Vail, Colorado, is luxury all the way, with upscale lodging, dining and shopping in its two pedestrian-friendly villages—Vail and Lionshead. And yet it remains unpretentious. The laid-back vibe makes Vail both family-friendly and welcoming—especially for après ski. (Garfinkels in Lionshead and The Red Lion Inn in Vail Village are mainstays.)

There is plenty to do off the slopes in Vail, with ice skating, tubing, snowshoeing, a movie theater and bowling. In winter, take the Eagle Bahn Gondola for free in the afternoon up to Vail Mountain.

With its vast and varied terrain, including seven back bowls and the gladed Blue Sky Basin, Vail is ski paradise. While Vail is not the largest ski area in the U.S., it is one of the largest. Parents and first-time skiers will find its world-class ski school at two convenient locations—Golden Peak and Lionshead Village.

Vail, Colorado, is luxury all the way, with upscale lodging, dining and shopping in its two pedestrian-friendly villages—Vail and Lionshead. And yet it remains unpretentious. The laid-back vibe makes Vail both family-friendly and welcoming—especially for après ski. (Garfinkels in Lionshead and The Red Lion Inn in Vail Village are mainstays.)

There is plenty to do off the slopes in Vail, with ice skating, tubing, snowshoeing, a movie theater and bowling. In winter, take the Eagle Bahn Gondola up to Vail Mountain for free in the afternoon. Non-skiers will enjoy spectacular views, on-mountain dining at Bistro Fourteen, fun activities at Adventure Ridge and free nature tours at the Nature Discovery Center.