There’s nothing better than a white Christmas filled with lights and holiday cheer. With snow covered peaks, frosty trees and scenic views, Breckenridge is the perfect destination to get you in the holiday spirit. Join us in our winter wonderland and find out what to do in Breckenridge this holiday season.
Public health orders are continuously changing. We ask that you read through our public health orders prior to arriving to know what to expect during your trip.
Check the public health order for the latest updates
Holiday Events in Breckenridge
The official Lighting of Breckenridge countdown and the Race of the Santas have been postponed until 2021. Residents and guests can expect that the 250,000 LED holidays hung throughout downtown Breckenridge will turn on over the December 5th weekend and will continue to shine and spread joy all winter long. With the goal of dispersing downtown guests from Main Street’s narrow sidewalks and creating some extra outdoor space, a festival of holiday trees, decorated by community businesses, will be added to the Blue River Rec Path and remain on display throughout the month of December.
To comply with regularly evolving state and county public health orders, The Breckenridge Tourism Office, in agreeance with the Breckenridge Event Committee, has postponed Ullr Fest and the International Snow Sculpture Invitational to December 2021 and January 2022, respectively. The Breckenridge Tourism Office extends a deep, heartfelt thanks to community partners that were assisting in planning before postponement was recommended.
Top Ways To Get In the Holiday Spirit
Stop and smell the roses or in this case, enjoy the sparkling lights.
There’s nothing better than a white Christmas filled with lights and holiday cheer. With snow-covered peaks, frosty trees and scenic views, Breckenridge is the perfect destination to get you in the holiday spirit.
Seasonal Holiday Lights
Breckenridge ups the ante on small town holiday charm by transforming its historic downtown into a sparkling snow globe scene thanks to more than 13,000 feet and 250,000 LED holiday lights. Those visiting Breckenridge during or after December 5th can expect iconic holiday lights throughout downtown Breckenridge. Be sure to bring your camera- the lights are some most photographed sights during the snowy months and continue to shine and spread joy all winter long.
Festival of Trees
Explore a winter wonderland amidst a forest of artfully decorated Christmas trees along the Blue River Recreation Path. Each tree will be designed by a local business or non-profit organization. The Festival of Trees will be available Dec. 5th – Jan. 3rd.
Holiday Dining
The views of Breckenridge from inside Hearthstone Restaurant are some of the best in the county.
Public health orders are continuously changing. We ask that you read through our public health orders prior to arriving to know what to expect during your trip.
Check the public health order for the latest updates on dining
What to know about holiday dining in Breckenridge
Most of Breckenridge’s 100+ bars and restaurants remain open during the holidays but many will not offer a specific holiday menu. While some restaurants have joined Open Table, there are still plenty of restaurants in Breckenridge that are walk-in only. The holidays are one of the most popular times of the year to visit Breckenridge and many people enjoy holiday dinners out on the town. Restaurants are currently running at reduced occupancy and indoor + outdoors seating is extremely limited.
- ADVANCED RESERVATIONS are highly recommended. If you are interested in a traditional holiday menu make your reservations as soon as possible for in-person dining or pick-up. Holiday menus are often limited and tend to sell out.
- Go early and plan to have a wait. If you are dining at a restaurant that doesn’t offer reservations plan to wait.
- Arrive with everyone. Most restaurants in town will not seat incomplete parties. Be sure everyone in your group is accounted for at the restaurant.
- Get off the beaten path. Visit one of the lesser-known restaurants in town. Plan ahead and still expect waits.
- Embrace to-go options. Curbside pick-up and to-go options are widely available in town. You’ll want to plan in advance for these options as well.
- FREE 10-minute pick-up parking spots have been added around town to make picking up your food/online purchase easy and convenient. View map of pick-up locations.
Learn more about public health guidelines in Breckenridge.
Holiday Shopping
Explore vibrant downtown for independently owned shops and restaurants.
Breckenridge is filled with artisan shops, small business and chic boutiques. With more than 200 stores to choose from, it’s easy to spend a day enjoying the quaint storefronts, finding the perfect gifts and updating your gear selection.
Church Services
We have many churches and religious services each year. Please call ahead for details on offerings for Christmas, Christmas Eve and restrictions.
- Father Dyer United Methodist Church, 310 Wellington Rd.
- Breckenridge Christian Ministries, 103 Sawmill Rd.
- Christ Lutheran Church, 16072 Colorado Highway 9
- Great Divide Cavalry, Colorado Mountain College, 107 Denison Placer Rd.
- St. John The Baptist Episcopal Church, 100 S. French St.
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 109 S. French St.
- The Church at Agape Outpost, 15404 Colorado HWY 9
Top outdoor activities for the holidays
Hit the trails! It’s easy to explore more of the outdoors by snowshoe, fat bike, cross-country skis, dog sled team, or horsedrawn sleigh ride.
Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
Breckenridge boasts more than 50 kilometers (30 miles) of perfectly manicured cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails between the town’s two Nordic Centers. If exploring some historic mining ruins on your own is more your style, the Breckenridge trail system offers hundreds of miles of ungroomed trails to explore. Bring your own snowshoes or rent them and embark on a self-guided adventure or take a guided tour.
Sleigh Rides
If you’re looking for an experience you’ll never forget, take a scenic sleigh ride through shimmering snow! Choose a Hot Cocoa sleigh ride for a group experience that includes entertainment, a dinner and sleigh ride combo, or book a “one-horse open sleigh” ride for a more private or romantic mountain experience.
Nordic Snowcat Adventures
Join the Breck Nordic Center’s fun loving staff and its state of the art Prinoth Snowcat designed by Pininfarina in Italy. It features a heated, 8 passenger all glass cabin so you can experience historic Legend forests in heated comfort with a stop for s’mores and hot chocolate at one of their destination huts.
Sledding
Bring your sled and some hot cocoa to Carter Park sledding hill located at the end of south High St. The hill is free and open to the public, and is the perfect activity for all ages!
Discover more winter activities in Breckenridge!