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Breckenridge Vacation Rentals are a great way to go in this area. The mountain resort town of Breckenridge, located high in the Rockies (at an elevation 9,603 feet) is a popular year round getaway located in Summit County. This scenic mountainous town once served as the summer hunting grounds of the Ute Indians until the late 19th century when it became a magnet for miners during the Colorado Gold Rush, which was called the Pike's Peak Gold Rush.
The Colorado Gold Rush refers to the era of prospecting and mining of gold in present-day Colorado, when the land was still a part of Kansas Territory. This gold rush began in 1859 and continued into the 1860's. In 1859, General George E. Spencer developed the town site and named it Breckinridge after the current Vice President, John Cabell Breckinridge.
The motive behind his naming of the town after the vice president was to please the government so that they would bestow the first post office of the area on the town. Spencer was successful in his endeavor and the town was soon awarded the first post office which served the large area of land between Salt Lake City, Utah and the Continental Divide.
However the town was soon forced to alter its name somewhat with the breakout of the American Civil War, during which Vice President Breckinridge joined the Confederate Army. When the people of the people of Breckinridge, came to know of this they, they were very embarrassed they quickly went on to replace the "i" with an "e" in the town's moniker
The mining boom drew a number of people to the town of Breckenridge and the town grew steadily as new business establishments were set up within its boundaries. In fact in 1887, the largest gold nugget called "Tom's Baby," was discovered here. This nugget which weighs 13 pounds, 7 ounces is now on display in the Colorado History Museum in Denver.
However, the mining boom gradually slowed to a trickle as the supply of gold diminished and the miners moved on. Breckenridge, like many other US cities was then badly affected by the Great Depression, in the early twentieth century and during this these lean years, the town of Breckenridge was decimated as its population was greatly reduced.
In 1936, it was discovered that the town of Breckenridge was no longer marked on the maps of the United States, this led it to declare itself as a city which was devoid of sovereign rule and it accordingly instituted a festival called ‘ No Man's Land' which continues to be celebrated until today, in the month of August.
The resurrection of Breckenridge took place in the late 1960's when people were once again drawn to this quaint mountain paradise. Their desire to get to Breckenridge was not fueled by prospecting activities this time around but by the desire to take advantage of the many winter recreational activities that it offered. The Eisenhower tunnel which was completed in 1973, further increased the accessibility of Breckenridge as the tunnel shortened the travel time between Denver and Breckenridge and helped establish this 19th century mining town into an attractive skiing and winter sport destination.
Today Breckenridge, is considered to be a year round outdoor recreation destination which has great facilities for skiing and other winter sports like snowshoeing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, dog-sledding, ice fishing and ice skating in the snowy winter months. Breckenridge also has much to offer during its mild summers when opportunities for fishing, hiking, canoeing, golfing and mountain biking abound. Moreover it also has several historical attractions as well as great shopping, dining and entertainment options which render it an ideal destination for all the family.
Weather
The town of Breckenridge is actually blessed with great weather which enables it to function as a year round vacation destination. The average temperatures in the winter months usually hover around 28ºF or -2ºC while summer temperatures range from around 70ºF or 21ºF during the day to 50ºF or 10ºC at night.
Getting to Breckenridge
By Air
Denver International Airport (DIA) provides a convenient gateway to the resort of Breckenridge. This airport is located at a distance of 102 miles from Breckenridge and is serviced by a wide variety of local and domestic airlines like Air Canada, British Airways, Continental Airways, JetBlue Airways, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Delta, American Airlines etc.
Apart from Denver International Airport, Breckenridge is also served by Colorado Springs Municipal Airport which is located 110 miles away and is served by carriers like American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest and United.
Other popular access airports for Breckenridge include the Eagle/Vail County Airport, the Hayden Yampa Valley Airport and the Fort Collins/Loveland Municipal Airport.
By Road
Breckenridge can be easily accessed by car from Denver by driving on the I-70 West for about 90 miles and then taking the CO- 9 South exit 203 Frisco/Breckenridge which eventually becomes Main Street. You can even get to Breckenridge from Colorado Springs by driving along the CO-24 West Highway for 62 miles until you get to CO-9 which becomes Main Street.
Shuttle Services
The Colorado Mountain Express is a popular mode of ground transportation which transports vacationers traveling to Breckenridge and the other neighboring resort towns of Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen etc. The Colorado Mountain Express offers both shared ride shuttles as well as private car transport services from DIA and Eagle County Regional Airport. Similar services are also provided by companies like Big Sky Shuttle and VailCoach.
Within Breckenridge
Breckenridge is well served by a public transport system that includes shuttles like the Free Ride, which is a free service between mountain bases, parking lots and other attractions. The town also has a trolley service which runs frequently and serves the downtown and Breckenridge village during winter months. The Summit Stage provides transportation between Breckenridge and the neighboring resorts of Keystone and Copper Mountain and the towns of Silverthorne, Frisco and Dillon for free. The Vail Express Bus which runs during the ski season presents an economical way to get to Vail Mountain from Breckenridge.
In January 2007, Breckenridge unveiled a new mode of transportation in the form of the BreckConnect or the Breckenridge Gondola which has terminals at both Peak 7 and Peak 8 base areas and at the Shock Hill Neighborhood. The Gondola which has a capacity of 3000 people per hour provides a new transport link for skiers and visitors from the town to the Breckenridge Ski Resort.
Accommodation
One of the best ways to enjoy a holiday in Breckenridge is to hire a vacation rental for the duration of your stay. Breckenridge offers a wide range of vacation rentals from Ski area condos, townhomes, pine-encircled lodges, ski-in/ ski-out vacation rentals which are bound to appeal to many diverse tastes and preferences. ReserveMyhome.com offers a wide repertoire of these money saving vacation rentals in every neighborhood of this charming 19th century mining town.
Attractions
Breckenridge offers a wide variety of entertainment options that range from a plethora of ski slopes to shops, museums, restaurants and bars that enthrall and delight a wide audience. The main attraction in Breckenridge is undoubtedly the Breckenridge Ski Resort that features 4 peaks and terrain parks like the Peak 8 Fun Park, that offer a wide range of winter and summer activities. The resort has over 2,208 skiable acres which are peppered with147 trails. The longest trail at this resort is called "the Four O'Clock" which stretches over 3.5 miles.
The resort has a base elevation of 9,600 feet with a vertical rise of 3,398 feet and is served by 28 lifts. The Breckenridge ski resort has trails that cater to every kind of skier including beginners and children. The resort also operates during the summer months when it is open for warm weather activities like horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing, camping etc.
Apart from this main attraction, the town offers many other sporting activities like a Jack Nicklaus designed, 27-hole golf course at the Breckenridge Golf Club, ice skating at the The Stephen C.Wise Ice Arena, sports like tennis, wall climbing and swimming at The Breckenridge Recreation CenterGold Run Nordic Center which is located at the Breckenridge Golf Course. and more skiing and ski trails at the
For those visitors who prefer cultural and sightseeing pursuits, this resort town has much to offer in the form of its Historic and Art Districts. The town's Historic district is full of diverse Museums that catalogue the town's intriguing history. The Barney Ford House Museum, the Carter Museum, William Harrison Birggle House, the Rotary Snow Plow Park and the Red,White and Blue Fire museum are some of the important landmarks located in Breckenridge. The Breckenridge Heritage Alliance offers guided historic walking tours of these sites during the spring and summer months.
The Arts District in Breckenridge is located in downtown Breckenridge along Ridge Street and it is home the Breckenridge Theater which is a 100 seat nonprofit theater. The resident company of the Breckenridge Theater is the Backstage Theater which stages performances all year long. Also located in the Arts district, is the award winning performing arts facility called the Riverwalk Center which hosts a variety of musical performances including the Breckenridge Music Festival that features various genres of music like classical symphonic and intimate chamber to jazz, blues and rock'n'roll.
For glimpse into the town's mining history, a tour of the Country Boy Mine is a recommended addition to your itinerary especially if you are vacationing in Breckenridge with your children.
Restaurants and Nightlife
Like any resort town Breckenridge has a wide variety of restaurants that aim to cater to a wide variety of palates.
Since the town offers year round sporting activities it has a number of excellent restaurants that open early to offer their patrons a hearty breakfast before they hit the slopes some popular breakfast places in Breckenridge include establishments like the diner called Daylight Donuts, the trendy Columbine Café and the local favorite Blue Moose Café which has pancakes and breakfast burritos on its menu.
If all this early morning activity gives you an appetite for lunch you can always grab bite at the oldest Pizzeria in Breckenridge called Fatty's Pizzeria or the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company..
After lunch, if you want to take in the local après-ski scene you can start on the slopes itself at the popular Bergenhof Restaurant which is nick named ‘Bergy Beach' for its party like atmosphere. You can also head out to the Breckenridge Brewery and Pub, which is Breckenridge's only brew pub that serves hand crafted micro brews.
Dining options in Breckenridge include the eclectic modis restaurant that is located on Main Street and serves new world cuisine. Other notable restaurants in Breckenridge are Relish which serves American food with a Colorado twist and the historic Briar Rose Restaurant and Pub which is located on the top of Peak 10. This restaurant was once a boarding house that served hearty meals to exhausted miners but today it rolls out excellent slow roasted prime rib, savory steaks, wild game, fresh seafood, poultry, pasta and vegetarian entrees which are exceedingly popular with both vacationers and locals in Breckenridge.
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