If you’re a skier, it’s a safe bet that you’ve journeyed westward to the slopes of Vail – famously stunning when the high country is a wonderland of white. What you may have overlooked is that the same Colorado territory is just as breathtaking when blanketed in blossoms. Which happens to be a surefire signal that it’s time to trade snowsports for the performing arts.
Summer in Vail is short but intensely sweet, thanks in no small part to a non-stop calendar of entertainment events. At the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, the annual Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival (June 25-August 3) welcomes back such favorites as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. The cultural tapestry includes more than 40 soloists and chamber musicians, kicking off with a recital by multi-Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott.
In tandem comes the Vail International Dance Festival (July 27-August 10), with programs ranging from the tap mastery of Savion Glover to the sensual Art of Tango. Then there are the Hot Summer Nights Concerts (June 15-August 17), a local social event.
Throughout the town, the mix of music and majestic mountains, deep woods and sun-sparkled streams, alpine architecture and country-lane charm make you believe you’ve turned up, sans passport, in an Old World storybook setting.
The Lodge at Vail is no exception. “Historic” is not a word often heard in these parts, but this property fits the bill. When Vail Mountain opened for ski business in December 1962 with one gondola and two chair lifts (lift ticket: $5), the U.S. Forest Service stipulated that at least one lodge with a minimum of 30 sleeping rooms must be up and running. In operation for only a month at the time, The Lodge at Vail became an instant anchor of what would eventually be Vail Village. Today, the 165-room hotel with the feel of a European chalet – steps from a spread of boutiques, galleries, restaurants and nightspots – has evolved into a rambling maze of additions, including a 11,600-square-foot spa facility launched in 2008, complete with a sumptuous couples’ room and a fireside soaking tub for two.
If, indeed, romance is the ticket, you can’t go wrong with the hotel’s Wildflower restaurant for fine dining wrapped in wide windows and spring-bower decor – or outdoors on the terrace. Aptly overlooking sprawls of pristine daisies punctuated by bursts of colorful blooms that cascade downhill from the restaurant, The Wildflower changes its creative American menu daily to feature seasonal fruits and veggies from its own garden.
Wheels are rarely required in the supremely walkable town. On Sundays, strike out for Meadow Drive and you’ll find the Vail Farmers’ Market and Art Show in full throttle with live music venues, 100 or more vendors, and quality arts and crafts for sale. Farmers are on hand with Colorado-grown offerings and you can stock up on homemade breads, pastries, cheeses and wines.