Colorado

A recent cover story for the Vail Trail Weekly caught my eye.  The article entitled “Flashy vs. Frugal” compares the prices of vacationing in the Vail area and makes a big case for a product like ours.  The Vail Trail reports that a no limits trip to Vail for two adults and two children will cost $100,988. for one week.  OK, they included a shopping budget of $60,000 to buy a Russian Lynx Fur coat but even when you subtract out the fur it still tops $40,000 for one vacation.  No wonder I feel like a pauper every time we travel to the area. 

Obviously, the super rich are not the typical Sundance clients.  I was very interested in the frugal side of the article.  The budget trip was $3,620 and included lodging for seven nights at Park Meadows Lodge at $140 per night.  The article referred to a “room” and pictured the budget travelers at a Safeway grocery store filling up a bowl of hot chili.  The total included $100 per day for groceries and $1,940 for lift tickets.

Even Sundance Vacations’ clients can’t escape the price of lift tickets.  We maintain several home properties in Winter Park, Colorado (not Vail) for skiing aficionados.  Our clients aren’t forced into a hotel room, where they utilize the hotel lobby as their living room and the local Safeway as their kitchen.  And we can certainly compete on price. 

Spring skiing is an amazing experience-it’s warm and sunny and almost has a summer beach party feel.  Bands and musicians are playing in the village while skiers and boarders hit the slopes in sweaters (if that much).  Check with the ski area for the season closing date – it may not be too late to grab an excess inventory week.  That price would blow the Vail Trail Weekly budget traveler away!

-Tina Dowd