Think I failed to check out the full Main Street in this town on my last visit over a decade ago…read more Maybe this is why I was so impressed with this ski town this time? On our recent visit, I got to see much more of this town...including the full Main Street (North and South)....and truly, they have a lot to offer. Plenty of restaurants, boutiques, you name it! Unlike the boutiques in Vail, which are mostly ski-oriented and incredibly expensive, the pricing of items in boutiques along Main Street were quite affordable. Breckenridge is All-American (not as European and posh like Vail) but it was stunning in its own way, and offered more variety...in terms of types of foods and shopping. It snowed on the days we were there, and truly, it was like Winter Wonderland...as the streets and the landscaping throughout the place were gorgeous!! Now that I've seen more of this town, I can say that I love the place...almost as much as Vail! I don't ski, but my husband is an avid skier...and he says the ski slopes are awesome. He can't even choose which he prefers...the ones in Breckenridge versus Vail.

Finally, during my latest visit to Denver I was able to get out of Denver and see more of the…read morebeautiful state of Colorado and go to Breckenridge. The drive alone was amazing but I loved that there was a Welcome To sign at the town limits that showed when it was established and what the elevation is. We were there for specific reasons but along with that I got to enjoy many "firsts" and see this cute ski town.

The City of Frisco is a beautiful little mountain town just north of Breckenridge, off the I-70…read moreexit for Dillon Reservoir and Silverthorne. Their Main Street is doted with little shops, some going back seventy plus years. Frisco also has some breathtaking Mountain View's, see photos. We would recommend dinner at Uptown on Main, and some ice cream at Foote's afterwards.

The City of Frisco is 1 hour and 30 minutes away from my town, but I drive by here all the time…read morewhen I'm going to Breckenridge!! Normally everything looks so gloomy during the winter, but Frisco is a BEAUTIFUL winter wonderland!! All the shops are stunning and covered in snow, and full of small businesses that need the support right now more than ever. I'm learning that Nov 15, 2020-Jan 15, 2021 the city of Frisco is rewarding bonus cards when you spend certain amounts. There is more information on their official website, but I think the town is commendable for supporting their local businesses this far. This boat town has a marina bay, where you can rent out canoes and also kayaks!! The Pontoon Boat 90 HP is amazing for a romantic getaway on the Dillon Reserve. I found out that for 2 hours it is $185!!

Vail Village feels like someone picked up a charming European mountain town and carefully dropped…read moreit into the Colorado Rockies. The cobblestone walkways, alpine architecture, crisp mountain air, and towering peaks create a setting that feels almost unreal. Every visit reminds us why Colorado keeps calling us back. The mountains are majestic, the scenery is breathtaking, and the pace of life slows down just enough to appreciate it all. As Star Wars fans, we couldn't help but feel a little inspired: I am one with the mountain, and the mountain is with me. Whether you're hiking, strolling through the village, or simply sitting quietly taking it all in, Vail is a place that feeds the soul.

I've been to several major ski towns by now, but this village really stands out for me…read more.. For some reason, I expected some changes, but the place looked exactly the same as I remembered it from over 10 years ago! Every square inch is just so picturesque! I did feel that there were a few negatives...for me (the non-skier). I just wished they had more boutiques that weren't so ski-oriented...and nicer coffee shops. Despite being such a swanky village, they also seemed to run short on nice bakeries and coffee shops. In fact, I was nearly shocked how basic some places were! Plenty of nice restaurants though...and many had cool European ambiance. Again, I'm not a skier, but I had no problems spending my time (up to 6 hours or more) walking around this pretty village. It truly felt as if I was in Germany or Switzerland. LOVE this place!!

As the saying goes "Not exactly roughing it!"…read more Beaver Creek Ski resort is the top place to ski in the Rockies IMHO. We have enjoyed many fun days on the slopes when out west. Never too crowded. Great staff. Excellent accommodations. Start off at the Centennial lifts and enjoy! Don't forget to catch the chef serving fresh baked chocolate chip cookies at 4pm at the bottom of the mountain. ;) Plus, Après ski at the Ritz Carlton is the best. The 2024 - 2025 season has started with perfect powder. Happy Thanksgiving!

We LOVED this place. Kids ski school is right front and center for families with little ones…read more Haymeadow has some great little learning hills and magic carpets. Green runs are amazing and McCoy park was super fun to play around with the adults. Live music daily and a great beverage tent set outside. We had a blast! Can't wait to make it back again.

This is a really cool pull off,but I have never seen a sheep here. There is plenty of parking and…read morea bathroom nearby, which is great. It's a fun stop though and right by the dam and lake/reservoir.

I live right in Georgetown so I've been lucky enough to see bighorn sheep in town right near my…read moreapartment but the viewing area is also wonderful.

Cute little hike to see Isak the troll sculpture. Can see why it's a popular destination! There's…read moresome Other small trails near by to walk on, a playground for the kids and such!

Take a short, scenic stroll on the Trollstigen Trail (Troll Trail) to see the Isak Heartstone…read moreTroll. It's located just outside of the main part of Breckenridge. Best of all, it is FREE to see! To find the Trollstigen Trail trailhead go to the southeast corner of the Stephen C. West Ice Arena parking lot, next to Illinois Creek Trailhead. If you are near the trains, go to the opposite end of the parking lot. Isak Heartstone 1 was co-commissioned for an exhibit for the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts in 2018, but it was dismantled in February 2019 because it was too popular and then reinstalled here . Although I didn't see it in person, only online, I think the original sculpture was better and more playful. Isak is carefully stacking rocks like he's balancing rocks. As per Dambo's website, this troll got its' name after three little girls came by and gave Isak a stone heart. Dambo has a heart-shaped stone placed in Isak's chest. The Isak Heartstone Troll at THIS location is the second one. Some people reference this one as Isak Heartstone 2. He sits at approximately 15 feet tall. Thomas Dambo is the creator of this and many other trolls. He uses reclaimed wood and other recycled materials. Isak is pretty cool to see in person! He's sitting on an incline between trees. He's got his right hand holding the tree trunk. His left hand is balancing him as he's sitting. The bottom of his left foot is resting against a rock. I love all the details... like his fingernails & toenails, and small branches for hairs. The trail is an easy walk through a forested area. This pathway is stable to walk on. The return trail is different from the one leading in. It consists of wood boards, similar to a deck and includes a 6-inch-high step. This troll was created by Thomas Dambo, a Danish sculpture artist. There are over one hundred Dambo trolls in the U.S.A. and many more around the world. Isak Heartstone is Troll numbered 043. Isak is the first Dambo Troll we've seen in person! We went to see Rita The Rock Planter eight days later! I guess we're officially Troll Hunters now! *If you live in the Los Angeles, CA area or are planning to visit, there will be a temporary exhibit of 12 Thomas Dambo's Trolls at the South Coast Botanic Garden in March 2026. Buy your tickets!

Relatively easy trailhead for the less experienced hiker that leaves you with some amazing views…read more Plenty of parking with a huge entrance lot. No day pass or state park fees to enter. There is also a warming hut on site for the winter month with a bathroom. Take your time and pace yourself.

Please at least install hand sanitizing stations in the bathrooms! It is so nasty to not have a way…read moreto clean your hands after using the restroom. Also, there was trash all over the parking lot. This place was in a sad state when we visited.

There are a few locations of this t-shirt shop around Vail and they are all reasonably priced and…read moretotally, utterly in love with Vail. Most of the Vail-ites (is that the word?) really love showing their Vail pride, so I like that this store serves all the tourists in the area and the locals, to boot. There were t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, pants, PJs, magnets, keychains, shoes - anything you could possibly imagine to show your Vail pride. As a magnet collector (I know, I'm lame), I found their selection to be pretty good and reasonably priced. We also bought some "Raccoon Poop" which are tiny malted-milk balls (we've noticed this is a recent tourism trend since we also bought "Lobster Poop" in Boston - awesome). This store is much cheaper than the other tourist stores in downtown Vail and I liked the selection. If I had a bit more Vail pride, I would have bought more.

A great place to find all your gaper gifts for the folks back home! If you are in the market for a…read moreshot-glass with a trail map on it or T-shirts with lame jokes about Vail's elevation or *gasp* cannabis references, this is the place for you! PROTIP: Ask the staff to show you the select items that say "Vail" on them.