Breckenridge, CO (Winter)

Day 1: Arrive in Denver - Travel to Breckenridge!

Flying to Denver: To maximize your time, fly in early to Denver International Airport (DEN) and pick up your rental car from your preferred provider. We use Avis. First things first, if you haven’t flown into the Denver Airport before, you need to read this article regarding Denver Airport Conspiracy Theories (we are not endorsing these theories, just think it’s entertaining and interesting to know before you go!).

• We recommend flying Southwest to Denver, because your ski/snowboard equipment flies free! This is a huge benefit.

Traveling to Breckenridge from Denver: You have a couple different options here and it’s dependent on a few things: how many people are in your group, how much are you packing, are you bringing your own equipment, do you have a great rental car discount?

1. OPTION A (recommended for 2 people): Take the Epic Mountain Express. This is the most convenient way to get directly from the Denver Airport to your destination. Typically the ride is ~70/per person one way (with four or fewer people), making it about $140/per person round trip. Through the booking tool, you can specify when your flight lands, how many people are in your group, and exactly where you want to be dropped off. It doesn’t get much easier than this!

   1. Breckenridge has Uber, Lyft, and other ride-sharing options available in town.

2. OPTION B (recommended for 2-4 people): Book one large SUV or two smaller rental cars. Rental cars fluctuate in price depending on availability and size, but for two people carrying large luggage, a rental car for the week could between ~$400-$600.

   1. If you have 4 people going on the trip and you all have luggage/equipment, you’ll need a larger SUV at the very least. This could be $600+. Check prices and book your SUV way in advance if this is your plan. They go quickly during the winter in Denver!

   2. If the price of the large SUV is significantly more than taking the shuttle, everyone take the shuttle! Again, Breckenridge has Uber, Lyft, and other ride-sharing options available in town.

3. OPTION C (recommended for 5+ people): With a larger group, it’s worth considering having one person book an SUV for the week, and having the rest of the group take the shuttle. This option gives you the flexibility of having a car in town. Two to four people can drive the rental car to Breckenridge, and the rest of the group can take the shuttle with their bags.

   1. Epic Mountain Express has an option where you can book a 10 passenger shuttle for $450 on way, or $900 round trip. This brings the shuttle cost per person down from $140 to $90.

   2. If the price of the large SUV is significantly more than taking the shuttle, everyone take the shuttle! Again, Breckenridge has Uber, Lyft, and other ride-sharing options available in town.

Place to stay in Breckenridge: We are passionate about this recommendation - book your ski in/ski out lodging through Great Western Lodging!! Especially if you are taking the shuttle into town, it will be a relief to be able to ski in/ski out of the place you’re staying. Search for your dates and the amount of people, and Great Western Lodging will provide the available options and prices. If you can, book a place near the 4 O’Clock run, this makes coming in for lunch a breeze.

Note: As with everything else, it’s best to make your reservations early.

Lift Tickets: Lift Tickets for Breckenridge are now done exclusively through Epic Pass. When purchasing your Lift Ticket, you will be required to specify the number of days you intend to ski/snowboard. When the season opens up, you’ll be able to reserve your specific dates*.

*Epic Pass sent an email on 3/19 saying they ARE NOT planning to require reservations for the 21/22 season. If this changes, here is how the reservation process works:

• Example: You are going skiing in December 2021. You purchase your Pass through Epic in July (because you are on top of things!) and say you want to ski for 4 days. In November, when the season opens, IF RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED: you will log in to your Epic account and select the actual days you want to ski (ex: Dec 14, 15, 16, and 17).

  • You will receive a card in the mail that is pre-loaded with your information and purchased days. While in Breckenridge, you’ll carry this card in your jacket and your card will be scanned before you get on each lift.

    • NOTE: If you are skiing/snowboarding over Christmas or New Years, be sure the purchase the pass that allows you to ski/snowboard on HOLIDAYS.

Ski Rentals: Now that you’ve made it here, you’ll want to pick up your ski/snowboard rentals when you get in town. You can pick you rentals at one of the seven Christy’s Sports Locations after 3pm, this allows you to have your rentals ready to rock first thing the next morning.

Christy’s has incredible customer service and tons of convenient locations around Breckenridge. AFTER you book your lodging, find the closest Christy’s Sports and book your rentals through their website. Dropping off your rentals is easy, too.

Ski/Snowboard rental + boots + helmet is ~$70 per day. This rate may change so check the website here for the latest rates.

Day 2 - 5: Skiing in Breckenridge

This is different than most our Itineraries, because the amount of time skiing per day and how many days you’re skiing is highly variable. Therefore, we recommend you follow our tips for travel, lodging, and rentals - then pick and choose from the below to fill your time off the slopes!

Skiing: If you’re staying at a condo through Great Western Lodging, you’ll undoubtedly be close to either a lift itself or a bus stop. We stayed in a condo at Sawmill Creek Condos (booked through Great Western Lodging) so we were easily able to hop on the bus outside our door (Black Route - stop 63) and get off at the Snowflake Lift (stop 65) to start a day of skiing.

Be sure to bring your Epic Pass with you, preferably in a zipper pocket in your ski jacket, because this is what you will use to get on the lifts. Your Epic Pass will be scanned anytime you are getting on a lift.

The best part of staying on 4 O’Clock Run at the Sawmill Creek Condos is that you can ‘ski out’ when you’re ready for a break or done for the day. If you want to go back out, hop back on the bus which comes by every 15 minutes. Check out the bus routes in Breckenridge to see times and pick up locations.

Places to Eat/Drink:

• BREAKFAST: Grocery store: ($) If you have a rental car, there are a few grocery stores nearby in either Frisco or Keystone (about 20 min outside of town). To save a few dollars here and there, grab food for breakfast and lunch so you’re only buying dinner at restaurants.

• LUNCH: Food on the slopes: ($$) There are places to at the bottom of each of the major lifts (Peak 8, Peak 9) and a few mountain top locations to grab lunch and a mid-day beer.

• DINNER: Breckenridge is not lacking in food options, and most restaurants are centrally located on Main Street, which is probably walking distance from your Great Western Lodging condo. Between lodging, ski rentals, and lift tickets - this trip can get pricey. We chose 5 restaurants for dinner with great food that won’t break the bank.

  • The Canteen ($$) - You must try the Honeydew Burger. I still dream of it.

  • Downstairs at Eric’s ($$) - Pizza makes feeding a group easy. Try the Thai Pizza - seriously.

  • Bangkok Happy Bowl ($$) - Craving Asian? This is your place. There’s something for everyone and great for take out.

  • The Blue Fish ($$$) - We love getting sushi at the Blue Fish in Texas, and they opened a Colorado location! Order the Blue Fish Tower when you go.

  • Breckenridge Pour House ($$) - Tons of beers on tap, and a mean chicken sandwich.

Things to Do:

Wake up, breakfast, hit the slopes, hot tub, shower, dinner, sleep - repeat! is how many people spend their time in Breckenridge. If you want a rest day or a change of scenery, or if you have people in your group that are not skiing, there’s still lots to do in Breckenridge.

• 15 Things to do on Main Street: You’ll notice most major attractions are on Main Street in walking distance from your condo. You can spend a full day walking the street and checking out the shops, both local boutiques and brands you recognize like Patagonia and Orvis.

• Art Gallery at Portfolio Breck: whether you’re looking to make a big investment or just want to go home with a small piece of art, this gallery has something for you.

• Book a treatment at Blue Sage Spa: a 60 minute massage will run you about $130, but compared to a day of rentals and a lift ticket this could be a great alternative and break between ski days.

Day 6: Travel day - head home!

Morning: Time to head back home. Make sure you return your rentals by 5pm on your last rental day. The place you’re staying will have a ‘check out’ list of anything you need to do before leaving your condo (ex: taking out the trash).

If you’re leaving after 8am, stop by The Crown and pick up a drip coffee and Watson bagel for the road. The Royal Tiger burrito is another good choice.

Checklist Before You Go:

1. Book your roundtrip flight to Denver, CO (DEN)

   1. Preferably through Southwest if you’re bringing your own skis/snowboard.

2. Book either your rental car or your Epic Mountain Express shuttle ride from Denver to Breckenridge

3. Book your lodging at Great Western Lodging

4. Purchase your Lift Ticket (now called Epic Pass)

5. Reserve your rentals from Christy’s Sports

   1. Choose the location closest to where you’re staying.

6. Make reservations for restaurants in Breckenridge (especially if you have a larger group)

7. Check the weather and pack accordingly!

Other Considerations

POINTS, POINTS, POINTS!!!!! All of the hotel recommendations are available on Chase Travel using your Chase Credit Card points. We cannot stress enough how valuable a credit card with a good points system can be. In our experience, Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best credit card for points.

Cost: This itinerary focused on value for your money, without sacrificing quality.

Flights: If you can fly Southwest into Denver, do it! Coming from Houston or other major hubs, you can often find flights to Denver for under $200. We recommend booking well in advance, though. Especially in advance of ski season.