Fun things to do in Breckenridge and around Summit County, Colorado

Breckenridge, Colorado, is such an incredible place to visit and explore! I’ve been lucky enough to call this little mountain town home for the last 11 years. There’s no shortage of fun and unique activities—no matter the season. Sitting at over 9,000 feet, Breckenridge has something for everyone: it’s kid-friendly, dog-friendly, and the perfect destination for a romantic getaway. Whether you’re here for outdoor adventures, incredible mountain views, or the cozy small-town vibe, you’re in for an unforgettable trip!

12 fun things to do in Breckenridge in summer

As they say, come for the winter, stay for the summers! Summers in Breckenridge are short but incredible. It’s my favorite time to soak up all the sunshine, camping, and hiking. Here are some fun summer activities in Breckenridge to check out!

1. Go Hiking!

There are so many amazing hikes around the county for all levels. Alltrails.com is my favorite app to find a hike in the area that I want to explore. I usually will opt for a ‘moderate’ hike. The ‘hard’ ones I save for a special day and I usually like something a little more strenuous than ‘easy.’

2. Free Gondola Ride at Breckenridge

Riding the Gondola is such a unique experience that you must do when you visit Breckenridge! It takes you from town to the base of Peak 7 or 8. Peak 8 has lots of fun things to do for kids *and adults* like an alpine slide and a mini coaster. Keystone also has a Gondola ride, but you do need to purchase a ticket where as the Breckenridge Gondola ride is free.

(closed seasonally during mud season May & October)

3. Go fly fishing

Fly fishing is such a fun Colorado experience and perfect if you love to fish! Check out any of the fly fishing shops in Breckenridge or sign up for a guided trip! This is such a fun way to get out in nature and get a unique Colorado perspective tucked away in nature.

4. Bike around the bike path or try mountain biking

There are so many types of bikes you can rent in Breckenridge from mountain bikes to electric bikes! If you want something more adventurous or an adreniline rush, go mountain biking or check out a guided mountain biking trip. There are many great trails to choose from from beginner to expert.

If you’re looking for something calmer, cruise around on the bike path. Google Maps will show you hills and elevation gain so be sure to check that out before commiting to an intense workout!

5. A stroll down Main Street

Breckenridge Main Street is a magical experience in itself! It’s the perfect stretch to walk around and do some window shopping.

6. Spa day at The Infinity Spa on Peak 8

The Grand Lodge Spa is one of the best spas in Breckenridge! Have a full treat yourself day. I love going here for a little self-care on a staycation!

7. Mining tour or gold mining at Country Boy Mine

Check out a little Breckenridge history and do a mining tour at Country Boy Mine.

8. Get a crepe

If you see people standing in a long line in Breckenridge, it’s probably for the crepe cart! Sometimes the wait can be crazy, but it almost feels like that’s a part of the experience.

9. Check out The Breckenridge Distillery

The Breckenridge Distillery is one of my favorite places for a cocktail! It’s worth popping in for a Breckenridge souvenir, their Distillery tour, or their restaurant! They also have a tasting room on Main Street for a quick trip.

10. Check out the other towns in Summit County

Breckenridge is just one of the many towns in Summit County! Take some time to explore around Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon or Keystone. Frisco is another favorite town in Summit County with a similar vibe to Breckenridge, just a little smaller and less busy.

11. Rent a boat or kayak on Lake Dillon

One of my favorite summer activities is spending the day at Lake Dillon. Both Frisco and Dillon have a marina where you can rent a boat or kayak. While the water’s not warm enough to swim, it’s such a gorgeous spot to spend the day in the sun!

12. Check out one of the festivals

Breckenridge’s festivals are so fun to check out! While they can bring a larger crowd, they are so much fun if you like a good party or looking for something lively to do! Oktoberfest in Breckenridge is one of the most popular.

14 fun things to do in Breckenridge in winter

Winter in Breckenridge is bustling with people on ski trips, but you don’t have to go skiing to fall in love with the town or find something to do! November-April is typically a full-on winter wonderland where snow and the cold stick around.

1. Ski or snowboard one of the many mountains

Take a ski or snowboard lesson at Breckenridge, or check out one of the surrounding resorts. Keystone, A-basin, Copper, Vail many others are all a short drive!

2. Free Gondola Ride at Breckenridge (closed seasonally during mud season May & October)

Riding the Gondola is such a unique and free experience that you must do when you visit Breckenridge! It takes you from town to the base of Peak 7 or 8 where you can watch people ski down the slopes. My favorite is to grab a bloody mary and food at Robbie’s.

3. A stroll down Main Street

Breckenridge Main Street is a magical experience in itself! It’s the perfect stretch to walk around and do some window shopping.

4. Spa day at The Grand Lodge on Peak 8

The Grand Lodge Spa is one of the best in Breckenridge! Treat yourself to a day of relaxation with their full spa services. My favorite is watching everyone ski while I sit in the hot tub while it snows. Next-level experience.

5. Snowshoe, cross-country ski, or snowmobile

Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or snowmobiling are such unique Colorado winter activities! I’m not an expert at any of the above, but they are such fun activities to try with your friends and family for the day! Makes for lots of laughs.

6. Go Dog sledding or snowmobiling at GoodTimes

GoodTimes in Breckenridge is such a unique winter experience and easily one of my favorites! They offer dog sledding or snowmobiling in Breckenridge. The dog sledding is an experience like no other and I didn’t realize it would come with such a trill!

7. A sleigh ride dinner

A trip to Golden Horseshoe (right next to Good Times) is an experience like no other and on the top of my list! They offer sleigh rides through the trees and a mining camp theatre dinner which is honestly such a fun night for friends.

8. Extreme sledding at Country Boy Mine or ‘regular sledding’ at Carter Park

If you want a little more thrill, check out the extreme sledding at Country Boy Mine or if you’re just looking for a classic sledding hill, Carter Park.

9. Get a crepe

If you see people standing in a long line in Breckenridge, it’s probably for the crepe cart! Sometimes the wait can be crazy, but it almost feels like that’s a part of the experience.

10. Go tubing

It took me a few years to try tubing and I didn’t realize how fun this was! It’s perfect for kiddos and adults looking for a little thrill and laughs. There’s tubing just outside of Breckenridge in Frisco or at Copper Mountain.

11. Check out The Breckenridge Distillery

The Breckenridge Distillery is one of my favorite places for a cocktail! It’s worth popping in for a Breckenridge souvenir, their Distillery tour, or their restaurant!

12. Check out the other towns in Summit County

Breckenridge is just one of the many towns in Summit County! Take some time to explore around Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon or Keystone. Frisco is another favorite town in Summit County with a similar vibe to Breckenridge, just a little smaller and less busy.

13. Go ice skating on Keystone Pond

A fun and unique winter experience is going ice skating on Keystone Pond! It will usually freeze over in December and will be open to rent ice skates.

14. Check out one of the festivals

Breckenridge’s festivals are so fun to check out! While they can bring a larger crowd, they are so much fun if you like a good party or looking for something lively to do! There are many festivals in December like the lighting of Breckenridge, a dog parade, or Ullr fest. In Febuary there’s the international snow sculptures.

Getting to Summit County

Summit County is roughly 1 1/2-2 hours from Denver International Airport. While it’s a bit of a drive, there are many ways of transportation to and from DIA. 

Renting a car

Renting a car to drive to Summit County is one option as there’s so much to see, do, and explore! If you’re coming in the winter, be sure to rent a 4-wheel drive SUV or an all-wheel drive that will handle snowy and icy conditions. Note that snow can come as early as September and as late as June. If you don’t feel comfortable driving in the snow, there are a few other ways to get around!

Take a shuttle or other transportation

There are plenty of local shuttle companies that will pick you up from the airport and take you right to Summit County. Once you’re in Summit County, there’s free bus transportation roughly once an hour around Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, and Keystone.

While we do have Uber or Lyft, do not rely on this as your main source of transportation. We don’t have many drivers in the area and sometimes the wait time is pretty lengthy and costly.

When should I visit Breckenridge or Summit County?

Being that Summit County is around 9000ft, the weather is so different than the rest of the world! Be sure to take into consideration the weather in Breckenridge. Any time of the year can be amazing, as long as you’re prepared!

Where to stay in Breckenridge?

There’s no shortage of places to stay in Breckenridge! There’s anything from cute cabin rentals in the woods on Airbnb to giant mountain homes to split with a group of friends on VRBO or a local rental company. Gravity Haus is a cute and trendy boutique hotel if you want to be close to main Street or check out The Grand Lodge on Peak 8 for a luxury ski in ski out experience.

You can also check out the towns of Frisco, Silverthorne, Keystone or Dillon which are all within a 30 minute drive of Breckenridge and offer their own unique charm.

Kid-friendly things to do in Breckenridge

Ride on the trolley down Main Street

Go on a hike to find the troll or the train park

The Trollsteigen which is a great 1-mile hike to do with kids and it takes you to a giant 15-foot wooden sculpture troll, Isak Heartstone.

Go sledding

Country Boy Mine

Mountain Top Museum

Ready Paint Fire

Check out the candy stores

Snow tubing

Go ice skating