As many of you know, watching Hallmark movies around the winter holidays is a MUST. That is why we at American Ski Exchange were elated when a Hallmark movie was filmed in our hometown of Vail – just steps from our ski shop! Yes, “Mean Girls’” Lacey Chabert and her love interest in the movie – Tyler Hynes – graced our very streets! After watching the movie, however, we did notice a few discrepancies. Being the super sleuths that we are, we took note of sayings and scenery that may or may not be “Vail.” Below is a true or false guide to Hallmark’s movie, Winter in Vail:
1) TRUE: The opening scenes of the movie highlight aerial views of Vail Village
The aerial scenes of the iconic covered bridge and bell tower are distinctly Vail Village.
2) TRUE: You cannot park on Main Street in Vail Village unless you are unloading your vehicle
In one of the opening scenes of the movie, Lacey is told that she cannot park on Main Street in Vail Village by Tyler. It’s true! Main Street is reserved for pedestrians/skiers only. The only time you will see trucks parked there are for food deliveries to the many restaurants or merchandise to the ski shops (like ours).
3) FALSE: There is an Edelweiss Mountain Top Restaurant in Vail
There are a number of incredible restaurants and stores in Vail. Some are still family owned businesses – like American Ski Exchange (since 1986). However, the Edelweiss Mountain Top Restaurant is not one of them. The building of that restaurant is also not located in town. It must have been filmed, like the rest of the movie, in Alberta, Canada.
Photo Credit: https://triumphmountainproperties.com/neighborhood/vailvillage/
3) FALSE: There is an Edelweiss Mountain Top Restaurant in Vail
There are a number of incredible restaurants and stores in Vail. Some are still family owned businesses – like American Ski Exchange (since 1986). However, the Edelweiss Mountain Top Restaurant is not one of them. The building of that restaurant is also not located in town. It must have been filmed, like the rest of the movie, in Alberta, Canada.
(from the movie)
4) FALSE: There is an annual Strudel Festival
Unfortunately, there is not an annual Strudel Festival in Vail. However, we do have an annual Oktoberfest celebration. What European modeled ski village doesn’t? You can always find delicious apple strudel here!
Oktoberfest has already been scheduled for September 2021. Grab your Lederhosen or Dirndl and get drinking! Oktoberfest: https://www.oktoberfestvail.com/home2
There are also a number of European restaurants that serve incredible apple strudel on the regular. Check out our American Ski Exchange article on the Best Places for European Cuisine in Vail (and where to find the best apple strudel).
Ask A Local: Best Places for European Cuisine
Pepi’s Restaurant and Bar: https://pepis.com/pepis-restaurant-andbar/
5) TRUE: “It is a small town and everything is not far away.” There is an East Vail, West Vail, Lionshead, and Vail Village.
Our town may be little, but it offers A LOT. It is our playground in the winter for skiing/snowboarding and summer for hiking/biking/fishing. Even though she is little, she is mighty!
6) TRUE: Many of us have more than 1 job in town.
If you ask anyone in town what they do for a living, chances are they have more than one job. Several people have a 9am-5pm job, and then work in hospitality in the evenings or on weekends. We stay pretty busy up here in the mountains!
Patek Philippe Celestia (puretime replicas)l: A masterpiece of horology, blending intricate complications with celestial elegance for a truly mesmerizing timepiece experience.
7) FALSE: We have horse drawn carriages for tourists in Vail Village It would be romantic, but oh, so messy. The scene of Lacey and Tyler having an evening horse-drawn carriage ride was not filmed in Vail Village. That was definitely filmed in Canada. Our streets are reserved for pedestrians only.
8) FALSE: Vail has brightly colored gondola cars
The gondola cars that were filmed in the movie are NOT ours. They were brightly colored, and ours are distinctly silver.
9) TRUE: There is snow tubing at the top of Vail Mountain
Eagle’s Nest Tubing
Hallmark movie, “Winter in Vail”
At the top of Lionshead Gondola – on Vail Mountain – is Adventure Ridge. This is where we race down the mountain in the cold, frosty air on inner tubes. However, this is NOT the location where Lacey and Tyler snow tubed in the movie. Although we do offer that
here, that scene was definitely also filmed in Canada. We can tell based on the mountain scenery. Either way, snow tubing in the mountains is a BLAST!
10) TRUE: Vail has beautiful Ice Skating Rinks
In the movie, Lacey and Tyler ice skate at the Alderhof Ice Rink in Lionshead Village. If you look closely, you can spot several of the local businesses around the ice skating rink in the scene – The Blue Moose (a local pizza joint) and Rimini (a coffee and gelato cafe).
arrabelle-at-vail-square-vail
11) TRUE: We make incredible Hot Chocolate in Vail
Lacey makes several comments about how wonderful the hot chocolate is in Vail. When she returns to the city, she is nostalgic for one of our signature hot chocolates. She is not wrong! Check out our American Ski Exchange article on Best Hot Chocolate in Vail:
Ask A Local: Best Hot Chocolate in Vail
12) TRUE: We do LOVE to ski – whether that is Downhill or Nordic skiing. If one thing is accurate in this movie, it is the statement that Vail locals LOVE to ski! In fact, it is what Vail is known for! So on your next ski/snowboarding vacation in Vail, make sure to head over to our ski shop – American Ski Exchange – for your ski/snowboard rentals. We also carry a variety of ski/snowboard clothing and accessories that will have you looking like a Vail local! Come spend a Winter in Vail with us!