"Folks come here for the winters, but stay for the summers!"
That's what a friend from Summit County told me the first time I took a summer staycation to Breckenridge. Over the years, we've returned to the mountains many times — July and August are our favorite months to visit — and now I full understand what she meant!
Whether it's just for the day, a weekend getaway, or a week-long vacation, Breckenridge has plenty of great food and great fun! If you don't have time to plan a trip, use this list of activities and restaurants as your quick-reference guide!
WHERE TO EAT
- Breckenridge Brew Pub gives you the opportunity to savor their popular beers right where they are being brewed! The pulled pork sandwich is quite delicious and the service is great too!
- Downstairs at Eric's is a sports bar in downtown Breck with an arcade featuring old school video games like Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and Donkey Kong, usually being played by the parents. There was even a four-player version of Pac-Man that we all played together for about 20 minutes.
- Two Below Zero Chuck Wagon Dinner is dinner and an activity rolled into one. We took a short ride in a horse-drawn wagon, enjoyed outdoor games, and ate a delicious authentic Western dinner. The dinner was followed by a fun, silly Wild West Show that my boys absolutely loved!
- Giampietro Pasta & Pizzeria serves huge NY-style pizza. The restaurant is VERY small so we ordered it to go and ate it back at our condo. You can also get family-style pasta that is hot and ready to eat or cold and ready to reheat (24 hours advance ordering required).
- Fiesta Jalisco had lots of locals dining on their outdoor patio. I didn't know they were locals till I asked how the food was and they all responded, "It's great! We eat here all the time." Good, inexpensive Mexican food.
- Prost has incredible pretzels, exotic sausages, and refreshing Moscow mules. It's located on Main Street in the heart of Frisco, which made it the perfect stop for lunch at the end of our long bike ride from Breckenridge.
LET THE OUTDOOR FUN BEGIN!
- Kayaking on Dillon Reservoir is one of our very favorite summer activities. Frisco Bay Marina rents tandem kayaks (among other things), perfect for a parent and child. Being on the water is so peaceful and the surrounding beauty is positively awe-inspiring. Paddle up to one of the little islands to rest your arms and stretch your legs. The Marina also has a bar and grill, and a small playground that is perfect for picnicking. Since it's right at the edge of downtown Frisco, you can go window shopping (or real shopping) too!
- Bike paths are abundant, and so are bike shops where you can rent if you don't have your own. The bike path to Frisco is about 18 miles round trip. It is mostly downhill other than one beast of a hill on the way to Frisco ... the ride home is not nearly as easy. There's also a great bike path around Frisco Bay Marina that provides great views of Dillon Reservoir and can be taken to Keystone Resort.
- In Summit County, there's no shortage of great hiking trails to suit anyone's experience and ability. One of the best ones for kids is Sapphire Point Overlook. It's a short loop, about half a mile, with gorgeous views of Lake Dillon. But the main attraction are the dozens (maybe hundreds?) of chipmunks who will take sunflower seeds right out of your hand!
- The Breck Summer Fun Park on Peak 8 is a full day of fun for our whole family. The All Day Fun Pass includes the Alpine Superslide (our favorite), the Superbungee Trampoline (a close second for the boys), the Gold Runner Coaster, Superputt Mini Golf, Gemstone Panning, the Mineshaft Maze, the Rockpile Climbing Wall, and Ripperoo's Bounce Corral. If that isn't enough for you (but seriously, aren't you a little tired just from reading all that?!?), you can add other activities like zip lining, Segway tours, and 4x4 tours. It is a bit of a splurge but is really a great value since it is enough fun for the whole day. Purchase your tickets online at least 48 hours in advance to save $5 per pass.
- Country Boy Mine offers guided tours deep into the belly of a former gold mine. We donned our hard hats and learned quite a bit about the history of the mine and what it was like to work inside the mine. Before and after our tour, we pet the burros, panned for gold (no luck!), shot down a 55-foot chute slide, enjoyed the views, and shopped in the General Store.
- Whitewater Rafting is extremely popular and one of the highlights of our trip. We had a great experience with Performance Tours. The first time we went, we signed up for the Blue River Half Day, a tour that tends to run early in the season, and only if there was enough snow the previous winter. Our second adventure was Browns Canyon Full Day Tour. We got an experienced guide with a great sense of humor, as well as a tasty and abundant riverside lunch. A photographer followed us on foot and we were able to purchase a CD with more than a dozen amazing high-resolution digital photos for a very good price. This was definitely our most expensive activity but was totally worth it.
INDOOR FUN FOR A RAINY DAY
- Ready, Paint, Fire! is an awesome paint-your-own-art studio with ceramics and canvas painting. If you will be in Breck for several days, plan to visit at the beginning of your stay so the studio has time to "fire" the ceramics before you head home. Or do it at the very end so you've got a great reason to head back to Breckenridge! (They can also ship your art to your home ... but where's the fun in that?)
- Breckenridge has several museums that are entertaining for kids, including the Edwin Carter Discovery Center, the Mountain Top Children's Museum, and the Washington Gold Mine.
- The CinéBistro at Solaris movie theater in Vail was named one of the 10 Best Theatres in the World by Omega Lifetime. It has a full menu, an extensive wine selection, reserved seating in fancy, leather, high-back rocking chairs with table service.
- Woodward Copper is one of my boys' favorite places to play, regardless of the weather. The Barn is an enormous indoor facility with a skate bowl, trampolines, foam pits, and so much more. It's got a great drop-in program where kids (and adults) can practice on indoor snowboards and training skis (bring your own boots). For your first session, you'll pay $49 for one hour with a coach to help you get comfortable on all the equipment, followed by another hour with the coach or on your own.
