Nestled high in the Rockies with bluebird skies more than 300 days a year, Vail is Colorado’s largest ski resort, with more than 5,300 acres of ski and snowboard terrain, including seven vast and ungroomed Back Bowls prized by powder seekers and mogul hunters.
Neighboring Beaver Creek Resort, known for its world-class ski school, boasts a diverse terrain with plenty of beginner slopes and a magic carpet lift (think human conveyor belt) that gently transports newbies up a bunny hill. Here, families can leave the car parked and relax and dine at several slope-side restaurants without ever stepping foot off the mountain.
The good news for Northern Virginians: Getting to Vail and Beaver Creek is easier than ever, thanks to new seasonal, nonstop flights on United Airlines from Dulles International Airport to Eagle County Regional Airport, about 30 miles west of Vail. Weekly flights, available on Saturdays through April 4, will get you there in just over four hours for as low as $195 one way. You’ll be hitting the slopes in no time.
Where to Eat & Drink
A handful of Michelin-starred restaurants have put Vail on the map as a dining destination. Tavernetta Vail is a top spot for Northern Italian cuisine—try the cavatelli nero made with squid ink, or gnocchi topped with fonduta and black truffles. Buzz the doorbell next to the host stand upon arrival to receive an Aperol Spritz on demand. If you’d rather refuel after a full day of schussing with a bubbling pot of cheese fondue, head to the Swiss Chalet in the Sonnenalp Hotel or Alpenrose, a local institution since 1974.Â
Traveling with kids? Beaver Creek hands out free chocolate chip cookies daily at 3 p.m. at the base of the mountain next to the Centennial Express lift. (Punctuality is rewarded, as these fresh-baked goodies go quick.)
Late night revelers will want to high-tail it to Chasing Rabbits, a swanky social club dishing up succulent Mediterranean shareables ranging from lamb tagine to coq au vin. For fun after dark, ask your waiter to reserve you a spot in The Library speakeasy or a barstool at Rabbit Hole, a unique bar-arcade that morphs into a late-night disco. Both haunts are accessible from the restaurant via a secret door.
Now celebrating its 35th year, the 2026 Taste of Vail food festival gets cooking April 1-4, featuring dozens of culinary seminars, chef-curated dinners and an après-ski wine tasting with unlimited pours. This year’s lineup includes chefs Paul Anders and Will Edwards from Michelin-starred Sweet Basil.Â
A mountainside dining experience called the Alpine Table at Beano’s Cabin at Beaver Creek Resort features a tasting menu of upscale cowboy cuisine, including pasture-raised lamb, steaks and local trout.Â
Where to Stay
Spring is the time to take advantage of heavy discounts on lodging rates, thanks to deals designed to attract late-season visitors before the snow thaws. Through April 26, enjoy 20% off room rates at The Osprey at Beaver Creek, an alpine-style lodge that has bragging rights as the closest hotel to a chairlift in North America, with ski-in and ski-out valet service to get you up the mountain quickly. The room layouts include options such as eat-in kitchens, family rooms and bunk beds for youngsters.
For an extravagant hotel and spa experience with an outdoor heated pool overlooking the slopes, book a stay at the Four Seasons Vail Resort which offers 20% off reservations made more than seven nights in advance. Perks include free shuttle service around Vail Resort. Private mountainside lodges are stocked with complimentary snacks, boot warming stations, and a cozy fireplace where apres-ski cocktails and bubbly are served daily.
Where to Play
Snow sports are the main attraction here from winter to early spring, but they aren’t the only game in town. A stroll through Vail’s picturesque cobblestone village finds a host of upscale galleries and boutiques, including Kemo Sabe, a go-to for cowboy hats and Western-style boots, and Raitman Art Galleries where you can browse paintings of regional landscapes and wildlife. The town’s shops and entertainment venues stay open well into the spring season, and many retailers offer end-of-season sales.
If you’re visiting with restless kiddos, try ice skating at Arrabelle Square or pause rinkside in Beaver Creek to roast marshmallows. And be sure to pose for some selfies at the iconic covered bridge spanning Gore Creek.Â
Non-skiers and slope shredders with sore muscles can enjoy a day of pampering at the Four Seasons Spa, which offers a full menu of massages, facials and other posh treatments.
Visit vail.com and beavercreek.com for details on ski and snowboard packages, lessons, lodging, dining and more.