08/21/2026
If you spend enough time in the Vail Valley, you start learning the little things people who only come for a ski vacation may never know.
1. Coming DOWN the mountain on a mountain bike is much more fun than going up. 😂
You can put your bike on the gondola, ride up Vail Mountain and bike down. I started mountain biking in my 50s, and I’m perfectly happy zigzagging my way down at my own speed.
2. Elevation can matter more than mileage when you’re hiking.
A 5-mile hike climbing in elevation starting at 10,000 feet feels VERY different than 5 miles at sea level. Always bring water, a snack and a layer. And whatever you bring in, bring back out.
3. The Vail Valley is much bigger than the Town of Vail.
Historically, this is the Eagle River Valley, with towns and communities all along it. Vail, Minturn, Avon, Beaver Creek, Edwards, EagleVail, Eagle and Gypsum all have different personalities and price points. If you’re thinking about buying here, get to know the whole valley first.
4. Yes, we call it the Vail airport.
Before the naysayers come for me…the Denver airport isn’t exactly downtown Denver either. Our airport is in Gypsum and the code is EGE because it’s in Eagle County. It used to feel like our little secret, but more people are discovering how convenient it is.
5. Skiing gets the attention, but golfers know the secret.
We have a ton of beautiful golf courses, both public and private. If you only visit in winter, you’re missing a whole other side of the valley.
And maybe that’s what locals really swear by most: Don’t come to the Vail Valley and only experience Vail. Ride the mountain, hike the trails, play some golf and explore the different towns. There’s a whole valley here, and the more you get to know it, the more you understand why so many of us choose to stay.
✨Are you starting to look or even just thinking about possibly buying in the Vail Valley?
💥Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you my blueprint to the Vail Valley’s most popular towns, what they’re like and what makes each one unique.
