Blessed with peaks, graced with blue skies and fresh powder, carved by rivers and groomed with ski slopes and bike trails, Vail is the ultimate Colorado playground. The real draw has always been Vail Mountain, a hulking, domed mass of snow-driven euphoria that offers more terrain than anywhere else in the US: 1500 acres of downhill slopes on the north face and 3500 acres of back-bowl bliss. Seven miles of legendary champagne powder, over 5,200 acres of dazzling terrain, world-famous trails, back bowls and tempting terrain parks make Vail the ultimate playground for skiers and riders. Factor in Vail’s gourmet offerings, well-coiffed clientele and pretty young powder-fueled staff and you have an adrenaline-addled yuppie utopia. Indeed, stress does not cling to the bones for long here…until you get the bill. And even then you’ll have had such a remarkable time skiing, hiking, biking and horseback riding that the memories will last far longer than the icy splash of buyer remorse. Just remember going in that this is North America’s most expensive ski resort.

The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived. Vail’s average elevation is 8,150 feet (2484 m) above sea level. The town has a total area of 4.5 square miles (12 km2), with no lakes (there is, however, at least one pond). Gore Creek flows from east to west through the center of town. The town is surrounded by the White River National Forest and the Vail Ski Resort is leased from the United States Forest Service. Mount of the Holy Cross is visible from Vail Mountain. Vail Mountain rises from 8,120 feet (2,476 m) to 11,570 feet (3,527 m), giving a vertical height of 3,450 feet (1,052 m). It has a 5,289 acres (21 km2) skiable area, 31 chairlifts, 16 high-speed quads and two gondolas, 193 marked skiing trails on three faces: the front side, the back bowls, and Blue Sky Basin. The seven back bowls are Sun Down Bowl, Sun Up Bowl, Teacup Bowl, China Bowl, Siberia Bowl, Inner Mongolia Bowl, and Outer Mongolia Bowl. Blue Sky Basin includes Pete’s Bowl and Earl’s Bowl—to commemorate Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton.

Although Vail lacks the depth and breadth of Denver's restaurant scene, it's nonetheless one of the top spots in Colorado for a gourmet meal. During the summer, a vibrant farmers market is held in front of the Solaris complex (E Meadow Dr) on Sundays. Two of Vail's best restaurants aren't in the village at all, but high up on the mountain, with unrivaled settings and great views. They are The Tenth and Game Creek Restaurant. Although you can certainly indulge in champagne and rare bottles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape here, Vail also has a handful of cafes and bars offering good deals, particularly during happy hour.