Last Updated on April 11, 2024 by Usama
Plan on visiting one of the largest single-mountain ski resorts in the United States? Offering 195 trails and over 30 lifts, Vail Ski Resort is a perfect place for all skiers in Colorado. It provides many accommodation and parking options, and Parking Access will help you find the most convenient parking spot. Go through our guide to learn all about season passes, Vail parking lots, hotels, and transportation. Use the information and tips to have a fun and stress-free experience!
Vail Season Passes
The price of your ski pass will depend on the number of days you plan to spend at Vail. Epic Day Pass is available for up to seven days and allows access to all resorts—check out its online prices:
| Number of Days | Online Price per Day |
| 1 day | $89 |
| 2 days | $88 |
| 3 days | $86 |
| 4 days | $83 |
| 5 days | $81 |
| 6 days | $79 |
| 7 days | $77 |
Alternatively, you can purchase Epic Local Pass for the entire season at an online price of $599. Epic Pass includes all resorts and holiday access, and it costs $799 on the official website.
Vail Ski Resort Parking Options
The resort offers a variety of public parking facilities—some of them are owned by the Town of Vail, while other parking structures are privately owned. The most popular paid parking garages are provided by Vail Village and Lionshead, but you can also park at Red Sandstone Park, Donovan Park, Ford Park, etc. The rates vary based on the facility and the season, and we listed the price lists for both winter and summer periods. Whenever you go, pay attention to the advertised rates before entering any parking garage.
Winter Parking: Vail Village & Lionshead Parking
The Lionshead and Vail Village parking garages provide 1800 covered parking spots close to the Gondola One, Eagle Bahn Gondola, and Riva Bahn ski lift. Season parking passes are available for residents and employees starting at $200. For the general public, the first two hours are free of charge, and here are the short-term parking rates:
| Duration | Parking Rate |
| 2-3 hours | $10 |
| 3-4 hours | $20 |
| 4-15 hours | $30 |
| 15-24 hours | $50 |
Both Vail parking structures accept cash and Visa, Amex, and MasterCard credit cards. Parking services are available around the clock.
Free Parking
Whether you head to the Vail Village or Lionshead parking facility, you can park free of charge if you arrive after 3 PM! Both structures offer complimentary parking for vehicles that enter between 3 PM and 3 AM. Free parking at Vail is also available in several outlying parking lots from 7 AM to 11 PM:
- Red Sandstone Park
- North Frontage Road, across from West Vail Mall
- North Frontage Road, west of West Vail roundabout
- Donovan Park
Shuttle buses regularly operate to and from each parking lot. Buses run every 15 minutes during peak times and every hour during non-peak times.
Vail Parking for Oversized Vehicles
The height restriction is 6’9” in the Vail Village parking garage and 7’ in the Lionshead parking area. If searching for convenient RV parking, and your vehicle doesn’t fit in the garages, head to the Charter Bus Lot located east of the Lionshead garage. This lot offers free parking for charter buses, but a $50 charge applies to RVs and other oversized vehicles.
Summer Parking
Finding a free parking space is much easier during summer! The Vail Village and Lionshead parking areas are accessible at no cost from April to November. As opposed to daily parking, the overnight parking fee in the two garages is $35. Other facilities that offer free spots during the summer months are:
- Red Sandstone Garage Parking at 551 North Frontage Road
- Ford Parking—it’s free during summer peak days but charges $10 for event parking
Oversized vehicle drivers should head to West Vail and park along the south side of the North Frontage Road. Daily parking is free, while overnight parking is available east of the West Vail Mall bus stop:
Vail Hotels With Free Parking
If you wish to stick around for a few days, booking a room in advance is a smart choice. All accommodations offer free parking for their guests, and shuttle buses run throughout the resort, so you don’t have to worry about a thing! We looked into Tripadvisor and Google reviews to single out the top 10 hotels and resorts in Vail:
- Sonnenalp Vail
- Tivoli Lodge
- The Sebastian – Vail
- Grand Hyatt Vail
- Austria Haus Hotel
- Antlers at Vail
- Gravity Haus Vail
- Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail
- Vail Marriott Mountain Resort
- The Arrabelle at Vail Square
Contact any property for reservations or additional information.
Transportation to Vail
The town provides free bus services that connect the Vail Village with East and West Vail. If searching for an intercity transportation option, you have a few options! Epic Mountain Express offers airport shuttle services and private transfers to the Vail area, as well as Premier Mountain Express. They serve both Denver International and Eagle County Airport. Airport passengers should also look into the Eagle Airport Shuttles or Denver Airport Shuttles to compare all the rides in no time! DEN is approximately a two-hour drive from the ski resort, while EGE is less than an hour away.
Vail Parking FAQs
- When in Vail Lionshead parking free?
During winter, the Lionshead parking garage offers complimentary parking for vehicles that enter between 3 PM and 3 AM. During summer, daytime parking is free.
- How can I skip the parking fee at Vail Village?
You can cut your costs by coming to the Vail Village parking facility after 3 PM or using one of the free parking lots, such as Red Sandstone Park and Donovan Park. North Frontage Road also offers complimentary spots.
- Which Vail parking is the closest to the lift?
The Lionshead and Vail Village parking garages are the closest to the Gondola One, Eagle Bahn Gondola, and Riva Bahn ski lift.
- What time does the gondola open in Vail?
The gondola is open from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Parking Access is your ideal travel buddy! Whenever you need a short-term or long-term parking service, we can help you find it at many airports, cruise ports, venues, and other popular locations. In addition to Vail parking information, we offer comprehensive guides to: