Eat
Summer or winter, a favorite stop when we roll into downtown Breckenridge is Empire Burger. Conveniently located right along Main Street, this burger joint offers up plenty of parking in the back. They have a huge list of dipping sauces to go with incredible fries or fried zuccini, juicy burgers and root beer floats. The staff is always super friendly and odds are good you can get some solid beta from them about where the good mountain biking or skiing is to be found because they were just there before starting their shift. Living the dream. Truly a classic. empireburger.com
Sleep
Sure, the town of Breckenridge is great for strolling and shopping, but access to the mountains is the key. Instead of staying down in town, head up Ski Hill Road to Peak 8 where One Ski Hill Place provides the ultimate gateway to the slopes. In the winter, you have ski-in, ski-out convenience. In the summer, your outdoor adventure starts as soon as you step out the door. Options include jumping on the chairlift for hiking and mountain biking or get picked up for ATV, horse and 4×4 tours. For all ages adventure, the Breckenridge Fun Park at Peak 8 has rock climbing, mini golf, pony rides, an alpine slide, a zip line and more. At night (or in the very unlikely event of bad weather), One Ski Hill Place houses the only bowling alley in Breckenridge. It’s free so book it early. oneskihill.rockresorts.com
Play
Biking and skiing attract the same mindset, so it’s no surprise that Breckenridge makes an easy transition from winter to summer. Enter the 6th Annual Bicycle Festival, a.k.a. Breck Bike Week, rocking from Wednesday, August 20 to August 24, 2014. There are literally hundreds of miles of rideable terrain weaving around Summit County and anyone new to the area can join in on a number of guided rides to get a taste. Most of the events are free and you can get a glimpse, or even rub elbows with, the pro riders finishing Stage 5 of the US Pro Challenge. gobreck.com
