Last fall I threw a bachelorette party for my best friend and her bridal party in one of the best parts of Colorado. We planned it just right to catch the aspens changing, which usually happens sometime between late September and early October depending on the year. Vail and Beaver Creek are only about 15 minutes apart, so it's easy to build a weekend around both resorts. Below, I've listed our full itinerary along with contacts for the people, restaurants, and vendors we used — feel free to borrow any of it for your own trip.
Airports
There are two airport options for getting to the Vail Valley:
Vail/Eagle County (EGE): The easiest airport to fly in and out of, though it tends to be pricier and has far fewer direct flights. It's small, so you never have to worry about long TSA or check-in lines. Book a car or taxi to get to and from the airport (roughly $80–$100 per trip, about 40 minutes to Beaver Creek).
Denver (DEN): About 2.5 hours from Vail/Beaver Creek without traffic. Options from here include renting a car or taking a shuttle (info below).
DEN to Vail Shuttle
Vail/Beaver Creek Taxi Services
Note: Uber is available in the mountains, but it's not always reliable, especially with a larger group. I'd recommend booking taxis in advance — they fill up fast, particularly on weekends.
Where to Stay
There are numerous rental options in the Vail/Beaver Creek area. I recommend renting a house with a great group layout (multiple living spaces, a big kitchen/dining area, and enough parking) — Avon, Edwards, and Beaver Creek Village all have good options within a short drive of everything on this itinerary.
Thursday
The other MOH and I ran to Costco (located right by the EGE airport) to grab snacks, party trays, drinks, and alcohol — funny enough, Colorado Costcos have an attached liquor store, so you actually can pick up full bottles of liquor in the same trip. Then we headed home to let our incredible balloon decorator, LeAnne Salazar (@myballoonobsession), work her magic. We rented light-up marquee letters from Alpha Lit Northern Colorado (@alphalit_northerncolorado).
We spent the day decorating the house, grabbed lunch at Boardroom Deli in Edwards, and waited for the bride and half the bridal party to arrive. We ordered pizza in since they got in late.
Dinner: Pizza from Gondola Pizza (Avon)
Option if staying in Vail: Blue Moose Pizza
Friday
Friday morning we woke up and walked about 2 miles to one of my favorite breakfast spots in the valley, Café 163 in Edwards. There's a cute paved walking/biking trail between Edwards and Avon that runs along parts of the river. Edwards also has some good little shops. We walked back, met up with the second half of the bridal party that had just arrived, and got ready for happy hour and shopping in Beaver Creek Village. We sat outside at Beaver Creek Chophouse, right at the base of the mountain. Village parking is free in the summer, which makes it easy to either schedule a taxi or drive yourself.
Friday Happy Hour: Beaver Creek Chophouse (get the truffle fries and nachos)
To make the day easier on everyone who had just traveled, we hired a caterer to bring an amazing meal to the house. This was the night we played all the games and had the groom send in a video.
Friday Catered Dinner: A few well-reviewed Vail Valley private chefs/caterers if you want to do the same: MileHighCook, Chef Steven Anthony, and Vail Chef.
Saturday
We started the day early with a quick breakfast at Starbucks and Avon Bakery on the way to hike Hanging Lake. Hanging Lake is about 50 minutes west of Beaver Creek and has amazing waterfalls at the top. It's not a super hard hike — it takes less than an hour to get up — but bring athletic shoes, since it's rocky, steep, and there's water on the trail. It's one of the easier hikes in the area to do with a group, and honestly the best bang for your buck.
Important — permits required: Hanging Lake now requires a paid, time-specific reservation for every hiker; you can no longer just show up. Permits are $12/person (April 30–October 31) or $10/person (November 1–March 31), booked online at visitglenwood.com, with hourly time slots from 7am–5pm. Book this well in advance for a group your size, since slots for popular weekend mornings sell out.
Breakfast: Avon Bakery
Dinner: Matsuhisa
Hat Decorating: Kemo Sabe
Bar: Shakedown Bar
Things We Didn't Do, Worth Noting as Options
- Pickleball
- Sage Outdoor Adventures (ATVs)
- Golf: Vail Golf Club and Eagle-Vail Golf Club are two fun public courses to play