Breckenridge (Summer)

Colorado

OVERVIEW

If you've traveled much, you're likely aware of how good a summer visit to the mountains can be.  Whether it is the Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, the Rockies, or my beloved Adirondacks, sunny skies, mild temperatures, wildflowers, and the complete lack of snowboarders can make for a great destination vacation.

Or destination wedding.  That is what brought us to Breckenridge, Colorado in the Rockies in August of 2024.  But having now visited for the first time in decades, you shouldn't wait for a wedding:  Breckenridge in summer is Killer.  It is a walkable, scenic, and hospitable place, with outdoor activities galore for those so inclined.

What is especially charming about Breckenridge is its authenticity:  Most of the buildings along Main Street and the blocks around it date to the 1800s.  Yet it is a pure tourist town, as most of the residences are too expensive for local workers.  But at least it's not the Faux European village look of Vail, for example.  It is more like Telluride, Park City, or Aspen in that regard:   the town was a real place decades before the advent of skiing and all that came with it.  In those other towns and here, that's a good thing.

Dings?  While it's tantalizingly close, and you get here on an Interstate highway, access to Breckenridge from its gateway of Denver can be a clusterfuck.  And the town's parking policy (see below) is obnoxious.

But it remains a wonderful summer destination and one easy to recommend.

LAY OF THE LAND

Breck (as the cool kids call it) is near the Continental Divide, approximately 90  miles from Denver, and about two hours from its airport.

We rented a car, which worked, but it's a crap shoot as I-70, the only route to and from Breck from Denver, can be nightmarish - in any season and in any weather.  You've been warned:  Instead of a 2 hour drive, it could take 5.

Your other option is one of the shuttles that ply the route between DEN and Breck.  There's Summit Express, Epic Mountain Express, Peak 1, and Pegasus.  I did not use one, so I offer no ratings.

But the last one is the least expensive and was recommended to me by a local.  Be aware, however, that you have to get to Union Station in downtown Denver to catch it (doable, as there's a train from the airport to Union Station), and then take a bus from Frisco.  A hassle, yes, but at $13 (vs. about $100), it's a value.

This all matters because if I were to do it again, I would not have rented a car.  If you are staying within the area on this map, in decent shape, and not planning excursions out of town, you won't need one.

LODGING

One reason this is a Micro Travel Guide is that it is not comprehensive, and that is most true in this category.  But being a major ski resort, there are sketchy youth hostels with bunk beds, condos of every variety known to man, and Ralph Lauren fever dream mansions on the mountain, complete with a chef.