Plan your Summer Trip to Breckenridge
I’ve expressed my love for Colorado before, and I’ll do it again and again and again. There’s endless things to do in this mountain paradise – no matter the season – so I rounded up some of my favorite finds from our summer trip to Breckenridge.
Shop Downtown Breck
Breckenridge’s main street is lined with delightful shops and restaurants and speckled with some of the most beautiful flowers.
Some of my favorite main street shops were Beloved for cute clothes and interior vibes and sister boutiques Ruby Jane and Valleygirl for jewelry and clothes from Free People, BB Dakota and other popular brands.
Pictured: Beloved, Breckenridge Colorado.
Pictured: Woodland and Ruby Jane.
Eats and Drinks in Breck
I didn’t take any photos of the food in Breck because I was too focused on scarfing it down. My favorite restaurant was the Breckenridge Distillery, which is slightly off the main drag and had fun, quirky decor, good (in-house brewed) cocktails and food. There’s also an outdoor patio with games and distillery tours.
Other good picks we liked were Pour House, Giampietro’s Pizza, Canteen and the Breckenridge Brewery.
Hit the Slopes in the Summer
A popular Breckenridge spot in both winter and summer is Peak 8 on the mountain. Take the gondola up from Breckenridge’s city center to access all of the Peak 8 activities.
We rented bikes from the base, took the chairlift up and rode down some fun (but sometimes treacherous) trails on the slopes and back into town.
At the base of Peak 8, there’s an alpine slide, obstacle course, kid-friendly activities and restaurants. I would have taken part in some of the other activities here but we stuck with mountain biking to get the most bang for our buck. A pass to access the Peak 8 activities goes for $90 per person.
Off the Beaten Path Picks
Feed Chipmunks in Dillon
We’ve been visiting Sapphire Point in Dillon since I was a kid and I’m surprised it’s not a more popular spot. This rocky cliff is located about 30 minutes from Breck on the East side of lake Dillon. It’s special not only for the amazing views but because you can feed chipmunks here! They will hop right up in your palm and devour sunflower seeds.
Disclaimer: I know, it’s not cute to feed wildlife and I wouldn’t do this in any other location, but these little ground squirrels have been eating seeds out of people’s palms for over 20 years so I think it’s safe for both the chipmunks and people IMO.
Go on a Cattle Drive
The photo above was actually taken at a stable in Keystone but in years past we’ve done cattle drives at a dude ranch in Vail valley. A cattle drive is basically an elevated trail ride because you’re riding on your horse independently without following nose-to-tail. (Although, the horses pretty much know they should round up the cattle, so don’t worry about your roundin’ up skills.) It’s fun because you’re working toward a goal and it feels more authentic. My whole family loved this and I’d definitely do it again.
Find your own Hike
I can’t even provide advice here because there are thousands of hiking trails throughout Breckenridge. Just go out and find one. One of our favorites is a trail in Silverthorne, pictured above.
Night Trip to Vail
Okay, this one isn’t really off the beaten path. But it’s a fun thing to do if you’ve got some time to trek a ways from Breck. Vail holds weekly concerts at their Gerald R Ford Amphitheater and Gardens. This is another activity my parents have taken us to every year and we always pack some food and sit on the lawn.
And if you don’t want to spend money on the concert you can still go and walk around the beautiful gardens here that feature waterfalls and native flowers.
What to Bring to Breck in the Summer
Pictured above: Our cabin rental for the week through Paragon Lodging.
For me, the least fun part of any trip is packing so I’ve saved it for last. Packing for Colorado in the summer is even more of a challenge because the weather can really vary. I hate to say it, but you’ll probably want to pack for summer and fall. During the day I wore shorts and a tank for hiking and at night I wore leggings and fuzzy sweatshirts.
Although I missed out on the opportunity myself I’d also highly recommend you BYOD (Bring your own dog.) Almost everywhere in Breck is dog-friendly, including the hikes and shops. I definitely missed my pup when we were here! You see them everywhere.
Lastly, if you’re like me and struggle with altitude during the first few days of a mountain trip, make sure you bring ibuprofen and drink lots of water. Otherwise, you don’t need to bring much to have a good time in Breckenridge.
Thanks for reading!
