Vail Relo

Vail, Colorado: Sports Country USA!

Vail...If you're a skier or a snowboarder, golfer or balloonist, fisherman or rock climber, mountain biker or water rafting and kayaking enthusiast, Vail is the place to be. Vail is located in one of the most beautiful valleys on earth! Vail ranks at the top of the world's ski destinations. Vail offers something for everyone who enjoys the outdoor sports and life.

There are over 180 restaurants and bars in the 10 mile long Vail Valley, and different types of food to please everyone. The quaint village is a haven for sports lovers everywhere, drawing all kinds of people from around the globe. There are hundreds of shops and stores, with something for everyone.

Vail is home to the Colorado Ski Museum - Ski Hall of Fame - Exhibiting lots of skiing memorabilia, where you can learn about the history of skiing in Colorado, and much more!

The Town of Vail is situated in the Gore Creek Valley located 100 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70. The town features many restaurants, shops and homes in the style and charm of a european ski village. Vail packs all the amenities of the city into a elegant ski town with access to some of the most beautiful mountains and National Forest in the U.S.. During the summer or winter, you can enjoy the events, festivals, and activities put on by the city.

Vail was named after Charlie Vail, the State Highway Engineer who worked on the first State Highway into the Gore Creek Valley. In the early years, Vail Ski Resort grew so fast that the Town of Vail could not provide enough municipal services for the public, but the expansion of Lionshead and new retail business gave Vail more stability. In 1968 Gerald Ford and his family spent Christmas in Vail and this helped the Town of Vail to establish first-class status and international fame.

•The town is 13 square miles at an altitude of 8,150 feet in Eagle County.

•Surrounded by 1.2 million acres of the White River National Forest.

•Yearly population of 4,000 (about 30% of the housing supply) with an increase to around 40,000 in the winter months.

•Annual snowfall is about 340 inches.

•Sales tax for the town is 8.2%...this includes county, state, and tourism tax.

Since the Town of Vail's economy does so well year-round, the town has a large budget to spend on adding services and improving the all-round Vail experience. The town just bought new buses to support the largest free transit system in the nation and they provide plenty of parking for those who want to drive to the slopes. There's a full-staff hospital, fire department, police station, schools, library, and more to accomodate the essentials. For entertainment, there's the Gerald Ford Amphitheater, many hiking and biking trails, numerous parks and walking areas, Dobson Ice Arena, and an 18 hole public golf course.

Vail, Colorado is a great place to ski. With thousands of acres of varied terrain skiing, Vail has something for every type of skiier. There are hundreds of restaurants and shops in the villages of Vail and Beaver Creek, but the mountain is the main focus of life in town.

General and Location Information:

•The largest ski mountain in North America with over 4,000 acres of skiable terrain.

•The base elevation is 8,120 feet with the highest elevation being 11,450 feet.

•Site of the 1999 World Ski Championship.

•Located 100 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70.

•New additions to the mountain this year are night skiing and snowboarding, a new high-speed quad lift and lodge at Golden Peak, and a new heated high-speed gondola.

•The largest ski school in the world with over 1,100 qualified ski instructors. Programs are available for every ability.. from the first time skier to mastering moguls and powder.

Vail.....a paradise on earth!