By Cameron Wacker
Though most people choose to visit ski towns during the winter months, Colorado’s beauty is unmatched in the heat of summer.
My Dad and I horseback riding in Granby, CO
My family and I spent as much time as we could at C Lazy U Ranch this summer, a dude ranch northwest of Denver located in Granby, Colorado. Our days were filled with horseback riding through mountainous trails, ending with nights line dancing under the stars. While we love spending as much time as we can at the ranch, we were excited to go on a day trip to Vail.
We headed to Vail early on a Sunday morning, prepared to make the most of our day. As soon as we got there, we weren’t expecting to find the downtown streets filled with vendors and tents for the Vail Farmers’ Market and Art Show. We spent over an hour exploring each tent, sharing delicious Greek gyros and browsing handmade jewelry. The Farmers’ Market is every Sunday in Vail until October 6th— a must-do activity!
After perusing the market, we headed to Pepi’s Restaurant and Bar, our favorite spot to enjoy people watching and Austrian cuisine.
Pepi’s Restaurant and Bar exterior
My dad started going to Vail every year with his family in 1967, staying at the Gasthof Gramshammer hotel which houses Pepi’s Restaurant. As a kid, my dad became close friends with Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer, the Austrian owners of the hotel and one of Vail’s founding couples. While Pepi died just over five years ago, he is celebrated as the Austrian national champion of skiing and lives on in the hearts of his family and Vail locals. Enjoying Pepi’s famous Hungarian veal goulash and wiener schnitzel brings my dad back to his childhood memories in Vail, and never fails to be our favorite meal when visiting.
We then headed to some of the best local shops, including Kemo Sabe, Axel’s, and Gorsuch— the western fashion and skiing classics are always fun to browse.
Beautiful architecture and decoration of Axel’s store
The perfect end to our Vail adventure was dinner at the Swiss Chalet, located in the Sonnenalp Hotel. It was our first time trying this spot, and it surely did not fail to impress. This cozy restaurant has floor to ceiling wood paneling, and their staff are each dressed in Swiss Tracht, creating a true Suiza style escape. Most people stop in for their cheese fondue and raclette, and I have no doubt the restaurant is packed with skiers during the winter months.
Swiss Chalet Restaurant interior and Älper fondue dinner
Although people think of places like Vail as winter wonderlands, the summers in these towns are definitely worth visiting!
