If you’re looking for a weekend getaway in Colorado (or, perhaps you’re in the market for more extended vacation), we have three top choices in the state: Boulder, Telluride, and Breckenridge.
Boulder:
Boulder, the home of the University of Colorado, was settled around 1858 by gold-seekers. The city is now famous for its iconic Flatirons rock formation on the edge of town.
Boulder is also known for another unique aspect – it is considered one of the healthiest places to live in the United States, and it is also the training destination for many athletes around the world who want to train at a high elevation.
For vacationers, the city offers outdoor recreation, including hiking, biking, climbing, swimming, and skiing. The city is also the gateway to nearby smaller mountain towns, all offering year-round activities.
With the University of Colorado campus, the city maintains a vibrant college-town atmosphere. There are dozens of restaurants and unique shops, all centered around an outdoor pedestrian mall on Pearl Street.
For accommodations, be sure to check out Boulderado.
Telluride:
Another favorite destination is Telluride, which is also a gold and silver settlement. The town was originally known as Columbia, formally changing its name to Telluride around 1878. Telluride was home to some of the most valuable gold and silver mines in the nation. After the decline of mining, the town became almost a ghost town.
When Telluride’s first ski resort opened in 1972, the town quickly reinvented its image as a tourist destination.
Today, the town has a small community feel and attracts many wealthy residents. Tom Cruise, Oprah Sylvester Stallone, and several former politicians have owned homes here.
Telluride boasts one of North America’s best ski resorts, but even during the off-season, the city offers so many activities for tourists, including access to hundreds of miles for Jeep trails, hiking, and horseback riding.
The town is instantly recognizable for its unparalleled beauty. The original Native American inhabitants considered it a holy place and called it the “valley of the hanging waterfalls,” which is evocative of the incredible scenes.
Tourists will find many shops and award-winning restaurants, including Brown Dog Pizza and Sheridan Chophouse, which are two of our favorites. Also, be sure to check out the Opera House!
For accommodations, be sure to check out the New Sheridan Hotel. The nearby Mountain Village ski area offers a variety of upscale options, as well.
Breckenridge:
Breckenridge is yet another gold and silver settlement, established around 1859 along the Blue River. The city is famous for the 13.5-pound gold nugget discovered here in 1887 and named “Tom’s Baby.”
The population of Breckenridge dwindled down to 390 in 1960, but the town regained its footing with the opening of a new ski resort around 1961.
At just 90-minutes outside of Denver, the city is a popular tourist destination for skiing and summer activities.
At Peak Overland, we like to use Breckenridge as a staging area for summer trips because of its numerous Jeep trails and multiple 14-er hikes, mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding, and the historic ghost towns to explore.
The town offers a variety of great accommodations, restaurants, and shopping.
If you’re looking for a great summer vacation with your family, or a weekend getaway trip with friends, be sure to check out these three great options. They are ranked among our favorites for good reason!