Thursday Night: Vail
There are few places as beautiful as Vail village at sunset (Photo: Brent Flanders/Flickr)
Ah, Thursday night — the only truly social night of the week. It’s the night when babysitters are booked, friends convene, and drinks are imbibed. There are no family obligations to fulfill, no amateurish weekend crowds to elbow through — and the possibilities are endless. The night starts after work and ends whenever you want. In any city. All over the world. This week, we give you Thursday Night: Vail, Colo.
5 p.m.
If this were winter, you’d already be at après-ski by now. But since it’s summer and this is a mountain town, why not brush up on your whitewater kayaking skills with a clinic at Alpine Quest Sports. Expert river guides will provide the equipment (kayak, skirt, paddle) and teach you whitewater basics — like how to make a wet exit — in a calm, manmade lake with views of the Vail Valley. It’s the perfect way to unleash your inner Meryl Streep from “The River Wild.” Just prepare to get wet!
Get your endorphins up before you hit the town. (Photo: Alpine Quest Sports)
Alternate Plan: Not a river rat? There are plenty of easy-to-access hikes right in town. And with Vail Mountain’s extended gondola hours every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (till 9 p.m.), you can turn a butt-kicking hike like Berrypicker into a chill one-way journey.
The view form the Alpine Gondola makes the hike completely worth it. (Photo: Brendan Loy/Flickr)
6 p.m.
The sound of scraping ice is replaced with the sweet rifts of jazz every Thursday night through Aug. 28 thanks to the Vail Jazz Foundation’s Jazz @ Vail Square. Over what acts as Lionshead’s ice skating rink in winter is a tented performance area, so late-afternoon rains won’t spoil this party, which features some of the hottest up-and-comers in the world of modern jazz. Make it a dinner date while you’re at it; casual Blue Moose Pizza and Tavern on the Square will serve you creative American fare (The bacon-wrapped pork belly with quail egg and corn pancakes are a must!) with a prime view of the act.
This town has got so much more to offer than snow. (Photo: Facebook)
7:30 p.m.
The recently renovated Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater just beyond Vail Village plays host to A-list talent from around the world all summer long. The two-month classical music festival, Bravo! Vail, just came to a close after a week-long residency by the New York Philharmonic. Filling its shoes through Aug. 9 is the Vail International Dance Festival, which under the direction of Damian Woetzel, features two weeks of thrilling performances starring the likes of Tiler Peck, Wendy Whelan, and Lil Buck. While you aren’t allowed to bring your own alcohol into the theater, packaged foods and sealed drinks are fair game. And the full bar inside the facility will satiate any refined mountain picnic you set up on the lawn.
9:30 p.m.
After the concert, wind your way along the Gore Creek until you hit Vail’s unofficial town center, the plaza in front of the Solaris residences. There, you’ll find bōl, the hip bowling-alley-slash-bar-slash-restaurant. Grab some duck buns or just knock back a few creative summer cocktails while knocking down a few pins. On a budget? You can’t beat The George’s $4.50 cocktails (including top shelf!) until 10 p.m. The subterranean bar might not be much to look at, but it’s a true dive complete with pool tables, video games, and a rowdy local crowd.
We all know that bowling alleys are the new bars. (Photo: Bol)
11 p.m.
You’ve had enough of jazz and dance for one night. It’s time to kick things up a notch with some classic rock covers at live-music joint Shakedown Bar. The underground après joint is home to local acts as well as a rockin’ house band known to get the 190-person venue on its feet. Do a celebratory shot of Fireball Whiskey (a local addiction) before getting an earful from the 20-year-old lifties, Mexico City housewives, and retired ski bums that populate the dance floor.
More fun than a double black diamond. (Photo: Shakedown Bar)
Midnight
For longtime visitors and residents, a night on the town isn’t complete without a beer and a slice at Vendetta’s. The recently expanded Bridge Street joint has a large back deck and serves a wide selection of hangover-preventing pies until 2 a.m. If you can wave down the surly waitresses, be sure to go for the W.V.A., a mouthwatering combination of basil pesto, grilled chicken, garlic, roma tomatoes, and artichoke hearts that’s especially good after a few too many.
Get something in your belly before the night is through. (Photo: Vendetta’s/Facebook)
WATCH: Vail in Winter
Benjamin Solomon is the winner of America’s Best Summer Job, a 10-week, all-expenses paid summer job exploring what summer in the Vail Valley has to offer. A freelance writer based in New York, Benjamin has contributed to publications such as Vanity Fair, New York, Travel + Leisure, and is the former editor of Next Magazine. Follow his journey on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #VailBen.
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