What To Do On A Weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado

For the best views you head to the Alps, for the best snow you head to Colorado. Here’s my guide to a weekend in Breckenridge.

If you’re looking for the ultimate snow haven, then a weekend in Breckenridge (Breck) Colorado is the place to be. Whether you’re looking to hit the slopes or just chill in the cute, quaint, and busy town, there is something for everyone. Breckenridge was my first trip to Colorado and I left the town with many memories and, surprisingly, a ton of important first-timer insights that I’m excited to share with you all.

DAY 1

SKIS DROPPED OFF AT YOUR CHALET

FIRST STOP: PICK UP SKI PASSES

We skied our way down to the base of the mountain where we picked up our lift tickets. The key is to get down there by 8AM because the lines for the lift can get very long. The tickets are on the pricier side, ranging anywhere from $150 – $250 a day. But it’s totally worth it, the snow is unlike anything I’ve ever skied on! If you’re a first time skier, I recommend you book a ski lesson with an instructor in advance as well. Just a couple of hours with a ski instructor can make your first time skiing a more enjoyable experience and make the rest of your trip that much better.

SECOND STOP: BEGINNER, PEAK 8 & EXPERT, PEAK 10

LUNCH: SKI HILL GRILL

After skiing from 9-12PM, we headed to the Ski Hill Grill on Peak 8 for a bite to eat. While I was in the ski lift in the morning, a guy had pulled out a sandwich from his pants and tucked it away in his ski jacket. I wasn’t exactly sure why he decided to pack his own lunch, so just dismissed it. When I walked into Ski Hill Grill, I realized why he had packed his own lunch. The prices on the peaks were astronomical. Since they are one of the only places to eat on the mountain, you really have no other option then to spend the money. To put it into perspective, a plain bagel was $6!!! While, Pat’s bowl of Chili and Gatorade was $21.

THIRD STOP: MORE PEAK 8

Peak 8 had so many great green trails that we stuck with these beginner ones on the first day. The top had a couple of blacks followed by some blues, so it’s perfect for all levels.

FOURTH STOP: BRECKENRIDGE INTERNATIONAL SNOW SCULPTURE CHAMPIONSHIP

DINNER

In all honesty, finding a place to eat in Breck that was affordable was close to impossible. Whether you were on the mountain or off the mountain. Sure there were a couple of grills that seemed to be well-priced, but they didn’t seem to fulfill our cravings. The best option was to head to the supermarket in town and stock up on meat and pasta for our stay. Since we had rented a ski-on, ski-off chalet, we had a full kitchen at our disposal. It just made more sense to cook at home to save money. Save the money for après ski instead!

DAY 2

FIRST STOP: BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE, PEAK 9 & EXPERT, IMPERIAL EXPRESS SUPER CHAIR LIFT

LUNCH

As previously mentioned, lunch at the Ski Hill Grill was out of the question given costs. I didn’t want to make my way off the slopes and into town, so Pat and I decided to ski to our ski-on, ski-off chalet for a quick lunch break. We ate some of our leftovers from the night before and took a little break before heading back out on the slopes.

SECOND STOP: BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE, PEAK 7

THIRD STOP: EXPLORE BRECK

FOURTH STOP: APRÈS SKI: ROCKY MOUNTAIN UNDERGROUND

FIFTH STOP: GRAB DESSERT FROM MOUNTAIN TOP COOKIE SHOP

DINNER AND HOT TUB

After our stroll down Breck’s Main Street, we went back to the chalet and cooked some dinner. After devouring our Mountain Top Cookie Shop cookies, Pat and I headed to our complex’s outdoor hot tub. If your legs and body are feeling tight from skiing, one of the best things you can do is hop into a hot tub with jets. Remember not to be in for too long, the elevation already dehydrates you and the hot tub may make it worst. Relaxing in a hot tub for about 20 minutes is a great form of heat therapy to soothe sore muscles, loosening them up, and increasing blood flow to the area. Plus, lounging in an outdoor hot tub just feels awesome.

WHAT TO EXPECT [IMPORTANT!]

I went into my weekend in Breckenridge thinking it would just be another normal trip. Little did I know that I had to come a bit more prepared than usual. Here are some very important tips to keep in mind before you go.

• ALTITUDE SICKNESS: Denver is 5,500 feet above sea level. That is considered enough for someone to experience mild altitude sickness. Breck on the other hand, might only be an hour 45 minutes away, but is 10,000 feat above sea level. With that comes some side effects. Four of us went on this trip to Breck and two of us experiences altitude sickness for the first 24 hours. Pat didn’t experience a thing, he was right as rain. I on the other hand, experienced Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) which included a headache, light-headedness, shortness of breath, and nausea for the first 24 hours. It basically felt like a terrible, TERRIBLE hangover. When you reach 10,000 feet, up to 75% of people are likely to experience AMS. When you drop down to 8,000 feet, that number drops down to only 20%. There are things you can do to tackle altitude sickness. First: drink plenty and plenty of water before you arrive and while you are there. The higher the altitude the more dehydrated you are. Second: eat a lot of carbs and protein. Third: If you’re feeling so bad that you can’t function at all, stop by one of the many oxygen bars in the area or buy a small oxygen tank they sell in almost all there stores there. It will give you a few minutes of relief. Fourth: Stay outdoors as much as possible. I found that the minute I went indoors, my altitude sickness felt worst, being outdoors made me feel a lot better. Fifth: Try and get to Breck at least a day before you ski or do anything to give your body time to adjust to the altitude. The sickness will be gone within 24 hours and will make skiing much more pleasant.
• ALL YOUR BOTTLES WILL EXPLODE: Higher altitude means that any bottle you may have brought from a lower altitude, will explode when you open it. Any time I opened my toothpaste, face lotion, sunscreen or shampoo, the altitude pressure caused build up in the bottle and the cream or liquid would spill out instantly. My recommendation is DO NOT fill bottles to the brim, leave them a bit empty so you leave some space for pressure build up.
• IT’S CALLED BRECK: You will not hear many people say Breckenridge, the real locals call the town Breck.
• RESTAURANTS ARE EXPENSIVE: A lot of places in Breck are very expensive. Going out for dinner can cost you a lot if you’re not in the mood for fried tavern food. Since our chalet had a kitchen, the best and most cost-efficient thing we did was head to the grocery store and cook our own dinner, breakfast, and make our own lunches for the weekend we were there. Trust me, you’ll end up saving at least $400!!!
• STORES OPEN BETWEEN 8AM – 10AM: If you’re looking to hit the slopes by 8AM, you might miss out on exploring some of the stores in Breck. Many places open up between 8AM and 10AM, and some even close around 2PM. My recommendation is to head there during lunch or dedicate a whole morning to exploring the quaint town.
• YOU NEED A GOOD CAR: We arrived in Breck with no problems. We picked up our Budget rental car and drove from Denver to Breck. We were given a Buick, which our entire group fell in love with. We never thought a Buick could be such a luxurious and pretty car to drive, but it was truly an eye-opener. Highly recommend it, especially when your driving in wintery conditions. The drive back to Denver was not as easy. Hence, why I mention the importance of a good car. We hit a storm early in the AM that turned our 1 hour 45 minute drive into a 4 hour 30 minute drive. The streets were a disaster and cars were pulling off to the side. Thanks to our Buick, we were able to continue along the path (although we were driving 20-30 mph) and make it to the airport safe and sound.

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WHAT TO PACK

Aside from a ton water to fight dehydration, I recommend snow boots of course. There is snow and ice EVERYWHERE and you will not want to wear anything other than good gripping snow boots. I packed my go to Khombu snow boots, fashionable yet very affordable! If you plan on skiing for most of the weekend, you don’t need much else aside from snow pants, leggings, layers of under shirts, a snow jacket, turtle necks and warm gloves and hats. I say hats plural because you are going to want a thinner beanie to put under your ski helmet. My go-to ski gear are Roxy snow pants, Spyder snow jackets, and reflective CRG snow goggles. Pack a pair of jeans and a nice sweater if you plan on heading out for après ski in the evening. Lastly, pack SUNSCREEN. My go-to is Avène, I have never gotten sunburned with this brand. Even if it’s January, the reflection of the sun on the snow at such a high elevation means pretty bad sunburn. Mix that with windburn and you’ve got a disaster.

WHERE TO STAY IN BRECK

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If you’re looking for your typical Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons, then Breck isn’t for you. The beauty of Breck is staying in these local and authentic town houses and chalets in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The best place to stay is in a ski-on ski-off townhouse or chalet directly on the mountain. You are literally on the slopes and are the first in line for the lifts, but you are also a 15 minute walk directly into town. The chalet I stayed in was on the Four O’Clock Trail. It’s named the Four O’Clock Trail because at 4PM when the trails close and everyone heads back down to Breck, this is the trail directly into town! It cannot get any better than this. Prime location. If you’re lucky, your townhouse or chalet has an outdoor jacuzzi and indoor pool you can enjoy. All of them have kitchens, so you can save money and cook your own meals throughout the day.

HOW TO GET AROUND BRECK

If you’re situated on the Four O’Clock Trail or anywhere nearby, everything is walking distance. That’s the beauty of Breck! Of course, you’ll want to rent a car to get to and from Denver. You can book buses that will take you from Breck to Denver airport, but they take 3 hours. They add on an extra hour 15 minutes because they stop by Denver. They also don’t leave at the best of times if you are trying to catch an early flight. A rental car is your best bet in my opinion. It gives you more flexibility. And if you’re not sure which one to get, I can attest that my rental Buick was amazing in a snow storm…! It’s a trustworthy rental car that can get you from point A to point B no matter the weather conditions.

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