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Nestled in the heart of the Colorado Rockies just 8 miles west of Vail lies the deliciously unique village of Beaver Creek. Rich in Bavarian influences, the quaint shops, art galleries and restaurants are meant to evoke the tasteful and historical eloquence of remote European towns…with a few exceptions. Shoppers are pampered by heated walkways and escalators, which explains the Beaver Creek slogan: “Not exactly roughing it.”
Despite its Old World charm, Beaver Creek is actually quite new. Birthed under the vision of Peter Siebert, the founder of Vail, in the mid-1970s, the village of Beaver Creek was originally nothing more than a 2,200-acre blend of meadows, slopes and steep drops. But almost as soon as plans for the resort were in place, Beaver Creek was named a potential site to host the 1976 Winter Olympics. Although the plan for the Olympics never came to fruition, Beaver Creek Mountain continued to flourish, officially opening in 1980.
Its first season, Beaver Creek Resort boasted a mere four chair lifts, a temporary ticket office (in a bubble structure!) and one restaurant. But by 1989, the site played host to the World Ski Championships. Today, more than 25 years later, the world-class ski resort attracts visitors from all over the world. (Of its 16 lifts, 10 are high-speed quad chair lifts.) For the last several years Beaver Creek has hosted the Visa Birds of Prey™ World Cup Downhill Ski race, in which hundreds of athletes compete to be named World Champion.
Known as the cultural center of the Colorado Rockies, Beaver Creek’s Vilar Center for the Arts hosts year-round concerts, Broadway tours, theatre, dance programs and more. At last count, Beaver Creek boasted 24 restaurants, 10 bars/clubs, and 38 shops, galleries and boutiques. Described by residents and visitors alike as “a feast for the eyes, a delight for the senses,” it’s no wonder the resort and village have blossomed into a year-round destination.
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