Crisp nights, warm days and explosion of gold and yellow everywhere and events each weekend!

That’s not the only reason why September in Vail is the perfect time to visit. Kids are back in school but Vails action continues in September. It’s a festive time for the mountains.

Fall encourages outdoor activities from hiking in the woods, riding up the gondola, sipping cocktails on patios.  September gives you a nudge to enjoy every bit of daylight knowing that not far off in the future winter will arrive.

The sun sparkling off the golden aspens warms everything up and gives you that last touch of the excitement that you are holding onto summer.

Events: Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest usually receives a Black Diamond rating for the event. These weekend events are a jolly outdoor fair packed with Lederhosen and Dirndls to German hats and massive beer mugs.

The aroma of brats and sauerkraut filter through the air and pull you in every direction. The traditional music enhances the festivities making it easy to consume that delicious beer.

The town of Vail has several Oktoberfest in Vail, one in Vail Village and the other in Lionshead.

Mugs are available for purchase, so you feel right at home. Wooden coins will help you fill those mugs aa you munch on foot long brats and turkey legs.

I have my a collection of beer mugs, and I don’t even drink that much beer, but you feel naked without a mug in your hand!

If you are not much of a beer drinker they do have wine and sometimes a weird mixed cocktail, but don’t get too excited about the wine, it’s never really that good.

It’s a festive weekend full of exuberant tourists and locals of all ages. One of the festival highlights is the stein lifting contest happening each evening.

It’s a lot harder than it looks, but if you’ve got some massive core strength and strong arms you might do OK! Keg bowling is good for a few chuckles, and there is live music all day.

You can view the website VAIL OKTOBERFEST to get all of the exact details and the schedule of events and bands.

Weather

The weather is always beautiful at this time of the year that’s why we have a lot of outdoor festivals. The air is cool and crisp. It warms up during the day so you can still hike in shorts, but always have a jacket. Sitting on a deck in the village sipping wine is also a favorite fall activity. It does rain on occasion, and it will cool down considerably that’s why you will need a jacket. However, if you forget yours, there are plenty of sales throughout  Vail so you can get a new jacket.

Fall Colors

September the colors change all month. Aspens being the largest living organism, change color in groves so some groves are gold and some are still green. Adding to the dramatic effect.

A little at a time for the fall colors but when they are peak its breathtaking around Vail. The gold mixed in with evergreen and the sun reflecting off the leaves gives everything an amazing glow.

Hiking, driving and riding the trains around Vail with the peak colors are magnificent.

Vail’s Restaurant Week

Locals look forward to this all summer. It’s our chance to eat at some more fine dining options in Vail without paying full price. For tourists, it’s the perfect time to come up and eat and drink your way through Vail!

Read Why I Love Restaurant Week

2018 Dining at Altitude– that’s the official name will begin on September 28th – October 7th, 2018. I am rating the specials offered for this event with the current information.

The Vail Chamber and Denise Cheng have put together an amazing event this year!  Watch the play by play on these social media options.

Instagram: @livintheblackdiamondlife @visitvail @diningataltitude

Facebook: @livintheblackdiamondlife @diningataltitude @visitvail

Twitter: @diningataltitude @vailchamber

At this time here are the Black Diamond offers. There are other offers, but they fall into the Green Circle and Blue Square Classifications.

Black Diamond Specials for Restaurant Week (dining at altitude):

La Tour: $20.18 on all entrees and 25% off wine.

La Tour is one of the more expensive restaurants in Vail, but they have delicious food, so you are getting excellent value with this special.

La Tour is located in Vail Village right outside the west side of the Vail parking structure.

Mountain Standard:  $20.18 entrees and Alaskan King Crab Legs for Two for $20.18, available all day for lunch and dinner!

Mountain Standard is another of the fine dining options in Vail, so you are getting a good value here as well. They have a large bar area where the locals congregate so it’s often very festive.

Mountain Standard is located in Vail Village along Gore Creek.

Pivot 62: $20.18 for 2 Caesar Salads, 1 Stone Fired Pizza with 2 Red Sangria.

Pivot 62 is one of the newest establishments in Vail, located in the renovated Double Tree hotel in West Vail.

Sweet Basil: The special includes,

• Chef Select 3 Course lunch for $20.18 (daily for lunch service)
• All Dinner Entrees $20.18 (Nightly for dinner service)
• One Dozen Oysters for $20.18- (Available all day for lunch and dinner)

Sweet Basil is located in Vail Village.

Root and Flower: is offering a bottle of prosecco for $20.18, and I know they have good prosecco! Root and Flower is located in Vail Village

Swiss Chalet: $20.18 Specials are

• Wiener Schnitzel – Lightly breaded and pan-fried milk-fed Veal, served with warm potato salad and lingonberries
• Raclette – Swiss Raclette cheese served with a medley of potatoes, asparagus, yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and balsamic mushrooms
• Vegetarisches Rösti –Vegetable and Potato Rösti Topped with Mozzarella Cheese, Ratatouille Vegetables, Arugula Salad, and Balsamic Reduction

The Swiss Chalet is located in the Sonnenalpe Hotel.

Up the Creek: is Offering select entrees for $20.18. Up the Creek is located in Vail Village along Gore Creek.

Terra Bistro: is offering $20.18 on ALL entrees. Terra Bistro is located in Vail Mountain Lodge on the east side of the Vail parking structure.

Vail Chop House: 3-course dinner special that includes Beet salad, Steak Dianne with wild mushroom Marsala and a signature dessert.

Vail Chop House is located in Lionshead right by the main gondola.

Get more details on Dining at Altitude Vail’s Restaurant Week

Vail’s Farmers Market:

Vail continues it’s farmers market until the end of September so you can still get amazing produce and Palisade fruit until then.  There is plenty of food and homemade items for you to look at and enjoy.

Sales and Specials:

Most of the hotels and store are running some amazing sales at this time of the year so you can get prepared for winter or pick up some nice items for next summer.  You also have the opportunity to stay at any one of Vail’s premier properties for reasonable prices.

September is one of the best months to visit Vail from activities to perfect weather along with Hotel specials and sales at most of the shops in Vail.  Come for Oktoberfest or come toward the end of the month for peak colors and restaurant week!

If you have questions feel free to EMAIL ME anytime for any information!