I'm trying to plan a trip to Vail, I have some free airline tickets but it only gets me to denver. How is the drive into vail if I rented an SUV? What are chain requirements like out there? TIA!

If the weather is ok its cake. if the weather goes bad traffic usually piles up. try to drive to vail late morning/ midday. its best to make the trip to and from at a time when people are driving up to the mtns to go ski or are coming back at the end of the day or end of the weekend.

If you are staying in Vail *shudders at the thought of paying for that* just take one of the ski shuttle services to and from otherwise yeah, try to not drive out there when people are heading to the mountain or drive back when people are going home and the drive is entirely decent.

Is there anywhere that rents like foresters or outbacks? I really don't like driving SUV's.

Oh yeah, what's close enough to vail to be shuttled into the resort without staying in vail?

vails kinda up there. really cheap lodgin can be found in frisco area but its at least 30 min to vail from there. your best bet is to find a condo in east vail. as for renting a forester or outback....i couldnt tell ya i have my own suby to drive around the mtns. vails public transportation is actually pretty good.

Try to go during the week if at all possible. Weekend ski traffic can be awful, esp if the weather is bad. As far as I know there are no chain laws for non-copmmercial vehicles. I go to Copper Mtn (about 20 min away from Vail) all the time and have no problems with decent snow tires and awd.
I know that some place at DIA rents foresters, a buddy of mine rented one last winter. Have fun.

Thanks guys for all the info. Can't wait. Any tips are appreciated.

Denver to Vail is no problem, weather permitting.

For example, I wouldn't want to drive there today :lol:

Don't know about foresters or outbacks but there are plenty of companies that rent subies, esp. legacies. Enterprise for instance I am pretty sure rents legacies...

Hertz rents Outbacks in Arizona. I'd imagine they have them at DIA as well.

Hertz rents Outbacks in Arizona. I'd imagine they have them at DIA as well.

I can confirm this, but you have to act fast as they get reserved fairly early.