The resort town for one of the nation's largest ski areas, Vail Ski Resort, Vail has a permanent population of only 5,000 but receives three quarters of a million visitors each year. Opened in December 1962, the resort has over 5,000 skiable acres on the largest ski mountain in North America and an elevation change of 3,450 feet. It is a world-famous destination for celebrities, serious skiers and snowboarders alike. The winding valley shapes the resort into something that creates lots of smaller, private areas so that you don't get overwhelmed by crowds or lost in the sheer size of the resort.
The town is a destination in itself. Catering to tourists year-round you'll find world-class restaurants, bars and lots of shopping. In the winter the city is prepared for icy weather with heated streets and sidewalks, a luxury you won't find elsewhere and something Vail is famous for.
High in the Colorado Rockies among some of the state's highest peaks, visitors to Vail enjoy all the comforts of a popular resort town as well as convenient access to Denver and other Colorado destinations. The city is surrounded by 350,000 acres of National Forest, bringing with it hiking, biking, horseback and cross-country ski trails. An incredibly vast array of activities are available in the mountains and at the Eagle River which runs through the Vail Valley.
Vail is in north central Colorado along I-70, a few hours west of Denver or east of Grand Junction.
