Location: Silver Plume

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Breckenridge, Colorado

Winter in Summit County

Summit County, Colorado

Winter in Summit County is a magical time of mountain adventures, seasonal festivities and honored traditions draped in powdery, sparkling snowflakes and shared by locals and visitors from all walks of life. Blessed with a central location in the heart of the Colorado Rockies, Summit County encompasses the inviting towns of Keystone, Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco, Copper Mountain and Breckenridge.

Summit has grown up from a mining boom base camp to a favorite Rocky Mountain vacation destination.  Boasting the longest ski season in the Western United States, the landscape evokes exploration and is the perfect playground for nature lovers and those looking for a relaxing winter getaway.  Breathtaking, snowcapped peaks are a natural backdrop for excursions ranging from skiing and skating to ice fishing and snowcat tours, while countless off-mountain activities await in various corners of the country.

Celebrate Summit County history and tradition at one of our many winter events, rejuvenate at a bed and breakfast, browse locally owned shops and indulge in our creative restaurants and breweries.  Take advantage of the county-wide free transportation system while shopping to check out the friendly lakeside towns of Dillon and Frisco, strolling charming Main Street, Breckenridge or doing a little shopping in Silverthorne.  Save time for a day trip to one of our neighboring communities, such as Leadville or Fairplay.

It’s time to get acquainted with Summit County and make winter memories in the mountains.

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Colorado Vacation Ideas

Vacation Planning Ideas

Colorado Vacation Ideas

You're ready to do some vacation planning. You could really use a break, and you've seen pictures of Colorado's majestic landscapes reaching 2 miles into the American sky. This is someplace you'd like to see and experience. It would take a few lifetimes to see, enjoy, experience, feel, and reach all of what Colorado offers. So, we're here to help you with your Colorado vacation planning and the best way to maximize your time while in Colorado.

Create Your Vacation Plan

With so much going on in Colorado it’s best to identify your vacation passion and the passions of the group or other person you are traveling with. Here is a list of considerations to help you get the best Colorado vacation experience.

Summer Vacation Planning vacation planning scenic train

What summer Colorado activities are a priority for you and your group? Start by identifying the primary activity and prioritizing from there.

    • Perhaps your bucket list includes visiting an adventure park, a scenic train ride, a hot springs visit, zip lining, getting a hike or two in, and rafting.  Wow, that’s ambitious but it can be done. Once again, staying in a region like the Royal Gorge area can serve this up. If you look closely, you will find companies that even sell combinations of experiences in one day.

    • If you're planning a backpacking trip. You will want to select a region, such as the Rocky Moutain National Park, and just stay there.

    • If day hiking is more your thing. You will get the most hiking in by exploring a region versus trying to travel all over the state, but some travel is realistic.

Are you planning to tour the state? Will you need lodging or will you be camping along the way?

    • Summer tourist season in Colorado is popular. If you’re planning on camping, tent camping or RV camping, you will need to plan ahead. Reservations at public campgrounds are necessary, especially during “peak season”.

Identify what “other” activities are important.

Winter Vacation Planning

Will your winter vacation be at a ski resort?snowboarder vacation planning

    • There are 25 ski areas in Colorado, not including cross-country ski touring centers.  First, understand the abilities and expectations of your group. Then investigate your options for what they offer, type of terrain, expense, apres ski activities, and more.

    • There are other resort options besides ski resort towns. Many guest ranches stay open in the winter and offer a variety of winter activities. This is true for out-of-the-way cabin rentals and some of the natural hot spring resorts.

Are all members of your group skiers, or are there snowboarders too?

    • If you’re vacationing with a mix of skiers and snowboarders, as well as ability level. It’s best to closely examine the resorts with terrain parks and a mix of blue and expert-level ski runs. The larger resorts will have the most options.

Does your group want to travel to different resort destinations or stay at a specific resort?

    • If touring different resorts is what you have in mind. Staying in the Central part of Colorado is by far the most efficient. As all these resorts can be traveled to by car in a few hours. Or, skip the winter driving around, stay at a designated resort, and focus on your fun there.

Is vacationing on a budget a concern?

    • If being budget-minded is part of your vacation. Try planning your trip during the “off-season” or not “peak-season” times. Check out lesser-known resorts. In either case, you should be able to find deals on lift tickets and lodging.

Are off-slope activities appealing, such as shopping, dining, spas, events, or alternative activities?

    • If your group needs alternative activities. The bigger resorts will have the most varied selection of activities to choose from. However, popular attractions like winter scenic train rides, natural hot springs, and guided tours such as snowmobiling or sleigh rides are not necessarily at the resort. Check out “other attractions” first and then decided on the resort to stay at.

Colorado's Endless List of Vacation Options

Colorado offers an almost endless list of vacation options. The first step is to understand if you want to tour around or stay in one place. Either has much to offer. However, touring the state will require more vacation planning. Please use our free vacation planning itinerary tool. This will help you keep track of the sights and experiences you don’t want to miss. Plus, organize your lodging and travel routes along the way.

Staying put at that special place in Colorado is also a good way to spend your vacation. With so much to explore in any given region of the State, it might make more sense for you just to find lodging in a favorite place and base all your activities on that location. In either case, feel free to request some of our free visitor guides, and use our free itinerary tool to help organize all the activities, keep the dates and times handy, and make your vacation more relaxing.
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Lodging & Accommodations

Lodging & Accommodations

Colorado Lodging & Accommodations

Big blue skies, wide open spaces, and majestic mountains - Colorado has it all. With these many attractions and activities comes a variety of lodging options. Understanding where best to stay depends on your expectations for your Colorado vacation. Camping is for those who want to get close to nature versus staying at an Inn in one of Colorado’s popular resort towns. You can find the highest luxury appointments in Colorado and have just about everything catered, or discover more out-of-the-way cabins and motels that provide location access to various attractions. Colorado has developed as an expert in accommodating tourists of all types. With a little looking around, you will certainly find the lodging and vacation experience that will meet your expectations and budget.

At ColoradoInfo.com you’ll find everything from the Frisco Lodge and Frisco Inn B&B’s to the Royal Gorge RV Resort to Estes Park’s Aspen Winds Condos to Dillon’s BW Ptarmigan Inn to Aspen’s St. Moritz Lodge to the Vail Mountain Haus Condominiums

Know where you want to stay? Skip to the info.

Resort Town Lodging

Staying at one of Colorado’s resort towns is commonly associated with ski vacations. Thankfully for that popular activity, Colorado’s resort towns have various lodging choices that are available year-round. Local resort management companies will book lodging or seek out an online booking website. Resort town lodging often has “deals” on lodging during off-seasons or between peak seasons. Staying in a resort town is perfect for those who want to experience the liveliness of mountain town life and access mountain attractions, outdoor activities, or events.

Types of resort town lodging

  • Ski chalet rental - These can be ski-in, ski-out, or located within close proximity to the lifts. Best for large groups or families. They come complete with kitchens, living spaces, game rooms, hot tubs, and more, depending on the chalet.
  • Bed & Breakfast Inns - most commonly located near or within resort communities. These small personable Inns are often historical and well-appointed. In addition to being within close proximity of the ski slopes, they are usually around the corner to downtown districts and provide access to venues, restaurants, shopping, and more. Often Inns include spa services, facilitate reservations, or help you find guided experiences.
  • Condominium Rentals - Condominium complexes are found at ski resorts, and condos can be rented for several days or weeks. Ski area condominiums can vary from older and dated in their appointments to economy-style construction or very high-end, fancy. Condos usually have kitchens, living space, and access to shared hot tubs or pool areas. The high-end condos might have hot tubs within the unit, or a common pool, hot tub, gym facilities, and access to other services. That could include spa services, concierge services, food services, and more. Renting a condominium is a good choice for groups and families.
  • Brand Name and Local Motels - Almost all popular brand name motels can be found near the ski slopes. The services they provide are typical of that brand. It’s not uncommon to find luxury brand-name motels slopeside of popular ski resorts.
resort lodging

Popular Destination Lodging

Colorado is full of popular destinations besides ski resort towns. Such as Estes Park, the Royal Gorge Region, Casinos, or any of the National Monuments, National Forests, and public lands. Due to Colorado’s diverse topography, rich western history, and a plethora of public lands and parks, there is a lot to see and do. Depending on what you want to do, lodging options change when looking beyond a resort town.
  • Campgrounds, RV parks, Cabins, and alternate lodging options - Common around water attractions such as whitewater rivers, mountain lakes, state parks, forest access, and BLM lands, is usually an assortment of campgrounds for both tent campers and RV travelers. Yurts, cabins, bunkhouses, RV parks, AirBnB, and other similar types of lodging are also found in these areas; however, they are usually associated with a private business such as a guest ranch, natural hot springs, or rafting outfits. State parks often offer cabin rentals, RV, and tent campsites as well.
  • Popular destinations such as the Royal Gorge region or towns like Silverthorne and Ouray have different attractions such as off-road touring, amusement parks, gambling, rafting, hiking, horseback riding, or even sailing. Lodging in these locations can be the most varied, from remote mom-and-pop motels, quaint Inns, guest ranches, and luxury hotels to campgrounds and RV parks. Essentially the traveler will choose from what’s available and their budget.
  • Colorado’s Luxury Hotels and Resorts - Many of Colorado’s luxury hotels grew out of the 1800s mining boom and the need to facilitate early business development and provide luxury experiences to Colorado’s early elite vacationers. Luxury hotels and resorts can be found in various places throughout Colorado and facilitate the traveler in many extraordinary ways, including guided outdoor mountain experiences and extensive spa services. Colorado’s luxury hotels and resorts are for those who prefer the red carpet treatment.

RV Parks & Camping

Colorado has 42 state parks that boast more than 4,000 campsites. Plus 830 RV Parks with campgrounds throughout the state. Most of these campgrounds and parks are in more out-of-the-way places. Often near National Parks, Forests, lakes or rivers, and public land access points. Touring Colorado by way of an RV is an excellent way to see the state and visit more remote locations. Both tent and RV camping are affordable ways to vacation short or long-term.  

Colorado Cabinscolorado cabins lodging

Vacationing in a Colorado cabin is popular for those who want to get away and relax in a laidback nature-infused environment. Most cabin rentals are provided by private landowners and guest ranches or can be found via state parks. Often commercial natural hot springs offer cabin rentals. Renting a cabin is a chance to stay in one place and experience the special natural features that surround the location. Cabins are nice for couples or small groups who want unique, memorable experiences.  

Guest ranches

Destination guest ranches or dude ranches date back to the mid-1800s and are the early pioneers of facilitating tourism. Ranching was the original way of doing business in Colorado and facilitated various endeavors, including developing ski areas. Colorado’s established guest ranches are rich with history and offer traditional western experiences such as horseback riding, hunting, and bar-b-que dinners. However, these outfits know all about staying current and offer various modern experiences such as mountain biking, sweat lodges, buggy rides, spa services, and event hosting. Staying at a guest ranch is for those who want to step back in time or experience modern accouterments in a traditional western style. Guest ranches will accommodate individuals, couples, and large groups.  

Airbnb

The growing popularity of Airbnb is catching on throughout the state. In Colorado, Airbnb locations are as diverse as the geography and provide lodging in secluded or unique locations not found via more conventional types of establishments. This is worth considering if you’re looking for something more off the beaten path.
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