The Town:
Breckenridge was founded in 1859 as a mining town. It sits in a high alpine valley at 9600 feet (2926 m) elevation and
was the first permanent Colorado settlement west of the Continental Divide. The Breckenridge National Historic District preserves much of the original Victorian architecture and has over 254 buildings dating from the 1880s and 1890s.
The Summit Historical Society offers guided tours during the summer detailing the history of Breckenridge. Today, Breckenridge has collectively over 400 boutiques, restaurants, saloons, and bistros. It also has 16 museums/art galleries. It has a reputation for excellent shopping, dining and nightlife, but still maintains a "small-town" charm and character.
Skiing and Snow Boarding:
Breckenridge Ski Resort is one of the most popular ski areas in North American and is the most popular with European skiers. Breckenridge Ski Resort has 3398 feet (1036 m) of vertical drop, a base elevation of 9600 feet, and a summit elevation of 12998 feet (3962 m). It is spread out over four mountains (Peak 7, Peak 8, Peak 9, and Peak 10) and offers something to skiers of every ability. It has over 2200 skiable acres, 139 ski trails (38 beginner ski runs, 43 intermediate ski runs and 58 expert ski runs), and 23 ski lifts, including six high-speed quad chair lifts. The new Imperial high speed quad lift to the summit of Peak 8 is the highest chair lift in North America. A new gondola takes skiers directly from the center of town to the higher lifts on Peak 8. State-of-the art snow making augments the over 300 inches of snow. The Breckenridge Ski School, located at the base of Peak 9, is outstanding. Direct shuttle service provides a convenient and free way to get to nearby Keystone Ski Resort and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. For the snow boarders, there is the Freeway Terrain Park and Pipe, which attracts some of the best talent and events.
Other Winter Activities.
Winter skating may be found at Maggie Pond (next to the Village) and at the new multi-million-dollar Stephen West Ice Arena, which has both an indoor (open year-round) and an outdoor rink.
Horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowmobiling, and dog sled rides are some of the many other activities that may be enjoyed in the winter.
Breckenridge is host to a number of annual winter events such as the ice festival.
Summer Activities.
Breckenridge offers a lot to see and do after the snow melts. It is the summer home of the National Repertory Orchestra and the Breckenridge Music Festival.
The Riverwalk Concert Center, located along the banks of the Blue River, provides a unique venue for listening to live music.
A plethora of factory outlet stores in nearby Silverthorne offers great bargains for the thrifty shopper. For the golfer, the 18-hole Breckenridge Golf Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is situated in a spectacular setting.
White water rafting is available downstream on the Blue River, which is also rated as a blue-ribbon trout stream. Kayaking, boating, and sailing may be found on nearby Lake Dillon.
For the road bikes, there is an extensive system of off-road, paved bike paths that go to the town of Frisco, Copper Mountain, and over Vail Pass to Vail. Chairlifts operated in the summer access an alpine slide and an extensive network of trails for mountain bikes.
There are numerous hiking trails to the tops of many of surrounding peaks. The Colorado Trail also passes nearby. There are a number of gold mine tours in the area.