Off Season in Vail, CO
It isn’t often my husband and I go to Vail in the off season. However, 2019 was a a little different! Off season in Vail, CO can be relaxing and fun! So let’s get started on things to do and where to go during what is called the “mud season” in Vail!
Where to stay!
We have had the privilege of staying at several different hotels in Vail over the years. This year we celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary and wanted to try somewhere new! So we stayed at the Hotel Talisa, which is a Marriott Luxury property! It is located 1300 Westhaven Drive in West Vail. The location is approximately .5 miles west from Lionshead Village which is a popular shopping area in Vail. So you are a little west of the shopping areas and main eateries. Fortunately, the Talisa has a fabulous shuttle (even in the off season) that will take you anywhere you want in Vail. There is also a fabulous paved walking path that runs along the river right by the hotel. That will lead you into all the shopping areas. Then you can either continue walking, or hop on the free bus line that Vail offers!
The Accommodations
The Hotel Talisa used to be called the Cascade. When Marriott bought it, they did major renovations. So the rooms have been updated and are nicely done. We had a small balcony overlooking the pool and river. The bathroom was quite small, but very nicely done with an over sized shower, no tub. The king size bed was comfortable and we had 2 small sitting benches, desk area and large dresser. The closet on the other hand was extremely small. Not sure if that was the norm, but it did leave something to be desired! So you may want to upgrade your room from a deluxe room to something better if you are staying more than a weekend!
Below is a listing of some of the other perks of the hotel!
- FREE shuttle service
- On site full service spa
- Pet accommodations, bring your furry friend for an additional one time fee per stay! (at least at the time of this review that was the policy!)
- On site spa
- Pool and jetted spa
- Fire pit areas to enjoy
- Right on the river and walking path
- On site exercise area
- Early/Late check in when available. Upon Request.
- On site restaurants
- Beautiful Lounge area
- Amazing concierge service! Take a look at the beautiful flowers and chocolate covered strawberries they had delivered in celebration of our anniversary!
Those are just to name a few!! Check out my video to see room pictures and the great shuttle bus service they offer!
Things to do During “Mud” Season!
I have to say, this was a new one for us. We normally visit Vail either in the summer, fall or winter. This is the first time we have visited in the beginning of May, during what the locals call “mud” season. And I’m not sure we would come up during this period again. Many of our favorite restaurants were closed until Memorial Day weekend and many of the stores were closed too! The horror of not being able to shop!!! All the “big” name stores were still open, so don’t worry, there were things to do. And still many places to shop! But the gondola and mountain are closed during this time. However, there are still tons of hiking trails, the beautiful Betty Ford Alpine gardens, numerous play areas for kids and more.
Honestly, it is a great time to go if you want to avoid crowds and just decompress. Which is exactly what my hubby and I needed on this trip. We spend too much time working our businesses and not enough on ourselves, so this was perfect timing for us! We walked about 5-6 miles per day and loved every minute of it! Seriously, sometimes taking a “time out” is what we need to do to get our creative juices flowing again!
Eateries both new and old!
As always, The Little Diner is our favorite breakfast eatery and is currently open every day for breakfast and lunch. Located in Lionshead (west side of Vail) it is a little difficult to find, but absolutely worth going!
Obviously, this may change, but at the time of this review they are open during mud season!
Another fabulous breakfast and coffee place is Yeti’s Grind Coffee Shop in Center Village. They have great breakfast burritos, chocolate croissants and their hot chocolate is the best!! And they are open year round! No rest for the weary!
A new place we tried on this trip was the George Pub. It is a local favorite located at 292 E Meadow Drive. Directly across from the Center Village Starbucks, and down. Literally, we went down a flight of steps and a long hall to get there! We got a little lost not realizing we had to go down the stairs. Kind of sucks getting old!! But the food was good, the staff excellent and we had a great time!
Conclusion
We had a fabulous time during the off season in Vail, CO! Not only did we save money on our room due to the time of year, but it was relaxing and there was no hustle and bustle! We just took the time to decompress and enjoy each other’s company! The perfect way to celebrate our anniversary!
Check out my post on 5 FREE activities to do in Vail during the summer season! Or you can check out Vail in the winter!
Looking just for a hotel? Hotels.com is the only website I use to save money. And for every 10 nights you get one night free!
*This post may contain affiliate links! That means; I may get a commission at no additional cost to you! I do not recommend any products/services that I don’t use and love myself!
Millionaire Success Habits
Jennifer Morrison
I don’t think I would have ever thought of going to Vail in the off season, but that is a great idea. I think it would be great to be able to enjoy amazing restaurants too when the skiers are not in town.
Kelly
It wasn’t something we had an anticipated, however, it turned out great! We had a fabulous time and no crowds!!!
Crystal // Dreams, etc.
The alpine gardens sound like so much fun! I think visiting some of these mountain towns would be fun during offseason just to see how different they are. 🙂
Kelly
They are still amazing and the hummingbirds are zipping around everywhere!