Vail works for families in both summer and winter, but the seasons offer different things. The mountaintop adventure park is a summer operation, ski school is a winter one, and a few places, including an indoor play space and a free museum, work in any weather. What follows is sorted by season, with the age limits, rules and hours that decide whether an activity fits your children.
Summer: June to September
Epic Discovery at the top of the gondola
Epic Discovery at Adventure Ridge sits near Eagle's Nest at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, which leaves from Lionshead Village; there is no road access. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from June through Labor Day weekend, then Fridays to Sundays in September. In 2026 the September schedule ran from September 11 to 27, the end of the summer season.
- Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster, a 3,400-foot alpine coaster where each rider controls their own speed.
- Eagle's Nest Tubing, with 550-foot lanes and a magic-carpet lift, and Marmot Mini Kids Tubing, a gentler hill for younger children.
- Little Eagle Kids Zipline, a 10-foot-high zipline for small children, and a 35-foot climbing wall.
- A bungee trampoline, and Gore Creek Mini Golf at the bottom of the Eagle Bahn Gondola.
Getting up the mountain takes a scenic gondola ticket or an Adventure Pass. The pass includes the ride up, three coaster rides and one day of the other attractions you qualify for by age, height and weight. For gondola-only tickets, one child age 12 or under rides free with each adult ticket. Closed-toe shoes with no heel straps are required, and it is usually at least 10 degrees cooler at the top than at the bottom. Both gondolas are wheelchair-accessible, and strollers are fine. More detail is in the Adventure Ridge guide, the Epic Discovery listing and gondola costs.
Nature, gardens and playgrounds
- The Nature Discovery Center, a yurt a short walk from Eagle's Nest run by Walking Mountains Science Center, has wildlife exhibits and free guided walks: an easy hike of about an hour that suits most ages, and a moderate 1.5-hour, 2-mile hike best for ages 12 and up. Registration is required, and you need a gondola ticket to reach it.
- Betty Ford Alpine Gardens bills itself as the highest-elevation botanical garden in the world. Admission is free with a suggested $20 donation, and the gardens are open daily from dawn to dusk. The Children's Garden has a Discovery Cart and a play farmers market, and a scavenger hunt gives a prize to each child who finishes; a winter version runs when the weather turns cold.
- Playgrounds are spread across town: the Ford Park playground next to the gardens, Pirateship Park at the base of Gondola One, Cloud Park, and Sunbird Park, whose bird's-nest play areas (see the Lionshead "onion" playground listing) have jumping fountains in summer.
- For an easy hike, the 1-mile Eagle's Loop at the top of the mountain is reached by gondola, and the Gore Creek Trail sections through the villages are smooth enough for strollers.
- The Vail Farmers' Market and Art Show is held Sundays from mid-June to early October in Vail Village, with live music.
The Vail Nature Center, a 1940s homestead in Vail Village, is closed for the summer 2026 season during Town of Vail site improvements. For a longer summer list, see things to do in Vail with kids in summer.
Winter: mid-November to spring
Ski and snowboard school
The Vail Ski and Snowboard School runs child group lessons for ages 7 to 15 and places children under 7 in smaller, ability-based groups. Before you book:
- Every child must be potty trained.
- Helmets are required for all participants in child lessons and programs.
- Lessons do not include lift tickets or rentals; a lift ticket or pass and equipment are required to take part.
- Lunch is included with full-day child group lessons only. Parents of children with severe food allergies are encouraged to send their own food.
- Child group lessons check in at the Golden Peak Children's Center or the Lionshead Children's Center.
Beginners in group lessons are covered by a Green Run Guarantee: if you have not skied or ridden a qualifying green run by the end of the third lesson, the fourth is free. Vail Mountain plans to open for 2026-27 on November 13, 2026, weather permitting. Ski rental costs are in the rentals guide.
Off the mountain in winter
- Ice skating at the Alderhof Ice Rink at The Arrabelle at Vail Square in Lionshead and at Solaris Plaza in Vail Village, both with skate rentals, from November to April. Dobson Ice Arena, the indoor rink in Lionshead, is due to reopen in November 2026 after a renovation.
- Sleigh rides from November to mid-March at 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott, with dinner, and at Bearcat Stables in Edwards.
- Tubing at Sage Outdoor Adventures in Wolcott, about 20 minutes away, and free sledding at Ellefson Park and Bighorn Park.
- Guided snowshoe tours from the Nature Discovery Center for ages 10 and up, about 1.5 hours; the Vail Nordic Center rents snowshoes and skis.
- Smile with Santa and Kringle Crossing, which run from mid-November into the new year. See what to do in Vail in December.
Any season and any weather
- The Imagination Station at 395 E Lionshead Circle is run by the Vail Recreation District. It is open year-round by reservation at $18 per child, with free entry for adults, and has art and science projects, virtual reality, a light wall, a wind tunnel and pretend-play stations. Hours vary by day, and an adult must accompany children. The annual Santa's Workshop, free, is a December draw.
- The Colorado Snowsports Museum is free and open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on the third level of the Vail Village parking structure.
- The Vail Public Library is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., hosts children's story times and craft sessions, and runs a year-round StoryWalk at Bighorn Park.
- Deca + Bol has bowling lanes and a kids' menu.
More wet-day options are in what to do in Vail when it rains. For very young children, see the guides for toddlers and babies, and free activities for kids in Vail collects the no-cost options.
Family-friendly meals
Discover Vail's family dining list names places with children's menus or easy shareable food. Vendetta's is family-owned and has served Italian food since 1983. Blue Moose Pizza is in Lionshead, The Red Lion has a Kiddie Corner menu, and Garfinkel's a Kids Cafe menu. The sister Bavarian restaurants Almresi and Alpenrose serve children's dishes such as buttered noodles and bratwurst with mashed potatoes. Call ahead or book online.
Practical notes
The thin air can make visitors from sea level tired, dizzy or headachy. Spend a day in town before riding the gondola, drink plenty of water and rest often. A free in-town bus runs between Vail Village and Lionshead. Family lodging is covered in the hotels directory.
