Are you vacationing in the mountains anytime soon? Planning on doing some skiing, hiking, biking, rafting, climbing or other activities while you are here? Then you know the importance of a good breakfast. Getting something to fill you up in the morning is necessary if you want to last through a day full of activities. And if you’re vacationing to Vail, you’re in luck.

While Vail has a variety of breakfast spots to choose from, it will be worth your while to go to the First Chair Café at the Marriott. I had the pleasure of getting breakfast there this morning, and it was outstanding – definitely my new favorite breakfast stop.

While they have a full breakfast menu with options like Bacon and Eggs, a selection of Signature Omelets and Waffles, I went after the Breakfast Buffet. The Buffet was great, and included almost everything on the main menu (including juices and coffee). There was an omelet bar with an on hand chef and a variety of toppings/ingredients for your omelet, a variety of breakfast meats, a Fat Tire gravy for biscuits and sausage, potatoes with peppers and onions, a waffle bar – also with a variety of toppings/ingredients, a fruit bar, a variety of yogurts, an assortment of breakfast cereals and oatmeal, a variety of breads and pastries, and a locally smoked salmon. I hope I didn’t leave anything out, but even with this list there are plenty of options for everyone.

 

I went straight for the omelet bar, and made a bacon-veggie omelet that was cooked perfectly. While my omelet was being prepared, I filled up my plate with bacon, potatoes, yogurt, fruit and salmon and then went back to collect my omelet and have a nice little feast. While others at the table commented on how great the salmon was, I enjoyed the omelet and potatoes the most. But the whole meal was terrific. Our waiter took great care of us as well, always checking in and topping off our orange juice and coffee.

 

While items off of the breakfast menu range from $10-$20, the breakfast buffet was only $25. To extend our gratitude to The Marriott and our customers, we’ll go ahead and give you some free breakfast buffet vouchers to the First Chair Café in the Marriott if you book your stay to Vail with us. Call one of our Friendly. Knowledgeable. Locals.^® today to take advantage of this great offer! (855) 210-2469

You just finished skiing all day, and all you want to do is sit down for some food and drink. But where in Vail can you go for great food and drink at a great value? This is an age old question in many ski towns, as food close to the mountain is typically very expensive. But, there are always a few hidden gems that may go unnoticed. Here are a few spots in Vail that I consider “hidden gems”:

1. Vendetta’s—Vendetta’s is located just off the mountain, by the Vista Bahn Express Lift on Vail’s famous Bridge Street. This neat Italian diner sells pizzas whole or by the slice. They also have a full menu with a variety of Italian dishes but beware, pasta dishes get a little pricey (if you want to eat cheap, stick to pizza). For those looking for a drink, Vendetta’s also has a full bar with a wide selection of beer, wines and spirits.

2. La Cantina—La Cantina is great for a quick taco stop on your way to the bus. Conveniently located in the Vail Transportation Center, this Mexican restaurant has oversized burritos, inexpensive drinks and salsa bar offering a wide range of flavors to add onto your meal. Plus, you get endless tortilla chips with your order so you continue snacking and trying out the different salsas while you wait for the bus.

3. Westside Café—The Westside Café is a great restaurant located in West Vail on the northern side (opposite the mountain) of the highway. This gem is located right next to the Holiday Inn and has something on the menu for everyone. They serve great Eggs Benedict, and their Captain Crunch French Toast is a local favorite. Their Bloody Mary’s also have quite the reputation, and are constantly voted the best Bloody Mary in town. While they are widely known for their terrific breakfast, they also have a great lunch and dinner menus. Westside is the spot to go if you want a great dining experience for a moderate price.

If none of the above sound appealing, visit our comprehensive Dining Guide to learn about all the different restaurants in Vail.

Find out more about how our team of Friendly. Knowledgeable. Locals.^® can help you plan your customized summer or winter vacation in any of our fun-filled destinations.

Moving to Vail, Colorado has been an amazing experience–and with the ski season starting in Vail this Friday, November 18^th, I am sure to have the time of my life.

In January 2011, I left Denmark and moved to Florida to attend Daytona State College as an exchange student. After finishing the semester I needed to find an internship to complete my bachelor degree requirements. The only thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to live in a different part of America, and to learn more about this vast and diverse country. I began to search for the perfect internship, and finally found it in Vail, Colorado.

I landed a marketing internship with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, and soon I was packing my bags for Colorado. The internship has provided me with challenging work, a lively work environment and fun colleagues. My co-workers are all in their twenties and thirties, and always bring energy to the office and to outdoor activities. When I first moved here I did not know anyone, but thanks to the friendly locals and my friends at work I now have many friends in Vail.

One of the first things I noticed about Vail and living in the mountains was the abundance of beauty. The natural surroundings are amazing, and I will never get tired of looking at the mountains and exploring the area. However, beauty lies not only in the mountainous landscape, but also in the people who live in it. Locals’ of the area are constantly active, playing in the outdoors all year round. The winter season especially holds a place in locals’ hearts. Everyone here is getting anxious for Vail to open for skiing (4 more days!), and I am no exception.

Another thing I have noticed that is unique about Vail and the state of Colorado is that this is a dog loving place. We have three charming dogs in the office, always creating lots of laughter and smiles when they welcome you in the morning, or when they chase each other around the office.

Coming from Denmark to Florida with limited luggage I had only packed summer clothing. So when I arrived in Vail, I did not have any winter clothing or ski gear. Going to different ski sales I was able to collect all the needed ski gear, which is now on display in my living room. It gets me excited for the ski season every time I look at it. My personal goal is to go skiing every day from November 18^th when the slopes open in Vail until December 17^th when I will return to Denmark.

The last time I went skiing I was fifteen years old, so I will most likely start with the bunny slopes and hopefully I will quickly work my way to the more advanced slopes. A fun skiing tradition, which I am sad to miss, is dressing up in a costume on the Mountain’s closing day. This year closing day isn’t until April 15^th, 2012, long after I leave. However, I am hoping that I can get some friends to join me in dressing up for my last day on the mountain. Another thing I am looking forward to during the ski season is the after skiing bars and parties.

My two favorite places to go out to in Vail are The Red Lion and the Tap Room. I was first introduced to the Red Lion by one of my co-workers who sometimes works there at night. They have different bar games during the week, live music on the weekends and a lively and welcoming atmosphere. The bartenders there are always in a good mood and talking it up with customers. The crowd is a mix of locals and tourists, so if you are looking for a party this is the place to be. The Tap Room is a bit more relaxed and is a great place to watch sporting events. The walls are made from lodge wood and have pictures carved into them of various mountain animals. They also have a fun table which is made from a PAC-MAN game. The Tap Room is a great place for dinner that has mouthwatering burgers, great sandwiches and an extensive drink menu.

Vail has been a great place to live, and would also be a great place to visit for your winter ski vacation. So find out more about how our team of Friendly. Knowledgeable. Locals.^®can help you plan your customized summer or winter vacation to Vail or any of our fun-filled destinations.

     Year after year Vail has been ranked as one of the best ski resorts in North America. The mountains are spectacular and the town is one of-a-kind. Vail was created by two veterans from the 10th Mountain Division, who trained here during World War Two. Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton were visionaries and created one of the best and most romantic ski resorts in the world.

 

Walking around Vail on the pedestrian cobble-stone, car-free streets is a truly unique experience. Here you can enjoy world-class shopping in Vail and Lionshead Village. You will find everything from boutiques to outdoor sporting gear to fine art and souvenir shops.

 

After all that shopping you are sure to get hungry and no matter what you are craving for dinner you will find it here.  With several restaurants offering elegant fine dining, casual comfort or grab and go you will pleasantly surprised with all your delicious options. At night you will hear live music coming from various bars and restaurants, which always attract a lot of people creating a lively atmosphere.   

 

      Of if you are looking for a family friendly activity, ice skating is fun for everyone. You can find a surplus of different options such as skating rinks, frozen lakes or an indoor ice rink. In Vail the Solaris Plaza boasts a 6,500 square foot ice rink situated next to the two beautiful interactive sculptures. One of them is shaped like a giant glass tree glowing with changing colors. When you are done exploring the Village you can take the convenient in-town, free  shuttle, back to the Riverhouse.

 

The Riverhouse Condo in Vail Village is by the quiet Willow Park. It offers a prime location for your Vail ski vacation and it is only steps from the Vista Bahn lift, connecting you to the expansive Vail Mountain. The Riverhouse is beautiful with a gorgeous panoramic view of the Village in one direction and the Gore Range which dominates the eastern skyline in the other. The condo has an inviting living room with a beautiful gas-fireplace, flat screen TV and integrated stereo system . It’s all you need to relax after a long day on the mountain. There is a gourmet kitchen which opens to the dining and living room, so you can entertain guests while preparing a home cooked meal. If you feel like barbecuing there is a commercial BBQ on the patio allowing you to take in the magnificent views of the Gore Creek while dining on juicy burgers. The condo is outfitted with modern furnishings and rich woodwork. When it’s time for bed, step inside one of the two bedrooms, each outfitted with expansive windows and a shared patio. The large king sized bed and soft linens will ensure you wake up fully rested the next morning, ready to take on the day! Staying at the Riverhouse in Vail you are sure to have an amazing vacation.

 

Condo Rentals in Vail Village: To experience Vail for yourself call our team of Friendly.Knowledgeable.Locals® eager to assist you.      

 

Vail Colorado Dining Tips: It’s been close to two months now since I’ve been living in the Vail area and I’ve had a chance to try out different restaurants around Vail, Edwards and Avon.  Of course I’ve made a few of these places my regular hangouts. Here is a list of a few places definitely worth checking out while you’re in town with a little info on each.  Please keep in mind there are several other places in each location but I’m just listing the places I’ve been to the most since I’ve lived here. I’m sure the list will get bigger.


VAIL VILLAGE
The George: Great place to chill apres ski. They have a $4 you-call-it for happy hour. It’s kind of a hidden basement location but it’s easy to get to, it’s right before the covered bridge as you enter the Village. It’s a mix of people actually, you see a lot of out-of-towners but a lot of locals do end up going to The George so for me, it’s nice to see familiar faces every time I head over there.  If you go to the back room they have pool tables and the most amazing lazy-boy like couches.  I have yet to try the food there but I hear it’s pretty good and not overpriced.


Tap Room: Kinda tricky to find. It’s all the way at the end of the Village, past the fountain and it’s in the second floor of the Vista Bahn Building, so yeah go into that building and right up the stairs as you come in.  When you first walk in you see the bar but there are some tables to the left. If you want more sitting area, you can go to the back and there you’ll find more tables and places. Oh and one more thing, recently I was there and in the back room next to one of the tables there was a coin operated massage chair…kinda random but just thought I’d throw that out there. (www.taproomvail.com)


LIONSHEAD:

Moe’s: OK, by far the best BBQ place I’ve been to since I’ve been here.  The way it works: You walk in, check out the menu on the board, place your order, find a table, wait for your order to be called up and get your grub on.  The pulled pork and pulled chicken was very flavourable and the mac ‘n cheese was on point.  Cool hangout, cool people, a must go if you’re wondering around Lionshead and the prices are pretty descent. (www.moesoriginalbbq.com)



Garfs: Really called Garfinkel’s but everyone knows it as Garfs. So this place is a bar and a restaurant. It’s a great place to eat outside during the day because you have the mountain pretty much right in front of you. Food is pretty good and atmosphere is pretty chill. They have karaoke on Saturday night I think starting at around 9:00pm if I remember correctly.  After my friends and I found out about the karaoke we started heading there on Saturday nights to enjoy the show a bit.  (http://garfsvail.com)


EDWARDS

Eat and Drink: My roommates and I ended up here by accident, we were trying to go to Dish (which is above this restaurant) and ended up there instead.  Not a bad accident to have though! This place serves a wide variety of wines and cheeses. I was able to get manchego cheese for my house.  This is a nice place to just relax, enjoy some wine and pair it with cheese. This is exactly what we did, we relaxed, enjoyed the wine (the special was Tempranillo that evening) and had a great time. The staff was very friendly.  (www.eatdrinkinc.com)


Sato Sushi: Probably one of the best Sushi I’ve had in a long time.  I had the Albacore. This was actually a suggestions by another local I met that same day and I absolutely loved it. (www.satosushiedwards.com)


AVON
Zacazza: Brick Oven Pizza is pretty much the reason we came over here. It is super close to where I live and pretty much across the street from the Walmart. Pretty convenient all around!  The combination of pizza and wine we had was amazing. Their salads were pretty good as well. Definitely a good pizza place outside of Vail Village.  (www.zaccaza.com)



Paddy’s: A local  pub in Avon is a great chill place all around. They usually have pretty good drink specials like bottomless mimosa specials.  The menu is pretty diverse they have sandwiches, burgers, chili (amazing), fish and chips, the usual pub menu pretty much.  One thing I must warn you though is that the service can be a little slow but that hasn’t kept me from going there on a regular basis. (www.paddysvail.com)


I think this gives a pretty good idea of what kind of places there are around town and what kind of stuff there is to do around here. It just comes down to the atmosphere, people being super friendly and just a good time all around.  For other suggestions on different cuisines I might not have mentioned here and for all your lodging needs, call one of our Friendly, Knowledgeable, Locals here at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.

Explore the Vail Colorado Dining Guide

Dining in Vail and Beaver Creek, Colorado

Christmas time, for me, has always been my favorite bonding holiday of the year. It was the time of year I spent months planning for in advance. Interestingly, I decided to move to a completely new town just one week before the big day. Lost and a little confused as to how I was going to spend my Christmas this year, my new roommate suggested we go out to eat since it was just going to be the two of us. I’ve never been one to go out to eat around the holidays, but this year I decided to use this as an opportunity to get better acquainted with a new friend and this new town.

We arrived for a 6:00pm dinner reservation and were seated quickly. There couldn’t have been more than 30 tables in the entire restaurant, which provided a warm cozy feeling. With subtle decorations and dark wood finishes it truly gave the feeling of walking into someone’s home. As someone who’s always had difficulty ordering, their menu certainly didn’t make it easy for me. Just the wine list alone was daunting to look at, but thankfully, our server made some great suggestions.

After about 10 minutes of reading… and re-reading the menu, we decided on an appetizer, calamari, and two entrées, involtino di pollo and petti di pollo alle fragile. The involtino di pollo consisted of chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella and garlic, wrapped with prosciutto, and topped with a Chianti wine sauce, served with sautéed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. Delicious. The petti di pollo alle fragile was chicken breast sautéed with red onions, crushed red peppers, and fresh strawberries in a brandy cream sauce, served over angel hair pasta. My date for the evening was kind enough to let me try his unique dish and I was pleasantly surprised by the use of strawberries in the dish. The service was excellent. My water glass was never empty and we didn’t have to wait a ridiculous amount of time for our food to arrive even though the restaurant was full. Lastly, our server was in good spirits despite having to work on Christmas Eve, and I’ve always been one to appreciate service with a smile.

Too full for dessert, we decided that was the end of our meal. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the food, the ambiance, and the company I was in. I’m always sad when I don’t get to spend the holidays with my family and close friends, but this was easily the next best alternative. I’d be happy to dine at Ti Amo for any holiday in the coming years. If you’d like to book a reservation please contact our concierge services at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.