PLAN A LONG WINTER WEEKEND SNOWMOBILING & MORE IN VAIL, COLORADO
Vail offers some of the best skiing in the world, but non-skiers have much to enjoy in this charming mountain village as well. Whether you partake in the sport or not, your visit to Vail is not complete without experiencing all this unique location has to offer in the wintertime.
We here at Sage Outdoor Adventures boast some of the best snowmobiling in Vail, Colorado, and we do cater to beginners. Learn more about that and other activities in Vail, Colorado below, with this long winter weekend itinerary chock full of seasonal adventures and local hotspots.
Note, Vail is a pretty walkable, pedestrian-friendly city, and some of the below activities are within walking distance of each other. If you are visiting without a car, you can check out the year-round bus service from the Town of Vail Transit Department. Also, please double check hours of operations with individual establishments, as these can change at any time.
Thursday: Dinner, Drinks & a Museum
Ease into your mini vacation with dinner and drinks after you settle into your hotel, and maybe a museum visit. Vail is known for its diverse range of restaurants, with everything from fine dining establishments to hole-in-the-wall dive bars, and anything in between.
For dinner, we recommend Pepi’s Bar & Restaurant, known for its Austrian fare, wild game, and a year-round deck and live entertainment. The George, within walking distance of Pepi’s, is also a popular option. They offer everything from pub grub to filet mignon and surf and turf. Pepi’s is open until 9pm, The George 2am.
Looking to just grab a beer? Check out the Vail Brewing Company, open until 10pm, or the Remedy Bar, which is located inside the Four Seasons and is open until 10:30pm. All four of these restaurants/bars are within about 15-minute walk of each other, if you want grab a beer and then head elsewhere for dinner.
If you have time, the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame is open until 6pm and is also within walking distance of the aforementioned eateries. Here you can learn about the history of the Vail Valley, as well as snowsports in general. The fee is just a $5 donation.
Friday: Explore the Village & Fit in Ice Skating or Snowshoeing
You can’t stay in Vail, Colorado without a walk through this nationally known mountain village. When it comes to shopping and finding souvenirs to bring home, you’ll discover shops for everything from jewelry to toys to winterwear. Here are just a few store suggestions:
Eye Pieces of Vail: This store opens at 9am and offers an incredible selection of sunglasses, goggles, and any other eyewear you can think of.
The Squash Blossom: One of Vail’s oldest retailers, this shop offers a wide array of Native American jewelry. They open at 10am on Fridays.
Perch Vail: For stylish, contemporary women’s wear, stop into Perch Vail, open at 10am.
Perch Vail and Eye Pieces of Vail are both along East Meadow Drive, with just a few establishments in between them, and then Squash Blossom is about a 5-minute walk away across Gore Creek.
After a leisurely morning of shopping, stop for lunch at Big Bear Bistro, a three-minute walk from Squash Blossom, where you can choose from a variety of delicious sandwiches and soups; they also serve breakfast all day.
Ice skating or snowshoeing comes next! The Vail Square Ice Rink opens at 2pm and is about a 15-minute bus ride from Big Bear Bistro. If snowshoeing is more your jam, and you are in town with a vehicle, snowshoe tours are offered daily at the Walking Mountains Science Center starting at 2pm. This snowshoeing experience is located just outside Vail in nearby Avon, about 15 minutes away by car. A bus is available, but it will be about a 40-minute ride.
For Friday night dinner, check out La Bottega for upscale Italian cuisine, open until 9pm, or La Nonna Ristorante, open until 11pm. There is also Minturn Saloon, one of Vail’s most historic restaurants that dates back to 1901. They’ve been temporarily closed for renovations, but plan to reopen starting in summer 2023 – keep them in mind for the 2023/2024 winter season in Vail!
Saturday: Snowmobile With Sage & Take a Gondola to Dinner
We may be biased, but we like to think of snowmobiling as the crown jewel when it comes to winter activities in Vail, Colorado! The expert guides at Sage provide top notch Vail snowmobile tours on 6,000 rideable acres in backcountry Colorado – that’s larger than the entire Vail ski area.
Our snowmobile tour options are divided into Adventure Tours and Performance Tours. Adventure Tours are two-hour excursions that allow passengers on the snowmobiles, so it’s a great option for families. The Performance Tour is a step up from the Adventure Tour: it covers more terrain, is limited to drivers 16 and up, and is conducive to single riders only.
If you do not have your own transportation, Sage is able to pick you up at your accommodations on a limited basis in Vail, Beaver Creek, or Avon.
The extraordinary views from our private mountain remain the number one draw for those looking to snowmobile in Vail. Following close behind the stunning sights you’ll see is our superior customer service. Our guides are knowledgeable, friendly, and will lead you into an amazing adventure with our Vail snowmobile tours.
Treat yourself to a decadent dinner Saturday evening at Bistro Fourteen, an ideal place to refuel after a day snowmobiling. Speaking of great views, you’ll enjoy sights of the 14,000-foot Mount of the Holy Cross at this unique eatery. This is an exclusive, ski-in, ski-out restaurant, but the Eagle Bahn Gondola is free to non-skiers from 3:30pm until 5pm. If you can, take the gondola up before the sun goes down, so you can enjoy a beautiful sunset from the restaurant.
Sunday: Relax at a Renowned Spa (Or Take Your Ski Day)
If you’re a skier and you haven’t yet enjoyed Vail skiing, today might be the day to do so. Otherwise, we suggest relaxing after all your adventures with a Vail spa day. The extremely highly rated RockResorts Spa at the Lodge at Vail is open from 10am to 5pm daily. Check out their hot tub and sauna, and prepare for an incredible massage, facial, or one of their other body therapies.
When it comes to the best snowmobiling in Vail, Colorado turn to us here at Sage Outdoor Adventures. And, make sure to enjoy all the rest of the wintertime fun this region of Colorado has to offer!