Breckenridge is a great place to be a child. Whether they’re pelting snowballs, whooshing down the mountain on a toboggan, or taking to the water on a raft - in summer or winter, it’ll be a fun, action-packed trip. You know, a trip that’s so fun that they’re so soundly asleep by 7pm and you get an unbroken string of peaceful evenings in your apartment. As well as outdoor sports, there’s a strong community feel in Breckenridge, and a packed calendar of kid-friendly events that run the gamut from a rubber-duck race on the Blue River to a huge 4 July water fight with the fire department.
And being a former gold-mining town, Breckenridge has plenty of historic charm too, with those Rocky Mountain peaks shooting up behind restored Victorian inns Downtown. Here at Plum Guide, we've gone above and beyond to ensure that you experience all of that charm, with our expert travel knowledge guaranteeing you a trip to remember. Enjoy this pretty mountain town to the fullest with our expertly curated list of things to do in Breckenridge with kids.
Enjoy some horse riding
As well as being an excellent way to realise your kids’ Wild West cowboy dreams - and perhaps your own - horse riding here offers a chance to explore more of Colorado’s natural beauty, against a backdrop of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Trust us: there’s normal horse riding, and then there's horse riding in Colorado. Rusty Spurr Ranch offers truly memorable experiences. Try a cattle drive with kids aged 12 and up, or for kids aged eight and above choose a 1-3 hour trail ride across wildflower meadows and mountain paths.
Cinnamon Sprinkles, Plum Guide home in Colorado, US
Hit the slopes with skiing and snowboarding
Breckenridge Ski Resort, USA
Wintry paradise Breckenridge gets more snow than most Colorado towns, making for truly excellent skiing across its thousands of powder-peaked acres. Runs here span beginner trails to double black diamond runs for the experts to glide around. Peak 9 is the main family area at Breckenridge, where plenty of beginner ski lessons take place. You’ll also find easy green runs for family ski practices and the kids’ adventure zones include a ‘haunted forest’ run with big spiders and skeletons. The base of Peak 8 is also ideal for beginners.
Beams to Baldy, Plum Guide home in Colorado, US
Try a few other child-friendly snow sports
If your family aren’t great skiers (there’ll be no judgement from us), or if your legs need a break for a day, there are plenty of other winter sports in Breckenridge. Try bombing around Colorado’s snowscape in a snowmobile or take a sleigh ride. Otherwise, the kids will no doubt love the high-speed thrills of a toboggan ride or tubing session. Carter Park sledding hill is a popular spot, and tubes and sleds can be purchased Downtown.
Ripple Ridge, Plum Guide home in Colorado, US
Feel the thrill of whitewater rafting
Since whitewater rafting routes in Breckenridge can be customised for age, ability (and, let’s face it, how brave you are), a rafting session will be reassuringly safe for children. Calm Colorado River trips start in nearby Kremmling, and take you past wildflower meadows, granite canyon walls and blue spruce forests - with just some mild rapids. Still, it's definitely one for the summer months (rafting season is May-September).
The Eye Of The Moose, Plum Guide home in Colorado, US
Attend the International Snow Sculpting Championships
This is certainly one of the more unique things to do in Breckenridge with kids. Every January, teams from around the world (from as far away as China, the UK and Ecuador) come to downtown Breckenridge to hand-carve 20-ton blocks of ice into impressive snow sculptures. Now, we’re not suggesting you make a special trip for this, but if you're in town at this time of year, your kids will no doubt be impressed by the sculptors' handiwork. Previous sculptures have included dancing hippos, astronauts and a man in a giant hot chocolate, overflowing with marshmallows.
Hike to Sapphire Point
Sapphire Point, Breckenridge, USA
We know the drill: you'll want a gentle hiking trail if you have your kids in tow. At a mile and a half round-trip, the trail to Sapphire Point isn't too strenuous (and it's just a 15-minute drive out of town). You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of Lake Dillon and the Tenmile and Gore mountain ranges.
Try your hand at ice skating
Ice skating is a fail-safe option when it comes to things to do in Breckenridge with kids. Take them for a turn on the ice at the Stephen C West Ice Arena. The outdoor rink is open from October to April, but the indoor rink is open year round. If you fancy them as the next figure-skating or ice-hockey prodigy, then there are opportunities for private sessions too - many of the certified coaches here were skating soon after they’d learned to walk, with a few of them even starting at the tender age of three.
