"Onion" playground In Lionshead Square

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 Vail, 81657

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The playground Vail families call the Onion is Sunbird Park, a free Town of Vail park at 555 East Lionshead Circle, near the Arrabelle at Vail Square. Its three giant bird's-nest play structures, joined by bridges and slides, are what children call the onions.

It is most useful for families staying or skiing in Lionshead. Children can burn off energy here while someone else sorts out lift tickets or finishes lunch, and in summer the plaza's jumping fountains turn it into a splash stop. Pack a swimsuit or a change of clothes.

What is there

The three nests are the climbing structures, with bridges between them and slides down. In summer the fountains in front give small children somewhere to cool off, so it works for toddlers as well as bigger kids.

Getting there

Sunbird Park is in the Lionshead pedestrian village, a short walk from the Arrabelle and the rest of the Lionshead shops and restaurants. Drivers usually park in the town's Lionshead Parking Structure and walk in.

Rules worth knowing

Dogs must be on a leash in Lionshead and in Vail's town parks, and they are kept out of playground areas even in the town's off-leash parks. There is no charge and nothing to book.

More play nearby

Also in Lionshead, the Recreation District's Imagination Station is an indoor option for bad weather, and the Zeke M. Pierce Skatepark sits at the Lionshead Parking Structure. For the whole area, see Lionshead Village.

Sources: Town of Vail parks and playgrounds, Discover Vail playgrounds. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Contact Information

Company Name
"Onion" playground In Lionshead Square
Location
Sunbird Park (Onion playground), Lionshead Village
Vail, 81657

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About "Onion" playground In Lionshead Square

Quick answer: "Onion" playground In Lionshead Square is a business at Sunbird Park (Onion playground), Lionshead Village, Vail, CO 81657. Sunbird Park, the Onion playground in Lionshead: three bird's-nest play structures, slides and summer fountains, free and open to the public.

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The playground Vail families call the Onion is Sunbird Park, a free Town of Vail park at 555 East Lionshead Circle, near the Arrabelle at Vail Square. Its three giant bird's-nest play structures, joined by bridges and slides, are what children call the onions.

It is most useful for families staying or skiing in Lionshead. Children can burn off energy here while someone else sorts out lift tickets or finishes lunch, and in summer the plaza's jumping fountains turn it into a splash stop. Pack a swimsuit or a change of clothes.

What is there

The three nests are the climbing structures, with bridges between them and slides down. In summer the fountains in front give small children somewhere to cool off, so it works for toddlers as well as bigger kids.

Getting there

Sunbird Park is in the Lionshead pedestrian village, a short walk from the Arrabelle and the rest of the Lionshead shops and restaurants. Drivers usually park in the town's Lionshead Parking Structure and walk in.

Rules worth knowing

Dogs must be on a leash in Lionshead and in Vail's town parks, and they are kept out of playground areas even in the town's off-leash parks. There is no charge and nothing to book.

More play nearby

Also in Lionshead, the Recreation District's Imagination Station is an indoor option for bad weather, and the Zeke M. Pierce Skatepark sits at the Lionshead Parking Structure. For the whole area, see Lionshead Village.

Sources: Town of Vail parks and playgrounds, Discover Vail playgrounds. Checked September 23, 2026.

Kids Activities Playgrounds

Amenities at "Onion" playground In Lionshead Square

  • Three nest play structures
  • Bridges
  • Slides
  • Climbing wall
  • Summer jumping fountains
  • Nests lit after dark
  • Accessible play design

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Onion playground?
It is Sunbird Park, at 555 East Lionshead Circle in Lionshead Village, Vail, CO 81657, in the pedestrian village near the Arrabelle at Vail Square. "Onion" is the nickname families use; Sunbird Park is the name to put in a map.
Why is it called the Onion?
Its three giant play structures are shaped like bird's nests, and children say they look like onions, so many families know the park as the Onion playground. The nests were designed for the Town of Vail's Art in Public Places programme by tres birds workshop and completed in December 2013; Travel + Leisure named Sunbird Park one of the "World's Coolest Playgrounds."
What is there to play on?
Three giant bird's-nest play areas joined by custom ropes and bridges, with slides and ladders, plus a climbing wall. The nests have hideaway pockets inside, and the design accounts for various heights and ages, including children with disabilities and adaptive skills. In summer, jumping fountains in the plaza in front turn it into a splash stop, so bring a swimsuit or a change of clothes. After dark the nests and the water feature are illuminated from within, as a piece of public art.
Does it cost anything, and do I need to book?
No. Sunbird Park is a free Town of Vail public park, and there is nothing to book for a casual visit, no tickets, no operator, no reservation. If you want to host a gathering in the park, the Town makes its parks available on a first-come, first-served basis.
What are the hours?
The Town of Vail does not publish set hours for Sunbird Park; it is an open public park in the Lionshead pedestrian village. Go in daylight, and know that the nests are lit after dark. (The 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM schedule shown in Google place data is not a Town-published schedule; the nearby Zeke M. Pierce Skatepark, which does have Town hours, is open daily from dawn to 11 p.m.)
Is there a water feature?
Yes, in summer. The park's interactive water feature, the jumping fountains in the plaza, lets children cool off, so bring a swimsuit or dry clothes. The Town does not publish fountain start or end dates; treat it as a summer feature.
Can I bring my dog?
Only on a leash, and keep dogs out of the play structures. Dogs must be leashed in Lionshead and in all Town of Vail parks except the two off-leash parks, Bighorn Park in East Vail and Stephens Park in West Vail, Sunbird Park is not one of them, and even in off-leash parks dogs are kept out of playground areas. Clean up after your dog; bags are provided around town.
Where do I park?
In the Town of Vail's Lionshead Parking Structure, then walk into the Lionshead pedestrian village, the park is a short walk from the structure and from the Arrabelle and the rest of the Lionshead shops and restaurants.

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