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Are you planning any winter vacations? How about a snowy vacation? I just went to Breckenridge, Colorado for the weekend and it was a winter wonderland. Plus, there’s a direct flight from Austin to Denver on United and then a new bus by United from Denver to Breckenridge so you don’t have a rent a car!

SEE ALSO: Colorado Travel Guide: 5 Days 6 Cities

I was surprised by how cute the town of Breckenridge was – so many restaurants and shops in walking distance and the ski slopes are a quick shuttle ride away. Breckenridge is a quaint mountain town tucked away in the Ten Mile Range and picturesque Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Originally a Victorian mining town, it includes one of the state’s largest National Historic Districts with 249 Historic District structures. Popular activities include rafting, golfing, hiking, fly-fishing, gold panning, kayaking, museum tours, and biking. Here are is my guide to the top things to do in Breckenridge Colorado!


Table of Contents

  • Things to do in Breckenridge, CO
  • Restaurants in Breckenridge, CO
  • Do you need a car in Breckenridge?

    We booked the United bus from Denver Airport to Breckenridge and did not rent a car for this trip. We booked the United bus service when we booked our United airline tickets – it’s an easy add-on. Our checked bags were automatically placed on the bus and waiting for us when we landed in Denver and the bus ride to Breckenridge was so convenient without the stress of having to rent a car and then making that two-hour drive. Plus there’s wifi and a restroom onboard.

    Breckenridge is surprisingly walkable and there are several complimentary shuttle and bus systems.

    How high is Breckenridge?

    Breckenridge is 9,600 feet


    Things to do in Breckenridge, CO

    Breckenridge is a popular destination for skiing but there are also a lot of other things to do in Breckenridge! Breckenridge has approximately 250 historic structures, providing the backdrop for the National Register Historic District. Most of the historic buildings here date from a span of eight decades, beginning with Breckenridge’s settlement in 1860 as a mining town through the shutdown of the last dredge mining operation in 1942.

    Breckenridge Ski Resort is the top attraction here in Breckenridge for skiing and snowboarding. Featuring five peaks that span over 2,900 acres, Breckenridge Ski Resort is one of the most popular ski resorts in all of Colorado. It was the first ski resort in Colorado to allow snowboarders access as they hosted the World Snowboard Championship in 1986. Since then, it has become the go-to for snowboarding and freestyle riding, offering an incredible experience for terrain park riders.

    Breckenridge Ski Resort has 34 lift chairs and 187 trails for riders of all experience levels with green, blue, and black runs. The slopes are open for the season with a brand-new chairlift so you can experience the wide-open and rolling terrain of Peak 7 and carve a path down and across the ski area’s expansive peaks.

    Breckendrige ski peaks:

    You can rent ski equipment at Breckenridge Ski Resort or from the following spots:

    1599 Ski Hill Rd, breckenridge.com

    Main Street has over 200 shops and 80 dining options – we enjoyed walking up and down the street!There’s also the Breck Free Ride trolley bus if you need a ride. Stop by the Welcome Center for a self-guided walking tour, or sign up for one of the many historic tours offered by the Breckenridge Tourism Center.

    11 Best Things To Do In Breckenridge Colorado

    Experience the history of Breckenridge through a self-guided historic walking tour:

    For the best view of Breckenridge, you have to ride the BreckConnect gondola, and it’s free! The gondola takes you from Breckenridge to Peak 7 and 8 with beautiful views of the mountain.

    Winter 2021 – 2022 season hours: 9am – 4pm

    170 Watson Avenue, breckenridgeresortmanagers.com/breckenridge-gondola

    Soaking in a hot tub while surrounded by snow is my favorite winter activity. We soaked in the outdoor hot tubs here at the Residence Inn by Marriott Breckenridge with a view of Colorado Mountain but there are several hot tub options in Breckenridge.

    All you need is a snowy hill and a sled, which the local stores sell.

    Dog sledding starts closer to the end of Nov and early December. We really wanted to go dog sledding but it wasn’t avalable on early Nov but we’ll have to come back!

    Tubing but on snow is a popular winter activity in Breckenridge. A couple of tubing hills include:

    There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline-fueled experience of riding on a 150-horsepower open sleigh.

    Another way to see Summit County is by fat bike – you can explore groomed trails at Nordic centers as well as designed snowshow/XC ski trails in White River National Forest. Fat biking is quite the workout even compared to XC skiing and fat biking lets you explore further into the wilderness because of the speed of travel.

    Imagine a romantic sleigh ride with snow fluttering down while sipping on hot cocoa.

    Cross country skiing is another great way to explore the beautiful nature of Summit County. Anything you can explore with snowshoes in Summit, you can also explore on skis.

    Located just a few minutes from downtown Breckenridge and easily accessible by the Free Ski and Ride shuttles, the Breckenridge Nordic Center has over 2,000 acres of forest and over 20 miles of groomed trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. You can rent equipment at the center and there’s a bar and family lounge area with happy hour daily and live music every Saturday night.

    9 Grandview Dr, breckenridgenordic.com

    Breckenridge Distillery is known as the “World’s Highest Distillery” having won a multitude of awards for their whiskeys, vodka and spirits. Distillery tours are offered seven days a week and there is also a complimentary tasting tour where you can try two of the spirits for free.

    The Distillery’s daily Texas-style BBQ lunch features baby back ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, smoked prime rib, smoked chicken, and BBQ combo platters. Served daily from 11am to 2pm.

    1925 Airport Rd, Breckenridge, CO, breckenridgedistillery.com

    There are hundreds of hiking trails around Breckenridge:

    Bikers and mountain bikers can take to the mountains or on more than 200 miles of off-road paths or take it easy on more than 40 miles of paved bike paths.

    Biking trails:

    Breckenridge’s International Snow Sculpture Championships (Mon, Jan 24, 2022 – Wed, Feb 2, 2022) is a world-renowned snow sculpting competition where 12 teams from around the world descend on Breckenridge, Colorado to hand-carve 20-ton blocks of snow into enormous, intricate works of art. Artists are only allowed to use hand tools, creativity, and inspiration to bring their ideas to life. No power tools allowed! Teams sculpt countless hours across five days (totaling around 96 hours), resulting in a temporary outdoor art gallery in historic downtown Breckenridge.

    gobreck.com/event/international-snow-sculpture-championships

    Other winter activities in Breckenridge

    Summer activities in Breckenridge


    Restaurants in Breckenridge, CO

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