Breckenridge: Isn’t it time?

Photo Breckenridge Tourism Office, Gobreck.com

Breckenridge is busy in the winter, but there’s good reason. There is something for everyone, and it has the look of a quintessential mountain town.

We’ve been to this charming mountain community a lot through the years, but we’d taken a nearly five-year break when we returned for Ullr Fest in December 2023. Fearing many changes, I was delighted that it still felt like the same place we’d grown to love so long ago. There’s little doubt it’s a buzzing town in the winter, but you can still find me-time.

Breckenridge Snowshoeing. | Photo Breckenridge Tourism Office, Gobreck.com

Strap on a pair of snowshoes or cross-country skies and enjoy 17 kilometers of groomed trail at the Breckenridge Nordic Center. This family-owned business is 55-years-old. Whether going alone, taking a guided tour, or a snowcat adventure, the lodge provides cozy warmth and good food and drinks.

Photo Breckenridge Tourism Office, Gobreck.com

We love to stay at Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center. On our latest trip, we took the dog. It was her first experience in Breckenridge and I think she’s a big fan. This ski-in/ski-out resort and conference center features its very own chairlift. With nine hot tubs and two heated pools, a market, restaurants, and bars, to a day spa, there are so many places here to escape real life and relax.

The Breckenridge Troll. | Photo Breckenridge Tourism Office, Gobreck.com

The best aspect of Breckenridge is that it feels like a real town with a ski resort. While skiing is at the heart of winter here, the town offers many other activities for the visitor, like the Nordic center mentioned above. Whether you’re four or 84, there are things for you to do, from the Barney Ford Museum to ice skating at the Breckenridge Recreation Center (where you can also see Isak Heartstone, the Breckenridge troll). There is also a lot for art and culture lovers.

Breckenridge Dining. | Photo Breckenridge Tourism Office, Gobreck.com

Dining in Breckenridge can be high-end or grab-and-go fare at the Skywalk Market in Beaver Run Resort. We’ve been lucky to experience various dining options in Breckenridge, and on this last visit, we ate well at Cabin Juice at Gravity Haus. Not too fancy, but not grab-and-go, I dined on curry salmon, and my husband had what he declared was one of the best burgers he’s eaten. High praise because he eats a lot of burgers! For dessert. we had milk and cookies, and yes, they were warm. 

The next day, we ate breakfast at a longtime favorite of ours, Columbine Cafe. Get their famous corned beef and thank me later. Staying in the Breckenridge tradition vein, we got delicious sandwiches at Cool River Coffee House, where I’d previously only been for a cup of joe. The coffee shop has been here for as long as I can remember.   

Breckenridge Girls Trip. | Photo Breckenridge Tourism Office, Gobreck.com

As you can tell, Breckenridge is all about tradition for us. As is our custom, we drank beer at Downstairs at Eric’s, which also features an arcade. It’s been in Breckenridge since 1989. Broken Compass Brewery is always a stop for us, and this time, we visited their new-to-us downtown tasting room. Their original location, still open, is just a few minutes outside of downtown. I’m so happy to see this locally-owned brewery as a true success story.

Ullr Fest in Breckenridge 2023. | Photo Heidi Kerr Schlaefer

A quick one-night trip didn’t leave time for Breckenridge Distillery, but this is a usual stop for us. Of course, I was there as a judge for Ullr Fest, which meant tasting Breckenridge Distillery whiskey in the famous shotski before the parade (we broke the record, again, for longest shotski with 1,377 shot takers lined up for 2,468 feet on Main Street). By the way, the International Snow Sculpture Championships is this month. Sculpting week is January 22-26, and viewing week is January 26-31. The championships are an exciting time to be in town.

Winter and spring are great for exploring Breckenridge, and GoBreck.com is an excellent place to help you plan a visit. Isn’t it time?