Best of Vail

Outdoors

How to Have Your Best. Winter. Ever.

A dozen-plus dog-, horse-, and human-powered cold-weather adventures.

02/11/2019 By Kirsten Dobroth Photography by Jack Affleck

Outdoors

How to Hack, Navigate, and Most Importantly Ski Vail Mountain

With more than 5,200 acres and nearly 200 trails, tackling a mountain as big as Vail can be a tall order, unless you know a guy, or in this case a gal, who has the inside scoop.

11/12/2018 By Kirsten Dobroth Photography by Zach Mahone

Travel

How to Use Your Epic Pass to Visit Europe's Vail Valley

Our editor's unforgettable sojourn to Beaver Creek's sister resort, and an almost encounter with Mikaela at the Bavarian mothership of Vail Village’s Sonnenalp Hotel.

11/12/2018 By Ted Katauskas

Outdoors

How to Hack, Navigate, and Most Importantly Ski Vail Mountain

With more than 5,200 acres and nearly 200 trails, tackling a mountain as big as Vail can be a tall order, unless you know a guy, or in this case a gal, who has the inside scoop.

11/12/2018 By Kirsten Dobroth Photography by Zach Mahone

Longreads

A Time-Traveling Adventure at One of the Last Working Ranches in the Valley

Bair Ranch still herds sheep, but lately it's been tending a more lucrative flock: Tourists seeking adventure.

06/08/2018 By Devon O'Neil Photography by Ryan Dearth

Summer

An Insider's Guide to Festival Season

From chamber concerts and jam sessions to wine tasting and bronco busting: an insider’s guide to the signature events of the summer season.

06/08/2018 By Kirsten Dobroth Photography by Zach Mahone

Drink

The Best Bars of Vail & Beaver Creek

What can possibly top a powder day in the Back Bowls or Royal Elk Glade? Après at a village bar; follow our guide to 24 places that are the toast of the town.

02/09/2018 By Kelly Bastone Photography by Rebecca Stumpf

Ski Luxe

A Top Shelf Tour of the Vail Valley

From in-room doggy massage to a diamond worth more than a penthouse at the Ritz: a behind-the-scenes look at a resort town where anonymous luxury is de rigueur.

11/17/2017 By Kirsten Dobroth Photography by Karl Wolfgang

Ski Luxe

A Top Shelf Tour of the Vail Valley

From in-room doggy massage to a diamond worth more than a penthouse at the Ritz: a behind-the-scenes look at a resort town where anonymous luxury is de rigueur.

11/17/2017 By Kirsten Dobroth Photography by Karl Wolfgang

Outdoors

An Insider's Guide to the Valley’s Best Outdoor Summer Adventures

From must-hike trails to high-flying outings, our reader-endorsed recipe makes for the perfect Vail Valley summer.

06/12/2017 By Kirsten Dobroth

Mountains of Fun

The Ultimate Summer Adventure Guide

From the coolest desserts to the hottest table in town, follow our reader-endorsed recipe for the best summer ever.

06/12/2017 By Kirsten Dobroth

Summer

The Ultimate Summer Adventure Guide

In search of fun in the high-country sun? Dive into our reader-recommended bucket list of the Vail Valley’s warm weather classics.

06/12/2017 By Kirsten Dobroth

Outdoors

The Insider's Guide to Vail Pass

Vail Pass is one big playground, and we offer some tips on how to enjoy the area's natural amenities.

02/10/2017 By Devon O'Neil Photography by Zach Mahone

Outdoors

An Insider's Guide to Vail Pass

Vail's namesake pass is a playground for locals and visitors alike.

02/10/2017 By Devon O'Neil Photography by Zach Mahone

Skiing + Snowboarding

Will a Dream Lift Network Someday Span the Vail Valley?

While other resorts covet the vast, fast lift infrastructure at Vail and Beaver Creek, locals imagine a chairway to heaven: an aerial public transit network linking both villages and backcountry terrain from East Vail to Eagle-Vail.

02/10/2017 By Tom Winter Illustrations by Matthew Billington

Outdoors

Your Guide to Three Magical Days in Vail

72 hours of Vail bliss, served three ways: Ultimate ski days in Vail and Beaver Creek, plus what to do on your day off.

11/22/2016 By Devon O'Neil Photography by Zach Mahone

HISTORY

50 Years of Vail in Words and Pictures

Charting Vail’s evolution from sheep pasture to center of the skiing universe.

07/01/2016 By David O. Williams

Outdoors

Eagle County's Greatest Lakes

Behold: the 12 best places to bike, hike, paddle and boat this summer.

06/01/2016 By Devon O'Neil Photography by Zach Mahone

Real Estate

The Essential Guide to Vail Valley Real Estate

We asked real estate agents, locals, and absentee homeowners to help guide us through today’s market and pinpoint what makes each of the valley’s 25 mountain towns and neighborhoods the special places they are.

06/01/2016 By Molly Blake

Feature

One Perfect Day In Blue Sky Basin

With wide-open bowls, powder-choked glades, and a no-frills day lodge modeled after a 10th Mountain Division hut, Blue Sky Basin lets skiers and boarders experience the thrills of the backcountry without taking the risks. Join them.

02/01/2016 By Devon O'Neil