Ready? Here are just a few of the things you and your family can do in Vail this summer. You can hike. Or bike. You can take the kids horseback riding. Or teach them to golf. You can compete in the annual Teva Games or collect wildflowers. Wait, summer is about water right? Okay … you can swim. Or fish. Or kayak. Or paddleboard. You can hit the river for everything from gentle scenic cruising to heart-pounding class IV white water rafting.
Vail ups the ante on its incredible natural beauty with a full complement of special summer programs and events. Our favorite? Vail Kids Adventure Race on August 13 which pits 100 teams of two, ages six to 12, against each other on an obstacle course like no other in Vail Village and on Vail Mountain. Kids work together to navigate an adventure course including hiking, mountain biking, ziplining, tubing, plus archery, an underground river crossing and balancing on a slack line over a mud pit. The highlight of the race is a 100-foot version of a slip-n-slide that takes participants down the front side of Vail Mountain for a fun and wild ride. During the race, parents aren’t allowed to help the teams as they use a kid-friendly map to orientate themselves around the course.
Other summer highlights include:
- a weekly farmers market and art show every Sunday;
- Vail’s BBQ Bonanza on June 25;
- a 4th of July celebration complete with a parade, activities, concerts, entertainment and fireworks;
- the Vail half marathon on July 24;
- Vail’s Soul Music festival August 19-20; and
- an open-air culinary extravaganza dubbed Gourmet on Gore Labor Day weekend.
In the unlikely event of inclement weather, Vail’s recent village renewal includes an incredible bowling alley and movie theater right in the center of town.
Looking for camp? The Vail Recreation District offers a variety including Camp EcoFun during which kids age 4 to 11 will explore local ecology with the help of naturalists from the Gore Range Natural Science School, Camp Vail that lets kids from 5 to 12 enjoy a bit of everything: sports, art, science, outdoor adventures, martial arts, and more. Extreme Camp Vail arranges action-packed days for adventurous kids ages 8 to 13 with activities that include a tour of and thrill rides at Glennwood Caverns and visits to amusement parks, plus rafting, tubing and caving.
Lodging options are extensive and, for most of the summer, offer broad availability. A few of our favorites? The Sebastian in the heart of Vail Village boasts extraordinary service and impeccable accommodations and, of course, the all-important pool. The Manor Vail is right at Golden Peak, just a short stroll from Vail Village. On the other side of town, in the newly-vibrant LionsHead village, the new Ritz-Carlton Residences has all-suite accommodations and a large pool. The Arrabelle provides old world charm in a sparkling new hotel that is truly at the heart of the LionsHead.
Wherever you stay, be sure to check out the Family Saturday Afternoon Club most Saturdays between 3:00 and 6:00 in LionsHead where kids will be treated to a variety of activities including a “Kids’ Fun Zone & Crafts Center,” face-painting, a Hula Hoop Zone, a 60ft inflatable obstacle course, the Blue Moose Pizza Dough Tossing Contest, and a family “Water Balloon Toss of Death” contest.
Vail. We just love it there.
