Vail Lodging

[lanky_boater]

So I'm sure you guys get a fair amount of these tourist quesitons, but here I go. I'm a boater from NY, but I've always lurked around on the paddling side of the site. I'm seeing family in Denver and have one night and day free to hit Vail, so the plan is to drive out around 5ish some night, do the Vail night-life, stay in Vail, ski the next day, and drive back home. Since I only have this short time available, I'm trying to do as much advance research and plan this out as best I can. So I thought I'd go to the "locals".

I'm looking for lodging that is
1. Cheap (respectively)
2. Close enough to the slopes that I can leave my car parked there for free and won't have to park my car at Vail for $25.


Also, any recommendations on places to go that night and things to do/see/eat would be greatly appreciated. My gf and I are early thirties, like an interesting bar, maybe a band. Also, any recommendations for eating lunch relatively cheaply on the ski day?

btw, this will be sometime in the week of Jan 27 - Feb 2nd.

Thanks so much guys! If anyone is ever in NY and wants a paddling guide, hit me up!

[randomnature]

Roost Lodge

[SBlue]

I'd second the Roost Lodge. Also might want to check out the websites vailonsale and vailpm. Vailonsale is just that, some last minute "deals" are listed. Not sure if they're really deals or not. Vailpm describes bars, restaurants, has an event calender and lists bands, shows, etc, that may help you choose a specific date.

[deepsouthpaddler]

A couple of thoughts.

-Traffic back to denver on weekend afternoons can be brutal, especially sunday. In no traffic, you can get to vail in 1 hr 45 min from Denver. If you head back sunday at 4pm, you can be in the car for 4 hrs. If you have the option, weekdays are the best. If you don't have that option sat would be better than sunday for traffic. If you gotta go sunday, its best to get on the road early to avoid traffic (1pm) or stay for dinner and head back later (7-8pm)

-For a cheap lunch, just bring granola bars and snacks with you on the mountain. If you eat a good breakfast, and snack on granola bars, you will be fine. Going into a restuarant on the resort you will pay 2-3 times what you think it should cost. Sitting down and eating a big lunch usually results in tightening up, feeling like you have a lead weight in your stomach and makes it hard to get back out on the slopes. If you need to stop to warm up inside, go inside, get the hands and feet warm, have a granola bar and get back on the slopes.

-For logding I usually check travelocity to see who's got availability.

-Town of vail has shuttle busses that run regularly that should be very easy to get on and get to the slopes from most anywhere in town so that you don't have to drive and pay to park.

[ENDOMADNESS]

Lunch (or cheap dinner)- La Cantina in the Vail parking structure (2nd Floor). Not much ambience but the best bang for the buck in the Eagle Valley (and one of my favorite pork carnitas anywhere).
$5-$6 huge burritos with free chips and excellent salsas.

hungry

Great info listed above!!

[deepstroke]

I'll second La Cantina. Muy bueno. Another idea is to bring some meat with you and grill it up at the top of Blue Sky Basin. I remember seeing some gas grills available for public use up there. I'm not sure if they're always on and available as I have never used them, but, it looked like a cool lunch option. Maybe someone else knows the drill. Just don't end up at Two Elk Lodge if you want to save dough. Maybe, go in and receive a tissue, look around and marvel at the size of the place, and then look at their food prices so you'll know how they pay for it.