The first thing that everybody thinks about when they hear Breckenridge is their world class skiing of course! But what if you don’t ski? Well, we’ve got you covered with the ultimate list of things to do in Breckenridge when you’re not skiing. So, if you’re not a skier, or you want a wind-down day, then read on.
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Breckenridge
Maybe you want a little down time from the slopes. Or, maybe your friends have been inviting you on their ski trips for years, and you’ve been turning them down because you don’t ski. Well, let me tell you, you could fill several vacations with things to do in Breckenridge besides skiing and still not do them all.
Breckenridge started out as a mining town with mainly log cabins. It grew as the mining around the area took off. In the 1880s the town transformed into a Victorian mountain town. Then when it turned into a ski area in 1961, it started a new “gold rush”, only this time it was white powder and green backs.
Sleigh Ride
“Let’s hear those sleigh bells jingling…”. That’s right, you can do a scenic sleigh ride, a dinner sleigh ride, and even a mining camp dinner sleigh ride! The main operators are:
The Golden Horseshoe Tour Company – They offer a mining camp dinner theater sleigh ride, a hot cocoa sleigh ride, and for lovers of any age, a romantic ride. Rates are $150/120, $65/55, and $365 for the romantic ride, 4 people max. They also offer a private sleigh ride, 5 person minimum $70 per.
2 Below Zero – Serves up a dinner ride, and a hot cocoa ride. Enjoy your dinner with the sweet, sweet sounds of Roger Miller, Johnny Cash, Tom Jones, and Willie Nelson, among others, in the background all thanks to their talented entertainer. Cost is $109/79 for the dinner ride, and $59/49 for the hot cocoa ride.
Peak 9 Sleigh Rides – These guys actually take you up on Peak 9 on the ski resort! They offer a dinner sleigh ride, which takes you up and they drop you off at a yurt, have dinner, then they pick you up and take you back down. All while you take in spectacular views of Breckenridge! Dinner sleigh rides are $119/89 and the ever-popular cocoa ride is $89/69.
Be sure to dress properly. Even though they tuck you under blankets and force feed you hot cocoa, you’re still in a mountain environment and it gets cold!
Things to do in Breckenridge…Sledding of Course
Grab your saucer, slick it up with your best Teflon spray (not recommended for beginners), and hit the multiple hills around town!
Runway Sledding Hill on Fraction Drive- Unfortunately, you’re not sledding on the runway, as the name implies. But you are near the airport on a manmade ski hill and it’s free. The ski hill is groomed, so no building that monster sled jump, and it is BYOS, bring your own sled, or BYOT if you’re a tuber.
Carter Park – Another free sledding hill, but you still have to BYOS/BYOT. Conveniently located near Main St, it will get crowded when the weather is nice. It’s a fun park, it even has a dog park so you can bring Rusty and let him run in the snow.
I know what you’re saying right now, sounds fun, but my sled wouldn’t fit in the overhead bin. Not to worry, there is a take a sled/leave a sled option called the Sled Shed. It’s located near the Runway Sledding Hill, and it contains sleds that you can use and return later. Just don’t be “that guy”, return the sled the day that you use it, don’t take it back to the condo!
If there are no sleds available at the Sled Shed, then you can always go to City Market and buy one. Then, you can leave it at the shed for when you come back next year. A word of caution, I don’t think that it’s a tax-deductible donation.
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Ice Skating – Stephen C West Ice Arena
You get the best of both worlds at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena. Indoor ice skating and outdoor ice skating! So, when it’s snowing so hard that they can’t keep the ice clear, and you want to get your inner Brian Boitano/Michelle Kwan on, head to the indoor rink. They also have various hockey stick and pucks, and drop-in hockey, if you’re into that sort of thing. Located on the south end of town at Main Street and Boreas Pass Road. Cost is $13 for adults and $10 for youth and senior. If you didn’t bring your skates, it’ll set you back $7 for skate rental.
Things to do in Breckenridge…Après Ski
Did you know that Breckenridge has on average 300 days of sunshine a year with 366 inches of snow a year? Do you know what that means? That’s right, time to head to one of the many patios and decks around Breckenridge and mingle with the other sun enthusiasts or just people watch. And always remember, you don’t have to ski in order to enjoy a good Après Ski.
From the mid-slope decks to various hangouts around town, grab your favorite beverage, put on your sunglasses, and let the sun wash over you.
After the ski runs are closed, head on over to some of the hot spots around town. Hang out on the expansive patio of Quandary Tequila Bistro or get some quality time in the cozy surroundings of the Blue Stag Saloon patio. Don’t worry, if the weather’s bad, you can always move inside and share harrowing sledding stories. This is just a couple of popular places but don’t worry, if you can’t get to these, Breckenridge has more right around the corner.
Maybe you’re after something more intimate? Hopefully you didn’t forget to pack your swimsuit because most condos, hotels, and private rentals have some sort of hot tub. So, pick up some libations at Breckenridge Market, go back to the condo, and have a nice quiet soak.
Hiking/Snowshoeing
That’s right, even though there are unbelievable inches of snow on the ground, doesn’t mean that you can’t go hiking! Hiking Boreas Pass Road (don’t worry, they close this part in the winter) will give you awesome views of the town of Breckenridge, and the 10 Mile Range behind it. It’s easy to get to and it’s an easy hike.
Saphire Point Overlook is another nice day hike. Classified as an easy hike it will give you views of Lake Dillon and the Gore Range. This trail is not maintained in the winter so be careful when you’re hiking it.
If you’re trying to scratch that snowshoe itch, then head on over to the Breckenridge Nordic Center and rent a set of snowshoes. They range from $15 to $25 depending on whether you’re a senior (65+), adult (18-64), teen (13-17) and whatever that awkward age is called (12 & under). They have trails that you can get to right outside their door, but there is a Trail Pass that needs to be purchased (it’s a ski mountain, you really didn’t think that you were going to get away without some kind of use ticket, did you?). The cost is $25 -$30 for the same age groups as above. Awkward age gets a break though, because their pass is free.
If you don’t want to pay for a trail pass, here’s a list of trails in and around Breckenridge that you can take.
Things to do in Breckenridge: Ride the Gondolas
You don’t have to actually ski to ride a gondola to the top, but you do have to buy a lift ticket. You can take the gondola up and check out the views, visit one of the restaurants on the mountain, of just hang out on one of their decks (see the après ski section above).
If you’re looking for a free gondola ride, you are in luck! The BreckConnect is a free gondola that will take you on a 13-minute ride that goes in-between Park Avenue and the base of Peak 8. A 440-foot vertical lift gives you a great view of the town and surrounding area, so have your camera ready. Bonus! The BreckConnect gondola is dog friendly, as long as their on a leash, so you can bring Rusty along for the ride!
Explore The Restaurant Scene
Wow, Breckenridge has a world class restaurant scene! If you’re looking for something upscale, try the Blue River Bistro. Have you ever wanted to try fresh caught Rocky Mountain trout? Or if you want to get your steak on, try Briar Rose Chop House and Saloon. Branded the best steak house in Breck, plus, you can act like a local and hang out at their back bar for happy hour. In the mood for some pizza? Not to worry, Fattys Pizza will quench that craving.
There are other casual places to stop and hang out for awhile. You can hit the motherload at The Motherloaded. Head downstairs for some great pizza and drinks at Downstairs at Eric’s. Or do burgers and tacos at Breckenridge Tap House.
If you really want to rub elbows with the locals, head on up to Frisco and visit The Moosejaw Food and Spirits. They’ve been flipping burgers (and they are some good burgers!) and slinging drinks for over 50 years now so they must be doing something right.
Museums and Tours
A fantastic thing to do in Breckenridge is visit their museums and take a tour or two! Breckenridge was originally a mining town it turns out there was gold in them thar hills! Walking through the some of the museums you’ll feel like you’re back in the 1800s.
If you’re a railroad buff, try the High Line Railroad Park. There is original railroad equipment along with displays about the history of the railroad in Breckenridge. This display is conveniently near the ice rink, and it’s outside, so dress accordingly.
Learn about the history of Breckenridge from the creation of the Rockies to the opening of Peak 6, at the Breckenridge Welcome Center Museum. Interactive exhibits, videos, and the friendly staff are all fantastic reasons to visit. Find it in town on Main Street.
If you’re on your way to hike Boreas Pass Road stop by Breckenridge Sawmill Museum to see how they used to prepare the lumber for the buildings around Breck.
If you want to see how actual residents lived in late 1800s and early 1900s, then check out these in-town preserved homes. Alice G. Milne Memorial is a park with three historic buildings. Edwin Carter was an early preservationist, and learn about a former slave at the Barney Ford Museum.
All of the above museums are free, but they suggest a $5 donation, which is probably the cheapest thing that you’ll do in Breckenridge!
