Vail: Colorado’s German Mountain Town

ByChristine Updated on

Vail, Colorado itself is so cool, specifically Vail Village and Lionshead Village, which are based off of the European village theme and have such cute and charming looking buildings. There are all sorts of pedestrian only zones and lots of shops and dining options. You’ll love it as a vacation destination itself or a trip up from Denver. Here are our tips for a great visit to Vail.

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Vail Village pedestrian zone in winter with snow covered mountains in the background and many people walking about in this Colorado German mountain town.

The Basics

  • Who: Anyone looking for a fun getaway whether you’re into shopping, good dining, going to festivals, or outdoor activities.
  • What: Vail Ski Resort is one of the largest in the world. Vail itself was actually developed in conjunction with the resort itself.
  • Where: Less than a 2 hour drive west of Denver on I-70. We couldn’t believe how close it actually is!
  • When: Any time of year depending on what activities you plan to do or if you want to arrive in time for a certain event. There are numerous events and festivals on the calendar each year.
  • Why: Like we’ve said before, if you live in Colorado like we did, we feel like it’s worth exploring and checking out its many different areas and towns. This place is so close to Denver it could be an easy weekend getaway. If you’re coming in from out of state, it’s a great place to do some amazing skiing and exploring a beautiful mountain town.
  • How: Fly to and/or drive from Denver. There is a free shuttle in town that links the various areas.

Vail Village & Lionshead Village

Make sure to visit both Vail Village and Lionshead Village when vacationing in Vail. You can walk between the villages in about 10-15 minutes, but you can also take the free shuttle.

Both villages have lots of shops, restaurant, and lodging. Where to stay and spend most of your time is really up to you.

Vail Village has more of the traditional European charm while Lionshead is a bit more modern. I’ve also heard that Lionshead may be a bit more relaxed and quiet so that may be a consideration for you or if you’re traveling with kids.

Things To Do

Where To Stay

At the time we stayed at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera located in Edwards and about 20 to 30 minutes outside of Vail Village. I would have recommended it if it were still open, as the location was both beautiful and peaceful and the accommodations luxurious.

Instead, here is where I would stay instead, so you can have all those things plus better proximity to Vail itself.

In Vail Village, I would stay at Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer because of its Austrian heritage and charm. It looks like it was transported directly from the Alps.

A second option in Vail Village I would be more than happy to stay at is the chalet style boutique Austria Haus by Hyatt.

In Lionshead Village, I would stay at The Arrabelle at Vail Square with luxurious amenities and attentive customer service.

Where To Eat

When visiting Vail I’m of the opinion you should absolutely try to dine somewhere with the same European vibe and charm Vail itself is known for. Here are our top picks.

Pepi’s Bar & Restaurant

Located inside the Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer, this restaurant specializes in Austrian dishes. I had the Kasespaetzle and Kevin had a Wienerschnitzel, which were both very good. It is in a nice location right in Vail Village.

Alpenrose

They have lots of traditional menu items and multiple fondue dishes as well which are always so fun. There is even a private gondola dinner experience in the winter that looks like an unforgettable meal. This restaurant has a sister restaurant in Germany in Metzingen which isn’t too far from Lichtenstein Castle. I think that’s a good sign this place is pretty authentic!

Swiss Chalet

Inside the Sonnenalp Hotel, the Swiss Chalet service up Swiss specialty dishes that also include fondues. Their menu touts Colorado local ingredients which is a great bonus. Their wood lined and red accented restaurant looks so cozy, and they also have a beautiful outside seating area.

Hiking Near Vail

If you want to do hiking while you’re visiting Vail, we recommend hiking the nearby Booth Falls Trail.

Booth Falls Trail

Booth Falls Trail is easily accessible from the interstate just a few minutes from Vail and is a nice scenic hike.

On the way in the trail has a mostly continuous uphill, some areas are pretty gently sloped though, and passed several waterfalls. We got to the point where the path levels out and gets more into the valley area before turning back around.

We didn’t bring our snowshoes because the beginning of the trail was pretty muddy and snow free, but we could have used them further up. But even without them everything was packed down enough that there were no problems.

I did use a pair of Yaktrax for additional traction though and they were great.

Visiting With Kids

Vail is definitely a family friendly destination. The kids won’t feel left out with plenty to do for fun and to keep them entertained. They might be avid skiers or snowboarders as well but if not they can try tubing, sledding, or ice skating.

If my kids are any indication, gondola rides are always a big hit, and Vail offers its scenic gondola rides in both the summer and winter so I would definitely put this on your must-do list.

You can take the family on a bike ride or horseback ride as well. Or just spend some downtime at one of the numerous playgrounds in Vail. And these aren’t your basic plastic play structures. There are so really cool ones to play on.

Finally, for some less traditional playground fun, grab an adventure pass for the mountain coaster, rock climbing, zipline, bungee trampoline, and more on the mountain at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola. You could probably spend most of a day here alone. Up here you can also visit the free Nature Discovery Center with interesting exhibits for all ages.

Colorado Mountain Towns to See Next

If you’re looking for some of the best fall colors, you must visit Steamboat Springs to see golden aspen leaves.

If soaking in relaxing hot springs is on your agenda with outdoor adventures such as biking and rafting at your fingertips, check out Glenwood Springs.

Telluride will wow you with some of the most amazing views from its main street, and there’s a free gondola you can ride up to the Mountain Village.

Crested Butte has the cutest downtown, a great cross-country skiing center, and is known for its wildflowers.

We enjoyed the shopping and restaurant scene in Aspen which is just steps from the world-class skiing slopes.

Breckenridge has a fun walkable downtown. It is an easy day trip from Denver.

Christine is the co-founder of Never Stop Adventuring, and an avid traveler who started traveling the world as a child growing up in a military family. She even lived in Germany for numerous years. Since then she has been to 48 U.S. states, 17 countries, and traveled the U.S. in an RV for over 7 years.

With her 3 kids, the adventures continued family travel style. She has planned and coordinated travel with kids for the last 10 years and shares family travel tips and tricks, destinations, costs and even the mistakes so you can be empowered to take your own family trips with confidence!