A father with three grown children in tow waits in the ticket office next to Chair No. 20 at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa. He is seeking ski pass information, and makes his requests with an urgent, almost frantic tone. Only two hours are left to ski that afternoon. The clerk obliges calmly and courteously. With tickets in hand, the man and his family leave together in haste.
And, so, the scene is repeated at least twice more — families crowding the desk at the ticket office, with each family member eager to make tracks on the mountain, embarking on their quest from the only true ski-in/ski-out resort in Vail, Colorado.
Vail Cascade Resort and Spa in Cascade Village offers numerous services and amenities geared toward families. The AAA Four-Diamond resort was named one of the Top 20 World’s Best Family Resorts by Travel + Leisure for 2010.
Baby-sitting services are available for those staying in the 292 guest rooms, as well as for those in the 80 condominiums and private home rentals. Two types of child care are offered at the resort’s Aria Spa & Club, depending on the children’s ages and where the parents go.
On the mountain, Vail also offers services for children. There’s the Small World Nursery at Golden Peak. If the kids need to learn to ski or snowboard, Vail has classes for children ages 3 to 5. For family-oriented activities, Adventure Ridge, at the top of Eagle Bahn Gondola, offers tubing, ski biking, a rebound trampoline and children’s snowmobiles. Of course, there are also 5,289 acres of terrain to ski and snowboard. Family members ages 13 and over can keep track of their progress using Epic Mix, an online social app that tracks altitude and distance run, while unlocking badges and achievements along the way.
While enjoying gourmet cuisine using local and sustainable ingredients at Atwater on Gore Creek, kids under 12 eat free. Vail’s Bistro Fourteen also offers gourmet cuisine and a kids’ menu with items at $10.
Vail Cascade also offers plenty for parents to enjoy while the kids are busy — a 78,000-square-foot fitness facility, fitness classes and an award winning spa at Aria Spa & Club. Heated outdoor pools and indoor and outdoor hot tubs are also on the premises. The Fireside Bar is great for drinks, appetizers and live entertainment. Concierge and shuttle services are available to enjoy the town.
If You Go
Vail Cascade Resort and Spa
1300 Westhaven Drive
Vail, Colorado 81657
970-476-7111 or 800-282-4183
www.vailcascade.com
Visit www.vail.com for lift tickets and snow.com for more information on Epic Mix.