From the slopes of Aspen to Telluride to Breckenridge and Vail – there’s no lack of greens, blues, blacks and bright white snow donning each mountain. These ski resorts are a lot like snowflakes – no two are exactly the same. That’s why it’s so fun to try them all out! A new favorite of mine is Beaver Creek with its groomed runs, incredible ski school, and just wait until you hear about “Cookie Time.”

Beaver Creek

Where to stay

We adored our three-bedroom condo at The Charter by East West Hospitality! The property has ski-in/ski-out bragging rights, an amazing steakhouse, a rental room and a great pool/hot tub situation for the family. From the ease of check-in to the beautiful interiors to the view to the location, I simply cannot love this place more. Writing about it right now makes me want to be back there…and go real estate shopping while I’m at it 🙂 Don’t forget to check out East West’s vacation rentals throughout all of their destinations – we’ve used them for years and can’t get enough!

Ski/Snowboard 

In total, Beaver Creek offers a robust 1,832 skiable acres divided between 19% Beginner, 43% Intermediate, 21% Advanced, 12% Expert, and 5% Extreme. The resort also boasts an impressive 3,300 vertical feet, 150 runs and 26 lifts to efficiently service it all. Shout out to Sylvia and Anne Marie for letting me in on all the best runs!

The sweetest places on-mountain are definitely Candy Cabin and Cookie Cabin where you can grab a handful of whatever your heart desires. Unfortunately, this is the only photo I got because we were too excited at the thought of what candy bars we were going to pick out once inside (ahem, Three Musketeers). As if that isn’t enough, Cookie Time happens every single day at the base of the mountain where freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies are served daily at 3 p.m. in the village and at the bottom of Centennial Express.

Dining

You don’t have to look far to eat well here. Contained in a small lux alpine village, some of my favorite restaurants are mostly within walking distance. 

Park Hyatt 8100 – Named for its prime location at the 8,100 ft. base elevation of Beaver Creek

Splendido at the Chateau – Very elevated, very scrumptious! 

Golden Eagle Inn – While I didn’t get the chance to eat here, my parents said it was phenomenal

Allie’s Cabin – Date night! Take the snowcat up the mountain to paradise.

The Charter Steakhouse – This was one of my favorite meals from our stay. Good vibes, amazing food, incredible service (and the best kid’s menu + coloring books!)

Winter activities for the non-skiers: Ice Skate, snowmobile, dogsled

How beautiful is this rink set in the middle of the village?! It’s giving fairytale vibes and is even better with a side of sunset, apres ski cocktail and two toddlers giving some major ATTITUDE. If you’re not into skiing or snowboarding, lace up some ice skates or try snowmobiling and dogsledding!

Vail

Vail is Beaver Creek’s big sister. I’ve lost track on the amount of times I’ve visited her! Here’s a post on all of my favorite things to do in Vail.

Ice Castles

Near Vail in Eagle, Colorado, exists a fairytale land straight out of the movie Frozen. We thought it would be a great activity for the kids one afternoon, and I was underprepared for how much fun it would be! The Ice Castles contain beautiful ice sculptures that transport you into another world. They also have ice slides, caves, and tunnels to make the experience that much more magical. They’re only open from late December through about late February, but if you’re in the area around that time – buy a ticket and go!