Vail, Colorado – April 18, 2024 – Ski season is still going strong in Vail, Colorado with spring temps bringing longer days and softer snow. Just in time for the spring thaw, the internationally known destination has announced exciting “expansion” plans including four new trails launching this week. Vail is inviting guests to discover a tasty new adventure with four new culinary trails featuring special food finds throughout the community. A culinary trail has been designed for each season – spring features foods that melt, summer showcases game, fall harkens back to Vail’s Tyrolean roots and winter is about the most decadent hot chocolate experiences. Visitors can easily navigate the trails on the new DiscoverVail.com interactive map, which also showcases hikes, walks, area restaurants, businesses and more.

Spring: Foods That Melt Trail

Spring is a time of transition as the snow starts to melt and warmer temperatures prevail. Vail restaurants also feature warm, rich options that showcase melted cheese and chocolate or things that melt like ice cream if not consumed quickly! Check out these stops along the Foods That Melt Trail.

• The Swiss Chalet in the Sonnenalp is the epitome of European luxury featuring a selections of delicious cheese fondues. Options include the classic Alper Fondue with Swiss cheese and herbs, Raclette Fondue including fondue and raclette cheese, chive and oil, as well as garlic and herb and truffle champagne selections. And, save room for dessert featuring decadent chocolate fondue and all of the fruit and pastry accompaniments.
• For a different take on melted cheese, stop by La Tour for their signature Truffle French Onion Soup featuring braised beef short rib and truffle cheese gratineed.
• Almresi Vail also features a selection of Kasefondue, which is Resi’s Cheese Fondue infused with Kirschwasser, a tart cherry cooking brandy. Visitors have the option of selecting three additional sides to smother in the melted cheese ranging from dried apples and plumbs to pearl onions and cornichons. Or, choose from Truffel Kasefondue, which is Resi’s traditional cheese fondue enriched with truffles.
• For additional sweet treats, swing by Sundae a small-batch artisan ice cream shop in Vail Village.
• Vendetta’s offers one of the best takes on melted cheese with its popular pizza bar that is a favorite for apres ski and happy hour.

Summer: Game Trail

Wild game such as venison, elk and fowl provide a lean source of protein that can be both healthy and delicious in flavor. According to Dataseential, elk has risen as a menu selection by 115 percent over the last four years, however, in Vail, game options have always been in vogue. Wander into some of these popular restaurants to sample their selections of exotic game.

• The Dining Room at Hotel Gasthof Gramshammer in the heart of Vail Village is where Rack of Caribou and Grilled Venison Loin are popular menu options.
• The Michelin Recommended Sweet Basil also features several game options from appetizers like Venison Tartare and Foie Gras & Rabbit Steamed Bun to the popular Venison Loin entrée with butternut squash pave, picked mustard seeds and huckleberry glace.
• For more than 50 years, The Left Bank has been serving some of the most authentic French food in Vail. Guests can find some unique wild game dishes on the menu including Foie Gras De Canard Poele, which is pan-seared fresh duck liver served with Palisade plum poached in vanilla and rum with a homemade Palisade plum marmalade. For an entrée, the Cotelette De Cerf Aux Champignons is a pan-seared elk chop served with sauteed wild mushrooms, pomme dauphine and sheer reduction.
• A bonus stop on the Wild Game Trail is Vail Chophouse in Lionshead for a very unique appetizer – a Jackalope Bratwurst. This all natural meat is made from pork and rancher raised jack rabbits and antelope giving a Rock Mountain flair to a traditional bratwurst.

Fall: Tyrolean Trail

“Vail seemingly transports visitors back in time as they stroll through the town’s traditional architecture, cobblestone walkways and bridges,” according to a recent article in Travel + Leisure. Inspired by Italian, German, Swiss and Austrian influences, Vail’s design and genuine hospitality come from its roots that date back to World War II. Vail’s founder Pete Siebert was a 10^th Mountain Division soldier during the war and sought to emulate the character and charm on the European locations he experienced. Stroll between these restaurants to sample the authentic flavors and hospitality of Bavaria.

• Almresi’s cuisine if inspired by the Alps and offers an authentic European flare. The restaurant features recipes from the family’s roots in the Black Forest of Germany. This influence can easily be found on the menu with selections such as Resi’s Schnitzel, Schweitzer Rosti and the popular Kaiserschmarrn for dessert.
• Almresi’s sister restaurant Alpenrose provides all of the European inspiration in a more casual setting. Sit on the deck for lunch and enjoy a Bavarian or Austrian beer or opt for a warm Gluhwein Waldertau, a German hot mulled wine. Classic menu selections include Oktoberfest Hax’n crispy pork shank with a fresh baked German pretzel, the Schnitzel “Rockies and Roses” or for dessert a classic Apfelstrudel.
• Pepi’s Bar and Restaurant is owned and managed by one of Vail’s original families who settled in the area from Austria. The outdoor deck at Pepi’s is the place to be seen as it’s at the crossroads of Bridge Street and Gore Creek Drive – the epicenter of Vail Village. The bar and restaurant serves both traditional European and Austrian specialty dishes such as Wienerschnitzel and classic Beef Stroganoff.
• The Blu Cow in the heart of Vail Village on Bridge Street offers the original Swiss hot dog for a quick grab and go option along with homemade soups, cocktails and beer on tap.
• Nearby Gorsuch Ski Café offers Bavarian-inspired bakery items such as oversized pretzels, chocolate hazelnut croissants and warm drinks such as Gluhwein, Café Coretto, crafthouse cocktails and an extensive coffee and espresso menu.
• In addition to the Swiss Chalet, Sonnenalp offers multiple dining experience the enliven the best of Bavaria in all of its restaurants. For the best European breakfast in town, try Ludwig’s Breakfast and for live entertainment and small bites, enjoy the King’s Club and for European pastries and coffee stop by Treff Café.

Winter: Hot Chocolate Trail

The best part about winding down from a day of playing in the snow is hot chocolate. At two of the toniest hotels in Vail even the hot chocolate is an event. Hot chocolate isn’t just for kids in Vail with decadent hotel creations and great slopside servings. During the cold winter months, wander along Vail’s new Hot Chocolate trail to sample these unforgettable selections.

• Sebastian Signature Hot Chocolate at The Sebastian-Vail features gourmet flavors enlightening the souls of chocolate lovers everywhere. The signature hot chocolate is a delectable concoction that starts with Valrhona chocolate molded into spheres filled with house-made Baileys Irish Cream marshmallows, white chocolate, dulce chocolate and dark chocolate crunch pearls. The experience begins with a tableside presentation. The sphere, sprinkled with edible gold dust, is brought to the table in a tall glass mug. The hot chocolate, also house-made with two types of dark chocolate, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves, is then poured from a teapot, igniting the aroma of sweet spices and cocoa as the ingredients melt together. It can then be kicked up a notch with Baileys, Rumple Minze, or butterscotch schnapps.
• The Four Seasons Vail’s famous Haute Chocolate at Remedy is served in a coffee cup capped with latticework of hand-spun dark chocolate and a marshmallow cube. A traditional French chocolate pot is serviced on a silver platter with a mixture of Valrhona chocolate and hot steamed milk poured over the marshmallow, which also melts the chocolate lattice. Add a dollop of whipped cream and add some chocolate shavings or a shot of alcohol.
• For the best in slopeside hot chocolate, swing by Gorsuch Café in Vail Village or Rimini Gelato & Chocolate in Lionshead.

All of the restaurants along Vail’s culinary trails can be found on the new interactive map at DiscoverVail.com. Explore the new tool to find local businesses, restaurants, hiking trails as well as new and unique destination experiences.

There’s no place like Vail for year-round recreation, outdoor pursuits and cultural experiences in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. Nestled at the foot of Vail Mountain just two hours west of Denver, Vail’s fresh air, rugged beauty and charming pedestrian villages await visitors. Discover quaint Bavarian villages where outdoor activities abound and the performing arts flourish. Matching the incredible winter mountain experience, Vail from May through October is characterized by a rich culinary scene, family activities, world-class events and everything in between.

For more information on the destination’s year-round visitor experience, lodging and more, please visit DiscoverVail.com.

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Media Contacts: Kristin Yantis or Amanda McNally, Malen Yantis Public Relations,

[email protected], (970) 949-7919