How to Do a Weekend in Vail, CO

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.

Ashley's stories have been featured online on USA Today, Business Insider, TripAdvisor, Huffington Post, Jetsetter, and Yahoo! Travel, as well as other publications.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A reusable filtered water bottle—it saves you money, keeps you hydrated, and eliminates waste—win-win."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "A week in a bamboo beach hut on India's Andaman Islands."

Travel Motto: "Travel light, often, and in good company."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window—best view in the house."

See recent posts by Ashley Rossi

Known for its prestigious ski routes and ski village, many overlook Vail as a summer destination. But, with the mountain town’s latest edition of Epic Discovery adventure activities and an abundance of restaurants and shops open year-round, summer is also an amazing time to go. Plus, you’ll save on meals and spa treatments, and get to enjoy perfect weather.

Hotel: The Sebastian-Vail is a Timber Resort property that has hotel rooms and residences. The cozy atmosphere doesn’t scream “ski lodge,” so you won’t feel out of place if you aren’t there during ski season. On site they have a spa (Bloom), bar (Frost), restaurant (Leonora), an outdoor pool, jacuzzis, and a fitness center. They’re pet-friendly and welcome furry friends, which is a great perk—even if you’re just there to pet them. Families will feel welcome here with a Tykes Room and kids camp.

Friday: Arrive at the hotel and walk around Vail Village to get your bearings. Most restaurants and shops are open year-round, so you can enjoy the same offerings that people rave about in winter. Rent a bike and ride along the Gore Creek to the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. If you have time, also check out the Vail Nature Center, which is only a few minutes away. They have tons of information regarding hikes and trails to explore. Head back to the hotel to change before checking out Vail Brewing Co.’s tasting room and dinner at Mountain Standard.

Saturday: Have breakfast at the hotel or across the street at Vintage, then head over to Lionshead gondola to go to the top of the mountain. Here you’ll find Epic Discovery, which offers more than 10 outdoor adventure activities like tubing, an alpine coaster, an adventure course, and bungee trampolining. The highlight is the zip-line canopy tour through the Game Creek bowls. Game Creek Aerial Adventure passes are $189 and include unlimited passes to all of the Epic Discovery activities. Or, you can purchase the Ultimate Adventure Pass for $89, and additional passes can be purchased for individual activities.

After doing your activities of choice, have lunch at the top of the mountain. Hike down the mountain back to the village, or hike across to Gondola 1, which will bring you back to the main base close to the hotel. For dinner, go to Flame (the Four Season’s steakhouse), enjoy a wine tasting at Root & Flower, or head to 10th Mountain Whiskey Tasting Room.

Sunday: Enjoy the food at the farmers’ market in the village and book a relaxing treatment at Bloom Spa before departing for the airport.

Extra Day: If you’re going over a long weekend, white-water raft or kayak, go on a day hike, explore Piney River Ranch, golf, rent an ATV, or horseback ride on Sunday instead.

Bar & Restaurant Recommendations:

More from SmarterTravel:

Ashley traveled to Vail, Colorado, courtesy of the Vail Local Marketing District and The Sebastian Hotel-Vail. Follow all of her adventures, big and small, on Instagram and Twitter.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.