Breckenridge is by far one of the best places we have traveled to and today I am sharing where to stay, where to eat, and what to do. Whether you are traveling at the beginning of the season or towards the end, this town has a lot of history and everyone you meet is friendly.
Although I have only visited Breck in the winter, I have heard the area is beautiful during the summer as well. This vacation guide will focus on winter though since that’s how I have experienced Breckenridge.
How to Get There
From Houston it is a quick flight into Denver. We rent a car in Denver and make the 2 hour drive through the mountains to Breckenridge. There are shuttle services available, but we like to have the rental for easy travel in and around Breck. The local Free Ride shuttle connects the resorts with the main street area and the perimeter of town if you’d rather shuttle in and then use the public transportation.
Where to Stay
Best accommodation experience has been at DoubleTree by Hilton Breckenridge. With so many people using airbnb these days you may have luck finding a great spot in or near town that fits your needs and budget. The DoubleTree had friendly staff and was dog friendly too! Upon arrival, valet staff greeted us, unloaded our luggage, and delivered it upstairs to the lobby. Valet parking only, fees are included in the cost of the hotel. Check-in was a breeze, the front desk staff was friendly and answered our initial questions.
The room was a great size and immaculately clean. I recommend staying on the 7th floor or lower, otherwise you have to take an elevator to the 7th floor, walk across the hotel to take a second elevator up to a higher floor.
Every night there are free s’mores and happy hour is offered twice a day at the restaurant. The hotel features an indoor pool, three hot tubs outside, saunas, and a fitness center. They also offer a shuttle to four stops along Main Street which is really convenient.
Equipment rentals are available and skiing…well it’s right across the street! Use the ski valet and they’ll deliver your equipment slope-side.
Gondola – Gondolas aren’t just for Venice! The BreckConnect takes you from town to the bases of Peak 7 and 8. It’s a great way to see above the trees and it’s free (but it does cost to park).
Loveland Pass – Scenic views going up and coming down as you travel to the Continental Divide.
Welcome back! If you haven’t read the Paris Recap, start there first. Sunday we left Paris by train and made the two hour trip to London. Isn’t it amazing you can move around Europe so quickly and easily? Not like that in the US! Especially in Texas. Two hours and you’re barely out of Houston!
Our train arrived in Paris early afternoon and we met our airbnb host at a local hotel and walked to her apartment. She was a wonderful host and the apartment was in a great location, we could see the London Eye from the window and there are plenty of restaurants downstairs and along the Thames. That first afternoon we were interested in eating (fish ‘n chips) and exploring the area we were staying in. Monday morning we had a reservation on the Thames Rocket (sightseeing by speedboat). Can you guess who booked this? The hubs of course lol It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed the tour guide, Little Mike, and skipper Nick. Little Mike was hilarious! Got some great pictures from the boat.
After the Thames tour we made the short walk from the London Eye to Westminster Abbey. Breathtakingly beautiful! No pictures allowed inside so exterior pictures only.
From Westminster Abbey we visited Winston Churchill’s War Rooms which was very interesting. Learned a lot about Churchill and his contribution to the UK and the world. Walking through St. James Park we found ourselves at Buckingham Palace. After seeing Palace of Versailles, Buckingham was a little bit of a letdown, but great history all over the city!
The President of Columbia was visiting the Queen so the mall was colorful and welcoming.
The UK begins their daylight savings time about a week earlier than the US does, so the days were really short. In an attempt to fit it all in we took a taxi to Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. Which is in fact a working theater with 2-3 shows per day. It was very interesting and even though it wasn’t on our list of places to see I am very glad we went. The tour guide here was great as well! It’s important to note this is not the original Globe as it was destroyed by fire in 1613. This replica was made possible by contributions from donors all over the world.
We walked “home” along the Thames and it was beautiful. The weather while we were in London was amazing and the cool, clear night walking along the River Thames will be a memory I cherish forever. Remember, it’s the little things in life that give the most joy!
Unfortunately we wasted the next morning on a hop on, hop off bus. Because the Queen was entertaining the President of Columbia and London’s every day traffic the bus didn’t make it far. That afternoon we walked from Parliament through Hyde Park to Kensington Palace. It was the only day in London where the weather was cold and drizzly.
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| The King’s Staircase |
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| Dress worn by Princess Diana |
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| Kensington Palace Gardens |
Our last day in London we went to the Tower of London which has a very long and rich history. Plus it’s where they store the Crown Jewels (no pictures allowed inside, but it was spectacular!). Our Yeoman Warder or “beefeater” tour guide, Dave, was fantastic; witty and full of stories about the Tower’s history.
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| Beefeater Dave |
After the tour we made our way outside to see the Tower Bridge one last time.
Then off to Kings Cross Station to see Platform 9 3/4. Had to visit for my sister-in-law. She may or may not have gotten a Platform 9 3/4 hoodie 😉
For our last night we moved to The Savoy hotel which was an experience of a lifetime. We we upgraded to a deluxe suite which was fit for a king! It was huge! If you followed me on snapchat then you saw the awesomeness of the suite. Thanks to the hub’s parents we also got to experience The Lion King across the street at the theater.
We covered so much ground while there, but I know we didn’t even scratch the surface of London. I would love to go back!
I hope you enjoyed the pictures from Paris and London and all our travels this year. It’s been a lot of fun, but our trips are coming to an end. We have a family trip for Christmas to Jacksonhole, WY which I am really looking forward to.
Until next post…xoxo Becca
Becca
born and raised Texan
Hi all and welcome to my cozy little place in the blogosphere. My name is Becca and I'm a born and raised Texan. After college I got married. Got a puppy. Got a house. And then I decided I wanted to share daily life, struggles, ambitions, and everything in between.
