VAIL, CO

Vail

A sleepy mountain village Vail is not. In fact, it is the beating heart of a year-round calendar of high-altitude cultural events. Each spring, Vail hosts both the Taste of Vail food festival and the Vail Film Festival. Summertime sees the annual six-week Vail Jazz Festival, which culminates with the bang-up Labor Day Weekend Jazz Party. The Vail Oktoberfest is well attended by a well-lubricated bunch year after year. Come winter, the two-week ski-season kick-off party known as Snow Daze starts things really rolling. Once kicked off, the season gets into high gear with other events such as The Session, an action-packed snowboarding extravaganza. If you're tired of watching the action and you want to get in on it, stop by Gravity Jones or Double Diamond for everything you'll need. Summer activities in Vail are no less extreme — let Colorado River Runs take you on a downhill journey of a different sort. For less adventurous travelers, Vail's got a lot to offer as well, from galleries showcasing local art (such as Cogswell Gallery) to museums celebrating local pastimes (like the... more