The Ultimate Weekend Getaway Guide to Breckenridge, Colorado.

The Ultimate Weekend Getaway Guide to Breckenridge, Colorado.

This ultimate weekend getaway guide to Breckenridge, Colorado is all you need to plan a successful weekend getaway to one of America’s most beloved ski & snowboard towns. Let’s go to Breckenridge!

Getting to Breckenridge, Colorado.

The drive from Ohio would have been almost a 24 hour road trip. Needless to say, for a weekend getaway we opted to fly versus driving. If you’re in the United States the closest international airport is Denver (DEN). After you arrive at the airport it’s about 95 miles (roughly 2-2.5 hours) to Breckenridge via car. Other nearby airports include Colorado Springs airport, Eagle/Vail Regional airport and Telluride airport. Smaller regional airports are typically more costly. Usually, we find the best flight deals flying into Denver International.

From Denver you’ll take Interstate 70 and Hwy 9 to Breckenridge. The route takes you through the Eisenhower tunnel and over the Continental Divide as you cross the Front Range of the Rockies.

Book your flight through Expedia for the best flight prices.

New to flying? I wrote a blog post for newbie flyers – check it out here.

Transportation for your trip.

I recommend getting a rental car for the weekend. You could uber or lyft from the airport to Breckenridge as an option too. If you aren’t staying in town you’ll spend a lot of cash just getting to and from town each day. If you’re taking gear for skiing, hiking or snowboarding it might not fit in an Uber/Lyft. Just a couple things to keep in mind. If you’re a season Pass holder (see below for Epic pass info later in blog post) you might have transportation to and from the airport included in your pass price.

We booked our rental through Routes Car Rental for our most recent trip to Breckenridge. Routes had affordable 4×4 options. I was hesitant to use a rental car company we’d never booked through, but we were pleasantly surprised with their service. Check them out if you’re thinking about booking a trip to Colorado.

Prepare for travel delays.

Sudden changes in weather, traffic delays and picking up your rental car can all add unplanned delays.

Make sure you monitor the weather, traffic conditions and flight delays/cancellations a few days leading up to your trip to ensure a smooth transportation plan for your weekend getaway. Once you land in Denver, check the traffic report with google maps or the Waze app on your phone. The interstate on the way to Breckenridge has a tendency to get congested on the weekends as travelers head into the ski towns.

TRIP TIP: If you have a late flight booked make sure whatever rental car place you select is open when you arrive. We’ve had late flights before and some rental car companies close at 10pm.

4×4 vehicle recommended

Keep in mind 4×4 is not 100% necessary, but I would highly recommend. Colorado weather is temperamental and you don’t want to be stranded on the highway if a bad storm hits.

Where to stay in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Breckenridge offers a ton of lodging options. The town has everything; ski-out condos, hotel lodging, VRBO’s, AirBnB’s, timeshares, renovated houses right in town, cabins outside town, basically anything you prefer you can find. Ski season gets busy so book in advance for the most options.

Where we stayed.

We stayed at a condo we found on AirBnb and it was perfect for us. The management company is called Alpine Meadows Management. They offer an array of options but they’re all right in town, walkable to the ski lifts, grocery stores, shopping, food, hiking and entertainment. We could literally walk from our condo to the Peak 9 lift-chair in about 10 minutes. The condo had plenty of room for our group, ample space to store our gear, washer & dryer (dryer especially useful for wet clothes and gear at the end of the day), great views, full kitchen and free parking on premises. We liked it so much after our first trip that for our next trip we called Alpine Meadows Management directly to see what they had available for our next stay. Both units we rented this year were perfect for our weekend getaways. 10/10!

Snowboard & Ski Passes.

This is a snowboard-til-ya-drop kind of town. If you plan on skiing or snowboarding I recommend buying passes in advance. The more you plan ahead the more savings you’ll get. Breckenridge Resort offers daily passes, season passes, value passes etc. Breckenridge is a Vail owned resort and part of the Epic Pass program. Breckenridge.com will provide you with all of the information needed to decide which pass is right for you. If you’re planning to ski or ride Summit County, Colorado definitely do some research ahead of time to figure out what pass is your best option based off your skiing/snowboarding plans.

Neighboring resorts.

Colorado offers world class ski & snowboarding options all over the state. You can find multiple resorts to spend the day shredding the pow in close proximity to Breckenridge. If you’re planning a longer trip its always fun to split your time up at different resorts to see what the whole area has to offer.

These are just a few resorts to keep in mind:

• Copper Mountain
• Loveland Ski Area
• Winter Park Resort
• Vail Summit Resort
• Keystone Resort
• Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
• Beaver Creek

Our first trip to Breckenridge this year was super quick. Therefore, we stayed at Breckenridge Ski Resort both days to make the most of our time. However, for our second trip we shot a town over to Keystone to explore the slopes and see what Keystone Resort had to offer. We also snuck in some backcountry snowboarding right off Loveland Pass. Please keep in mind backcountry snow sports require extra planning and research. Not recommended for newbies. Do your research and always remember safety first. I actually sat this backcountry day out and provided my best Lyft/Uber driving for our crew (plus some of the locals who hopped in our truck bed) for a few trips up and down Loveland Pass.

Itinerary & things to do on your ultimate weekend getaway in Breckenridge, Colorado.

In an effort to use a little PTO time as possible we visited two times this year and still managed to only use 3 days of our precious vacation time. I’ll give a quick breakdown of both trips so you have an idea of how we spent our time at our 2 long weekend getaways in Breckenridge this year.

Breckenridge 3 day long weekend trip.

We used a long weekend in January in observance of MLK day for our first trip out to Colorado. Here’s a breakdown of how we spent our time.

3 days in Breckenridge

• FRIDAY – flew into Denver, picked up luggage + rental car, drove to Breckenridge, ate quick food on way to Breck, checked into condo and got situated. We worked a full day Friday and had a late flight out of Cleveland into Colorado. Basically an evening of traveling was required to get us to our weekend shenanigans. The late flight saved us both $$ and a vacation day so we thought it was totally worth it.
• SATURDAY – we woke-up, geared-up and grabbed breakfast burritos & coffee in town. Both breakfast and the ski lift at Peak 9 were within walking distance from our AirBnB. We grabbed our pre-paid snowboard passes at the pick-up window and hit the slopes at Breckenridge Ski Resort. You can pack lunch for the day or grab it in town or at the resort. We headed out at closing time around 4 pm, got ready for dinner and headed to Canteen on Main Street for dinner.
• SUNDAY – We woke-up, geared-up and grabbed breakfast in town again. We hit the lifts at opening time and snowboarded all day until close again. Again, pack a snack/lunch or grab lunch in town or on ski resort. After snowboarding Sunday we headed back to our condo, showered and then headed into town for some shopping and dinner. We ate at Ollies Pub & Grub this night – about 2 blocks from our digs. Super convenient with great food and all the football games playing on the TV’s. We hit up a few local bars including the Blue Stag Saloon, RMU and Gold Pan Saloon after dinner.
• MONDAY – As I mentioned above this was a super quick weekend getaway so the holiday Monday was our last day in town. Might as well end the trip with a delicious breakfast and a Bloody Mary at the Blue Moose Restaurant after we packed up and checked out of our home-away-from-home. To make the most of the scenery we decided to take the scenic route home via Loveland Pass (this adds about 30 minutes to your commute back to Denver but totally worth it in my opinion). We returned our rental car and flew home to Cleveland. Phew, SLEEPY but WORTH IT!

Breckenridge 5 day long weekend trip.

We used 3 days of PTO for our second trip to Breckenridge. Flying out of Cleveland late allowed us to work the full day Tuesday. We used PTO time for Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. We returned home from our second trip of the season on a Sunday. Sundays are a little busier travel days but we didn’t run into any significant delays. Here is the breakdown of our second long weekend in Breck.

5 days in Breckenridge

• TUESDAY – Travel day. We flew out of Cleveland into Denver, picked up our luggage and rental car and drove to Breckenridge. We stopped and grabbed food outside of Denver, checked into our Airbnb and got situated.
• WEDNESDAY – We woke-up, geared-up and grabbed breakfast & coffee in town. Breakfast and ski lift at Peak 9 were within walking distance from our AirBnB. We grabbed our pre-paid snowboard passes at the pick-up window and hit the slopes at Breckenridge Ski Resort. You can pack lunch for the day or grab it in town or at the resort. We headed out at closing time around 4 pm, got ready for dinner and headed to Blue Stag Saloon for dinner downtown. Grab a cookie (or 6) to-go for dessert at Mountain Top Cookie Shop on Main street, you will NOT be disappointed. Perfect way to end your first full day in Breckenridge.
• THURSDAY – We woke-up, geared-up and grabbed breakfast & coffee in town. Day 2 was a full day at Breckenridge Ski Resort. For lunch we fueled up with the best chicken sandwiches on the resort at the bottom of Peak 7. We headed out at closing time around 4 pm, got ready for dinner and headed to Canteen. We loved this place so much on our first trip we went back a few weeks later. If you like Mexican food, good service + good vibes you’ll love this place. If you’re still hungry after dinner hit the crepe stand on Main Street for some DELICIOUS crepes at Crepes Al La Cart. The line is usually stacked with people at all times but totally worth the wait if you like crepes. The line speaks for itself on how good they are!
• FRIDAY – We decided to try out another local ski resort Friday for a change of scenery. We grabbed breakfast in town and headed to Keystone resort to snowboard Friday. We ate in town at Whiskey Star Smokehouse right on Main Street for dinner Friday night. You can find live music, comedy and good drinks in downtown Breckenridge so we obviously had to find some spirits after dinner!
• SATURDAY – We mixed it up on Saturday with some backcountry snowboarding right off the side of Loveland Pass. Do your research if you plan to do any backcountry sports. It can be dangerous so skill level, research and many other factors come into play for backcountry shenanigans. After working up an appetite with our downhill adventures we headed back into downtown Breck for margaritas and Mexican at Sanchos Tacos + Tequila on Main Street. Three and a half days of snowsports in the Colorado Rockies will tire you out quick so this was a chill afternoon before our final dinner in town at Breckenridge brewery.
• SUNDAY – Sunday was the last day of our snowy weekend getaway, womp womp. Breakfast was phenomenal as per usual at Blue Moose Restaurant. We drove back into Denver, returned our rental car and flew back to Cleveland. Sunday scaries kicked in immediately upon landing… when’s the next trip?

Restaurant recommendations for your ultimate weekend getaway guide in Breckenridge, Colorado.

I plan to write an entire post on my food recommendations for Breckenridge but for now, here’s a little list of some of my favorite places to grab some grub while you’re in Breck. Make a reservation for dinner – especially on the weekends. Food joints book up pretty quick and you’ll be hungry after burning 1500 calories on the slopes, speaking from hangry experience!

breakfast options

• Columbine Cafe
• Coffee Depot
• Daylight Donuts
• Blue Moose Restaurant (hello cinnamon roll the size of your head and fabulous bloody Marys)
• Clint’s Bakery & Coffee House
• BreckFast

lunch options

• Rita’s Tacos (cheap tacos & good vibes)
• Sancho Taco’s & Tequila (GET THE CUCUMBER JALAPEÑO MARG – run, don’t walk – TRUST ME!)
• Flip Side Burger
• Downstairs at Eric’s
• LoLo Juice
• Empire Burger

dinner options

• Canteen Tap House & Tavern
• Breckenridge Brewery & Pub
• Whiskey Star Smokehouse
• The Blue Stag Saloon
• Ember
• Ollie’s Pub & Grub Breck
• Kenosha Breck
• Modis
• Relish

Breckenridge optional activities for your ultimate weekend getaway guide in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Breckenridge is the perfect mountain town paradise and offers all season adventure. There’s SO MUCH more to do than just skiing & snowboarding. We’ve been to this town in the summer several times. Usually we hike around the local trails or explore off road for photos and sight seeing. Breckenridge truly has something for everyone, at all times of the year (see my blog post here about hiking Mount Quandary – 14’er as well). Here’s a list below of some of the options Breck has to offer. This blog post is geared around winter snow sports but the options are ENDLESS.

THINGS TO DO – to name just a few….

• Snowboarding + Skiing
• Hiking
• Visit the Breckenridge Troll – Isak Heartstone
• Mountain biking + fat tire biking
• Arts, culture and exporing historical downtown
• Shopping boutiques
• Dining
• Festivals + events
• Zipline tours in the summer
• Dog sledding
• Snowmobiling
• Ice fishing
• Scenic Drives
• Leaf Peeping (hello Boreas Pass)
• Photography
• mountain climbing
• showshoeing
• Tour the mine, ghost and historic towns nearby

What to pack for your ultimate weekend getaway to Breckenridge, Colorado?

Over packers?? Where are ya? Okay, I have you covered. No seriously. If you think of something missing on my list let me know. Here are a few things you won’t want to forget.

what to pack

• Outfits that you can layer
• snow equipment, boards, bindings, boots, helmets, gloves, wool socks, pants, jacket, hats
• Chapstick + sunscreen
• Hydration backpack or refillable water bottle
• Hiking boots or snow boots depending on the season
• Sunglasses + hat/beanies
• Phone, camera, chargers
• Hand warmers

Breckenridge, random tips & information for your trip!

1. BUY PASSES AHEAD OF TIME: Research and buy ski resort passes ahead of time if skiing or snowboarding. You will save exponentially if you plan ahead. We learned this the hard way. Had we known about the perks of the Epic pass we totally would have bought one right when they went on sale. I had actually planned/hoped to be pregnant this season so we opted not to buy them last year when they went on sale. Looking back we totally would have gotten our moneys worth if we had bought the Epic Pass. Also, tickets increase in the weeks/days leading up to your visit. Even waiting a day can sometimes cost you $20-40+ per ticket.
2. CARDS ARE RELOADABLE: If you get a pass for one trip, keep it. They are reloadable cards (they cost to ship to home) and if you opt to pick-up your pass when you arrive you have to stand in line if the resorts busy. We made two trips this year, threw away our lift pass from our first trip, not realizing they were reloadable. Had we known it was reloadable we could have saved shipping and/or the waiting line at the resort to pick up the second time we visited.
3. RESORTS CLOSE EARLY: Most ski resorts in Colorado close early (around dark) unlike the east coast resorts which offer lighting and stay open till late. You’ll want to get moving and start your day when the lifts open or you’ll lose valuable daylight snowboarding time.
4. SHOPS CLOSE EARLY: The shops in downtown Breckenridge also close early – think anywhere from 5-7ish. From what the locals told us, this year was especially rough for staffing due to covid.
5. BOOK DINNER RESERVATIONS: Pre-book dinner if and when you can. Check out my restaurant recommendations and try putting your name in ahead of time, or risk the long wait times. I like the Resy app and the open table app for planning ahead.
6. HOLIDAY WEEKEND MADNESS: As with any destination during the holiday weekends you can encounter long commutes, long lift lines, lack of lodging options and long waits at restaurants. Just plan ahead and you’ll be fine. We did MLK weekend this year and it really wasn’t bad but do keep in mind if you have an Epic pass or any other kind of special season pass that you check the holiday weekend restrictions.
7. 4X4 TRANSPORTATION: Consider 4×4 vehicle for rental car. The snow in Breckenridge is no joke, the streets aren’t always plowed like you may be used to at home.
8. ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: The Colorado mountains offer some of the United States highest snowboarding peaks. Give your body time to adjust to the altitude if you aren’t used to it, drink a ton of water, limit alcohol intake, get plenty of rest, get to lower altitude if you experience shortness of breath, chest pain, severe coughing or wheezing.
9. MOUNTAIN TIME: Colorado’s clocks run on Mountain Standard time. For instance, the East Coast is two hours ahead of Colorado. Adjust travel time and plans accordingly.
10. MARIJUANA: Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. It’s legal to buy and consume pot if you are 21 or older. It is still illegal to smoke it in public. That includes, but is not limited to cars, buses, parking lots, ski resorts, bars, parks etc. You’ll see it being sold all over the place & you’ll smell it everywhere you go. Just good to know for out-of-towners!

Final Thoughts on the Ultimate Weekend Getaway Guide to Breckenridge, Colorado.

Okay, so this is your ultimate weekend getaway guide to Breckenridge, Colorado. Now you know how to get to Breckenridge, where to stay, how to get a ski pass, how to spend your days, what to eat, what to pack and what other activities you can do while you’re there. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? Book that trip to Breckenridge. I promise you’ll fall in love and if you’re like me, you’ll routinely be looking for cheap flight deals to Denver and dreaming of owning a vacation home in Colorado after you return home.

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Pin this ultimate weekend getaway guide to Breckenridge, Colorado blog post for future reference. Feel free to share it on insta, tag your friends and family to get people in on the fun, favorite my blog page to read later and get planning. Seriously, you can even message me if you want help planning! This is my jam, I’d love to assist you!

No matter what actives you chose for your Colorado weekend getaway, always remember to leave no trace, “stay on the trail”, and travel with respect. Enjoy the outdoors. Tag me in your adventures, shoot me an email with questions, comments or anything really. I freaking love to chat travel so hit me up!