Ski the nation’s greatest slopes at Colorado’s top resort town

By on November 29, 2012

Whether you plan on zipping down black diamond slopes or sipping hot cocoa in the ski lodge is more your style, there are some seriously swanky ski resorts all over the U.S. that are perfect for any snow bunny. Cozy microbreweries and hotel suite balconies with enormous hot tubs that overlook nearby peaks are just some of the luxuries that make these places a vacationer's dream and the chill of winter so much more enjoyable.

Breckenridge, Colorado, is one spot that is just waiting for winter visitors year after year. Considered the biggest historic region in all of Colorado, the city didn't become a ski town until the 1960s, about a century after its settlement during the Gold Rush in 1859. You can snowshoe your way across scenic trails at the Breckenridge Nordic Center, and then after a long day in the wild, head to the Gold Pan Saloon, a bar with a history that dates back to the city's earliest days.

The arts are alive and well in this region in the heart of downtown, where the Breckenridge Theatre, a ceramic studio and the Riverwalk Performing Arts Center are all in close proximity of one another. If you've spent enough time outdoors, consider taking a pottery class or seeing a show put on by the Breckenridge Theatre Company.