Well we just had the most amazing trip to Vail! It was so nice to get away without kids. We haven’t ever done this big of a trip without them – thanks to my parents for watching them 🙂
I wanted to share information on our trip to Vail in April because there’s not a lot of information for visiting at the end of ski season. We visited Vail in April and were there the last week the hill was open. This can be a time of snow, mud, and everything in between. Just know if you are booking in April you might get winter, spring, or both! (We did!)
Vail was a 2 hour drive from the Denver airport – a straight shot on 70. It’s a town that was created for the ski hill in the 1960s so you have a very convenient village and lots of places to stay. With that, the prices are pretty insane and it’s definitely one of the most expensive places to visit in Colorado. I’m not going to judge on “worth it”, since that is different to everyone. What I will say is that we had a fantastic time and would love to go back in the summer and fall.
Where We Stayed
Would you laugh if I said we picked Vail because there were amazing rates at the Four Seasons? Because that’s why we picked it 🙂 It was simply amazing. The rooms are huge, the service is impeccable, and the food is fantastic. I cannot give it high enough praise! They had started construction in the spa and main restaurant (since it’s the off season) but that didn’t impact our stay at all.
The rooms are apparently the largest in Vail and ours was huge! It had enough space for a king bed, table, couch, chair, and fireplace. The bathroom was also massive. And in true Four Seasons fashion they do TWICE daily housekeeping. The service is truly next level. My husband joked he wanted to hire these people at his hospital – every person we interacted with was so friendly, helpful, and professional.
They do run specials in the off season, so you can get a good rate for their hotel. Of course it’s the Four Seasons so you aren’t going to get a fire sale. But we stayed with our American Express Platinum and got a room upgrade, credit to use in the hotel, and daily breakfast for 2.
Another part we loved was the massive pool (it’s heated!) and two huge hot tubs. It was easily the biggest pool we saw in Vail. (Don’t quote me on that but we did walk around a lot)
What We Did
We didn’t ski – I know, I know. We flew all the way to Colorado and didn’t ski. But we aren’t skiiers! We picked Colorado because we wanted somewhere cold with lots of good options for eating. And we mainly picked Vail because of the Four Seasons 🙂
Vail is a pedestrian village so you can walk everywhere. The Four Seasons is right in Vail Village but on the side towards Lionshead. So you can really easily get to both areas. I’d say 90% of the restaurants are in the Village and it’s super easy to walk everywhere. We also enjoyed shopping and just looking around the cute village.
We also were able to walk around the Gore Creek Trail that goes through the village and into other parts of Vail – we walked for about 4 miles total.
We did go up the gondola to see the mountain one day, which was awesome! It has been snowy and cloudy and then we finally got a sunny, bluebird day. The gondolas are great and the views are fantastic from the top! The Lionshead gondola has a way better view but you get both gondolas included in the ticket. It’s $78 a person – Vail is not a place to stick to a budget.
Where We Ate
Vail is a foodie town! Be sure to get reservations when they open 30 days ahead of time or you might have a tough time. It wasn’t that busy for us BUT a lot of restaurants are closed in April. So some of the most recommended spots weren’t options. Here is where we did eat:
- Alpine Pizza – This Detroit-style pizza was AMAZING! We got the pepperoni and cheesy bread. It was enough for dinner and then the next two lunches! But for a primer on Vail prices – this pizza and bread was $60 LOL.
- Swiss Chalet – A classic spot for fondue, located in the Sonnenalp hotel. We didn’t love the fondue we picked (our fault) but the atmosphere was amazing and the elements of the fondue were delicious. It was so great on the snowy evening we were there! And the decor was so fun.
- Montauk – This was our favorite dinner of the trip. We went here for our anniversary and it was so so so so good. Delicious steak and salmon. Highly highly recommend.
- Bully Ranch – Also located in the Sonnenalp, this was typical American fare. Huge portions and very rich – honestly amazing bang for your buck in Vail! Would be great with a group or kids. They had lots of great menu items.
- Remedy Bar in the Four Seasons – I HAD to get their world-famous hot chocolate and it did NOT disappoint. It was so good, I’m sad I only got it once! It was the most amazing hot chocolate I’ve ever had. If you’re in Vail you have to get it!
What I Packed
Vail is not as frilly as Aspen so Colorado casual, but cute, was my plan. Here’s what I packed and wore:
- Winter jacket
- Sweater Coat
- Coach white purse – can be crossbody or a shoulder strap. I love it and highly recommend!
- Cashmere Wrap
- White Cotton Sweater
- Mother Denim – my most-worn denim the last two years. I cannot give it high enough praise.
- Sorels
- Black long sleeve top
- For outdoors – hat, vest, down sweatshirt, hiking boots
Overall it was a FANTASTIC trip. Vail is so easy to navigate and has endless food options. Plus how can your vacation be bad when you’re staying at the Four Seasons. It cannot!
