Colorado: Our Five Day Vail Travel Guide

LifestyleTravel

Aug 14

Written By

Hiking up Vail Mountain, exploring trails off the beaten path, dining in Vail Village and waking up with a view of the Mountains were just a few of the experiences that made our week long summer getaway in Vail, CO so beyond special. Vail is full of incredible views and a truly remarkable aesthetic. It has a way of making you feel like you've escaped to Germany or Bulgaria, without have to travel across the ocean.

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Hills and mountains stretch as far as the eye can see, local small towns boast charm and history and exhilarating activities offer a fun change of pace from daily life. Truly, I could have stayed there much longer than I did, but work beckoned and we had to return back to Indiana. But, if you're in the process of setting up a trip to Vail on your own, I hope this simple travel guide can help get you started!

Where To Stay:

Vail has no shortage of glamorous, gorgeous hotels right in the heart of the city. We stayed at One Willow, which is a Condo complex in the heart of Vail Village. These units aren't always open, but there are plenty of hotels we've stayed at previously that we loved. Namely, The Arrabelle at Vail Square in Lionshead, the Four Seasons or the Austria Haus if you're looking for something a bit more Boutique.

What to Wear and Bring:

Colorado is crazy casual. Half the time I was tempted to not even bother with hair and makeup. J and I both brought our Camelback Backpacks, Chacos, Athletic clothes and Patagonia Fleeces. I'd also suggest layering as much as possible because the temperature is so dependent on time of day and where you are on the mountain. At night, we stuck to jeans and nicer tops mostly! We also brought lots of sunscreen, swimsuits, hiking boots and my DSLR (of course.)

Our Itinerary:

Day 1: Lunch, Exploring Vail Village and French Brasserie

Land in Denver, CO: The drive from Denver to Vail can be anywhere from 2 - 4 hours depending on traffic. On the way into the village, we had about a 3 hour trek and took an Uber straight from the airport. If you are renting your own car, make sure to get an SUV, or you'll struggle to get around the mountains.
Travel and Lunch: Once arriving in Vail, it was already about 2PM, so we had a late lunch at Los Amigos Mexican Restaurant. Good food and great views of the mountain! Strongly suggest one of the Margaritas too. After lunch, we took a little stroll through the streets of Vail, get lost - it's so fun to see!
Dinner: We headed to a charming French brasserie Vintage for dinner, which was easily one of my favorite dinners of the trip. I ordered the steak frites and the Drunken Ice cream. Spoiler: it's every bit as delicious as it sounds.

Day 2: Coffee, Morning Hike and American Cuisine

Coffee: Are we surprised I headed straight for coffee the day after our flight? Nope. J and I woke up early and found Yeti's Coffee next to our hotel. We grabbed their specialty drinks and a split a blueberry muffin before heading out to workout.
Morning Hike: We hiked for a few hours that morning and loved every minute! We didn't head up the mountain, because you have to let your body adjust to the altitude. But, we did walk along the trails in vail village and saw a few local homes too. If you're hiking, check out Betty Ford park in the summer, it's got stunning flowers!
Dinner: We lounged by the pool during the day and then headed out for dinner at Mountain Standard. Trust me, it's a must visit on your trip!

Day 3: Mountain Excursion and an Italian Feast

Jeep Tour: We headed out on a jeep tour on Day 3 of our trip and had a blast! We were able to go off-roading, check out a different mountain and take in some breathtaking views! Here's the guide we used - his name was Wolf and he was incredible! On the tour we even had snacks, so we didn't have to stop for lunch.
Dinner: We opted for Italian after a long day of exploring on the Jeep, so we headed to La Bottega for Dinner. It's truly a must-stop for both lunch and dinner. I had the classic spaghetti and meatballs and J had the gnocchi, both were incredible!

Day 4: A Train Ride In the Mountains and Almresi

Breakfast: We headed just outside of Vail Village to the Westside Cafe, where J had an insane Bloody Mary. I tried the Italian Skillet (YUM!), which was perfect for a day full of activity.
Train Ride: We drove about an hour to Leadville where we caught a scenic train around the mountains. This is definitely a bit more touristy than other parts of our trip, but we loved seeing the views and learning a bit more history about the area. If you're not into anything kitchy, i'd skip this and shop around Lionshead and Vail. But, we really did have fun with it!
Dinner: All I can say about Almresi is YUM. The owners started the restaurant in Germany, and it's incredibly authentic. You have to try the fondue, the caesar salad and short rib if you make it there!

Day 5: BerryPicker Trail & Pool Time

Farmers Market: We visit the farmer's market in Vail Village on Sunday Morning, which is so fun and great place to grab a quick bite to eat!
Hiking: After the farmer's market, we opted to try to hike all the way up the Mountain. And, although J almost killed me, we made it up Berrypicker. Make sure to bring a map, snacks, water and oxygen if you try to hike your way up, it's tough but oh so worth it!

All in all, we had an incredible time in Vail. Hope you all do to if you have a chance to make it out there! Please share/pin this guide and leave me a comment if you find it useful on your trip!

BTW, check out my tips for dressing for summer in Colorado!

XO,