When you think of Breckenridge, you get visions of skiing snow-covered mountains, hot cocoa around the fireplace, right? Well, welcome to Breckenridge in the summer. It is a destination that offers plenty to do and experience and it's breathtakingly beautiful in the summer.

The Invitation

I received an invitation to participate in a Mastermind Retreat in Breckenridge. It was a trip I couldn't pass up. Breckenridge is incredible and the Mastermind was promising so off I went.

One Would Not Think of Breckenridge as a Destination in the Summer

It was intriguing to me that we would be meeting for the Mastermind Retreat in Breckenridge during the summer months. I've always thought of Breckenridge as the place to ski, with snow-white mountains. I expected the town to be pretty much closed up but it was the opposite. With the incredible nature and beauty, combined with the perfect temperatures, the town was definitely open for business.

Breckenridge as a Summer Destination

The town of Breckenridge is small and beautiful. In the summer, as one might expect, the area is full of green vegetation and babbling brooks with the snow melting from the mountains. The public areas in the small town are beautiful and clean. The temperatures are perfect with highs during the day in the 70's and lows overnight in the mid 30's.

The actual number of people who live in Breckenridge is small and those I encountered were pleasant and helpful. It's an idyllic place to visit in the summer. It is a walkable town so if you are staying at a hotel, AIRBNB, or a B&B in town, you can walk to practically anything you need or walk to anything you want to experience whether it's a morning stroll for coffee, to one of the many great restaurants for dinner and drinks or more, right on Main Street.

There is also a free Trolley that you can jump on. When you want to get off, just pull the cord and the driver will stop to let you off.

The entire time I was there, I couldn't help but stare at the beautiful vistas of snow-capped mountains with incredible greenery all around and as the days went by, the snow caps thinned and the streams grew stronger as the snow continued to melt high up in the mountains. The town itself is quaint and inviting and with the backdrop of the mountain peaks it's a delightful place to be in the summer.

I would wake up every morning to crisp clean mountain air and it made me feel healthy and ready for the day.

Artsy Breckenridge

From Millennials to Boomers, you'll find all types of small business owners and many are very artistic and entrepreneurial endeavors. There is a thriving art community in this town. For example, there are studios in the Arts District where you can schedule to take a class in various artistic endeavors. The Hot Shop is a location that allows different artists to hold classes on all types of art. I spent an afternoon learning about Metal Smithing and making a silver pendant from clay. It was a great and rewarding experience to learn how to take a small lump of clay and at the end of the process, end up with a silver pendant. I discovered just how much knowledge, practice, and talent it takes to do this.

Summertime is Full of Events

There are non-stop events to attend during the summer months. There's the Gold Panning Championships in June; the 4th of July celebration; the Creative Street Art Festival held every July; and the International Festival of Arts in August and many more events in between.

Adventure

There is plenty of adventure and outdoor activities in the summer as you might expect. Mountain biking is definitely a popular choice. While there, I experienced a new type of biking called Fat Biking. I participated in a 2-mile tour around town, riding at a leisurely pace; we stopped often to learn about the towns' history and to take in gorgeous views. The tour is offered by Breckenridge Bike Tours by Ridden and our tour guide was patient with us and shared how much he loved his lifestyle in Breckenridge.

Of course, there is the option of hiking. With 50-plus miles of trails that range from easy to difficult, there is a hiking experience for everyone.

The New Combination of Businesses and the Libations and Farm to table Movement

At a few places, I found unusual combinations of offerings such as the unique Rocky Mountain Underground with it's combination of a ski shop where they make handcrafted designer skis along with other outdoor products and they have an onsite tavern featuring craft beers and cocktails.

The bartender Justin mixed and spun delicious concoctions for our mixology tasting such as the Sonnie Day, one of my favorites. It's made with lavender gin, framboise, cardamom honey simple syrup, and lemon juice. I love that you can choose to enjoy your drink at the bar, in the backyard beer garden, or on their front deck.

The Breckenridge Distillery is the world's highest distillery and we were treated to a tour of the production process of the variety of vodkas, bourbons, and spiced rum and then had the pleasure of a tasting. They make many flavored vodkas and my two favorites were the pear and the espresso flavored vodkas.

A Dream for Foodies

The Breckenridge Distillery has the most amazing restaurant on site along with the impressive Chef David Burke who is leading the farm to table movement in Breckenridge, sourcing fresh in-season ingredients for his amazing dishes. Chef Burke was inducted into the Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America and Nation's Restaurant News by The James Beard Foundation and presented with the Menu Masters award, naming him one of the nation's most celebrated culinary innovators.

The food, as you can imagine was incredible. We were treated to tastings of just about everything on the current menu. There was the unexpected yet tasty Pork Rinds and Hot Sauce and my favorite was the Korean Pork and Jasmine rice and Brussels sprouts with bacon, apple, hazelnuts, and maple. A must-have signature dessert is the Bourbon Float-made with cherry syrup, Mexican Coke, Vanilla Ice Cream, and Breckenridge Bourbon, it's sinfully delicious.

One of many amazing restaurants is right on Main Street. Blue River Bistro's décor is elegant and modern yet casual and inviting. Blue River is an award-winning restaurant. The food was fresh, incredibly tasty, and plated creatively, wonderful in every way. It's at 305 N. Main St. just a short walk away from any place you might be staying in downtown.

Breckenridge has so much to offer during the summer and is quickly become a "go-to" Summer destination. It begins to get busy Memorial Day and continues through to the fall. Breckenridge already beckons me to return during the warm summer months.

"I learn something every time I go into the mountains." Michael Kennedy

Useful links

If You Go

Airport: Denver International Airport (DEN) has hundreds of flights in and out daily and you can arrange various types of transportation from the airport to Breckenridge. It's best to make a reservation in advance.

Bike Tours Want to try out the new Fat Bike Tours? Contact at Breckenridge Bike Tours by Ridden 970-453-2055

Interested in Custom Mixed Libations Try one of the unique concoctions at Rocky Mountain Underground. You can shop for custom skies and other accessories while you're there.

114 S. Main St., Breckenridge, CO 80424

970-771-2121

Don't miss the special events in Breckenridge in the summer! https://www.gobreck.com/Summer-events/

For an amazing meal try Blue River Bistro

305 N. Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424

970-453-6974

Breckenridge Distillery (schedule time for a tour of the distillery and maybe a tasting!)

1925 Airport Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424

970-547-9759