This cozy Colorado mountain village is the Vail Valley’s best-kept secret

For a winter trip that features idyllic snow-capped Colorado mountains and ski slopes with out the crowds, drive simply quarter-hour previous Vail to remain at Beaver Creek Resort. The environment of this quaint, European-style resort village is cheerful and relaxed, and there’s no ready in lengthy elevate traces or intense moments attempting to navigate crowded runs.

Chloe Rogers, an area and realtor working within the Vail Valley, affords one clarification for the resort’s quieter environment, stating that vacationers sometimes cease at Vail. “Beaver Creek is like the little sister who gets lost in the shadow of her siblings—the larger, more well-known Colorado ski resorts—but it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the Vail Valley,” she says.

Beaver Creek’s European-inspired village and environment

Open since 1980, Beaver Creek Resort in Eagle County, Colorado, consists of three distinct areas: Beaver Creek Village, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead Village. The imaginative and prescient was to create a European ski expertise the place individuals might journey from village to village by way of chairlift.

The pedestrian-only structure of Beaver Creek Village is a part of the winter escape’s allure—guests can stroll wherever they should go. It’s additionally not sprawling or unfold out like Vail, which provides to its homey really feel and central location. “It’s a joy to walk around this incredibly quaint village,” Rogers says. “There are heated sidewalks, beautiful shops, good food, and friendly faces.” 

Guests staying at Arrowhead Village or Bachelor Gulch—named for the bachelor pioneer homesteaders that settled in the area around 1900—can stroll to Beaver Creek Village, however can forgo driving and prepare on-demand shuttle service to the resort by downloading the Village Connect app.

Sking for all ages and ranges at Beaver Creek

Sixty-six percent of the greater than 2,000 acres at Beaver Creek are designated for newbie and intermediate skiers, which creates a welcoming, family-friendly environment. However, in Vail, it may be an intimidating expertise for first-time skiers.

Guests have a alternative of three completely different parks, together with Haymeadow Park, a devoted space for company who need to learn to ski, situated on the base of the resort. Skiers will discover chairlift entry right here to less-challenging slopes and conveyor-belt paths (magic carpets) to get skiers again up the hill.

The straightforward runs proceed at Red Buffalo Park, a two-mile-high, 200-acre designated space for households, and the ultimate tier, McCoy Park, a 250-acre ski bowl setting the place children and adults can proceed constructing their confidence and apply gliding via inexperienced trails and forested areas.

The studying course of is made simpler by the mountain’s wonderful situations, because of the resort employees’s meticulous grooming. “It provides a great launching pad for kids and adults still learning,” says Rogers. 

Despite its family-friendly popularity, Beaver Creek quietly has a few of the greatest hidden ungroomed ski areas in Colorado. Experienced skiers or snowboarders craving difficult terrain can head to Grouse Mountain, Stone Creek Chutes, or the Birds of Prey space to ski on a World Cup downhill race course. “There’s some really steep sleeper terrain that, on a powder day, is less busy than if you were to go to Vail, Keystone, or Breckenridge,” says Rogers.  

Beaver Creek’s kid-friendly actions and facilities

Beaver Creek caters to a youthful crowd with a wide range of facilities, together with an on-site Children’s Ski School and mountain cabins that provide candy treats. Christine Gomes, a Florida resident, has made the resort an annual household trip spot since 2005. She prefers Beaver Creek to Vail due to its family-friendly environment, compact structure that’s straightforward to navigate with children, and top-notch ski instruction that makes studying enjoyable for newbies.

“When it comes to the staff at the kids ski school, they have all been wonderful and really seem to enjoy what they’re doing,” she says. “Even my youngest doesn’t like skiing as much as the others, and she still loves going there.”

As children sharpen their abilities on the mountain, there are ample alternatives to cease by the three on-mountain deal with outlets. The Candy Cabin affords a wide range of candy goodies, together with M&M’s, jelly beans, and bitter gummies, all accessible by the barrel. The Ice Cream Parlour on the prime of Haymeadow Park is nice for a sundae or grilled cheese sandwich when children want a break. And the Cookie Cabin sells heat chocolate chip cookies and sizzling cocoa all day, so children (and college students) don’t have to attend for the recurrently scheduled Cookie Time at 3 p.m. to get their repair.

For teenagers and tweens, the Hawk’s Nest Cabin in Beaver Creek Village is an après membership for older children that options arcade and desk video games, a ski simulator, craft non-alcoholic drinks, and lounge areas to chill out after a day of out of doors enjoyable.

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Activities for non-skiers at Beaver Creek

Ripping round runs isn’t the one approach to take pleasure in Beaver Creek—snowshoers and Nordic skiers can head to McCoy Park for 11 miles of groomed and rustic trails along with trails on the Beaver Creek Golf Course. 

Guests can take a break from snowboarding on the slopes and skate on the ice rink within the middle of Beaver Creek Village. Alternatively, they’ll go to the Vilar Performing Arts Center, situated slightly below the rink, to catch a live performance, film, musical, or present. Need a bit of retail remedy? Visitors can choose up distinctive presents, upscale clothes, and Beaver Creek-branded trinkets from a wide range of boutique outlets—like native favorites Avalon Clothing Company, Alpine Kind, and Gorsuch.

And if self-care is so as, unwind on the Park Hyatt’s Exhale Spa in Beaver Creek Village or ebook the Aqua Sanitas Roman Baths five-step water ritual. This therapeutic circuit makes use of temperature adjustments to stimulate and chill out the physique after a protracted day of out of doors exercise. If you’re in Bachelor Gulch, contemplate reserving a wellness therapy on the Ritz-Carlton Spa, which includes a cozy cave-like “grotto” pool space.  

Dine in cozy cabins on Beaver Creek Mountain 

Beaver Creek’s culinary scene stands out from many different resorts with its rustic, on-mountain eating cabins. Visitors shouldn’t miss having a meal at one in all these three eateries, all solely accessible by open-air sleigh and named after authentic homesteaders within the space: Beano’s Cabin, which makes use of native elements for menu objects just like the elk sliders and lamb in its five-course conventional fantastic mountain eating meals (take a peek on the authentic cabin of Frank “Beano” Bienkowski subsequent to the restaurant); Allie’s Cabin, which makes a speciality of Northern Italian delicacies (company love the brief rib ragu) and serves particular brunches at first tracks; and Zach’s Cabin, which affords Alsatian delicacies (like pork chop schnitzel) and alpine cheese fondue, excellent for teams.

Where to remain in Beaver Creek

Stay on the Park Hyatt (the biggest resort in Beaver Creek Village) for the luxurious of being proper in the course of every thing. The Ritz-Carlton in Bachelor Gulch will not be as centrally situated, but it surely is a superb possibility with instant entry to the slopes. 

For the last word ski-in/ski-out lodging expertise, ebook a room at boutique lodge The Osprey—simply 26 toes from the resort’s Strawberry Park Express ski elevate.

(I’ve skied in 250 ski resorts—these are one of the best)