Chelsi here today and although the summer is coming to an end, I wanted to share a very special summer vacation spot that you may want to think about for the future. We just returned but our plans started several months ago when my husband declared his desire to go to Breckenridge for our Summer vacation. For many of you, you know Colorado as a natural place for Texans to go to escape the summer heat. For others when you think of vacationing in Colorado, you think cold weather, lots of snow, skiing and snowboarding, and spending evenings warming up by a fire. So for us, we wanted to experience it without the snow, get out of this Texas heat!, and enjoy the beautiful green nature Colorado has to offer. As soon as Summer began, I realized we definitely weren’t the only ones with this idea. My Facebook and Instagram feeds started blowing up week after week with pictures of everyone’s vacation from none other than Breckenridge. So all the sudden, we were headed to the hot spot..or rather cool spot…of the Summer.
I must admit that I was a little skeptical about finding enough activities to do for our crew, which includes two girls that are 10 and 7. After some good old-fashioned research, turns out Breckenridge has something to offer everyone!
For the Adventurer
Colorado is one of the best places in the U.S. to do some white-water rafting and there are several options of difficulty depending on your travel group, from young rafters to more experienced adrenaline junkies. We booked our trip through AVA and they have a great choice for families called Scenic Float, which was a ½ day trek on the Colorado River where we saw category 1 and 2 rapids. It was perfect for the kids and the place to start if you have never rafted before. AVA was well run by experienced raft guides and they also offer so many other adventures in the area like zip-lining and horseback riding. Definitely check them out to plan the excursion that is suited for you.
For the Nature Lover
To get out and really enjoy nature (and get some exercise!), I recommend taking one of the many nature hikes that Breckenridge has to offer. It is a great way to connect with the outdoors, clear your head and breathe in some of that clean mountain air! Colorado is also known for its gold medal trout waters so fly fishing is as good as it gets near Breckenridge. Professional guides will take you out to the active spots where you can spend the day catching (and releasing) fish.
For the Laid Back
When I’m on vacation, I’m all about seeing the sights and going on high impact excursions, but I also want a mix of lazy days. With a walk down Main Street in Breckenridge, you step back in time, walking past buildings that have stood for over 100 years. There is prime shopping with a mix of art galleries, chic boutiques, and of course, tourist gear shops. Stroll past eateries that range from fine dining (two of our favorites were Kenosha Steakhouse and Crepes a la Carte) to cute coffee shops and wet your whistle at bars that serve a host of local craft brews.
For the Kids
If you are travelling with children, Epic Discovery is a must-see, or rather a must-do. Located on Peak 8, you start your journey towards the fun by hopping on the free gondola ride. It offers a panoramic view of the town and takes about 10 minutes to get to the area of fun. Once there, there are restaurants and bars but more importantly, there are roller coasters and slides that go down the mountain, zip-lining, rock climbing, miniature golf, a ropes course and so much more. For those who want to go even higher, you can hop a ski lift to the true top of the mountain and stand at over 11,000 feet above sea level and enjoy the majestic scenery that Colorado has to offer.
For the Skin
OK, this wouldn’t be one of my posts if I didn’t include my beauty essentials. That clean mountain air I mentioned earlier is also very dry and can really put a hurt on your skin, especially if you are used to humidity like I am. To cleanse, I used Erborian Solid Cleansing Oil. This removes all traces of makeup and leaves the skin soft and hydrated. You also have to remember that you are way above sea level, so naturally you are closer to the sun, and even though it might feel cool, that sun can still do some damage. For my daily sunscreen, I opted for Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum SPF 30. This really does have a lightweight serum-like texture so your skin stays hydrated while benefitting from the sun protection. I also packed two very simple and inexpensive items that were key to my skin survival – Liquid Vitamin E and Chapstick. I added the Vitamin E to my normal night cream to give it an added boost of moisture so my skin could recover each night while I slept and the Chapstick was in my pocket the entire trip to keep my lips from cracking.
Breckenridge was absolutely the perfect vacation spot during the Summer. I couldn’t believe what a trendy locale it had become…I literally ran into a high school friend of mine that I hadn’t seen in over 20 years! So as the summer comes to an end, plan ahead and get ready to be wowed with all that Colorado and it’s beauty has to offer in addition to the cold weather months!