Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, just 1.5 hours outside of major city Denver, CO, Breckenridge is a charming mountain town with stunning scenery and a vibrant atmosphere. Whether you’ve been skiing for years or are just starting to learn, Breckenridge has something for you.
The Mountain
The ski resort has more than 2,900 acres of skiable terrain, with 34 lifts and over 187 trails. The peak elevation is 12,998 feet offering sweeping views of the Rockies from the top. The mountain is very wide with so much terrain. You can spend days skiing and still not cover it all.
One of the best parts of skiing in Breckenridge is the quality of the snow. The mountain often receives more than 300 inches of snow each year, with many powder days. Since the town and the resort start at a higher elevation than most mountains, the snow tends to be light and fluffy, making for excellent conditions.
If you aren’t a skier or snowboarder, there are also many other types of winter fun to be had in Breckenridge. There’s snowmobiling, ice skating, snowshoeing and snow tubing all nearby!
Where to Buy Lift Tickets
- You can buy lift tickets directly at the mountain, or buy ahead online to save some money!
- If you would like to ski more mountains than Breckenridge, you can buy a multi-day Epic Pass or the Epic Local Pass. This allows you multiple days at Epic resorts, which also includes the nearby mountains Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek.
The Town
The town of Breckenridge is also a highlight, and is one of my favorite places to visit in Colorado. The historic Main Street is lined with restaurants, charming shops, and bars, with many great après options. Breckenridge also has some of the best nightlife options of all the ski towns in Colorado, with popular dance bars like The Gold Pan Saloon and Cecilia’s Nightclub.
Where to Stay
The best lodging options would be a ski-in/ski-out short-term rental or hotel on the mountain. These offer the easiest access to the resort while also remaining an easy to walk to Main Street. Some hotel options are Grand Colorado on Peak 8 and the Grand Timber Lodge. There are also some options on the other side of Main Street that aren’t ski-in/ski-out but are still a close walk to the mountain.
If you’d like a slightly more affordable option, you could look for rentals or hotels in the nearby towns of Frisco or Silverthorne. Both towns are beautiful in their own right and are a short drive to Breckenridge.
How to Get There
The easiest way to get to Breckenridge is to fly into Denver International Airport, rent a car, and drive there. This is about a 1.5 hour drive without traffic, but congestion and weather tends to cause a lot of traffic on the highway, especially on the weekends. So this can easily be a longer drive. I would also recommend renting a 4WD or AWD vehicle as the road can be very icy or snow-filled.
