Where is Vail?
Vail Colorado is situated 97 miles (157km) west of Denver on the I-70 highway in Eagle County Colorado.
Vail is located 28 miles west of
Frisco Colorado, a town that is a central hub for the Summit County ski resorts and has lots of inexpensive lodging. The town of Silverthorne and Dillon are just a few miles further along the I-70.
Flights
Denver International Airport is located 120 miles / 194km away from Vail. Denver is a major airline hub, so flights into the city are numerous.
The closer alternative is Eagle, a small municipal airfield (Vail/Eagle County Airport) which is 30 minutes from Vail. Flights into Eagle are less regular than to Denver and they tend to cost more.
To make searching for flights to Denver or Eagle Vail easier, use one of the recommended
flight search engines that can compare flight options from multiple airlines.
Denver to Vail Shuttle
There are a multitude of operators that provide Denver to Vail shuttles, either from the Denver airport or the city. Shared shuttles from Denver International Airport to Vail depart very regularly, or you can use one of the private limo services. They provide transport in various vehicles including sedans, vans and fully stretched limos.
Similarly there are lots of companies providing private transport or shared shuttle between Eagle Airport and Vail.
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Driving To Vail
You can rent a car from either Eagle County or Denver International Airport for the drive to Vail. Use one of our
car rental search engines to find a good deal and make a reservation.
However unless you plan to travel around to visit other
Colorado ski resorts, you’re probably better off getting a shuttle to Vail, because once there you won’t need a car and parking can be expensive.
The drive from Denver to Vail along the I-70 takes about 2 hours, and from Denver Airport a little bit longer. Drive times can vary significantly depending on the weather, road conditions and traffic. Due to the high concentration of ski resorts around Summit County and Vail, there can be horrendous traffic on weekends and holidays. And when powder hounds can sniff a hint of a powder day, the roads can get really congested. Occasionally big storms can close the I-70, but usually not for very long.
For overnight guests, parking is provided by the lodging, although generally with a hefty charge associated with it. For day trippers there are parking garages at Lionshead and Vail Village that also attract a large tariff, unless you’re just there for après ski and then it’s free. It is also free for up to 2 hours so it’s handy to be able to drop off skiers and get gear rentals sorted. If the parking structures become full then parking becomes available on the frontage road. Keep an eye out for the message boards located at the main Vail off ramps (exit 176). Otherwise there is free parking on the North Frontage Road by West Vail Safeway serviced by a free shuttle bus, but this can take some time. There are also a few other free parking spots with limited spaces.
Getting Around Vail
Vail has four main villages on the south side of the I-70 and there are also various “suburbs” of Vail. Moving from east to west (left to right on the trail map) the main villages are Golden Peak, Vail Village, Lionshead and Cascade Village.
Golden Peak is a small area that has lots of kids’ facilities and is home to the Gopher Hill beginners’ ski area. Close by is
Vail Village, which is the heart of Vail and has many of the
Vail restaurants, bars and shops. A little further west is
Lionshead Village, the second largest hub of Vail that has a lot of restaurants, shops and services.
Cascade Village is a sedate little village that’s further to the west.
The main parts of the villages have heated walkways so if you want to wear your stiletto boots out, you probably can! And whilst it is possible to walk from one end of Vail to the other, it can be a bit taxing after a long day on the slopes, so make the most of the free bus service that inter-connects the villages. Maps and directions at the numerous bus stops make it easy to understand and use. Buses are regular and they are only crowded towards the end of the ski day.
Many of the upscale hotels also have their own shuttles or private limos to help you get between the hotel and the slopes, or to get to dinner.
One outlying village is West Vail where you’ll find grocery stores and inexpensive dining options. It is connected to the main villages via a free bus system. Ditto for East Vail, which is home to the East Village Market.
Other Ski Resorts Nearby
The I-70 corridor is ski resort central, so there are various ski resorts close to Vail: