Range is a fun place to eat-- lively atmosphere, excellent beer and food to match.
Eat Larkburger
Larkburger has a very limited menu, but they are good at what they do. A very casual, order-at-the-counter burger joint, kids as well as adults will be happy with the food. Fries are highly recommended!
Drink
Drink The Club
Think fraternity party, that's the club.
Drink Garfinkel's
Great deck to enjoy the afternoon sun.
Drink The George
Good Irish style pub.
Drink The Red Lion
The place for après-ski in Vail. Get there early for an outside table.
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Stay Vail Residences At Hotel Talisa
AAA Four-Diamond ski resort that features ski-in/ski-out accommodations, private condos, and vacation rentals. Other amenities and services include a spa, meeting facilities, in-house rental shop and ski concierge, a building-side ski lift, and fine dining options.
Splurge
Stay The Lodge at Vail
If you have more money than you know what to do with, you can stay here. The Lodge at Vail combines the elegance of an alpine inn with the amenities and service you'd normally expect at modern high-end hotels. The AAA Four Diamond lodge features two restaurants, a 7,725-square-foot spa, exercise room, outdoor pool, piano bar, ski rental and ski storage.
Stay Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa
A cozy, beautiful boutique hotel with 20 lodge rooms and seven two and three bedroom condominiums. Each lodge room features free wifi, a feather king bed or two feather queen beds, iPod docking station, a gas fireplace, heated stone tile floor in the bathroom, a large soaking tub and separate glass shower, and free AVEDA products. Condominiums are equipped with washer/dryer, sleeper sofa, spacious kitchens with premium appliances, and balconies for mountain-view units. You can enjoy free access to the Vail Athletic Club, an 18,000 square foot state-of-the-art private facility within the hotel that includes a yoga studio, a pilates studio, cardio equipment, weights, Vail's only indoor climbing wall, steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi. Also available are two co-ed outdoor jacuzzis overlooking Gore Creek and the ski mountain. Also on property is the Spa at Vail Mountain Lodge, a full-service facility offering facials, massages, unique signature treatments, natural nail services and other scrubs and wraps. Additionally, there is The Vitality Center, a new wellness center with medical experts. One of Vail's top restaurants, Terra Bistro, is also in the hotel and provides a large free breakfast to hotel guests during peak seasons (winter and summer).
Go next
- See above in the Eat section for some towns near Vail.
- Beaver Creek Beaver Creek is right down the valley.
- Glenwood Springs - A beautiful 1 hour drive from Vail and you can enjoy their famous Hot Springs when you arrive.
- Aspen - A 1 hr 15 min-hour drive away.
- Colorado's Wine Country - Colorado is home to over 70 wineries and its own indigenous vineyards. Wine lovers can enjoy several scenic day trips from Vail to many of the small towns that grow their own grapes. These lovely little communities include Montrose, Palisade, Paonia and Hotchkiss, as well as the city of Grand Junction.
Nearby
Beaver Creek
City / town · 14 listings · 8 mi away
Frisco
City / town · 10 listings · 15 mi away
Copper Mountain
City / town · 15 mi away
Breckenridge
City / town · 47 listings · 20 mi away
Keystone
City / town · 13 listings · 22 mi away
Eagle
City / town · 2 listings · 25 mi away
Arapahoe Basin
City / town · 26 mi away
Leadville
City / town · 9 listings · 27 mi away
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