Hidden Gems Near Vail That Only Locals Know | Minturn Whisky Co.
Minturn Whisky Co. — Local’s Guide
Hidden Gems Near Vail That Only Locals Know
We’re not travel bloggers. We’re the people who live here, work here, and pour whisky in a 160-square-foot tasting room in a town most people drive right past. These are the spots we actually send our friends to — the trails, the tables, and the little discoveries that make the Vail Valley feel like yours. Consider it our welcome dram.
Showing all 12 gems
0110 min from Vail
The Wee Dram, Minturn
Whisky TastingLocal Institution161 Main St, Minturn
The Wee Dram is aptly named — it is, as far as we know, the smallest whisky tasting room in the country, with just 8 to 10 seats. Here you’ll taste small-batch whiskies made locally with water from the nearby Mount of the Holy Cross Wilderness, often with the owners nearby sharing the story behind each pour. It’s cozy, intimate, and unforgettable. Yes, we know we’re recommending ourselves first. We’re not sorry.
Local tipJust show up. The door’s usually open and we’ll pour you something good. Free tastes, no reservations needed.
Despite its name, this run is actually 3.5 miles. From the Game Creek chairlift, ski down the Game Creek cat track, turn left at the boundary gate, and exit through the backcountry gates into the legendary Minturn Mile — an off-piste trail through forest down to the town of Minturn. Most runs end with a celebratory margarita at the Saloon. In summer it becomes a rugged technical hike. Conditions can be variable: dirt, errant branches, a frozen waterfall, streams, and sometimes more luge track than ski trail. The top powder field and the story you’ll tell afterward make it all worth it.
Local tipDrop a car in Minturn first. The run isn’t marked or patrolled — go with someone who knows the way, or ask around. People are happy to point you in the right direction.
0310 min from Vail
The Minturn Saloon
Historic BarDinnerSince 1901
Constructed in 1901, the Minturn Saloon has always housed a restaurant and bar, and once served as a pool hall, boxing venue, and gambling joint. It became a Vail Valley landmark known for apres-ski margaritas in ski boots after the Minturn Mile, and for being a genuinely great place to bring the whole family. Yes, we’re recommending a bar that isn’t ours. Because the Minturn Saloon is genuinely great and has been part of this town’s soul for decades. It’s rich with history and character — the kind of place where the walls could tell stories that would keep you there all night.
Local tipPark once and do both — start at the Saloon for dinner, walk over to the Wee Dram for a nightcap. That’s a perfect Minturn evening.
Located up scenic Highway 24, this off-grid fine-dining yurt near Leadville is utterly magical. Ski, snowshoe, or hike a mile through quiet forests to reach the Cookhouse, where candlelit tables and multi-course meals await. After dinner, ski back down under the stars — or spend the night in your own private yurt.
Local tipBook on a full moon night if you can possibly arrange it. Skiing back down the mountain by moonlight with a good meal in your memory is one of the most beautiful experiences this valley has to offer. Reserve well in advance — this one fills up fast.
While everyone is paying $300 a day at Vail, locals know about Ski Cooper — a genuine mom-and-pop ski area sitting right next door to all these massive resorts. Uncrowded, unhurried, and as of our last check a day pass runs around $50 – $60. With 2 lifts and 64 trails, it doesn’t have Vail’s vertical drop, but it has something increasingly rare: the feeling of skiing the way it used to be. No lines, no chaos, just mountain and snow and a good time.
Local tipPair a morning at Ski Cooper with dinner at the Tennessee Pass Cookhouse for an unbeatable Leadville day. Check current pricing at skicooper.com as it may have changed.
Leadville hosts one of the most gloriously unhinged events in Colorado every winter: Skijoring. Cowboys on horses tow skiers down downtown’s main street at full gallop while skiers launch off jumps. It is exactly as chaotic and wonderful as it sounds. Leadville has been hosting these competitions since 1949. But even without the event, Leadville itself is worth the trip — a former silver rush boomtown with the historic Tabor Opera House, General Hardware antique store, and the legendary Silver Dollar Saloon (open since 1879). Sitting at the highest elevation of any incorporated city in the U.S., Leadville has real grit and real character.
Local tipSkijoring lasts just one weekend, first full weekend of March, and draws a serious crowd. Get there early for a good spot along the street.
0760 min from Vail
Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Glenwood Springs
Hot SpringsAprès SkiAdults Only Area
Your legs are going to need this. Iron Mountain Hot Springs is a bit of a drive but worth planning a full day around. Multiple small pools at varying temperatures, beautiful views, and poolside cocktails. There’s an adults-only area that is exceptionally civilized. And in winter, there is something deeply satisfying about sitting in a steaming outdoor pool in your bathing suit while snow falls on your face.
Local tipIt’s on the pricier side for a hot springs experience, but the elevated setting and the cocktail service make it worth it. A perfect rest day when your legs are protesting after a big ski week.
Tucked into Minturn’s Main Street is a tiny, authentic record and comic shop that feels like it belongs in a movie about the perfect small town. One of only six Western Colorado independent record stores that participates in Record Store Day — when a line forms down the block. Been in business over 40 years. This isn’t a curated aesthetic — it’s a real shop run by someone who genuinely loves what he sells. It’s the kind of place you wander in for five minutes and come out an hour later holding something you didn’t know you needed.
Local tipStop in after your Wee Dram visit. It’s right there on Main Street and it rounds out a perfect afternoon in Minturn.
09Vail Village
Bart & Yeti’s, Vail Village
Bar FoodLocals HangoutDog Friendly
One of Vail’s iconic local pubs, open for over 38 years in the heart of Lionshead. Small, tucked away, and almost always full of locals. We suggest the green chili and the onion rings. Great apres patio, dog AND kid-friendly. Unpretentious and exactly right.
Local tipOne of the reasons we love them: they are in the process of becoming Actively Green, the Vail Valley’s sustainability certification through the Walking Mountains Science Center — the same program we are members of.
1010 min from Vail
The Lookout Bar, Avon
CocktailsViewsWestin Riverfront
The Lookout Bar at the Westin Riverfront in Avon has what might be the best view of Beaver Creek mountain in the valley. Floor-to-ceiling windows, well-made cocktails, and a vista that earns the drink. It’s elegant without being stuffy and it’s the kind of place you end up staying longer than planned.
Local tipGo at golden hour on a clear day. The light on Beaver Creek at sunset is genuinely stunning and the bar is the perfect place to watch it.
1115 min from Vail
The Free Cookies at Beaver Creek — 3pm Daily
FreeDelightfulDon’t Miss It
Every afternoon at 3pm, Beaver Creek does something that sounds small but becomes a highlight of every trip: they hand out fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies at the base of the mountain. It started decades ago and it has never stopped being wonderful. There is something about cold air, tired legs, ski boots, and a warm cookie that feels like a reward for a life well lived.
Local tipBe at the base of the mountain by 2:55. The line forms fast and the cookies go quickly. This one sounds trivial until you’re standing there eating a warm cookie in the snow and realize it’s the best part of your day.
1215 min from Vail
The Vilar Performing Arts Center, Beaver Creek
Live MusicTheaterSeriously Underrated
Here’s one that genuinely surprises people: Beaver Creek has a world-class performing arts center that hosts major acts and puts on a serious cultural calendar all winter long. The Vilar Center is an intimate, beautifully designed theater — literally built underneath the ice skating rink in Beaver Creek Village. The programming ranges from classical music to big-name touring acts, and the acoustics are remarkable. Most people ski right over it without ever knowing it’s there.
Local tipCheck the calendar before your trip and book in advance. Finding out a show you would have loved happened the week before you arrived is a special kind of heartbreak.
Minturn Whisky Co. is tucked right into the middle of all of this — at 161 Main Street in Minturn, ten minutes from Vail. Free tastes. No reservations. Just show up and we’ll pour you something good. And if you’re not sure which of our whiskies is yours, our quiz will sort that out in six questions.
