When it comes to planning a Colorado mountain vacation, location means everything. You want to find the town that offers great skiing, variety in lodging, and a town culture that offers shopping, dining, and nightlife. Still, you want that tucked away mountain charm, but you need to have easy access to the airport or other services close the interstate. Meeting all of these criteria, Breckenridge is Colorado’s premier mountain destination. While Breckenridge’s Main Street is about a ten-minute drive from I-70, you’d never know it. The small, Victorian-inspired town has a remote feel that gives visitors and locals easy access to the Denver International Airport, Grand Junction, or other points in between. And, those points in between are certainly worth exploring.
The Vail Valley: There is no doubt about it: Vail is a beautiful ski town. However, when it comes to choosing the town where you’ll spend the majority of your time, Breckenridge is the obvious choice. First, lodging in Breckenridge beats Vail in terms of price and value. Because Vail tailors to a more upscale clientele, vacationers find that the price tag for accommodations is almost always higher than that in Breck. Plus, Breckenridge is closer to DIA for those travelers relying on flights. However, because Breckenridge is next door to Vail, vacationers can still experience both towns. Stay in Breck and plan in a day trip to Vail to experience the best of both worlds.
Silverthorne/Dillon: Many visitors choose to ski at Breckenridge, but stay in one of Summit County towns right off the interstate. Unfortunately, they do this for the wrong reasons. While Silverthorne and Dillon might be located right off the exit of I-70, the downfalls of this are much greater than the upsides. First, winter traffic is often congested in these towns due to the amount of shopping, dining, and convenience stores that fill the town. But, aside from shopping, these towns lack much of the charm that Breckenridge offers. By taking away Silverthorne’s outlet stores and Dillon’s fast-food restaurants, Breckenridge is able to promote independent shops and restaurants to make it unique and less crowded. Additionally, Breckenridge offers just as many lodging deals as Silverthorne and Dillon, but chances are you’ll find those deals in Breckenridge condos or townhomes rather than Silverthorne and Dillon motels. Of course, you’ll also find the best of both worlds by making Breckenridge your home base. Those who can’t resist a day of outlet shopping will still be in close bargain-hunting proximity.
Keystone: Many skiers love vacationing in Breckenridge because of the Breckenridge Ski Resort. With terrain for all skill levels and extra bonus features such as terrain parks and half pipes, there’s no better mountain to spend your days. Still, many skiers live for the thrill of mountain hopping, and a Breckenridge location makes this easy. Not only is Breck close to the Vail Ski Resort, but it’s even closer to the Keystone Ski Resort. While Keystone has a lot to offer on the slopes, it can’t come close to offering the town amenities and accommodations variety that Breckenridge does. So, while you might head to Keystone for a few runs, Breckenridge offers much more off the slopes.
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Denver: Breckenridge is one of the top ski resorts visited by Denver locals for good reason. Those who have just a day or two to visit know that Breckenridge provides the entire experience. Not only is the skiing world-class, but Main Street provides a perfect mix of dining, shopping, and nightlife for out-of-towners. Plus, lodging in Breckenridge gives visitors both affordability and value.
Sure, you have a lot of options when it comes to choosing the one location that will serve as your mountain vacation home base. However, don’t make it so hard on yourself. Come to the one place where you truly can have it all: Breckenridge.
