If you are looking for a 5-Star accommodation with 5-Star hospitality then Ritz Residences in Vail, CO cannot be beat. Our condo was superior....great for my husband and I as well as for the kids. We wanted for absolutely nothing. The kids loved the pool, the daily chocolate chip cookies and the S'mores...there is a great workout facility, but we never used it, as we were outdoors all day, every day. Great coffee in the morning...water and sunscreen are always available, as is the complimentary shuttle...very quick and everyone is extremely helpful and attentive. Bikes are available for rent on the property and a great paved trail is right out back...you may walk or ride to the Vail Village and Lions Head.
Top Activities:
#1-4th of July Parade in Downtown Vail....If you go to village the day before, you may find there is an opportunity for the kids to actually be IN the parade. Ours were a part of the "Supergoop Sunscreen Crew" and actually got to walk and ride in the parade....The Supergoop staff were so incredibly nice and even sent us a box of Supergoop when we got back home. Great product...shameless plug!
#2-Fireworks in Avalon...at the base of Beaver Creek. Fantastic display, set to music...on July 3...We dined at the Minturn Country Club (not really a country club, but rather an "old fashioned" restaurant, where you select your own steaks or seafood and cook it over one of the huge grills...salad bar and sides are good, but the meat and actually cooking it yourself is what keeps our family coming back!
#3-Beaver Creek 4th of July Family Activities....Tons of fun, laid back, at the base of the mountain so our older kids (9 & 13) could run around and explore, while we enjoyed a cocktail at one of the fantastic restaurants at the base of Beaver Creek.
#4-Beaver Creek Fireworks....Last year we stayed in Vail and watched those fireworks...in 2015, we stayed in Beaver Creek and we definitely preferred the overall experience at Beaver Creek...I would make the trip over for the Beaver Creek fireworks on July 4.
#5-Ritz Carlton-Bachelor's Gulch....Just an all-time favorite...We stayed at RC Bachelor's Gulch in December 2015 and had an amazing time skiing (FIRST CLASS) ski experience and SO easy with kids...but, that should be another review...In the summer, it's just fun to head over for breakfast, brunch or lunch and enjoy the food and ambiance. Dogs are welcome, btw...Great service and great spa...as the Ritz Residences do not have a full-service restaurant nor a full-service spa...if you are looking for either Ritz Bachelor's Gulch is amazing (same area as Beaver Creek).
#6-Right across the street from Vail Village is a road that goes up into the mountains and ends at a glacial lake...complete with modest lunch options, canoeing and paddle boarding. It's a bit of a drive (1 hour or so), but it's beautiful and the views up and back are gorgeous. The kids had fun paddle boarding on the lake.
#7-R&R-You simply cannot go wrong with a summer trip to Vail. There are several free hikes and family activities (look up online), you may rent bikes, go up the mountain to Adventure Ridge for lunch/zip lining and the alpine "rollercoster"...the kids LOVED the roller coaster, even though we rode it in the rain....There's horseback riding, rafting....fabulous shopping and great food! There's SO much to do...Vail and The Ritz Residences are one of our all time top picks for an unforgettable, don't even have to plan, family getaway.