High Five: Vacation in the Vail Valley

Rocky Mountain Destination is a Golfer’s Delight

Chris Duthie

Golf Magazine recently ranked Colorado the 10^th “golfiest” state in America, taking into account our sizeable player participation, indelible historic golf vibe and the vast number of courses offered. For the record, Colorado beat out such links-worthy notables as Hawaii, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas, Nevada and even Arnie’s beloved home state of Pennsylvania. (Click here for the story.)

The report also underscored Colorado’s “heart of the Rockies” allure, especially in high-altitude Vail. Yes, indeed—when America is in the throes of another hot and humid summer, there are few escapes better than Vail’s high-altitude delights. Here are five compelling reasons to go now:

1. Originally created to take full advantage of winter’s bounty, the 20-mile-long Vail Valley has matured into a four-season playground that—especially during blissfully temperate June, July, August and September—is a hotbed of sunsplashed recreation. It begins with world-class golf (Red Sky Ranch, Sonnenalp, Cordillera and Vail Golf Club to name a few) and ends with adrenaline-pumping pastimes like hiking, climbing, mountain and road biking, horseback riding, ziplining, fly fishing and rafting.

2. Turnkey your Vail Valley outdoor experience by engaging an outfitter. Sage Outdoor Adventures’ esteemed resume includes whitewater rafting, ATVing, backcountry horseback trips and more; Gore Creek Fly Fisherman has full- and half-day fishing trips that accommodate large groups and all skill levels; and Paragon Guides offers guided bucket-list adventures into the Rockies with sure-footed llamas carrying the heavy loads.

3. Underscoring Vail’s resplendent recreation is a boisterous schedule of must-attend events and celebrations, including the Beaver Creek XTERRA Mountain Championship (July 18); 76th Annual Eagle County Fair and Rodeo (July 23-26); 27th Annual Vail International Dance Festival (July 27-Aug. 10); and the Vail Automotive Classic (Sept. 5-7). And if you crave live music, experience Bravo! Vail (now through Aug. 6) or attend one of the 40 planned performances of the Vail Jazz Festival (now through Sept. 7).

4. Indulgent overnights are no less serendipitous in Vail. Vacation memories should always include full-service, pure-luxury spoiling at properties like The Sebastian, Four Seasons Vail, Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Westin Riverfront Resort, Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch and the Sonnenalp Hotel. For other resort style options, look into slope-side Antlers at Vail or the family-pleasing lodging at Vail Resorts.

5. Foodies, get ready for a scrapbook-savory adventure. Entice your taste buds during a Vail Valley Food Tour or at one of the 34 summer-long Culinary Demonstration Series events; reserve a table at highly rated Beano’s Cabin, Toscanini Restaurant or Mountain Standard; or tempt your tummy during the open-air and extraordinarily popular Gourmet on Gore (Sept. 4-7). Despite its location in the Member's Clubhouse, Red Sky Golf Club's Silver Sage is open to the public.

RELATED LINKS

Experience Red Sky Ranch

Splitting Adam’s Mountain

Sonnenalp’s Vertical Feats

Adjust Your Swing For Altitude

Chris Duthie is a contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.