Ducko

Like everyone else, we are trying to find a place to meet our daughters for a little vacation together. There would be 6 adults and 2 children (4 yrs and 1 yr). Want somewhere that has nice outdoor recreational opportunities like hiking, parks, wildlife (?), etc. Considering Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge, or anywhere else that is relatively easy to get to, even maybe Utah? Some of us are coming from Oregon, some from midwest. I would appreciate any help with figuring this out. Group will have varied interests and abilities so a pool or swimming lake would be good, as well as access to other fun activities. Thank you!

Jean

"... or anywhere else that is relatively easy to get to..."

You should check flight options for everyone. The closest airport to SS is Eagle County (about 2 hours' drive), but I don't think you'll find any direct flights in summer. Denver Airport is about 3.5 hours away. Breckenridge is about 2 hours from Denver, but I haven't spent enough time there in summer to know the range of activities. Our neighbors spend several weeks a year there, so obviously you wouldn't get bored.

I'd look into the various towns/resorts/state parks in Utah. Park City is hard to beat, and it's only an hour from SLC airport. But I have a soft spot for Sundance in the summer. Much more low-key compared to PC, the scenery is stunning, and I like the range of activities.

https://www.sundanceresort.com/summer-activities/

fmpden

Breckenridge would be my choice for your group and children. Wide range of activities for everyone -- gold/silver mines, old jeep trails, narrow gauge railroad, playgrounds, etc. Good hiking and biking trails. Lots of condo options aat reasonable summer prices and great dining. It is two hours from the DIA. All on interstate. Steamboat is nice but a bit more isolated and 3.5 hours from Denver. And interesting side trips to Leadville, Aspen, Glenwood canyon, and some float trips. Serious whitewater rafting through Browns Canyon is available about an hour south but whitewater rafting season can be over by end of June middle of July.

And you want a place with a pool. Any lake is going to be very cold as most of the water was snow a couple days earlier.

InvitedHome

Here are a couple of great hikes around Breckenridge with varying difficulties.Sapphire Point Trail: A short yet very scenic trail that is suitable for all ages, this beautiful hike is located at the top of Swan Mountain Road. It’s a gentle loop less than a mile long offering views over Lake Dillon, Breckenridge, the Frisco-Vail Pass, and Wildernest-Silverthorne. A favorite with bikers as well, if you prefer a longer experience, it offers many access points in which you can extend your journey (by foot or by pedal).

McCullough Gulch: A great place to catch a waterfall or two (or three or four), the two main trails are just a little over a mile long. But miles from the ordinary. If you’re a fan of pristine white water, bubbling its way down the mountain’s streams and brooks, you’ll want to visit this area first.

tomfuller

The world's largest hot spring fed swimming pool is in Glenwood Springs. Since this summers fire that area is not as beautiful as it was last year. There is a great hiking/biking trail east of GWS along the Colorado River.
The people from Oregon should be able to come up with something in Oregon. If the people from the midwest have never seen the ocean, try someplace on the Oregon coast. I live in central Oregon and took a hike

Benham Falls Deschutes River Oregon
last week to see Benham Falls on the Deschutes River.

Christina

I find both those odd choices for someone who wants a place that is easy to get to. Not sure how you are defining "easy". Breckenridge is a 1.5-2 hr drive from DEN airport. And it's a very expensive place, I don't know why you would want to stay there for routine desires like you have. You can find pools literally about anywhere in the US, but an outdoor pool isn't going to be that enticing in some northern places, of course.

I just don't know what you mean by easy to get to.

I'd vote for South Lake Tahoe over Breckenridge, it's a much shorter drive from the airport, and if you don't want to rent a car (depending who is coming), they have an airport transport bus that runs all day. Rooms are a lot cheaper than in Breckenridge, also, because it isn't just some expensive resort town, the gamblers and casinos kind of keep room costs down.

That's just one idea, I just think if all you want is hikes, a pool, wildlife and parks there are a lot better places than Breckenridge. Or Steamboat Springs, I just don't understand these choices.

Park City area isn't a bad idea, very easy from SLC airport. I'd also prefer NM (say ABQ to Santa Fe/Taos, lots of ruins/national parks in that area, it isn't even a very bad drive to/from ABQ and Durango, I know because I've done it.

fmpden

It is interest how opinions are formed. I don't know where Christina lives but my opinion is a 100% opposite of her's. In the summer Breckenridge/Frisco are pretty cheap and in my limited experience cheaper by 15 to 25% than Lake Tahoe at the same time. We spent the week after the 4th this year in a rented house by Lake Tahoe. The house was OK, in need of some remodeling, for over $4000 for week. And that supposedly was deal. I have done much better in both Breckenridge and Steamboat. We rented the same size of house in Steamboat the last week of August this year for $2200. We found the activities around Lake Tahoe to be fairly limited. Now we are not super familiar with the area so we may have missed something but other than going to the beach on the lake that seem to be about it.

I don't view Breckenridge or Steamboat as resort towns. Both are authentic. old mining. towns with long histories. Breckenridge is the county seat for Summit County with public schools, etc. Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Copper Mt. are resort towns with little there beyond skiing. All of Summit Cty tend to be expensive during the winter but you are in the off season when things, especially restaurants, are very reasonable.

Granted it is an hour and half drive from the airport but it is an easy drive, all on interstate 80 - except for the last ten miles.

...if all you want is hikes, a pool, wildlife and parks there are a lot better places than Breckenridge. Or Steamboat Springs,..... I can think of no better place especially given what you can drive to with an hour of Breckenridge or Frisco.

Jean

And I'll disagree that there is little to do in Vail beyond skiing and that resort towns are somehow to be avoided... Resort towns have to survive year-round and often have a sizable permanent population, so they offer a wide variety of attractions.

Vail has hiking, fishing, cycling (both road and dirt), zip-lining and other activities in the on-mountain Adventure Park. Spas, concerts and shows in two venues, workshops, ice skating, shopping. Painting classes at Piney Lake. History in nearby Leadville and a beautiful drive to get there. For those interested in snow sports, Vail's Ski & Snowboard Museum. Wine and beer tasting in town and by tour. And I'm sure I'm forgetting some activities....

Gretchen

I agree with fmpden on all points. There is a LOT to do in the Breckenridge area and it is easy to get to, There are lots of good resstaurants along the Summit County corridor. At Copper Mountain there is the Woodward Complex where trick skiers practice by jumping into big foam rubber pits and normal people can just jump and have fun. There is great fly fishing in any number of places and outfitters to guide and outfit.