This Guide was recently featured in Forbes Article: US Travel: 25 Best Places To Visit in 2020

Vail Colorado surprisingly is now one of our favorite winter towns, and that says a lot because we have always been tropical people!  We had the absolutely best time bringing the kids and will definitely be going back next year if the travel allows :).  Vail is the perfect town for a one stop shop for the family to Ski and be in walking distance of all the action. Below are the basics from our trip to save!

(Streets of Vail Village, outside of the main Gorsuch store)

How to get there:
We flew directly in Denver, CO airport since most big hubs do a nonstop flight.  We then took an Epic Mountain Express shuttle straight to Vail that took about 2 1/2 hours.  You can opt to fly directly into Eagle airport, but it would still be about a 20-30 minute ridge into Vail from there, plus flights are usually pretty high.

(Balcony of Four Seasons Vail)

Where to Stay:
We stayed at the Four Seasons Vail Resort & I can’t imagine staying anywhere else in Vail!  The hotel is 5 star all around, with everything on site for kids to make it an actual vacation for adults as well. Four Seasons Vail offers gourmet dining in Flame Restaurant or The Remedy Bar, or in-room dining; all with top chefs on site. Heated pools, kid play rooms, an award-winning spa and their famous “haute chocolate” (the world’s most luxurious hot chocolate) to keep you warm all day!  They offer luxurious rooms and suites, as well as private residence accommodations with up to six bedrooms.

What to do:

•  Ski or Snowboard:  We only did Golden Peak mountain since we put the kids in ski school one morning and loved it!  You can read all about the different Terrain Parks Vail has to offer here. Pop over to the Gorsuch store to get all your ski rentals and winter clothing for the season. It has everything from designer clothing to home goods and even whimsical gingerbread houses. Vail’s extensive snowmaking upgrades and expansions have opened up nearly 200 acres of new and enhanced snowmaking terrain to allow longer ski seasons. Opening day for Vail Mountain was November 15 and the mountain remains open through April 19, 2020. Put the kids in Vail ski school at Golden Peak Mountain and ski over 5,317 acres of mountain terrain
• Explore Vail Village, a popular town with heated cobblestone streets for strolling, restaurants and bars, coffee shops, ice-skating, a movie theater and a bowling alley, all within reach. The country’s largest free transportation system runs frequently, making it easy to access almost anywhere from Vail Village to Lionshead Village without the hassle of driving.
• Relax: Hit up the Four seasons pools and order hot chocolate, relax in your room by the fire, hit up there amazing spa, or let the kids play in either one of the play rooms while you sit back and watch tv.
• Dog Sled/ Snowmobile: Book a day of dog sledding with Mountain Mushers, a two-hour scenic ride through Vail Mountains and you will feel like you are in a Christmas card.  We took both our toddlers, they let you stop halfway through to enjoy hot chocolate!
• Visit Epic Discovery: During peak season, make sure to check out Epic Discovery, where you can ride a roller-coaster through the snow and tube down the mountain. It also has adventure courses, zip lines, a mountain coaster, tubing hills, a climbing wall, bungee trampoline and much more available in the summer months. To get the most bang for your buck, make sure to purchase the Epic Pass for the 2019–20 season.

Where to eat:

• Flame (Four Seasons Vail restaurant):  Modern Mountain steakhouse. Get the steak with various rub flavors!  I also loved the donut dessert.
• The Remedy Bar (Also at FS Vail):  I craved their grilled cheese every day!  Everything is so good, considering they have a new head chef Marco Fossati that tailors each menu to be delicious!
• Matsushisa: Amazing sushi restaurant by Chef Nobu Matsushia,  if you’re familiar with Nobu restaurant, you know how good this place is!
• Game Creek Mtn: Located on the Mountain! This was closed when we were in town, but I heard you can arrange a snowcat to take you here!
• 10th Vail Mtn:  Also located at the top of the mountain, take the Gondola here for lunch, amazing views.
• Mountain Standard: Located in Vail Village, do lunch here!
• Sweet Basil:  Located in Vail Village, try this place for dinner!
• La Nonna- Italian Restaurant, located in Vail Village.
  (Smores daily during afternoons at FS Vail outdoor pool firepit)

(Both pools at FS Vail are heated! 2 hot tubs!)

Thanks to the amazing Four Seasons Vail for hosting us & Gorsuch team for styling the entire family!  As always, all opinions are my own.