Strictly speaking, midsummer is still a couple weeks away. But it is peak season here in the Vail Valley - everything we love about being here in the summer is in full swing - farmer’s markets, music festivals, outdoor dining, hiking, biking, golf, and the glorious feel of the sun!

While much of the USA (and Europe!) is trudging through some serious heat, we remain a refuge from the dog-days of summer with warm but comfortable days and nights that remind you to take a jacket or sweater when you go out.

So if you are camped out by your air conditioner, or submersed in a pool so that only your face is out of the water enough to breathe, book yourself some time out here in our mountains.

It’s definitely busy, but we can help you dial in your visit. See you here soon!

Dana Gumber, Mike Connolly, Jean-Claude Moritz

There's a particular kind of magic to a Vail evening in August — that hour when the light goes gold over the Gore Range, the air cools just enough, and everything tastes better. The Vail Wine Classic knows this better than anyone, which is exactly why its Best of Fest evening (Friday, Aug. 7) happens outdoors at the Vail Nordic Club at sunset, pouring reserve bottles that average north of $100 a pour while a local artist paints live and the valley does its golden-hour thing in the background.

That's just one night of a three-day weekend (Aug. 6–8) built entirely around wine, mountains, and not taking either too seriously. The Grand Tastings (Aug. 7 & 8) bring 300+ wines, beers, and spirits to the Vail athletic fields, and if you'd rather earn your glass, sommelier-led hikes like Wines & Wildflowers pair a mountain trail with a proper lunch at the end.

It's the kind of weekend that makes a strong case for having guests in town — or for finally booking that place near the village you've been eyeing.

If you go: Aug. 6–8 | Tickets from ~$114 (GA) to $235 (Best of Fest) | 21+ | vailwineclassic.com

A Colorado Kitchen with 40 Years of History: Charter Steakhouse

Some restaurants chase a trend. Charter Steakhouse, tucked inside The Charter at Beaver Creek, is doing something quieter and arguably harder: figuring out what a genuinely Colorado steakhouse should taste like.

The Charter itself has been a fixture at the eastern end of Beaver Creek Village for 40 years, and a $22 million property renovation completed in 2023 gave the restaurant a full refresh — new look, new menu, new energy. Leading the kitchen is executive chef Matt Good, a Gunnison native who took the "Colorado" part of the concept seriously. Rather than default to generic steakhouse suppliers, he went looking for ranches and farms across the state, landing on partners like Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Company on the Western Slope (a family operation that won a 2022 USDA Rangeland Ingenuity Award), along with Colorado bison, trout, and cheese producers. He's since become enough of a local character to be developing his own hot sauce, aptly named "Damn That's Good."

The menu leans into that sourcing without taking itself too seriously — think fig-glazed lamb, pan-seared scallops, a well-loved shrimp cocktail, and a Bison New York Strip that keeps showing up in regulars' reviews as the thing to order. The dining room's big west-facing windows make it a genuinely nice spot to watch the sun drop behind the mountain, and the cocktail bar has its own following for anyone looking to start (or end) the night there instead.

Beyond the regular menu, Charter Steakhouse has been building a nice calendar of one-off events — a Craft & Cue beer pairing dinner with Outer Range Brewing Co. and Fitch Ranch, seasonal prix fixe nights with wine and beer specials, and a well-attended Thanksgiving buffet with turkey, prime rib, and all the sides. It's worth keeping an eye on their calendar if you like a reason to make a reservation beyond "just because."

It's not a hidden secret — reviews run largely excellent, with the occasional gripe about pricing or a steak that came out a touch off, which is a fair trade for a kitchen this ambitious at 8,100 feet. Chef Good himself has a habit of coming out to talk to tables, which says something about how personally invested he is in the place.

Charter Steakhouse is open Wednesday through Sunday, 3–9pm, at 120 Offerson Road in Beaver Creek. Call 970-445-5995 or reserve online through OpenTable.

If Vail had a founding family, the Laziers would be strong contenders for the title. Bob and Diane Lazier first came to Vail on their honeymoon during a bitter cold snap in January of 1963 — the very first ski season the resort ever had. That honeymoon apparently never really ended, because the couple scraped together enough money to buy their first lot in Vail Village for $7,000, took a chance on an eight-unit apartment, and then built a building a year for the next decade before opening the Tivoli Lodge in 1968. Talk about commitment — to each other and to the mountain.

The lodge has since been fully reimagined with an entirely new building completed in 2006, immersed in old-world Tyrolean charm while delivering thoroughly modern luxury. The result is a boutique property that feels like it belongs in the Austrian Alps but has the amenities of a top-tier ski hotel. Most of the 65 spacious rooms come with a fireplace and views of either Vail Mountain or the Village, and the crown jewel — the Peter Seibert Suite, named after the founder of Vail himself — offers sweeping panoramas that will make you forget whatever was stressing you out before you arrived.

The location is almost unfairly good. It sits with unobstructed views of Vail's Golden Peak ski area, within steps of the Vista Bahn ski lift, and just a 2-3 minute walk into the heart of Vail Village — putting world-class dining, boutique shopping, and the cobblestone charm of one of Colorado's most iconic alpine villages practically at your doorstep. In summer, that walkability becomes even more of a superpower: the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater is just a 10-minute stroll east of Vail Village — meaning a night at the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, the Vail Dance Festival, or a free Hot Summer Nights concert is as easy as a leisurely after-dinner walk along Gore Creek.

Then there's the lodge's most beloved tradition: its chocolate Labrador mascots. For over 25 years, the Tivoli has been home to a resident Lab — first Indy, named for the Indianapolis 500 won by the Laziers' son Buddy in 1996, then Speed, and now Racer. The Brown Hound Lounge even honors the legacy with its signature cocktail, the Indini.

And if your own four-legged family member deserves a Vail vacation too? The Tivoli has you covered. A limited number of dog-friendly rooms are available for an additional non-refundable charge of $100 per pet per stay, with a maximum of two dogs permitted — and well-behaved dogs can be left unattended, with plenty of grassy areas around the hotel. Given that the resident mascot is a chocolate Lab, it's safe to say your pup will be among friends.

Family-owned, history-soaked, ski-slope adjacent, and dog-approved — the Tivoli Lodge isn't just a place to sleep in Vail. It is a piece of Vail.

If you need some assistance planning your next trip to the valley, please connect with me on [email protected] - I’m happy to help you pull all the pieces together!

Some homes ask you to plan around them. This one just asks you to show up.

Perched along the Eagle River — the same stretch where Fremont's 1845 expedition once camped — this 2-bedroom, 2-bath residence at the Westin Riverfront puts you steps from the paved Eagle Valley Trail (bike or walk it all the way to Vail), with wild brown and rainbow trout in casting distance and Nottingham Park's paddleboards, dog park, and summer concerts just beyond that. Come winter, the Riverfront Express Gondola whisks you straight to ski school — no car, no parking lot, no hassle.

Completed in 2024 and finished with a designer's touch, #102 brings marble counters, a wine fridge, custom closets, glass-enclosed showers, and automated blackout blinds — all inside the Vail Valley's first 100% electric, LEED Gold building, complete with rooftop solar and free EV charging.

And because it's part of the Westin Riverfront community, ownership comes with the good stuff: Spa Anjali, the fitness center, ski valet, and complimentary shuttles to Beaver Creek, Vail, and Bachelor Gulch — plus a management team that handles the rental side (this one pulled roughly $50K in short-term rental revenue in its first year, comfortably covering carrying costs).

Offered at $2,240,000.

Curious about this one — or what else is moving in Avon and the Westin Riverfront right now? Reach out to Dana Gumber at 970.390.2787 for details or a private tour.

If you've spent any time on Vail Mountain on a clear winter morning, there's a good chance you've seen them: a kid in a bucket seat or sit-ski, grinning ear to ear, flanked by a patient instructor guiding them down the run. That's Small Champions — and this year, the organization is marking 30 years of giving Eagle County kids with disabilities a shot at the same mountain life the rest of us take for granted.

From 10 Kids to a Year-Round Movement

Small Champions got its start in 1996, founded by Ron Byrne with just 10 children. Three decades later, it's grown into a year-round nonprofit serving more than 80 youth across Eagle County who live with cognitive, physical, and multiple disabilities. What began as a ski program has expanded into 16 different activities spanning every season — skiing and snowboarding, bowling, yoga, equine therapy, rock climbing, rafting, art therapy, and more — all delivered through one-on-one coaching for participants ages 6 through 21.

The growth hasn't slowed. In 2022, Small Champions partnered with the PSIA/AASI National Team to bring advanced instruction to its coaching staff. By 2024, enrollment had climbed to 70 kids, with new offerings like day camps through Mountain Recreation and river rafting trips added to the mix. Last year, the community took notice in a big way, naming Small Champions Best of Vail Valley for its Community Outreach Project.

Why It Matters

What makes Small Champions special isn't just the range of activities — it's the philosophy behind them. The organization's approach centers on what kids can do rather than what limits them, pairing each participant with a dedicated instructor who sticks with them season after season. That kind of continuity builds real trust, and it shows in the outcomes families describe: kids who gain not just athletic skills, but independence, confidence, and a genuine sense of belonging in a mountain community that can otherwise feel hard to access.

Small Champions' long-running relationship with Vail Resorts has been central to making this possible, giving kids the chance to ski at a world-class resort alongside adaptive coaches who've built careers around this work.

Celebrating the Milestone

This winter, Small Champions marked its 30th year by launching its first-ever Adaptive Academy in Vail, a two-day, on-snow professional development event designed to invest in the instructors who make the winter program run. The organization also welcomed longtime Vail Valley resident Mark Noble as its new board chairman — a role that's personal for him, given his son Kendall's seven years in the program.

How to Get Involved

Small Champions runs almost entirely on the strength of its volunteers and donors, and no special skills are required to help — just a willingness to show up for a kid who could use an extra hand on the mountain, the trail, or in the water. If you're looking for a way to give back to the valley this year, this is about as local and as meaningful as it gets.

Learn more or get involved at smallchampions.org.

Small Champions Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Vail, CO, and holds a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator.