Please read Parts I and II for my introduction to Breck and my thoughts on restaurants and recommended activities.
Getting There
We flew in to Denver and booked a Colorado Mountain Express (CME) shuttle to take us to Breckenridge. Vail may also be an option, depending on where you are coming in from, but there were fewer flights per day to Vail so Denver gave us more travel options.
It is about a two-hour ride from Denver and takes you through the Eisenhower Tunnel, which the Colorado DOT describes as the “highest vehicular tunnel in the world—at an elevation of 11,013 feet at the East Portal and 11,158 feet at the West Portal. The Tunnel traverses through the Continental Divide at an average elevation of 11,112 feet.” Though my ears were popping like crazy, I though this tunnel was pretty cool.
Postcard image of Eisenhower Tunnel. From Frank Brusca’s Route40.net.
Accommodations
We stayed at Mountain Thunder Lodge – a condo property right at the base of the gondola. Our unit included a full kitchen, dining area, living room and one bedroom. We had the opportunity to visit one of the two-bedroom condos, which had a much larger living area and kitchen. All units had covered patios and extremely effective fireplaces.
Packing tip: I used Kit Lender to have a coat, ski pants, goggles and gloves delivered. I HIGHLY recommend this service. You just give the dates of your stay and they send the kit the day before so it’s wait on you when you arrive. Then, when done, you simply ship it back in the bag and box they sent along with the handy return label all included. My box was at Mountain Thunder check-in and their staff was extremely helpful in getting it picked back up for return. This is a WIN/WIN! (Tell them Away3Go recommended them!)
Me, decked out in my Kit Lender gear!
There are many other hotels and condos available in the area – several on the mountain and many more in town. Up the mountain, we wandered through both Grand Colorado on Peak 8 and One Ski Hill Place. Both looked beautiful! While I didn’t have the opportunity to see their guest rooms, I can vouch for the location – especially if skiing is your activity of choice. You are literally right by the lifts.
I truly enjoyed our time in Breckenridge. There was a cool, laid-back, come-as-you-are vibe which was welcoming to all ages. Breck gets two thumbs up from me. Please comment below if you have any specific questions!
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