Family Fun In Breckenridge, Colorado

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My partner and I are quite experienced skiers but our kids, aged 8 and 6, have never skied before. I’m very keen for us to have a nice family skiing vacation and I can’t think of anywhere better than at the Breckenridge Ski Resort.

There’s lots of different terrain and 155 trails to choose from. We can do our thing whilst the kids join the Ski and Ride School. There are lots of impressive facts about this ski resort but I think the one that impresses the kids the most is that Breckenridge has the highest chairlift in North America. I have a surprise up my sleeve however, and that’s the themed Ripperoo’s Enchanted Forest, where children can learn to ski and do other activities in a magic forest with a dragon. Ripperoo is some sort of mascot.



We are choosing Breckenridge because it’s one of the most family friendly resorts and there’s a lot to do. The Alpine Slide looks great and each sled takes an adult and one child. Another activity we plan to do is to go dog sledding with a company called Good Times Adventures. A guide takes you on a 6-mile tour and teaches you how to run the dogs. I can’t wait to get up close and personal with the Siberian huskies that they use. I’ve always thought that they are beautiful animals and I’ve always wanted to shout mush, mush!

We love going ice skating together when we are at home and I’m planning to take the family to the Stephen C. West Ice Arena, where there are two full sized rinks, one outside and one inside. We will be able to rent our skates there so we don’t have to worry about taking that bit of extra luggage.

After a busy day on the slopes, I figure I deserve some time to myself and some pampering. There are a number of local spas advertised and the one I’ve chosen is the Alpine Spa and Salon. They offer a wide range of treatments and the Hot Stone Massage appeals to me. It’s some sort of magic they work with smooth, warmed stones. I don’t really understand it but it sounds good. The other treatment I want to try is recommended for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and so on. It’s called the ’60 Minute Athletic Relief Treatment for Tired Legs’ and it does what it says on the tin. It’s a massage that gives immediate relief to all those tired leg muscles. I may time this for the middle of our vacation and it will give me a welcome boost of energy.



The town is said to have the largest historic district in Colorado and the best way for us to see the highlights and learn the history is by going on the guided Historic Walking Tour, organized by the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance. The tour takes in homes, the courthouse, and churches. We’ll probably see a lot more than by trying to find places by ourselves. We will wander down Main Street on our own though, to browse all the cute stores and galleries there.

Of all the restaurants in Breckenridge, and there are many, I’m most looking forward to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Fans of Forest Gump will recognize the reference. I want to eat there because I adore shrimp dishes and I can’t wait to try their Shrimp Cocktail. I’ve had a peep at the menu online and it also has lobster, steak, burgers, and plenty for the kids.

What artists can do with snow is amazing and luckily, we will be in Breckenridge for the annual International Snow Sculpture Championship, that takes place on January 26th, 2010 - 31st January 2010. Participants come from all over the world and fashion works of art from 20-ton blocks of snow. Then, after all that effort, it melts away!

Riding in a horse drawn sleigh through the mountains and the meadows is my idea of heaven. Breckenridge Sleigh Rides, offer different packages and the one we have our eye on is the Dinner Sleigh Ride. The clubhouse at the Breckenridge Golf Course Mountain Lodge is the venue for the gourmet dinner and we start with a mug of hot chocolate to warm up. I’ve seen the pictures of the horses they use and they look magnificent. The sleighs are a bright red and hand made.

Our kids love to learn new things, so we are planning a visit to the Mountain Top Children’s Museum. It looks like a lot of fun and it’s just the sort of interactive museum that kids love, where they can learn through play. There are different sections on the human body and local animals, and children can create artwork and learn about the stars in the planetarium. It’s recommended for ages 10 and under, making it ideal for us.

I’m sure our offspring will also be fascinated by the Country Boy Mine Tours, a trip to one of the largest gold mines in the area where you can go underground and see the original workings from a hundred years ago. Old photographs show the lives of the miners and visitors are encouraged to pet the resident donkeys. The best bit will be panning for gold, which the guide teaches you to do, and you get to keep anything you find.



You might not expect Mardi Gras to be celebrated in Colorado but it is and the event we are excited about is the Bacchus Ball on 13th February 2010. It’s a masked ball in the mountains and we’ll need to hire some knockout costumes. Everything has a New Orleans theme, including the food and drink. There is live music and dancing, and the Mardi Gras Rex and Queen are crowned.

Accommodation is key on any vacation and we have carefully narrowed it down to a shortlist of two. The first is the ResortQuest owned Blue Sky Breckenridge lodging complex, the most recently built resort in the town. It’s on the shuttle route for the slopes and there is a concierge to look after us. The resort also has a game room and an outdoor pool and our 3 Bedroom / 3 Bathroom lodge has a hot tub. The other one, also a ResortQuest is Main Street Junction. This would be ideal if we decide we want to be in the heart of the town on Main Street. We can walk to the lifts and use the free shuttle service. We’d take the 3 Bedroom / 3 Bathroom condo with a gas fireplace and a gourmet kitchen, (does that mean I have to be a gourmet cook?). Guests have access to the pool and fitness center, and there is a storage facility for ski equipment.

I’m enjoying the planning part but actually going there will be even better! It’s going to be a varied vacation in the snow and it will be terrific, I’m sure!

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