The New Vail, Colorado

1. The Arrabelle at Vail Square European style is captured at this elegant RockResorts hotel, situated in the new Vail Square at Lionshead Village. Stay in one of 62 thoughtfully appointed rooms and suites, all with balconies and fireplaces. Check in with your personal concierge for treatments at the 10,000-square-foot spa, or dinner at Centre V Brasserie. Après sport, the Tavern on the Square is the place to be. arrabelle.rockresorts.com, 866-662-7625

2. Cogswell Gallery Located in the heart of Vail Village, this sprawling gallery has something for all tastes. Artistic creations include Western, abstract and figurative paintings, Native American and indigenous art, a major collection of Edward Curtis antique photogravures, multi-media sculptures and handcrafted jewelry from around the world. cogswellgallery.com, 970-476-1769

3. Larkspur After 10 years, this stunning restaurant still shines. From its open kitchen, chef-owner Thomas Salamunovich and executive chef Armando Navarro turn out carnaroli lemon risotto, porcini-dusted sweetbreads, roasted turbot and duck ménage a trois. The 500-label wine list has earned Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence" since year one. larkspurvail.com, 970-754-8050

4. Home Outfitters of Vail Whether you're sprucing up your mountain retreat or your house back home, this savvy shop is up to date with an international collection of furnishings and accessories. Shop for finds like lamps, mirrors and rugs, or go big with selections from the Plaza Collection of sofas, chairs and loveseats. Interior design services, too. homeoutfittersvail.com, 970-476-1320

5. Restaurant Kelly Liken A passion for contemporary fare prepared with locally sourced ingredients has won Kelly Liken (both the restaurant and the chef) national recognition. Seasonal dishes, including potato-crusted trout and grilled Colorado rack of lamb, pair perfectly with a winning wine list (which includes 30 by-the-glass selections). kellyliken.com, 970-479-0175

6. Spa Culture Kick back and treat your body, mind and spirit to a Mountain Wildflower body treatment at the RockResorts Spa at the Arrabelle (arrabelle.rockresorts.com), an aromatic Coffee and Sea Kelp Contour Body Scrub at The Spa at Vail Mountain Lodge (vailmountainlodge.com), a Rocky Mountain Radiance facial at the Sonnenalp Spa (sonnenalp.com), or a Rejuvenating Mud Wrap at the Aria Spa in the Vail Cascade Resort (vailcascade.com).

7. Adventure Ridge At the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, this mountain playground is a super starting point for sports like mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding on Vail Mountain. It's also tops for quaffing a brew at Talon's Deck, a round of disk golf, or simply taking in the view (especially at sunset when Twilight Rides on the gondola are free). vail.com

8.  Four Seasons Resort Vail Like icing on the cake, this luxe resort (a combination of 121 hotel rooms, 19 designer residences and 16 condominiums) is poised to sweeten any visit to Vail. Grand views of Vail Mountain, a full-service spa, fine dining at Flame restaurant and a 75-foot outdoor lap pool are irresistible.
fourseasons.com/ownvail, 877-748-8245  

TOP 10 PICKS

1. Bond with Mother Nature. Stroll or jog along Gore Creek via the meandering Vail recreation path. Hit a hiking or mountain biking trail. Cast a fly on a river or creek. Swing a club at the Vail Golf Club (vailgolfclub.net). Hobnob with some early season wildflowers.

2. Pack a picnic, grab a sweet or savory crepe, sip a latte, snack on a pizza, burrito or hoagie, pick up a magazine, slurp a gelato, sip a glass of wine, stop in for a cocktail, or stock up on gourmet groceries for your condo at the Marketplace on Meadow Drive. marketplaceonmeadowdrive.com

3. Visit the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum and Gift Shop in Vail Village, where you can explore 50 years of skiing history, learn about ski pioneers and check out lots of cool ski garb and gear. Special exhibits, too. skimuseum.net

4. Get in some good shopping time perusing myriad sports shops, galleries, boutiques and more in charming Vail Village, Vail Square in the new Lionshead, and in some of the newer hotels and resorts.

5. Plan your own personal dine-around. Stop at Terra Bistro (vailmountainlodge.com) for "Appy Hour," tiny Osaki's (970-476-0977) for sushi, La Bottega (labottegavail.com) for panini, Swiss Chalet RestaurantMoe's Original BBQ (moesoriginalbbq.com) for smoky chicken and ribs, and La Tour (latour-vail.com) for creme brulèe. (sonnenalp.com) for fondue,

6. Scout around Vail's outer neighborhoods. Highlights include the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa (vailcascade.com) in Cascade Village, Donovan Park in West Vail, and the Gerald R. Ford AmphitheaterBetty Ford Alpine Gardens (bettyfordalpinegardens.org) on the way to East Vail. (vvf.org) and

7. Pick up some early season produce and chat up the many local vendors at the Vail Farmer's Market and Art Show on Meadow Drive. Held every Sunday from late June through September, the market is one of the largest in the state. meadowdrivevail.com

8. Indulge in a high-rise dining experience, Vail style, at the gorgeous Game Creek Club restaurant atop Vail Mountain. The gondola will whisk you up for a prix-fixe menu (think beef short ribs braised in red wine), and there's a special sunset menu, too. Thursdays-Saturdays, starting in late June. gamecreekclub.com

9. Capture some culture. Beginning in June, highlight events include Hot Summer Nights (free Tuesday night concerts at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater) and BRAVO! Vail Valley Music Festival at various venues around town. vvf.org; vailmusicfestival.org

10. Plan a return visit, including a stay at one of several high-end accommodations scheduled to open over the summer. Top picks include Four Seasons Resort Vail (fourseasons.com), The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail (ritzcarlton.com), and Solaris Residences (solarisvail.com), which is touted as the new center of Vail Village.