Four Perfect Days: Family Ski Vacation

Rise and shine with Pecan Cinnamon Raisin French Toast or Huevos Rancheros at the Blue Moose at the south end of Main Street, serving hearty home cooked meals and generous portions in a family atmosphere. After your early rise, drop the kids off at our Children’s Ski & Ride School for a day of fun with our first-class instructors. Save time and money by reserving their lessons online. Stop by one of two Breckenridge Sports locations in the Village where you can find the latest in ski technology and pick up your rentals. Spend the morning warming up your snow legs on the greens and blues of Peaks 8 & 9. Or, explore the mountain on one of the free mountain tours offered for intermediate skiers/riders and above. Tours depart at 10:00 a.m. daily from the base of the Colorado SuperChair on Peak 8 or the base of the Beaver Run SuperChair on Peak 9.

Make some turns and make your way to Vista Haus, at the top of the Colorado SuperChair. Here you'll find food-court style lunches and fantastic views of the Continental Divide. Take advantage of your kids being taken care of and take a class yourself. Refine your skills or learn a new sport like snowboarding or telemarking with the Breckenridge Ski & Ride School.

Sleep in (if your kids let you) and recover from your first day in Breckenridge. Don't forget to drink plenty of H2O - high altitude can cause dehydration. A hearty dose of carbohydrates is also a good prescription for making the most out of a vacation at 9600 feet. Stop by Columbine Café, where breakfast is served all day. We recommend an over-the-top cinnamon roll or pancake as big as your head! Spend the rest of the morning perfecting your newly learned ski and ride skills with the family. Novices may want to explore the bottom half of Peak 9, while Peak 10 offers more challenging steeps and bump runs.

By noon, you'll be craving charbroiled favorites. Make a stop at Ten Mile Station, located at the top of the Quicksilver Super6 chairlift. Kick off the afternoon wearing a hard hat as you venture 1,000 feet into a century old, authentic gold mine. The Country Boy Mine offers 45-minute tours every hour on the hour. Be sure to meet one of the friendly burros that roam the mine site.

Take the family to Daylight Donuts for a hearty breakfast of eggs, hash browns, pancakes and of course—iced donuts with sprinkles! Ride to the Continental Divide on a snowmobile and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains. Tours include experienced guides, snowmobiles with hand warmers, easy operation instructions and plenty of playtime in mountain meadows.

An active morning in Breckenridge leads to one thing: a good appetite! Swing by Giampietros, on the corner of Lincoln & Main, for New York-style pizza by the slice, or for a healthier alternative, stop by Euro Deli just a few doors down on Lincoln Avenue. After an early afternoon nap, venture over to the Breckenridge Recreation Center, located just north of Main Street. Check out the two climbing walls, racquetball courts, tennis courts, indoor track and indoor pool. There's even a waterslide (parents, you can slide too!)

After three action-packed days in Breckenridge, everyone is probably pretty tired. Send mom or dad out to Clints Coffee House to pick up a few OJ's, coffee and the best blueberry muffins in town! After breakfast, head out and about with your family and make first tracks in our legendary Colorado powder. Let your kids lead you through the woods and discover our excellent tree skiing. Advanced skiers and riders should be sure to catch a ride on the highest chairlift in North America. The new Imperial Express SuperChair reaches 12,840 feet and accesses 400 acres of famed expert and advanced intermediate terrain previously only accessible by a long hike.

For lunch hit up Empire Burger, Breck's first "real" burger joint, located at the south end of Main Street in La Cima Mall. Aside from the obvious, this trendy establishment features hand-cut fries, oh-so-tasty onion rings and chocolate malts that might as well be dessert. Take a break from playing in the snow and paint a mountain memory on the pottery of your choice at Ready, Paint, Fire at the north end of Main Street. You pick your colors and then paint, splash, doodle, dab, stamp, dribble, stencil, or dot your design on your piece.