AARC Summer Meetings
Join Us in
the Rocky
Mountains
Vail Valley abounds with things
to see and do — and many of
them don’t cost a penny
Are you planning to bring your
spouse and children along when you come
to this year’s Summer Forum in Vail, but don’t want
to break the bank on activities to keep them busy?
You don’t have to. Vail Valley offers a plethora of
free things to see and do. Take a look:
48
AARC Times
May 2011
■ Parking and Transportation:
Park for free in the Vail Village and
LionsHead parking structures and
ride the bus all over town at no
cost.
Gondola Rides: Up to three kids
age 12 and under can ride the
Eagle Bahn Gondola for free when
accompanied by one paying adult.
AARC Summer Meetings
!
For more information about the AARC
Summer Meetings or to register, log on to
www.aarc.org/education/meetings/
■ Discovery Center: Located at the
top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, the
Discovery Center features fun,
interactive displays, and guided
nature hikes where you can learn
more about the local ecosystem.
■ Raptor Rendezvous: Handlers from
the Raptor Education Foundation
share stories and show off real live
raptors every Saturday afternoon on
the grassy lawn near the Eagle Bahn
Gondola in LionsHead.
■ Betty Ford Alpine Gardens: Enjoy
a unique collection of alpine,
sub-alpine, and other mountain
plants and flowers in the highest
botanical gardens in the world.
■ Vail Nature Center: Nestled along
the banks of Gore Creek, this sevenacre center features forests,
meadows, and streams that are sure
to delight. Educational programs are
also available to fill you in on what
you’ve been seeing.
■ Art Walks: Walking tours of
Vail’s public art collection take
place every Wednesday. The hourlong tour meets at 11 a.m. at the
Vail Village Visitor Information
Center on the top level of the
parking structure.
www.artinvail.com
■ Farmers’ Market & Art Show:
This great show will be running all
summer long, and it doesn’t cost
anything to get in. Once you’re
there, you’ll find lots of local
produce, international dishes,
fresh baked food, Colorado wine,
and arts and crafts ranging from
beautiful clothing to handmade
items for the home.
■ Family Fun Ride: Bring your
own bikes, or rent them in Vail,
and then join Vail Sports for a
one-hour guided ride through
LionsHead Village, Vail Village,
and Golden Peak.
AARC Times
May 2011
49
AARC Summer Meetings
!
For much more on free things to see and do in Vail during the AARC Summer
Meetings, July 17–20, visit http://summer.vail.com/summer/activities/free-things-to-do.asp then
join us in Vail for the AARC Summer Meetings. See you in Colorado!
FOR VIDEO LINK go to http://summer.vail.com/summer/vail-summer-video.asp
■ Golden Peak Tennis Courts:
Play for free on a first-come, firstserved basis.
■ Skatepark: Located at the
LionsHead parking structure, this
free skatepark features a halfpipe, pyramid, multiple ramps,
transitions, rails, and banks, plus a
street course area for younger or
less experienced riders.
■ Jazz @ The Vail Farmers’ Market:
Featuring local and regionally based
jazz talent, these shows take place
on Sundays from noon to 3:30 p.m.
■ Vail Recreation Path: Located
right in the middle of town, this
trail stretches 15 miles from West
Vail to East Vail and is surrounded
by 350,000 acres of national
forest.
■ Fly Fishing Casting Clinics: Gore
Creek Fly Fisherman offers
complimentary daily casting clinics
at 10:30 a.m. along the Gore Creek
Promenade in Vail Village that are
perfect for folks who have never fly
fished before as well as for those
who want to brush up on their skills.
50
AARC Times
May 2011
■ Colorado Ski Museum: Located
on the upper level of the Vail
Village parking structure, this
museum covers the history of Vail,
skiing, and the 10th Mountain
Division through interactive
exhibits and more.
■ Adventure Ridge: Bocce ball,
a slackline park, horseshoes, and
disc golf (if you bring your own
discs) are all available at no
charge up on top of the
mountain.
■ Hot Summer Nights Concert
Series: Head over to the Gerald R.
Ford Amphitheater on Tuesdays for
a free concert. Shows have yet to
be announced, but bands generally
range from rock to country.
www.vvf.org/vvf/info/events.
entertainment.hotsummernights.
aspx ■