Vail in the Winter

leopard coat // snow boots // hat // puffer coat // grey snow boots // baby puffer onesie // coats // hats // jeans // boots

Our last trip to Vail was two summers ago and our stay at Four Seasons Vail was amazing! Fast forward to this fall and Caleb deciding it was time for William and Henry to try skiing. We couldn’t imagine staying anywhere else, so we booked a trip to Four Seasons Vail and it couldn’t have turned out to better. Here we have a guide to visiting Vail in the winter and look for our post tomorrow for answers to all your questions about taking toddlers skiing!

Stay

Four Seasons Vail is where we’ve stayed in the summer and winter and we wouldn’t change it! There are so many reasons why, but here are just a few:

Rooms are spacious: When you’re traveling as a family that’s important!
Views: Every room has a view
Fireplace: In winter, as well as summer, we have the fire turned on the whole time we’re in the room- it’s so cozy!
Fun for kids: In room kids tent for “camping” (Henry slept in the tent every night and loved it), Kids for All Seasons with games and entertainment and kids under 5 eat free when dining at the Four Seasons restaurant Flame
Sitter: Four Seasons sitters are given a thorough background check and the boys have loved them every time
Pool: The pool and hot tubs are heated year round, the boys love swimming with snow surrounding them, plus the patio is heated and there are heated robes and towels poolside
Shuttle: No need to rent a car if you’re planning to spend your time in Vail. The hotel shuttle will take you and pick you up from anywhere you’d like to go in Vail and there are also Mercedes house cars available to drive on a first come, first served basis
Ski Concierge: This was huge for us. The SkiCon is located away from the hotel just steps from Gondola One. The hotel shuttle delivered us to the Ski Con every morning when we were ready to hit the slopes. This is where our boots were kept warm and ready for us along with our skis, and they were carried to the gondola to step into before heading up the mountain. It also provided a great place to take a break from skiing, warm up and have a cappuccino or a cup of hot soup. Also, it worked out perfectly as a meeting place to nurse Ford in between ski runs. We can’t say enough about how much we love this perk!

Eat

Back of House Burger Bar: This was our second time to enjoy this “secret spot” located in the kitchen of Flame the on-premises restaurant. It’s such a fun and unique experience, starting with the cocktail of your choice and mini corn dogs, the most amazing burgers (chicken, salmon and veggie are also available) and ending with milkshakes for the kids and boozy versions for the adults. This experience is just so much fun!
Mountain Standard: Owned by the Sweet Basil family, Mountain Standard is a more casual option and very kid-friendly, with delicious food and drink
Remedy Bar: Located as you step into Four Season Vail, with views directly out to Vail Mountain, Remedy Bar was a daily stop for a snack, lunch and cocktails. It was great to watch the skiers coming down the mountain while enjoying a glass of bubbly
La Nonna: A new restaurant for us to try, this was where we came for our adults only dinner when we had a sitter for the kids. It was delicious and charming. Great service and wonderful Italian food.
Terra Bistro: Another new one for us. We took the boys and the staff could not have been more gracious and kind. Wonderful service and delicious food with a Mediterranean twist
Yeti’s: Our favorite coffee spot, just steps from the Four Seasons. They also serve delicious breakfast burritos, oatmeal and pastries.
Sweet Basil: An all time favorite, we skipped it this time to try a couple of new spots. It has always been a treat to dine here and we look forward to going back again.

Do

Ski: Of course in the winter, you will want to ski. The mountain had just opened a few weeks prior, so not all the runs were open yet. It didn’t bother us because there were no lines for lifts and uncrowded runs. We’ll talk about what the boys did for skiing on a post later this week.
Pirateship park: The boys loved Pirateship Park. It’s just a few steps from Gondola One and we spent a lot of time there in the snow!
Ice Skating: William has been dying to ice skate for some time so we decided to give it a try in Vail. I highly recommend for the views, but not for littles. They didn’t have any “walkers” so we were holding the boys up for the whole time!
Sledding: We did sledding one day after ski school and the boys loved
Gondola: The boys could have gone up and down the gondola all day, every day. The views are amazing and if you’re not skiing, you can take the gondola to some restaurants, though there is a fee to ride.
Shopping: Vail Village is beautiful and highly recommend shopping and walking around one afternoon.