Alicia Williams would be the first to tell you she isn’t a camper. But her husband, Patrick, loves the outdoors.
“He would camp anywhere,” she said.
So when Mr. Williams found a Black Friday deal from
Collective Retreats Vail, a luxury glamping enclave on the 1,000-acre 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott, Colorado, about 20 minutes outside Vail, Alicia was game.
Their Summit tent had fabulous views, electricity (they needed the electric blanket in unseasonably cold evenings), a four-poster bed, a private bath with rain shower, ranch activities ranging from horseback rides to zipline to hikes and even tastings at the on-site winery, cowboy coffee at a campfire in the morning, bespoke cocktails, chef-prepared gourmet meals (on weekends), s’mores by the fire, the chance to “brand” your own cutting board while sipping champagne, and an exceedingly accommodating staff.
Showering when the temperature was in the 30s “was a challenge,” Mr. Williams said, but overall they gave the experience high marks.
Spend two nights glamping in the backcountry complete with breakfast, s’mores, and activities at
4 Eagle Ranch and then two nights in understated luxury at The Sebastian Vail in the heart of Vail Village, complete with a spa treatment at the excellent Bloom Spa, breakfast at Leonora (try the stuffed French toast!) and the chance to explore
Vail Mountain and beyond, as well as the hotel owners’ spectacular art collection at the hotel. (Prices vary depending on date.) There are hot tubs and a heated pool, suites with pull-out sofas and residential suites with full kitchens, and a summer dinner series. Not only is the hotel pooch-friendly, but they also endeavor to pamper pooches with biscuits, beds, and bowls. (Because Collective Retreats Vail is on a ranch, dogs aren’t permitted; they have other locations in Wimberley, Texas, and Governors Island, New York)
Locals joke that they came for the winter and stayed for the summers—the wildflowers, the hiking, the cycling and mountain biking, the fishing and rafting, and the sunny days with an average temperature in the 70s and cooler nights (bring your jacket and rain gear for those mountain afternoon thunder showers). Plus, you can bring your pooch! The Grand Hyatt Vail, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, has even instituted
Yappy Hours on Thursdays featuring live music, food, and drink specials, including Bowser Beers, and a dog drink that promotes healthy joints.
Vail is also significantly less expensive in summer than in winter. The Sebastian’s rates can be triple in the winter what they are in the summer. According to
Discover Vail, there are plenty of free activities and memory-making adventures at the top of the mountain—summer tubing, the Forest Flyer alpine coaster, the Paramount Peak Rock Climbing Wall, a bungee trampoline, the Little Eagle Zipline for kids 5 and older, and more.
There’s a chance to teach kids about the mountains and animals who call this region home too. Vail’s Fireweed and Eagle’s Loop Trail have story stakes that feature mountain flowers and a series of animal ability installations. See the mountains as animals would. Vail has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and Walking Mountains Science Center for the experience.
There are also other hikes and mountain biking opportunities. (One child rides the gondola free with a paying adult.) If you plan to partake in the activities, the best deal is the
Adventure Pass ($142 or $114, if you have purchased a 2023–24 EPIC Pass for winter), which gets you the scenic gondola ride along with activities at the mountaintop.
A little history: Vail Resort, celebrating its 60th anniversary, was founded by Pete Siebert, a 10th Mountain Division soldier who trained at Camp Hale near Vail and imagined creating an American ski resort like those in Europe. The 10th Mountain Division helped liberate Europe in World War II, and President Joe Biden designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide a national monument in honor of the 10th Mountain Division, the army’s first and only mountain division.
There is nothing yet that shows that Camp Hale is a national monument, but you can rent ATVs in the area or take a guided ATV or Jeep tour with
NOVA Guides. The company also offers fly fishing and archery and has cabins for rent.
You can learn more at the
Colorado Snowsports Museum in Vail; stop in at the 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirits tasting room and sample the new
Avy Bourbon, which pays tribute to Henry, the first canine member of the Vail Ski Patrol. Sales support charities that benefit service dog organizations.
In Vail on a Sunday? Check out the Vail Farmers Market, with 40 vendors selling artisanal foods, art, and gifts. Come to a summer concert at The Amp (the nickname for the
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre) with free live tunes put on by hot summer nights. BRAVO! Vail Music Festival lasts until Aug. 3 with indoor community quartet concerts at Vail Interfaith Chapel and outdoor amphitheater performances.
Visitors love Ford Park, with its playgrounds and playing fields, and
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, home to plants that live in the mountains from around the world. The Ford family famously vacationed at Vail before, during, and after Gerald Ford’s presidency. It’s an easy walk from Vail Village.
Back at The Sebastian, there’s something for all ages. A tykes room has a well-stocked playroom for you and your toddlers and preschoolers. Preteens and teens will be happy that the game room is stocked with complimentary games and pinball. The spa is a welcome respite. And you can rent bikes (e-bikes too) at the hotel’s base camp right near Gondola One. (This is also where you gear up in the winter to head up the slopes.)
I’m already thinking about a return trip.
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