2021 brought a lot of ups and downs for us, but one thing we looked forward to all year was spending our family Christmas in Breckenridge, CO for the holidays. I grew up skiing in New Mexico and Colorado but this was our first time ever spending Christmas on the slopes.
Where We Stayed in Breckenridge
With a family full of skiers, we try to always stay close to the mountain so that we don’t have to drive and park & everyone can be on their own schedules. We had the PERFECT rental that was right along the shuttle route on Peak 8 and only a 5 minute drive from town. The house was fully stocked, had a fireplace, hot tub, two king suites + 2 more bedrooms, and they even decorated for Christmas.
On the Mountain
Unfortunately we did not have fresh snow until the last day of our trip and a lot of the mountain still wasn’t open this early in the season. You never know what the conditions will be like but we always have a good time. We like to stick to blue and black runs and occasionally go off the beaten path, but felt like we did the same runs over and over this trip. Our favorite mountain over the years has been Vail, CO. Whether you’re skiing or just along for the views and vibes, at the base of Peak 8 is Robbies Tavern, a great little pub for aprés ski drinks and watching the slopes.
You may also like: Family Ski Trip to Park City Utah
In Town
As you know from my Instagram I love to eat local. Though we ate most meals at the house, we really enjoyed exploring Breckenridge and all of its charm. You can feel the festiveness of any ski town during the day, but at night Breck really put on a show. One spot we enjoyed for bites and beers was Motherloaded Tavern. The loaded tots and nachos were 10/10. Another day we rented a snow cabin at Cabin Juice for apres ski. We skied down to Peak 9 right off the mountain and had a private igloo, cocktails and food which was so fun and delicious. A few other places that came highly recommended were the Breckenridge Distillery, Aurum, and Blue River Bistro.
Things to do at Christmas in Breckenridge
- Hit the slopes – book your lift tickets through Epic Pass in advance for a discount. For rentals we used Christy’s Sports – which we also used in Utah and Keystone on previous trips.
- Shop and eat local
- Enjoy the Christmas lights in town
- Take a sleigh ride
- Skate with Santa (Dec 24)
- Go tubing nearby
- Go snow shoeing or snow mobileing
- Enjoy a spa day
- Take the gondola from town to Peak 8
- Sip hot chocolate at Robbie’s Tavern and watch the slopes
- Dine in a private snow cabin at Gravity Haus
- Visit Breckenridge Brewery or Breckenridge Distillery
- Have a fancy dinner with a view at Hearthstone
Packing for a Ski Trip
I have been skiing since I was 5 years old and my biggest piece of advice is to dress in layers. Whether you’re walking around town or hitting the slopes, no one likes to be uncomfortable. On top I love my Under Armor Cold Gear and light fuffer jacket under my ski coat. For bottoms I love these leggings under my ski pants, and always wear a fresh pair of ski socks with my boots. For great ski gear, check out Backcountry.com
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I hope you and your loved ones have an amazing time making memories in the mountains. If you’re headed to Colorado for Christmas in Breckenridge or one of the other amazing ski towns near by, I wish you safe travels and happy holidays! For something warmer, check out Our Trip to Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
