5 Free Summer Activities in Vail, Colorado

5 Free Summer Activities in Vail Colorado

To me and my family Vail Colorado is the ultimate vacation spot! For us it is the best spot to go for a quick day trip or weekend getaway!  And even better, there are tons of free activities for one or an entire family!  Here is the “short” list of great activities for the family in Vail.  But there are many more for you to enjoy too, depending on the season! Lets learn more on the 5 FREE Summer Activities in Vail Colorado!

Vail Farmer’s Market & Art Show

EEK!  This is my favorite summer time activity in Vail.  I will go to Vail Colorado for the day just to shop this farmer’s market!  It is the best I have ever been to, with the exception of the San Diego Farmer’s Market, but that is a whole other post!  The Vail Farmer’s Market & Art Show has been around for 17 years and has over 100 vendors.  It is every Sunday for 16 weeks each year. Located on Meadow Drive in the heart of Vail Village.  And most parking is FREE during the summer months!  So drive up and enjoy yourself! And if you want to be a vendor, you better sell something special! Because getting into this gem of a farmer’s market is not easy!  They have 40 food vendors and even more art and novelty vendors!  There is truly something for everyone!

UPDATE:  Currently, the 2021 season of the farmer’s market will start on June 2th!  Be please refer to their website for the most current information at Vail Farmer’s Market.

Mountain Biking

Biking in Vail Colorado is an amazing adventure! With miles of fabulous trails on and off the mountain you can ride all day long!  And if you go from the base of the mountain to the top, you can take the gondola down for free!  And fear not, if you don’t have a bike to bring on your trip, you can get rentals.  Either way, you will be taken care of and have the time of your life!

Hot Summer Nights and Oktoberfest

Let’s start with Hot Summer Nights.  At 7:30 p.m. on Friday summer nights at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater turns into a rock and roll dance party!  This is another FREE venue in Vail.  And want a easy trick to avoid traffic getting there?  Ride your bike along the Gore Creek bike path to the amphitheater and let the venue’s free on-site bike concierge handle the parking!  Too tired to ride your bike home after the party?  Hop on the free Vail bus at the end of the night with your bike and let them do the driving!  Be sure to bring a mask as the bus ride will require it!

Oktoberfest is another great free event that lasts for the entire weekend!  For 2021 it has been changed to a one weekend event.   With Vail modeled after European resorts and being colonized by Austrian and German expats, this is a fabulous and festive event for all who come!

There is also a food and wine festival in September!  So many things to see and do!

Hiking

Where to start?  There are so many hiking trails it is hard to decide which ones to choose to talk about!  We love the Berry Picker trail that starts at the base of the mountain in Lionshead Village.  It winds its way through the beautiful Aspen trees to the top of the mountain!  At the top you can either eat, picnic or enjoy some of the family activities at the top!  When you are ready, you can either hike back down or take the Gondola down for FREE!  Hike up and get a free ride down, not a bad deal!  Just remember, many of the activities at the top of the mountain you will need to pay for. There is also an awesome Epic Adventure Park on the mountain with summer tubing and alpine slide.  But again, these activities are not free.

Another favorite hike we enjoy is Booth Falls Trail which is part of White River National Forest! 3.9 miles of beautiful scenery, wildlife and waterfalls.  With an elevation gain of almost 1400 feet it is a moderate to difficult trail.  There are some precarious areas, but overall, an easy hike.  And the waterfalls are well worth the hike!  Dogs are welcome but be sure to remember your leash and pick up after your pet!

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

Named after our 38th President’s wife the gardens are situated at an elevation of 8200′ and are the highest botanical gardens in the world.  With beautiful man-made waterfalls an information center and tons of species of plants there is a bounty of beautiful plants to see and learn about.  With an abundance of hummingbirds to entertain you, these gardens are breathtaking.  Open year round from dusk to dawn, there is always something beautiful to see no matter the time of year.

Conclusion to 5 FREE Summer Activities in Vail Colorado!

Vail can be a wonderful road trip destination or family getaway!  And it doesn’t need to be expensive!  With these 5 FREE Summer Activities in Vail Colorado you should be able to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank!

Want to visit Vail and need a place to stay?  The Sonnenalp is fabulous!

Winter in Vail is also an exceptional way to spend a family vacation!  It is truly the ultimate ski trip!

Covid Update May 2021:

Currently restaurants are at 100% capacity and you need to wear a mask only on the bus system or if a shop owner requires it!

Plan Your Trip Now!Hotels.com is the only place I go to make my hotel reservations!  And stay 10 nights via Hotels.com and 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!

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