Vail Valley: A Resort for All Seasons

Beaver Creek

Combining Old-World charm with modern-day luxury, this picturesque resort is situated in a gated alpine village, complete with an arts center, golf course, spas, and, of course, great skiing and biking trails. It's also very family friendly.

Another benefit of Beaver Creek's well-designed community is the village-to-village connection. Travel to nearby Bachelor Gulch or Arrowhead ski areas via chairlift or skiing and hiking trails.

You’ll find a range of options here for lodging—hotels, B&Bs, condos—and dining. Many of the hotels and condos are ski-in, ski out. We like the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa for its award-winning Allegria Spa and the ski-in, ski-out central location. If you want to spread out in the lap of luxury, look to East West Resorts for a wealth of slope-side condominiums.

My family stayed for three nights in the Highlands Lodge and didn’t want to leave the living room with its cozy fireplace and perfect view of the mountain. I can also recommend the Bear Paw Condominiums at Bachelor Gulch for great ski-in, ski-out access.

• Fresh chocolate chip cookies at the bottom of the runs is a Beaver Creek tradition.
• Chris McLennan

An additional benefit is the complimentary inter-resort shuttle within Beaver Creek and Bachelor Gulch Resorts. There are fixed routes with pickups at numerous stops. The shuttle circulates continuously while the ski lifts are running. After 5:00 p.m., you can call for a pickup, or to arrange a ride to the slopes, a restaurant or shop. (Tel. 970-949-1938; www.eastwestbeavercreek.com)

Minturn

Just two miles south of I-70, and tucked between Vail and Beaver Creek, Minturn is a funky railroad town turned tourism-based community. Nestled aside the Eagle River, it’s home to a popular farmers market and several fun and family-friendly restaurants. (Read more about this quaint town in our Minturn article.)

Avon

Located at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain and 10 miles west of Vail, Avon offers more affordable lodging options—a good choice particularly for those who might want to experience multiple areas within the Valley. The Comfort Inn Avon provides a great value in a perfect location.

• The author's family hiking in Minturn, Colo., near Vail.
• Lynn O'Roarke Hayes

Here you will find plenty of shopping (including national big-box stores) and restaurants, providing an alternative to some of the pricier slope-side boutiques and eateries.

Check out Nottingham Park and Lake, a great spot for walking, jogging or biking, and ice-skating and hockey in the winter.

Eagle

If you vote to fly directly into the Valley you’ll land in the historic ranching town of Eagle. Located 30 minutes from Vail and 15 minutes from Beaver Creek, it’s also a place to consider if you want to spend less on lodging and dining options. There’s the well-priced Eagle Ranch Golf Course as well as a high energy rodeo and the County Fair.

Edwards

A friend of mine who lives in the Valley full time admits she heads to Edwards for a more “urban” experience. Check out the Riverwalk where you’ll find plenty of lodging options, wine and espresso bars, boutiques, restaurants, movie theatres and galleries. This hip environment developed as a bedroom community for resort employees and as a second-home enclave. There also are plenty of golf courses to satisfy greens fans.