Breckenridge, Colorado is a short drive west from the Denver area. Although this was our first time here, I can honestly say, it will not be our last.
And boy…was this the perfect time of year to visit. The summertime crowds have all gone and the leaves on the Apsen’s were simply magnificent. Although the free Gondola is closed down this time of year. We just missed it by a few days. Personally I think the Gondola ride would have been a big attraction for leaf peeping. Oh well.
Breckenridge is first and foremost a ski town. There are cute chalets and cottages all over to rent for the ski season. During the summer it is a hustling tourist area with cute shops and reasonably priced restaurants. I must say, for such a touristy area and ski village, the prices were neither outrageous nor touristy. There was a big variety of restaurants from casual to fancy. It was easy to find a decent meal, as everywhere that we ate was wonderful.
Now with this being a tourist town, yes, their were the obligatory t-shirt shops. However, you know how sometimes when you’re exploring a new town you feel like you just stepped off a cruise ship and everywhere that you look was built just to take your money? Well, we totally did not get this feeling here. The people were super nice, the streets were clean and people seemed to really take pride in their store fronts.
Plus there are some really interesting old historical buildings right in town.
Great photo-ops every where you turn.
The pride that the shop owners have spills over to the town itself and it can be seen everywhere you look. There are great parks all over the town to sit and relax. Beautiful bronze statues throughout the town, in the parks and around every corner.
Bronze Statue On The Streets Of Breckenridge, Colorado – Supporting a Friend
Breckenridge also has the beautiful Blue River that flows right through town. The town is built around the river and there is a great walking trail along the river that leads to various shops and such.
The place that we stayed, Tiger Run RV Resort, was just a short drive, about 5 miles into town. Right along the main road going in and out of Breckenridge, this is an owner’s resort that rents out when the lot is open. It was wonderfully quiet even though the road was close by, lush with trees and great views of the mountains. And surprisingly enough, they are open all year long. So if you are a winter RVer and like to ski, this would be a great place for you.
If you were looking for something a little less pricey and more natural, there is a campground at the reservoir up in Frisco, Colorado, up by Interstate 70. It seemed popular, as it was all booked when we tried to make reservations there a month and a half before our arrival. Plus, Frisco looked like a cute little town to explore as well.
We’re glad that our friends Jay and Joanne asked us to come exploring with them. We were both in Denver at the same time, for business, and it seemed only natural to make this exciting tour around the mountain areas.
Breckenridge was just the beginning though. We’ve been out and about exploring all over Colorado. Stay tuned for more exciting places!
It it’s beautiful, we just passed through, in steam boat right now, rain coming, still awesome..
Thanks Kevin. It was beautiful. The perfect time of year to visit. Haven’t been to Steamboat Springs but we’ve heard good things.
If you like Breckenridge, then you would like Meeker, CO. If you ever go there, go the the Meeker museum, its great.
Thanks George. We’re definitely coming back to this area at some point so we’ll have to put Meeker on the list.
We had a good experience in Silverthorne and Dillon area of Colorado and want to return. Our first visit was because that is where we were towed when we broke down! and we still liked it :)
WOW! Must have really liked it with that story! :) Hope the next time it goes better.
I totally agree with your assessment of Breckenridge. It has a touristy vibe without being over the top. We also had a few meals there that were delicious and reasonably priced. Both times we have visited during the summer so I am jealous that you got to see the fall colors! Oh, and those forest service campgrounds in Frisco are very hard to get into. I had to make a reservation 4 months ahead to get a site at Peak One, and at that time Heaton Bay was completely full. Looks like you found a nice alternative though :)
Yes, the Mt. top area RV parks looked great, and full. as we passed by. We surely are going to look at them for future trips and will surely be back to Breckenridge at some point. A place we also really like that gave us the same feeling is Fredericksburg, TX which is now starting to become a booming area which I fear will surely end up hurting the charm.