Smart Meetings

The town’s Main Street features about 200 Victorian buildings, which were brought in from the surrounding valley and were colorfully restored during the 1970s. The total lodging capacity of Breckenridge is 25,000, but the maximum group size is 1,000; an ideal group size is about 450. “Breck,” as it is sometimes called, also has 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. A great starting point is the Breckenridge Convention and Visitors Bureau (gobreck.com), which can arrange lodging for groups of 20 or more in 50 properties across town, and can also set up skiing, dining and other services.

Breckenridge Ski Resort (breckenridge.snow.com; for group sales: breckgroup@vailresorts.com), owned by Vail Resorts, offers truly exceptional skiing on four mountain peaks (numbered 7 through 10), each of which offers a variety of terrain. Breckenridge has some of the most difficult ski runs in America (so provide due warning to any gung-ho types in your group), yet it’s still a great place to learn to ski: the Breckenridge Ski and Ride School (breckenridge.snow.com) has gained a reputation as one of the best in the world.

For nonskiers, Breckenridge offers a wide variety of other fun activities. During dinner sleigh rides, guests huddle under cozy blankets, then follow up with a hearty dinner accompanied by live music and cowboy entertainment. Local outfitters include Breckenridge Sleigh Rides ( brecksleighrides.com) and Two Below Zero (dinnersleighrides.com). Other activities include ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobile and dog sled tours. The Summit Activities Center ( summitactivities.com) works with a variety of local outfitters.

In the summer, don’t miss the Breckenridge Golf Club (breckenridgegolfclub.com), which has a set of three, nine-hole Jack Nicklaus−designed signature courses. For a neat incentive prize, consider an hour-long hot air balloon trip over the Rockies with Colorado Rocky Ballooning ( coloradoballoonrides.com). Breckenridge also has excellent fly fishing in streams and lakes, plus indoor activities like ethnic cooking classes (at Beaver Run Resort; beaverrun.com), make-your-own pottery, and a historic underground mine tour in the Country Boy Mine (countryboymine.com).

Getting There

Denver International Airport (  flydenver.com/index.asp).

Vail/Eagle County Airport (eaglecounty.us/airport) Served by direct flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York and San Francisco. In the summer, direct flights continue from Dallas, Chicago and Denver. Shuttles and car rentals are available at both airports.

Not To Be Missed

Main Street Historical Museum (970-453-9022) is a rustic little gallery that showcases mountain life before SUVs and ski lifts.

Barney Ford Museum (970-453-5761), a small facility dating back to 1882 that honors an escaped slave who prospered in Colorado.

Riverwalk Center - (townofbreckenridge.com)