Summer in Vail, Colorado, is breathtakingly beautiful. The mountains are green with foliage and resplendent with wild flowers. The days are warm and dry and the evenings are cool. There are numerous outdoor activities available and lots of good food. The people are friendly and the vibe is happy.
The trails are difficult and not for the faint of heart. And believe me when I say, my heart felt a little faint while climbing the Berry Picker Trail up Vail Mountain! But what an accomplishment! We climbed approximately 2,200 feet in elevation and it required about 2 hours, with lots of water breaks. I don’t know if a cheeseburger has ever tasted more satisfying than the one we shared at the summit, or a descending gondola ride could be more exhilarating knowing I did not have to climb down the way we came up!
Another day we ventured out to bike Vail Pass. Our bike rental company dropped us off at Black Lake reservoir and from there we coasted 15 miles back to Vail village through gorgeous scenery, stopping for a little picnic along the way. We also stopped at Ford Park—a beautiful facility with sports fields, tennis courts, botanical garden and amphitheater— and made plans to return later in the week. The trail was mostly downhill, steep at times, and my hands actually grew sore from riding the brakes! I loved the dedicated bike path available on both sides of the interstate.
We enjoyed some wonderful meals at Montauk Seafood Grill, La Bottega, Westside Cafe and Market, El Sabor, sumptuous breakfasts at our hotel, and lots of ice cream at the various shops around the village. Thankfully, our outdoor excursions burned off many calories so we indulged without apprehension!
Toward the end of our week, our daughter and her family came up for a picnic in the Betty Ford Alpine Garden, and we truly enjoyed stealing a few hours with those precious children.
Our time in Colorado closed with a quick visit to JB’s second cousin, Art, in Colorado Springs as he celebrated his 90th birthday! Unfortunately, I failed to capture a picture of our time with him and sweet Pam, but so happy to see them and share a meal.
See below for a collection of a few images that cannot begin to do justice to a lovely time in Vail, Colorado.
