Breckenridge (Colorado)

Breckenridge is a ski resort and town at the northern tip of the south central region of Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains of the United States of America. It is the prototype of the Western Slope resort cities that have developed following the explosive growth of the ski industry in Colorado.

Get in

By air

International and Domestic flights arrive at Denver International Airport (DEN) 104 miles (166 km) to the east. Domestic and local flights come into the closer Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), 63 miles (102 km), and Colorado Springs Airport (COS) 110 miles (178 km).

Numerous bus and shuttles are available from Denver International Airport.

By car

Breckenridge is located off Highway 9.

From Denver and areas East, take Interstate 70 west to exit 203. Continue south on HWY 9 to Breckenridge.

From Vail and areas West, take Interstate 70 east to exit 203. Continue south on HWY 9 to Breckenridge.

From Fairplay and areas South, take HWY 9 north over Hoosier Pass to Breckenridge.

Get around

• Breckenridge Free Ride, [phone], shuttle stops at the Ice Rink, City Market, Recreation Center, Village and Four O’ Clock Roads, Columbine and Broken Lance Drive and Peak 9. Provides transport between the free carparks.
• Summit Stage, [phone], . Provides Free Bus Service throughout Summit County. Check Website for current schedules.

See

• Ten Mile Range. 
• Historic Main Street. 
• Art Galleries. 
• 14'ers. 
• Mining Ruins. 
• Breckenridge Terrain Park. 
• Imperial Express SuperChair. 
• Lake Dillon. 
• Blue River. 
• Mountain Top Children’s Museum. 
• Historic Father Dyer Church. Established in 1880, the stain glass window of Father Dyer Skiing is worth a look. All are welcome. 

Do

Snowboarding near Imperial Peak at Breckenridge Ski Resort

Winter

• Breckenridge Ski Resort. Skiing, snowboarding and Telemark. 
• Breckenridge Nordic Center. 
• Goodtimes Adventures. Snowmobiling, snowshoeing and dog sledding. 
• Breckenridge Snowmobiling Tours & Rentals. Offers both Guided and Self-Guided Breckenridge Snowmobile Tours and Rentals. 
• Ice Fishing. On Lake Dillon. 
• Kingdom of Breckenridge Stables. 
• Summit Huts Association. Hut trips. 
• Stephen C West Ice Arena (Indoor and Outdoor), 189 Boreas Pass Rd, ☎ [phone]. 
• Sleigh rides. 
• Blue Sage Spa. 

Summer

• Avalanche Sports (Bike Rentals). 
• Breckenridge Outfitters (fly fishing). 
• Four-Wheeling. 
• Breckenridge Golf Club. 
• Hiking and Backpacking. 
• Horseback Riding. 
• Hot Air Balloon Rides. 
• Jeep Tours. 
• Peak 8 Fun Park. 
• Rock Climbing. 
• Tennis. 
• Trekking and Orienteering. 
• White Water Rafting. 

Equipment Rental

There are many places in Breckenridge where you can rent all kinds ski and snowboard equipment. Just walking down Main street you will pass many. Your accommodation may also offer equipment or have discounts at certain stores.

Ski rental stores in Breckenridge include

• Alpine Sports
• Avalanche Sports
• Bahnhof Ski Shop Ltd
• Black Tie Ski Rentals
• Blue River Sports Ski & Snowboard Rental
• Breckenridge Sports (6 location)
• Breeze Ski Rentals
• Carvers Ski - Board & Sport
• Christy Sports
• Main Street Sports
• Norway Haus Ski Shop
• Resort Quest Ski & Sport
• Ski Country Sports

If you are not arriving by car it is often easier to rent your gear close to your hotel or even better close to the lifts as most offer over night storage. This save you the hassle of lugging your skis back to your accommodation each day.

You can also book your ski or snowboard rental online which may save you some money and less time in the rental store. There are a number of companies in Breckenridge that offer this service; including

• Black Tie - Which also offer full delivery service to your accommodation
• Breeze Rentals
• Christy Sports
• Rentskis

Buy

• Avalanche Sports. 
• AB Ski & Sport, 829 N. Summit Blvd, toll-free: +1-800-423-SKIS (7547). Offers rentals at an affordable price. 

Eat

• Downstairs At Eric's, 111 South Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, 600 South Park Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• Ullr's Sports Grill, 505 S Main St, ☎ [phone]. 

Drink

• Blue River Bistro. 
• Breckenridge Brewery, 600 South Main St, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

• The Fireside Inn, 114 North French St, ☎ [phone]. Both a B&B and hostel that offers accommodations including suites, rooms with private bathrooms, and dorm facilities with shared bathrooms. Within walking distance, or alternately a free shuttle bus ride, to the Breck Connect gondola up to Peak 7 and 8. $28-196. 
• BlueSky Breckenridge, 42 Snowflake Dr., toll-free: [phone]. This property has one, two, three and four bedroom condominiums. Many choose BlueSky because it offers offers ski-in/ski-out accommodations, a spa and is located close to the center of town. 
• 🌍 Los Pinos Condos, 43 Snowflake Drive, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM. Vacation rental. $200 Average. (updated Sep 2015)
• 🌍 Majestic Breckenridge Lodging, 211 Discovery Road, ☎ [phone]. A family-owned property rental company that specializes in vacation homes and condos. They offer ski-in ski-out lodging. (updated Oct 2016)
• 🌍 The Willoughby Cottage (The Cottage), 303 North Main Street C, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. This charming cottage dates back to 1891 when grocer R.F. Willoughby had it built. His son Ralph Willoughby and his bride Maude spent their first months of marriage in this small frame house. At the time, the honeymoon suite was a remodeled horse stable that occupied a spot on the property owned by the groom’s parents at 322 South Main Street. When the newlyweds moved out in 1903, Ralph’s father put the cottage up for lease. The newspaper ad read, “FOR RENT. CABIN WITH OR WITHOUT BACHING OUTFIT. INQUIRE OF R. W. WILLOUGHBY.” The tiny cottage was moved to the current location in 1990 and restored as a romantic cabin. The Cottage is featured on the Breckenridge historical walking tour. $99 - $329. 
• 🌍 The Williams House, 303 North Main Street A, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The Williams House is a Victorian home from the 1880s. The size is 2750 square feet. It sleeps 16 guests in beds, 11 individually. Building a frame house in Breckenridge before the arrival of the railroad was no small task. To erect this c. 1881 house and the one next door (301 N. Main), Breckenridge saloonkeeper Joseph F. Reeder had to chop down trees, drag them to the sawmill, have them milled for different uses — siding, flooring, shingles, etc. — and let them dry. Inflating the cost of construction was the need to pack finished building materials — nails, paint, and doors — over a high mountain pass at a cost of forty cents per pound. In 1888, John Williams, a hardrock miner, and his wife, Minta, purchased the house as their home. After John and Minta’s separation in 1890, Minta and their daughter, Ethel, continued to live here until 1906, renting it out from time to time as they pursued an acting career for Ethel. The Williams House is featured in the Historic Walking Tour. $399 - $1599. 

Go next

• Visit Colorado's Wine Country. Northwestern Colorado is home to over 70 wineries and its own indigenous vineyards. Wine lovers can enjoy several scenic day trips from Breckenridge to many of the small towns that grow their own grapes. These lovely little communities include Montrose, Palisade, Paonia, Hotchkiss, as well as the city of Grand Junction.