Vail is located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It was formerly known as the Gore Creek Valley. Charles Veil was a Chief Engineer of the State of Colorado. Vail Pass was named in his honor after developing the roads connecting Colorado's communities. Resorts were then developed in the area, and it was then named Shining Mountain. Pete Seibert, a war veteran, who helped build Colorado's Camp for wartime ski troopers, thought that the name suggested a mountain with icy slopes. It was then changed to Vail.

Nowadays Vail is popular for its prolific cabins and world-class resorts and known as a top ski destination. It is where the Alpine World Championships were held in 1989 and 1999 which paved the way for its additional popularity on its worldwide. Aside from the sunny ski slopes and tracks, its restaurants, spas, and hotels also became known. President Gerald Ford also became a vacationer here.

Vail has flourished into a world first rate ski resort with a village set on a rugged Rock Mountain.