Our Favorite Things to Do in Vail and Beaver Creek with Kids...
We have spent the last 15 summers in Vail, and these are the activities, restaurants and day trips our family returns to again and again. Thought it would be helpful to include drive times depending on if your staying in Vail or Beaver Creek.
Downhill Mountain Biking in Vail
Location: Vail | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Take your bikes up the gondola using Vail’s bike-haul service, then ride the mountain trails back down. It takes away all the difficulty of having to ride up. There are trails for ability level, but even the greens are real mountain biking not paved bike paths. Highly recommend full pads for this. This has become one of our boys’ absolute favorite sports. It's super easy to rent bikes at the base of the mountain.
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Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster
Location: Vail Adventure Ridge | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
This is what we always call the alpine slide, but it is technically the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster. You ride your own sled down 3,400 feet of track and control your speed yourself, which makes it fun for both cautious kids and the ones who have absolutely no interest in using the brakes.
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Adventure Ridge
Location: Top of Vail Mountain | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Ride the Eagle Bahn Gondola from Lionshead to Adventure Ridge for a full afternoon of activities. Depending on what is operating, you may find the mountain coaster, summer tubing, climbing wall, bungee trampoline, mini kids’ tubing and other activities. Check the Vail Mountain website before going because activities and hours can change.
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Beaver Creek Mini Golf
Location: Beaver Creek Village | About 20 minutes from Vail
This 18-hole miniature golf course is located at the base of Centennial Express in Beaver Creek. It is an easy activity to add before dinner or when you want to fill an hour without committing to an entire excursion. Beaver Creek Adventure Center
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Lionshead Splash Pad and Playground
Location: Lionshead Village | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
A great free stop for younger kids and an easy way to break up a day in Lionshead. Bring a change of clothes because the splash pad inevitably turns into a much wetter activity than anyone planned.
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Pirate Ship Playground
Location: Vail Village | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
A life-sized wooden pirate ship tucked directly into Vail Village, with climbing nets, slides and bridges. It is especially good for younger kids and conveniently close to restaurants and shops.
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Ford Park and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
Location: Vail | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Ford Park has a large playground with slides, swings and climbing structures, plus open fields and picnic areas. Right beside it are the free Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, where you can walk through the gardens, waterfalls and children’s area. It is also next to the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, so you can easily combine all three. Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
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Zeke M. Pierce Skatepark
Location: Lionshead | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
This free skatepark is hidden inside the Lionshead parking structure and has a really unique long, narrow layout. Bring skateboards, scooters and helmets. It is open during the summer, weather permitting. Vail Recreation District
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Edwards Skatepark at Freedom Park
About 20–25 minutes from Vail | About 10 minutes from Beaver Creek
This is a much larger skatepark with bowls and plenty of room for scooters, skateboards and bikes. Freedom Park also has a playground, splash park, sports fields and walking paths, so it works well when your kids want to do different things. Freedom Park information
Concerts at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
Location: Vail | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
The outdoor amphitheater is next to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens and has one of the prettiest concert settings imaginable. The summer calendar includes paid concerts, dance performances, Bravo! Vail and free Hot Summer Nights shows. Check The Amp’s calendar before your trip.
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Cold Plunging and Tubing in Gore Creek
Location: Vail Village
Gore Creek runs directly through Vail Village, and our boys love getting in for cold plunges and tubing when the water conditions are appropriate. American Ski Exchange in the village rents tubes and includes a life jacket. Always ask about current creek conditions before getting in because the water level and speed can change throughout the summer. American Ski Exchange tube rentals
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Vail Farmers’ Market and Art Show
Location: Vail Village | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Vail Village fills with food, produce, art and local vendors on summer Sundays. We like to walk through, eat lunch as we go and let everyone choose something different. Check the current schedule before planning your day.
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Minturn Market
About 10 minutes from Vail | About 15 minutes from Beaver Creek
This Saturday market runs through downtown Minturn during the summer and has local food, produce, clothing, art and handmade goods. It has a smaller, more local feel than the Vail market and is easy to combine with lunch or dinner in Minturn.
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Bowling at BOL
Location: Vail Village | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
BOL is a stylish 10-lane bowling alley inside Solaris Plaza, with food and drinks available while you bowl. It is one of our favorite options for a rainy day, a break from outdoor activities or something fun to do after dinner. The lanes often sell out, so make a bowling reservation ahead of time. BOL Vail
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Hike the Berry Picker Trail
Location: Lionshead | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Berry Picker is my favorite workout in Vail. It starts near the base of the Lionshead gondola and climbs about 3.1 miles and 2,200 vertical feet to the top of Vail Mountain. It is definitely challenging, but you hike through aspens and wildflowers with incredible views along the way. You can take the gondola back down, but check Vail Mountain’s current gondola policies before you go. Berry Picker Trail
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Bike the Gore Valley Trail
Location: Vail | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
If downhill mountain biking is not your thing, Vail also has a paved bike path that runs for miles through the valley. The 12-mile Gore Valley Trail follows Gore Creek through Vail’s villages and connects to the Vail Pass Trail, so you can make the ride as short or as long as your family wants. It is also great for walking, scooters and rollerblades. Vail Recreation Path System
Where to Eat...
Avanti Vail
Location: Golden Peak in Vail | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Avanti is a mini food hall with several different food concepts, two bars and a huge outdoor patio overlooking the mountain. There is an option for everyone, from sushi to tacos, to ramen (my boys favorite), cheeseburgers and more. There's a full bar too with excellent cocktails. Great for lunch and or a casual dinner. Avanti Vail
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Rocky Mountain Taco
Minturn location: About 10 minutes from Vail | About 15 minutes from Beaver Creek
This is one of our favorite casual stops for tacos, quesadillas and burritos. The Minturn location has indoor and patio seating, but Rocky Mountain Taco also has locations in Avon and Eagle-Vail if one of those is closer to where you are staying. Rocky Mountain Taco
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Minturn Saloon
About 10 minutes from Vail | About 15 minutes from Beaver Creek
Located in a building dating back to 1901, Minturn Saloon feels like a real Colorado mountain restaurant. It is a fun dinner away from the more polished resort villages, and the kids’ menu makes it easy for families. Reservations are a good idea. Minturn Saloon
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Live Music at Vail Chophouse
Location: Lionshead | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
The slopeside patio at Vail Chophouse is one of our favorite places to eat while listening to live music in the summer. It is right beside the Eagle Bahn Gondola, so it is easy to stop after a day on the mountain. Music is offered on select afternoons, and those tables fill quickly, so call the restaurant directly for the current schedule and a music reservation. Vail Chophouse
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Sunday Brunch at The 10th
Location: Top of Gondola One in Vail | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Taking Gondola One up the mountain for brunch at The 10th is one of our favorite summer experiences. The restaurant has incredible Gore Range views, an upscale brunch and a live DJ on select Sundays. Brunch reservations include complimentary gondola access, but dates are limited and reservations are required, so book ahead. Sunday Brunch at The 10th
Candy Stores and Special Treats
Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory
Location: Vail Village | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Fuzziwig’s is the candy store our boys always want to visit when we are walking through Vail Village. It has walls of candy, chocolates, ice cream and plenty of treats they have never seen before. It is an easy stop after dinner or while exploring the village. Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory
Rocket Fizz
Location: Lionshead | About 20 minutes from Beaver Creek
Rocket Fizz is packed with retro candy, international treats, novelty gifts and every strange flavor of bottled soda imaginable. Letting the boys choose a candy or bizarre soda has become part of walking around Lionshead. Rocket Fizz
Day Trips from Vail and Beaver Creek
Minturn Bike Park
About 10 minutes from Vail | About 15 minutes from Beaver Creek
This free bike park has something for nearly every ability level, including a beginner pump track, green flow trails, a dual-slalom course, technical features and advanced dirt jumps. It is a great place for kids to build confidence before trying downhill mountain biking—or for experienced riders to work on bigger jumps and features. Bring bikes and helmets, and check the trail conditions before going. Minturn Bike Park
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Eagle County Fair and Rodeo
About 35–40 minutes from Vail | About 25–30 minutes from Beaver Creek
If your visit overlaps with the fair, it is absolutely worth the drive to Eagle. There are carnival rides, livestock, food vendors, live music and a nightly PRCA rodeo. Rodeo tickets can sell out, so look at dates and tickets before your trip. Eagle County Fair and Rodeo
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Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
About 1 hour from Vail | About 45–50 minutes from Beaver Creek
You take a gondola up Iron Mountain to reach this mountaintop amusement park, which has cave tours, roller coasters, thrill rides, younger-kid attractions and incredible views. It is an easy full-day excursion and one of our boys’ favorite day trips. Check height requirements before going. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
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Glenwood Hot Springs Pool
About 1 hour from Vail | About 45–50 minutes from Beaver Creek
Glenwood Springs is home to a huge naturally heated mineral pool, plus a family area with additional water activities. It is much more like a family swimming day than a quiet spa experience, making it an easy one for kids. Glenwood Hot Springs Resort
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Georgetown Loop Railroad
About 1 hour 15 minutes from Vail | About 1 hour 30 minutes from Beaver Creek
This historic narrow-gauge train travels between Georgetown and Silver Plume, crossing the Devil’s Gate High Bridge along the way. You can book the train ride by itself or add a silver-mine tour. Because Georgetown is east of Vail, this can also be a good activity to combine with the drive to or from Denver. Georgetown Loop Railroad
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Leadville Railroad
About 1 hour from Vail | About 1 hour 15 minutes from Beaver Creek
This scenic 2.5-hour train ride leaves from downtown Leadville and travels through the mountains with views of Colorado’s two tallest peaks, Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. There are open and covered cars, and it is a relaxing way to see the scenery without asking your kids to hike it. Leadville Railroad
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Harry A. Nottingham Park
Location: Avon | About 15 minutes from Vail | About 5–10 minutes from Beaver Creek
Nottingham Park has a lake, beach and swim area, a huge playground, walking paths, sports courts and plenty of grass for kids to run around. During the summer, you can rent paddleboards, kayaks and pedal boats right at the lake. It is an easy place to spend several hours without needing a complicated plan. Nottingham Park
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Whitewater Rafting
Departure location varies by trip
There are rafting trips for almost every age and adventure level near Vail and Beaver Creek. The Eagle River has more exciting seasonal whitewater, while the Upper Colorado has calmer, family-friendly floats that work well for younger kids. Many outfitters offer transportation or pickup locations in Vail and Avon. Age requirements and available routes change with the water level, so book according to your children’s ages and comfort level. Rafting near Vail