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Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route inspiration

Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen

Colorado ski towns from Main Street to the bowls

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7 days through Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen.

Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen is a 7-day curated route with 3 destinations and 26 places to eat, see, and do. Preview stops and timing, then plan it in TripsCircle.

  1. 1
    Breckenridge on the Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route

    Destination 01

    Breckenridge

    9 places

    Victorian mining town and big ski resort; 2–3 nights for Peaks 6–10 and Main Street.

    • Breckenridge Ski Resort near BreckenridgePhoto: Drew Stephens · CC BY-SA 2.0

      Breckenridge Ski Resort

      Ski area across Peaks 6 to 10 of the Tenmile Range, with the Imperial Express chair topping out at 12,840 feet.

      Tip Peaks 6 and 7 hold the best intermediate bowls; Peak 9 is gentler for beginners.

      DoPeak 8$$$$6 hrMorning

    • Main Street

      Main Street of Breckenridge's historic district, lined with restored 1880s storefronts, shops and restaurants.

      Tip Walk it after dark in December when the trees along the street are lit.

      SeeHistoric DistrictFree1.5 hrAfter dark

    • BreckConnect Gondola

      Free gondola from the edge of town to the base areas at Peak 7 and Peak 8.

      Tip Park at the Gondola Lots or arrive by the free town bus; skiers and non-skiers ride free.

      DoFree30 minMorning

    • Breckenridge Nordic Center

      Groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in the forest below Peak 8, with rentals and lessons.

      Tip A good half day off the lifts when legs need a rest.

      Do$$2.5 hrMidday

    • Stephen C. West Ice Arena

      Town ice arena with an indoor rink and an outdoor rink in winter, with public skate sessions and rentals.

      Tip Check the public skate schedule; sessions are shorter on hockey nights.

      Do$1.5 hrEvening

    • Breckenridge Welcome Center

      Visitor center on Main Street with a free exhibit on the town's gold-mining history.

      Tip Pick up a walking map of the historic district here.

      SeeHistoric DistrictFree30 min

    • Hearthstone

      Long-running restaurant in a restored Victorian house on Ridge Street, one block above Main Street.

      Tip Reserve well ahead for holiday weeks, or have a drink at the bar.

      EatHistoric District$$$2 hrDinner

    • Breckenridge Brewery

      Brewpub at the south end of Main Street, open since 1990 and the original home of Breckenridge's beers.

      DrinkMain Street$$75 minAprès-ski

    • Breckenridge Distillery

      Craft distillery known for its bourbon, with a tasting room and restaurant on Airport Road.

      Tip Book a distillery tour, then stay for dinner in the restaurant next to the stills.

      Drink$$75 minLate afternoon
  2. 2
    Vail on the Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route

    Destination 02

    Vail

    8 places

    Alpine-style village under a huge mountain; 2 nights for the Back Bowls and Bridge Street.

    • Vail Ski Resort

      One of North America's largest ski areas, with groomed front-side runs, the open Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin.

      Tip Head to the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin on a powder day; the front side gets crowded first.

      DoVail Village$$$$6 hrMorning

    • Gondola One

      High-speed gondola from Vail Village to Mid-Vail, the main way onto the mountain from the village.

      Tip Lines are shortest before 9 am and after lunch.

      DoVail Village$$$$20 minMorning

    • Bridge Street

      Vail Village's pedestrian main street, running from the covered bridge over Gore Creek up to the lifts.

      Tip Walk it in the evening when the village is lit for the holidays.

      SeeVail VillageFree60 minAfter dark

    • Lionshead Village

      Vail's second base village, west of Vail Village, with the Eagle Bahn Gondola, shops and an outdoor ice rink.

      Tip Usually quieter than Vail Village for lunch and après.

      SeeLionsheadFree60 minAfternoon

    • Colorado Snowsports Museum

      Museum and hall of fame for Colorado skiing, including the 10th Mountain Division soldiers who later helped found Vail.

      SeeVail VillageFree45 minAfternoon

    • Pepi's

      Austrian restaurant and bar in the Gasthof Gramshammer, opened by ski racer Pepi Gramshammer in 1964.

      Tip The deck is the classic après spot on Bridge Street; come early to get a seat.

      EatVail Village$$$1.5 hrAprès-ski

    • Sweet Basil

      Vail Village restaurant on Gore Creek Drive, serving modern American food since 1977.

      Tip Reserve weeks ahead for holiday dinners.

      EatVail Village$$$$2 hrDinner

    • Sonnenalp Hotel

      Family-run Bavarian-style hotel in Vail Village with fireplaces in the rooms and a spa.

      Tip Walk to Gondola One in about ten minutes, or take the free town bus.

      StayVail Village$$$$
  3. 3
    Aspen on the Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen route

    Destination 03

    Aspen

    9 places

    Silver-mining town with four ski mountains; 2–3 nights for Aspen Mountain, Highlands and Snowmass.

    • Aspen Mountain near AspenPhoto: AspenSkiingCompany · CC BY-SA 3.0

      Aspen Mountain

      Ski mountain rising straight from downtown Aspen, reached by the Silver Queen Gondola, with no beginner runs.

      Tip Ride the historic Lift 1A side for quieter laps and views over town.

      DoDowntown$$$$6 hrMorning

    • Aspen Highlands

      Ski area west of town known for Highland Bowl, a steep bowl reached by a hike along the ridge from the top lift.

      Tip Free snowcat rides cover the first part of the Highland Bowl hike when conditions allow.

      Do$$$$5 hrMorning
    • Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro near AspenPhoto: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0

      Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro

      Mountain hut on Aspen Highlands serving fondue and raclette, known for its lively afternoon lunch seating.

      Tip Reservations are required and open well before the season; book the moment they do.

      EatAspen Highlands$$$$2.5 hrLunch
    • Snowmass near AspenPhoto: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0

      Snowmass

      The largest of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains, with long groomed cruisers and the Elk Camp Gondola.

      Tip The free shuttle from Aspen takes about 25 minutes.

      DoSnowmass Village$$$$6 hrMorning
    • Wheeler Opera House near AspenPhoto: Wolfgang Moroder · CC BY-SA 3.0

      Wheeler Opera House

      Sandstone opera house built in 1889 by silver baron Jerome Wheeler, now hosting concerts, comedy and films.

      Tip Check the winter calendar; holiday weeks usually have shows most nights.

      SeeDowntown$$2 hrEvening
    • Aspen Art Museum near AspenPhoto: Bkthomson16 · CC BY-SA 4.0

      Aspen Art Museum

      Contemporary art museum in a woven-timber building by Shigeru Ban, with a rooftop terrace facing Aspen Mountain.

      Tip Admission is free; the rooftop cafe is a good stop on a snowy afternoon.

      SeeDowntownFree60 minAfternoon

    • Matsuhisa

      Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant in a Victorian house on Main Street, a downtown fixture since the late 1990s.

      Tip Book as soon as your dates are set; holiday weeks fill early.

      EatDowntown$$$$2 hrDinner

    • Hotel Jerome

      Downtown hotel opened in 1889, with a busy bar, the J-Bar, that has been Aspen's living room for generations.

      Tip Even if you stay elsewhere, have a drink in the J-Bar.

      StayDowntown$$$$

    • The Little Nell

      Ski-in, ski-out hotel at the base of the Silver Queen Gondola on Aspen Mountain.

      StayDowntown$$$$

The moments that shape this trip.

Planning Breckenridge, Vail & Aspen.

Start in Breckenridge, an 1859 mining town whose Victorian Main Street sits at the foot of a ski resort spread across five peaks; ride the free BreckConnect Gondola up from town and end the day at the Hearthstone. Drive over Vail Pass to Vail, built in the 1960s as an Alpine-style village, for the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin, then fondue or schnitzel at Pepi's on Bridge Street. Finish in Aspen, an old silver town with four ski mountains on one pass: Aspen Mountain above downtown, Aspen Highlands with lunch at Cloud Nine, and Snowmass for long cruising runs. Evenings in Aspen mean the Wheeler Opera House, the bar at the Hotel Jerome and dinner at Matsuhisa.

Good for Skiers and riders of all levels who want three distinct Colorado mountain towns with good food and nightlife in one trip.

When to go

Breckenridge and Vail usually open in mid-November and Aspen Mountain around Thanksgiving, but terrain is limited until mid-December; the deepest snow comes January through March. Breckenridge holds the Lighting of Breckenridge and the Race of the Santas on Main Street in early December, Vail's village lights go up for the holidays, and Aspen ends the year with New Year's Eve fireworks over town. Christmas to New Year's is the most expensive and crowded stretch of the season, so book lodging and dinner reservations months ahead.

Getting around

Fly into Denver (DEN); Breckenridge is about 2 hours west via I-70 and CO-9, Vail 45 minutes on from Breckenridge over Vail Pass, and Aspen about 2 hours from Vail via Glenwood Springs because Independence Pass is closed in winter. Eagle County (EGE) near Vail and Aspen (ASE) have direct winter flights, so you can fly out of Aspen. Colorado's traction law applies on I-70 in winter: use an all-wheel-drive car with winter tires and carry chains. Once parked, free town buses run in all three towns, and free shuttles link the four Aspen Snowmass mountains.

Tips for your crew

  • Breckenridge sits at 9,600 feet; take the first day easy, drink water and go light on alcohol until you adjust to the altitude.
  • I-70 traffic is heaviest on Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons; drive between towns midweek or early.
  • Buy an Epic Pass for Breckenridge and Vail and an Ikon Pass or Aspen Snowmass ticket for Aspen; window tickets at all three are expensive.

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