Photo above: Yogesh Muppiri via Google
Après-ski means the social hour after a day on the slopes: drinks, food, music and company once the lifts stop. The word is French, from après (after) and ski, and Merriam-Webster dates its first known English use to 1951. In Vail it happens on sunny decks by the gondolas, in the bars of Bridge Street and in hotel lounges, and it is as much for families with hot chocolate as for anyone ordering a beer.
Nothing about it is formal. There is no dress code beyond ski clothes, no ticket and no set time, though most of the energy gathers between the last runs and dinner. What changes from place to place is the setting: a Lionshead patio facing the Eagle Bahn Gondola, a Bridge Street bar open since 1963 or a hotel bar with a fire.
What does après-ski mean?
Après-ski is the social activity that follows a day of skiing, typically at a ski lodge, bar or restaurant near the slopes. Merriam-Webster traces the term to French après, meaning after, plus ski, with a first known English use in 1951. Skiers often shorten it to "après", and it also works as an adjective, as in après drinks or an après spot.
The meaning has stretched with the seasons. In Vail you will hear "après" used after a summer hike or bike ride too, and the Four Seasons Resort Vail calls it a year-round pastime.
When does après-ski happen in Vail?
Après-ski in Vail runs from the last chair until dinner, which in winter means mid-afternoon into early evening. Many bars time happy hours to it: at Garfinkel's in Lionshead, happy hour runs Monday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Early in the season, the town adds free events on top of the bar scene under its Vail Après banner.
For the 2026/27 season, Discover Vail lists the Vail Après series from November 13 to January 3, with silent discos in Lionshead on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and ice-skating shows at the Arrabelle and Solaris Plaza rinks at 4:45 p.m. on set dates. If your evening carries on after dinner, how late Vail stays open covers the late bars and kitchens.
Where can you go for après-ski in Vail?
Vail's après-ski clusters in two places: the gondola bases in Lionshead and the streets around Bridge Street in Vail Village, a 10 to 15 minute walk or a free bus ride apart. Pick by who is in your group and whether you want a deck in the sun, live music or a quieter hotel lounge.
| Place | Village | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Garfinkel's | Lionshead | Locally owned since 1992; sunny deck facing the gondola; weekday happy hour |
| Bart & Yeti's | Lionshead | Pub food and a patio in the Lifthouse Lodge; kids' menu |
| Tavern on the Square | Lionshead | The Arrabelle's restaurant, steps from the Eagle Bahn Gondola |
| Revel | Lionshead | The Hythe's lounge, open 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. with cocktails and sharing plates |
| The Red Lion | Vail Village | Open since February 1963 at the top of Bridge Street; live entertainment |
| Pepi's | Vail Village | Austrian beers, a deck near Gondola One and nightly and après entertainment |
| Vendetta's | Vail Village | Family-owned since 1983; double-sided bar and pizza by the slice |
| The Remedy | Vail Village | Four Seasons bar with mountain views and a patio |
| Vail Brewing Company | Vail Village | Tasting room in Solaris for the valley's own beer |
Lionshead: decks by the Eagle Bahn Gondola
Lionshead's après scene faces the Eagle Bahn Gondola, so you can ski down and sit down within minutes. Garfinkel's, known locally as Garf's, has run its deck over the gondola and Vail Mountain since 1992 and calls it the best après in town; its weekday happy hour brings $3 select drafts and 30 percent off wings, chicken fingers and plain half nachos. Bart & Yeti's, in the Lifthouse Lodge, is the pub-food alternative with a patio.
At The Hythe, Revel bills itself as the place "where après begins", pairing Colorado-leaning plates with cocktails from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m., the kitchen closing at 10. The Arrabelle's Tavern on the Square is the family-friendly sit-down option on the square. Lionshead's restaurants covers dinner once après winds down.
Vail Village: Bridge Street and the hotel bars
The Red Lion has anchored the top of Bridge Street since Marge and Larry Burdick opened it in February 1963, and a group of locals has owned it since 2000. Lunch and dinner are first come, first served, so arrive early on a busy afternoon. Down the street, Vendetta's has been family-owned since 1983 and sells pizza by the slice from its double-sided bar.
Pepi's, the bar of Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer, pours Austrian beers under a wall of Pepi Gramshammer's racing medals and trophies, with local entertainers playing for après and in the evening. For a calmer drink, the Remedy at the Four Seasons pairs cocktails with mountain views, and the Gambit Bar at The Sebastian has a fireplace off the hotel lobby.
On the mountain
Mid-Vail, at the top of Gondola One, has its own bar, the Powerline Pub, on the top level beside the Look Ma food court. It suits a drink in the middle of the ski day rather than the end, since you still have to ski or ride the gondola down; eating on Vail Mountain has the other on-mountain options.
Can families do après-ski in Vail?
Yes. Après-ski in Vail is not only for drinkers, and many of its best moments are family ones. The Four Seasons serves its Haute Chocolate, made with two types of Valrhona chocolate and a house-made marshmallow, year-round. Bart & Yeti's has a kids' menu, and early in the season the free Vail Après skating shows and tree lighting are built for children.
Outdoor ice rinks at the Arrabelle and in Solaris Plaza give kids something to do while adults finish a drink nearby. What to do in Vail with kids has more ideas for the hours between skiing and bedtime.
What is the etiquette for après-ski?
Après-ski etiquette in Vail is mostly common sense: leave skis and poles in a rack or with ski valet rather than against a table, keep boots buckled loosely and your gear out of walkways, and share tables when a deck is full, since several popular spots, Garfinkel's and the Red Lion among them, seat first come, first served. Tip bar staff as you would anywhere in the United States.
Plan the ride home before the first drink. Vail's town buses are free and run late, and Lionshead and Vail Village are within walking distance of each other, so there is little reason to drive. A massage or a hot tub can also count as après; Vail's spas covers where non-guests can book.
