Vail Valley - A Local's Perspecitve
Written: Nov 21 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Taking in all of Vail Valley
Cons: Transportation
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| mkauffman's Full Review: Vail |
It's that time of year again. We have gotten so much snow that Vail actually opened early this year. Vail received the #1 rating among all of North America's ski resorts for good reason. Simply put, it is the best ALL AROUND ski resort experience available. They have the most skiable terrain of any resort I have ever been to (5000+ acres), and they have recently added more. You can read about the slopes in other opinions here at epinions. I am going to tell you a bit about the area and how to further enjoy your stay. The Vail Valley is HUGE and there are lots of things to do besides ski. I live 30 miles from Vail in Eagle. The town between Eagle and Vail are Wolcott(really just a convenience store), Edwards (the largest town in the valley), Avon (home to Beaver Creek), Eagle-Vail (a local's haven and valley business hub), Minturn (a small town for more locals), and then Vail. All of these towns offer great places to stay and eat. The valley's public transportation system runs full bore in the winter and can get you anywhere you need to go for a couple of bucks. Stay away from the taxi and shuttle services as they are EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. A five mile taxi ride for two from Minturn to West Vail (5 miles) will set you back over $20 with tip. I would suggest renting a car if you want to freedom to move. If you drive to Vail or rent a car be prepared to pay for parking in Vail's public lots. Nothing is free up here.
Vail Village is a great place to shop and eat. It is a bit pricey. But compared to the Aspen/Snowmass area, it is a bargain. The locals are friendlier here, also.
I would recommend getting out of the Village for a day or two during your stay to check out some of the other towns in the area. Edwards is a terrific place to visit. It boasts some of the best locals hangouts around. A good example is Peppers Grill. This mexican restaurant is one of the best I have ever been to and I never spend more than $10.
This brings up a good point. As Vail is a resort, everything you buy there will be more expensive than other areas. For example, if you need ski apparel, I would recommend checking Avon, Edwards, or Eagle first. This is where most locals shop and (not to sound snobbish), us locals will not pay resort prices for anything. You can save a bundle by shopping outside of Vail for the same items. This holds true with lodging also. You could easily save 30% on your lodging bill by staying in a hotel down valley (Edwards, Eagle).
I could go on here for hours. I suppose the point I am trying to make is to think like a local while you visit Vail. You will have the time of your life AND save a little money.
The info below is irrelevant to me as I live here, but I had to fill it out anyway.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mkauffman
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Member: Michael Kauffman
Location: Eagle, CO
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 0 members
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