Ultimate Guide to Vail in Winter with Kids for Non-Skiers

If you’re looking for kid-friendly things to do in vail in the winter other than skiing, you’re in the right place!

I recently took my 5 and 8 year old to Vail for 3 nights in December to get in the Christmas spirit. I knew I would love Vail, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much my kids fell in love with this magical place, too. None of us wanted to leave!

Before our trip I wasn’t sure if Vail would be a kid-friendly destination, but I’m happy to say there were families everywhere, and so many places are happy to welcome kids.

We found so much to do in Vail, and we loved it so much that I’m already scheming about how I can go back and visit again.

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Getting There

You can fly into Eagle County Regional Airport near Vail, but you will likely have a hard time finding direct flights, and they will be more expensive.

You can also fly into Denver and either rent a car or pay for a shuttle (shared or private) to get from DEN to Vail.

We booked a shuttle through Peak 1 Express, which picked us up at the Denver Airport and dropped us off at our hotel.

The shuttle cost $267 each way for 1 adult and 2 kids (so $534 round trip). I requested a booster car seat for my youngest and they had that waiting for me when I arrived. They also had water bottles available for passengers on the drive.

I’m so glad I booked the shuttle because there was a snowstorm in the mountains the night we arrived, and I did not want to have to drive through the mountains in a snowstorm in the dark.

The drivers on the way there and back were so professional, and they were excellent drivers through snow and wind.

Another perk of using Peak 1 Express is that you can tip online in advance, which I appreciated, because I always stress about tipping the entire drive.

Where to Stay

We were hosted by Antlers at Vail on our trip to Vail, but all opinions are my own.

We stayed at Antlers at Vail, which is a hotel geared toward families. They have condo-style hotel rooms, which is nice for big families like ours. If we were traveling with the entire family, we would have 2 adults and 4 kids, so it can be tough to find hotels with rooms to accommodate us.

Antlers has studio rooms, 1 bedroom with bunkbeds, 2 bedroom, and 3 bedroom condos. They truly have something for every size of family.

There is a fully stocked kitchen in each room, too, which is perfect for families that want to cook and eat some meals in the hotel room.

If you have younger kids there are amenities like cribs, pack n plays, high chairs, night lights, and toddler guard rails for the bed.

We loved the location in Lionshead Village. It felt quiet and secluded, but in reality we were only steps away from restaurants, cafes, shops, and the scenic gondola.

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Things to Do in Vail in Winter with Kids

Scenic Gondola Ride

We bought gondola tickets for 1 day in Vail, and the lift tickets allow you to use both Eagle Bahn Gondola in Lionshead Village and Gondola One in Vail Village unlimited times.

I will say the tickets were a little expensive for my taste: $216 total for 1 adult and 2 children ($86 for adults and $61 for each kid). If you’re not skiing or snowboarding in winter, it just doesn’t seem worth it to me.

All there is to do at the top is eat at one of the restaurants. I’m guessing there is more to do at the top of the mountain in summertime, so I would be willing to try it again in summer.

Regardless, we enjoyed beautiful views from the gondola, and the kids thought the ride itself was fun!

Hot Chocolate at Four Seasons

Sometimes you plan activities based off of videos you see on TikTok or Instagram, and that was the case for us when we reserved a table at The Remedy restaurant at the Four Seasons Vail.

The Haute Chocolate is now a viral sensation with its aesthetic French hot chocolate pot pouring creamy hot chocolate over a giant marshmallow and a chocolate lattice until the chocolate melts enough for the marshmallow to fall into the mug. Have your camera ready, because your server will be pouring the hot chocolate for you, and they’re used to people asking to film.

We requested a table outside with a scenic view. I was hoping for a table with a firepit, but those were all taken by the time we arrived. We took one of the smaller tables behind the firepit tables, and we still enjoyed the beautiful view.

They have kids’ menus, so the kids ordered chicken tenders, and I wasn’t too hungry, so I just got some truffle fries with aioli to snack on.

The hot chocolate was rich and filling, and the kids only wanted a few sips, so I’m glad we only ordered one to share.

As I mentioned, be sure to reserve your table ahead of time.

Ice Skating

There are 2 outdoor ice skating rinks in Vail: the Alderhof Ice Rink in Lionshead Village near The Arrabelle and the Solaris Plaza Ice RInk in Vail Village.

We were hoping to skate at the Arrabelle Ice Rink since it was just steps away from our hotel, and definitely the more scenic option of the 2 with twinkling lights above and Bavarian style buildings around the square, but they don’t open the rink to the public until December 15, just a week after our visit.

So we ended up skating at Solaris Plaza in Vail Village. At first we could not figure out where to rent ice skates, but we quickly discovered that there is a small shop all the way at the right side of the building behind the ice rink next to Deca + Bol (a bowling alley).

Skate rentals were $20 per person for an unlimited amount of time, and they do not have skate aids for little kids, so be prepared to help your brand new ice skaters!

Explore Vail Village + Lionshead Village

We stayed at Antlers at Vail which is located on the far end of Lionshead Village, so we felt like that was our “home” village. It’s quieter and cute, with a few shops, restaurants, and cafes, the Arrabelle Ice Rink, Sunbird Park with a fun playground for kids, and fire pits scattered around the village with crackling fires going all day long to help you warm up. You also have access to the Eagle Bahn Gondola in Lionshead Village.

Vail Village is definitely more bustling and busy than Lionshead with far more souvenir shops, outdoor gear shops, restaurants, cafes, and more. You have access to Gondola One, as well as Solaris Plaza Ice Rink.

The kids’ favorite playground (pirate ship playground) was here, as well as the famous covered bridge.

If you like to shop, eat, or sip hot chocolate with a view, exploring these adorable villages will be a perfectly pleasant activity for a few hours.

Don’t forget the villages are connected by Gore Creek Trail (lovely and quiet, even in winter) if you want to walk, or the free shuttles that run every 10 minutes or so, which are easy to find around town.

Covered Bridge

The iconic covered bridge is located at the entrance to Vail Village. If you take the shuttle from Lionshead Village you can enter the village through the bridge.

There’s not much to do here per se, but it’s an iconic spot in Vail Village, and might be fun to get a photo with the kids here!

And it was decorated for Christmas, so we loved the festive vibes! The view from on the bridge overlooking Gore Creek is very pretty, too.

Gore Creek + Gore Valley Trail

Be sure to take the Gore Valley Trail between Lionshead Village and Vail Village in winter at some point. It’s picturesque and quiet, and it’s nice to escape the hustle and bustle of the ski hills and shops.

This is the best way to get from one village to the other if you have nice weather or you just need some extra time out in nature. You have the creek below, snow-covered pine trees surrounding you, and a blanket of snow crunching underfoot.

Gore Creek Trail takes you more into the wilderness, while Gore Valley Trail is just the pedestrian footpath between villages. Maybe if we ever come back in summer we’ll try the wilderness hiking paths!

Kringle Crossing Holiday Village

Kringle Crossing is a mini village set up in Vail Village where kids can play in 8 custom chalets that make up a tiny holiday town. There’s a gingerbread house, a ski school, a train station, a reindeer stable, and more.

My kids would have stayed and played here all day if I let them! I gave them plenty of time to use their imaginations while I enjoyed the view before it was time to move on to our next activity. This is a great spot to stay and play if the kids need a break from all of the adult-centered activities. This year the village will stay up through January 7, 2026.

Pirate Ship Playground

Another kid-centric activity your family can enjoy in Vail is the Pirate Ship Playground located at the bottom of Gondola One in Vail Village.

It feels quiet and secluded, and once again captured my kids’ imaginations. The playground itself is a pirate ship complete with a plank, a crow’s nest, and more. I bet it’s just as fun in the summertime!

Sunbird Park

It seems Vail has some great kids’ playgrounds! Sunbird Park is located in Lionshead Village above the Arrabelle Rink.

Sunbird Park playground is made up of 3 birds nests connected by bridges, tunnels, and slides. While Pirate Ship Playground was my kids’ favorite of the 2, they still had plenty of fun at Sunbird Park, and begged to go back after we left!

Relax in the Hot Tub

This activity will depend upon where you stay, but if your hotel or vacation rental has a hot tub, I would highly recommend taking advantage of it!

On our spring break trip to Washington this year, we spent a few nights in an airbnb in the mountains just outside of Leavenworth. We woke up to big fat snowflakes falling from the sky on our first morning, and we rushed to change into our suits to enjoy the beautiful snowfall from the hot tub.

The kids were unsure at first, but after some gentle encouragement they all ended up loving it!

When my kids found out Antlers at Vail had a hot tub, I knew we had to try it out. We ended up making use of the hot tub both nights of our visit.

The hotel actually has 2 hot tubs and the pool is heated. There are also restrooms that you can use to change if you don’t want to walk through the hallways soaking wet in your swimsuit.

There’s nothing like enjoying a beautiful winter view from a hot tub!

If you like winter and Christmas travel with kids…

…then here are some other trips you might enjoy: