If you love to ski or snowboard, then you should definitely check out Vail, Colorado, for a spring break trip. Vail Mountain Ski Resort offers some of the best terrain to ride or ski in the world. With 5,289 acres of gorgeous terrain, 350 inches of snow and 300 days of sun a year, combined with vibrant nightlife, you are almost guaranteed an exciting trip.
You can fly into Eagle County Airport, which is only 35 miles away but tickets are more expensive, or you can fly into Denver International, which is 130 miles away but the shuttle is just $49. Beware of I-70 congestion during weekends and big storms.
Although a person could spend a small fortune in Vail if they wanted to; plenty vistors do - judging mostly by the number of fur shops in the village - it's also possible to ski Vail on a budget. A single day lift ticket to Vail will cost about $90, but if you look online there are deals on multi-day passes. A quick search on ebay will also bring up numerous options for Vail lift tickets at a discount. Got great social skills? Make friends with the locals, many of whom can get buddy passes for about half off.
Hotels in the village can easily cost $200-$300 or more for a night, but with a little effort you can find good package deals combining lift tickets and lodging. If traveling with a group, consider renting a condo, where the $300 per night isn't bad split between several friends. If you're willing to stay somewhere a few miles away, even better prices on rental condos can be found, and the shuttle bus around Vail is efficient and free.
If you're not too tired from a long day of shredding, there are many evening activities to keep you busy. Vail is home to numerous excellent and upscale restaurants as well as semi-cheap pizza and sandwich joints, a testament to the diverse crowd that flock to the ski resort. Refined, upper-class skiers and hip snowboarders can be found elbow-to-elbow at the bar chugging a beer after a long, glorious day on the mountain.
Many excellent musicians also come to Vail during the winter. Street Beat brings a free show right into Vail Village six Wednesday nights this year, and a lot of fun can be had dancing to live music in the street with a beer in your hand, even if it's 5 degrees out. No worries if it's snowing, because the village's streets and sidewalks are heated, so unless it's due to inebriation, you're unlikely to slip and fall. When spring arrives and the crowds are thinner, Vail hosts spring concerts to entice visitors, and last year's outdoor performance by Grammy-nominated reggae group Third World was amazing.
This real travel advice was contributed by Alahan Sivam.