Just Press Go Travel

My family has three vacations we take annually:

1. Walt Disney World
2. Visit family in Deerfield Beach, FL
3. Colorado

For the third year in a row, we spent a week in Breckenridge, CO. Here’s how our family spent our time and what I would do differently if/when we go back!

Note: None of these links are commission – just information and vibes.

Where We Stayed

This is year three of staying at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7. My 3-year-old calls this “golf hotel” for the putting green. Our first year we stayed in the 1-Bedroom Studio, and this is our second year in the 2-Bedroom Villa.

The 1-Bedroom Studio has 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom with a tub and shower combo, a kitchenette, and a pullout sofa. We stayed in this room as a family of 3, and I have to say, it felt crammed for us with the pack n play. We agreed that this room type just doesn’t work for our life right now.

The 2-Bedroom Villa is a combination of a 1-Bedroom Studio and a 1-Bedroom Suite/Villa using connected doors. The 1-Bedroom Suite/Villa has a stocked kitchen, dishwasher, washer/dryer, 1 king bed, 1 large bathroom with a shower and a jacuzzi tub, patio/balcony. This was our second year in this room type, 1114C & 1114D. I submitted the request months ago to have the exact same room again as it is one of two rooms that has a patio gate that opens on to the putting green and grilling communal space. While no requests are guaranteed, we were ECSTATIC to get the same room again.

Pros:

• The 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom villas have a fully stocked kitchen, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer/dryer, full dining table
• Rooms have sofa beds which we use for the toddler
• Free Parking
• On the Breckenridge Gondola system to hop over to Grand Colorado on Peak 8 and into town
• Has a shuttle to get around, especially when the gondola is not operating
• 5-minute drive into town
• Multiple outdoor pools, a slide, hot tubs, and an indoor kid’s pool
• Putting green
• Playground
• Arcade
• On hiking trails
• This is a ski-in/out resort 
• Can provide highchair and pack n plays for families
• Onsite spa
• Communal grilling with gorgeous mountain views

Cons

• Last time to board the gondola is at 4 pm
• These are primarily apartment type residences, and some of the amenities can be worn – like the dishwasher in our room. 
• Hotel is sprawling so it can take some time to get to things, especially if you have littles with short attention spans that want to activity hop
• This is a timeshare property, and they will try to pressure you to take a tour, especially because the company has a new property opening roughly Dec 2027.
  • If you’re open to the tour you’ll get massive discounts on your room and tickets to activities such as the Summer Activities on Peak 8.

My husband and I agree that if we are in Breckenridge, this is where we stay…but we are not about to buy a timeshare.

Things to Do

Attractions

• Summer Activities on Peak 8 | Outdoor activities for the whole family including a mountain coaster, mountain slide, mini golf, scenic chair lift, and more. It’s so beautiful up there – but my goodness you are going to pay to participate in these activities. A single activity runs roughly $30/pp, a 3-activity pass runs about $80/per adult, and an all-day pass is going to be roughly $110. They give a 10% discount if you are arriving and purchase before 10 am, and it also looks like it’s cheaper to buy online in advance than onsite.
• Hotel Activities | Putting green. Playground. Pools. Arcade. Gondola. This takes up a lot of our time in Breckenridge, enjoying the resort amenities. If our kids are awake, they are probably going back and forth between the putting green and playground.
• BreckConnect Gondola | Free to ride. Runs 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Has 4 stops: Downtown, Shock Hill, Peak 7 (Grand Lodge and Crystal Peak), and Peak 8 (Grand Colorado). I list this in the attractions because my 3-year-old is obsessed. He requested we ride it daily. Cheap thrills.
• The Dino outside Breck Hat Co. Our 3 year old made us visit it daily so he could touch the Dino and the Dino teeth. It is metal. It will be too hot to touch in the morning.
• The Breckenridge Troll | A short walk on the nature trail in the far corner of the ice arena parking lot. It’s a staple for Breckenridge, but may scare kids (ask me how I know).

Parks

• River Park and Playground | Just a few minutes outside of Breckenridge’s city center. Great playground for kids of all ages, and it is on the river which many like to fish. This is one of our favorite playgrounds we’ve ever visited.
• High Line Railroad Park | On the edge of Breckenridge’s city center. There is a sign that this playground is for 2-5 year olds. It’s cool walking around the trains; there is also an easy nature walk from the playground that goes over to the Breckenridge “Troll”. The playground itself is just fine.
• Blue River Plaza | Kids area with a slide and sand box, and river access. The line for the slide can get long, but it’s great for littles.

Places to Eat

• Breckenridge Brewery | Great beer and cocktails. Good food. A Breckenridge staple.
• Downstairs at Eric’s | Bar, Grill, and Arcade. We’ve always had good service, the food is decent, and games are mostly $1.
• Ollie’s Pub and Grub | Fun location “on the water.” Has good beer, food is decent. My toddler loves feeding the fish from the bridge you use to get to the restaurant.
• Breckenridge Taphouse | Fun patio, great beer list, and the food was good.
• I Scream Gelato | Delicious gelato with some unique flavors. The fruit options were vegan. We were fans of the oreo cookies and cream and the strawberry.
• Blue Stag Saloon | Nice patio on Main St. Great burgers.

Things We’d Do Different

• Go for a real hike. We talk about it. We pack for it. Next time.
• Leadville Railroad | This is about an hour from Breckenridge and looks so fun. We didn’t think our 1 year old could handle it this year, but we’d love to do it a future visit.

Questions? Interested in Booking?

Reach out to melanie@simplyperfectvacations.com with any questions, comments, or help booking your next vacation!