Free Activities in Vail & Beaver Creek

Art & Nature:

  • Wednesday Art Walks: A free hour long walking tour of Vail's public art collection meets at the Vail Village Visitor Information Center on the top level of the parking structure. The tour then winds its way through the Village with discussions of master planning and the importance of site specific commissioned art in creating the charm of the village. Visit Art in Vail or call 970-479-2344 for more details.

  • Guided Nature Walks: Nature Discovery Center: Located in an all-seasons yurt adjacent to the Eagle Bahn Gondola atop Vail Mountain. Join Walking Mountains Science Center on a morning or afternoon nature walk and discover how plants and animals adapt to the high elevation environment as you identify signs of life on Vail Mountain. For more information, please call 970-754-4675.

  • Creekside Nature Tours: Sundays, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm: Depart from the Vail Farmers' Market. Join the Nature Center for a casual stroll along Vail's stream-side paths. Tours depart from the Vail Nature Center booth at the Vail Farmers Market Sundays throughout the summer. No reservations required.

  • Vail Nature Center: Nestled along the banks of Gore Creek, this 7 acres forest, meadow and stream are a delight and peaceful place known by many locals and visitors as their favorite place in Vail. Explore or take in one of the educational programs offered. For more information, please call 970-479-2291 or visit online.

  • Betty Ford Alpine Gardens: The highest botanical gardens in the world with a unique collection of alpine, sub-alpine and other mountain plants and flowers. Open from dawn to dusk daily through September with tours, children's programs and many other daily activities. For more information, please call 970-476-0103 or visit online.

    • Family & Kids Activities:
  • Family Saturday Afternoon Club: The Family Saturday Afternoon Club includes a variety of activities including a "Kids' Fun Zone & Crafts Center." This area also features an incredible array of special activities including face-painting, a Hula Hoop Zone, a 60 ft. inflatable obstacle course, the awesome Blue Moose Pizza Dough Tossing Contest, and a family "Water Balloon Toss of Death" Contest. Each week at the "Kids' Discovery Zone" will feature a special theme with visits by experts like the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, The Denver Butterfly Pavilion and a special "Green Planet Kids Expo" presented in partnership with the Town of Vail Environmental Sustainability Department.

  • Family Fun Ride: Looking for something to do with the entire family? Vail Sports invites you to participate in our FREE Family Fun Rides daily from Memorial Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Experience Vail like never before with our one-hour guided ride through LionsHead Village, Vail Village, and Golden Peak. You may bring your own bike or rent a bike with us. For more information, please contact Vail Sports at 970-476-3600 or visit online.

  • Town Parks: Ford Park, Pirateship Park, Donovan Park, Bighorn Park- each is different. Check them all out to bring a smile to the kiddo's faces! There's no better place to just relax and enjoy your surroundings than Vail- with benches and beautiful sitting areas all around to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the summer time flowers and surrounding landscapes. You may even happen upon one of our FREE street entertainers as you relax and enjoy. And be sure to take in the many fountains and water features throughout Vail Village.

  • Vail Library: Story Time every Tuesday and Wednesday. Kids love story time and arts & crafts. Toddler Story Time (ages 18-30 months) is from 10 - 11 am and Preschool Story Time (ages 2-5 yrs.) is from 11 am-12 pm.

    • Music & Dance:
  • Bud Light Hot Summer Nights Concert Series: Tuesdays, June 11, 18, 25; July 2, 9, 16, 23 (Shows start at 6:30 pm). This annual free summer concert series is hosted at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater Tuesday evenings throughout the summer months. With shows ranging from rock to country to bluegrass to funk and beyond, the Bud Light Hot Summer Nights has become synonymous with summer for locals and visitors alike. Throngs of music lovers gather at the Amphitheater each week to enjoy sunshine, picnics, friends and incredible free music. Full schedule TBA visit online

  • Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) atop Vail Mountain: Guests and locals alike kick off the weekend with Vail's Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) at Adventure Ridge, high atop Vail Mountain. FAC on the Talon's Deck features the best views in the valley with amazing sunsets, free live music and activities, food and drink specials, and more. Full schedule TBA visit online

  • Jazz at Vail Farmers' Market: Sundays, June 23 - August 25, 12 - 3 pm. Jazz at the Market presents ten free outdoor concerts featuring local and regionally-based jazz talent at the Vail Farmers' Market. The jazz concerts are a natural complement to the fabulous shopping and wonderful food for which the casual outdoor market is known. Covered seating is available, so stop by and enjoy refreshing jazz!

  • Jazz at Vail Square: Thursdays, July 4 - August 29, 6 -8 pm. Jazz @ Vail Square returns to Lionshead for shows outside the Arrabelle in Vail. Presented in a tented venue seating 300+, this dynamic concert series features national jazz artists with styles ranging from Swing to straight ahead, Latin Jazz to the American Songbook. Whether you enjoy the show from a seat in a nearby restaurant, or from the the tent with a cocktail, Jazz @ Vail Square creates intimate jazz experiences that you won’t soon forget.

  • Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum: Located in the upper level of the Vail Village parking structure, learn about the history of Vail, skiing and the 10th Mountain Division with interactive exhibits and more! Visit online

    • Sports & Recreation:
  • Adventure Ridge: Slackline Park, Bocce Ball, Horseshoes, Bean Bag Toss and Dino Dig
    Grab your friends and family and try your luck at horseshoes, bocce ball, bean bag toss or the new slackline park where kids and adults can test their balance at a variety of levels. Children age four and up are invited to dig through sand to uncover dinosaur bones and learn about prehistoric creatures through an educational display. Digging tools and a map are provided. *Lift ticket or pass required for Gondola rides.

  • Hike Vail Mountain: Enjoy spectacular wildflowers and wildlife as you explore the nature and forests of Vail. Pack a picnic and your camera!

  • Vail Recreation District's Summer Running Club: Residents and visitors are encouraged to join the VRD for its free, weekly running club this summer that will lead participants around Vail's scenic recreation paths and mountain trails. For details, email .

  • Fly Fishing Casting Clinics: Gore Creek Fly Fisherman is pleased to offer complimentary daily casting clinics at 10:30 am in Vail Village along the Gore Creek Promenade. The clinics are perfect for those who have never fly fished before and are considering trying the sport. They are also perfect for those just wanting to brush up on their technique. One of our expert staff will lead the demonstration, and he or she will be able to answer any general fly fishing questions. For more information, please call 970-476-3296 or visit online.

  • Vail Recreation Path: The Vail Recreation Path is an affordable way to have fun with your entire family. Located right in the middle of town, the trail winds from West Vail to East Vail and has 1,100 acres of open space available to the public. The path stretches for 15 miles and is surrounded by 350,000 acres of national forest.

  • Vail Skate Park: Head to the Lionshead parking structure and check out Vail's free skate park. Open dawn to dusk daily, the free skate park features a half-pipe, pyramid, multiple ramps, transitions, rails and banks, plus a street course area for younger or less experienced riders.

  • Tennis: Enjoy a free tennis match at the Golden Peak Tennis Courts. Tennis can be played at the courts on a first-come, first-served basis.