Planning a Ski Trip to Vail: 5 Things You Need to Know

Vail, Colorado, is one of the most premium ski destinations in the world. As the largest single ski mountain in North America, it boasts a total of 5,289 skiable acres, over 195 trails and 31 chairlifts. It’s a resort that every skier and snowboarder needs to experience at least once. But, to no surprise, it attracts crowds. Luckily, if you do everything right in the planning stage of your ski trip to Vail then you can optimize for the best experience possible. Here are 5 things you need to know about planning a ski trip to Vail.

1 - Choosing the Right Time to Visit Matters:

Being one of the best ski resorts, Vail naturally can be busy. Although the mountains are so vast they can handle the masses – you may have seen the long lift lines and full parking lots at Vail on social media. But don’t let that discourage you, there are plenty of tricks to avoiding this. The first solution is visiting during early December or after Christmas and New Year. Selecting the right week to visit Vail will help to avoid the crowds. Off-holiday weeks in January and February are an incredible time to hit the slopes and see all that Vail has to offer, as is March and early April (who doesn’t love to ski in the sunshine with an open jacket?).

Not to mention that while many people want to go during the holiday time period, flights and lift tickets are also cheaper after the holiday high time. Check your dates and compare prices because moving days around by just a few days can have a huge impact. 

2 - Booking Your Accommodations Well in Advance: 

It might be the most important point to keep in mind when planning a ski trip to Vail. The really good accommodations book up well in advance for Vail’s ski season. It’s not uncommon for families to book the same house or lodging year after year. Once someone has a great Vail lodging experience like at Wander Vail Valley, the word gets out!

Plan far in advance for your ski season trip and book with a sense of urgency. The calendar might seem open one day but don’t be surprised if you go back a day or two later and it’s gone. January and February are extremely popular months, as you’d expect. As you’ll see in the next point, it’s true that the closer the lodging to Vail, the faster it books up in advance.

3 - Staying Close By at Vail:

First-time visitors to Vail can often be surprised by traffic as it attracts visitors from all over the world. You are going to want to stay as close as possible to Vail to limit your time sitting in a car and maximize your time riding the slopes. Luckily, Wander Vail Valley is less than a half a mile from Cascade Lift 20 and just a mile from the main Vail Resort. There is also a bus stop just down the road from the house, so if you don’t want to deal with parking – you can take the local ski shuttle instead. 

The saying has never been more true, “you get what you pay for”. Wander has skiers and snowboarders in mind if you want to stay in comfortable high-end lodging close to the slopes. There is a huge difference between being home to aprés in front of a fireplace to a hot tub in 10-20 minutes versus sitting in an hour of backed-up traffic to lodging in Edwards, CO. It is the little things that begin to add up and make a huge difference in ski rentals. Wander’s Vail luxury vacation rental offers: 

• Being close by

• Excellent amenities at the home including ski racks, bootwarmers, an elevator for lugging equipment, fireplace, super fast WiFi, a full kitchen with all the cookware you need, smart TVs and more

• Partnerships with local services including:

• Ski Butlers: Don’t waste your time waiting in a crowded ski shop. Make a reservation to have Ski Butlers will deliver equipment directly to Wander Vail Valley and has ski and snowboards available for every age, ability, terrain and condition. 

• Minturn Fitness Center: All Wander Vail Valley guests have free access to use the fitness facilities at Minturn Fitness Center – just a 15 minute drive from the home. 

• Vail Butler: Schedule groceries to be delivered directly to the home so you don’t have to waste time at the shops

• Black Diamond Cars: Schedule airport pickups/dropoffs or even shuttle service into Vail center with this reliable car service.

4 - Plan for Vail’s Après-ski Activities: 

Skiing isn't the only thing to do in Vail. When you have a house full of family or friends, you should plan for some après-ski. The town has a variety of restaurants, bars, and other activities to enjoy after a day on the slopes. There is always something happening in Vail in the evenings and sometimes it feels like the town doesn’t sleep.

To get the full Vail experience you should plan for hitting some of the hot spots like

• Los Amigos: Vail’s best Mexican restaurant 

• King’s Club: Live music, comfortable seating and a roaring fireplace 

• Barrio Social: Vibrant atmosphere with tapas
  
  

Each has its own unique scene so be sure to plan some après-ski spots ahead of time. Keep in mind that parking is free after 3 p.m. in Vail during the winter at Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures.

5 - Get the Right Ski Pass:

It makes sense that most people go out to Vail and want to ski or snowboard, that is the whole point. One thought that doesn’t cross a lot of people’s minds is hunkering in on the weekend days. Undoubtedly the slopes will be crowded. One option is to use amenities at a rental like the hot tub and fireplace on the weekend. Then you can opt for the multi-day ski pass for the week. 

Not only does that mean the slopes will be a little less crowded during the week but you’ll also make the most of your vacation with a little relaxing at the rental. The multi-day ski pass at Vail is one of the most cost-effective ways to ski multiple days and it does give some of the best value on a ski trip to Vail.

Planning a Ski Trip to Vail: Final Thoughts

A ski trip to Vail all starts with good dates on the calendar and great lodging. Having a place that is close to the slopes and where you can recharge is key to a memorable ski trip. Check off the 5 points above when planning your ski trip to Vail and you’ll be all set for success. As always, Wander Concierge is around 24/7 at 737-377-3205 to help you with your planning.