Will be spending five days in Colorado Springs .. and then drving toward Breckenridge and Vail ...
Where would you stay .. Breckenridge or Vail ?.. and what restuarants and sites would you recommend .. .. love great restaurants .. maybe a round of golf (suggestions?).. and some shopping and lovely mountain views .. no climbing ... not real outdoor kinds of people .. Please any and all suggestions are much appreciated .. and then we will drive back to Denver .. am not planning to stay in Denver and am guessing it is not a difficult drive .. from Colorado Springs to Vail/Breckenridge and then to Denver ..

ttt

Hearthstone is a great restaurant in Breck.

You'll find all the things you're looking for at both places. Breckenridge is more of a town, an old Victorian mining town. Vail is more of an upscale resort with a pseudo Alpen flair. Vail is more expensive.

There is no scarcity of fine dining in either Summit or Eagle County. Even if you don't want to climb, be sure to take a chairlift or gondola up a mountain for some wonderful views.

Check out www.vrbo.com for good deals on accommodations. For 5 days I would get a condo. Prices are great in the summer.

The drive is very do-able. About 2 hours from CS to Breck and 1.5 hours back to the airport. What month are you talking about?

Have fun!

Thanks so much .. ! We are going in July .. my husband wants to golf .. I want to shop .. but we both want to eat .. ! We are from Boston .. and love to go out to dinner .. ! Am delighted to be heading out there even in July .. !

mahs, July is my favorite month in the Rockies! Right now it's still snowing so by July it should be all melted and the wild flowers will be out in full bloom.

If great restaurants are high on your list, then I would recommend Vail over Breckenridge. Vail is definitely more upscale than Breck, and that includes the restaurants. Check out Sweet Basil, La Tour, and my favorite, the Left Bank (warning: they don't accept credit cards). Beaver Creek is just west of Vail, and has some great restaurants too. Breck has a couple of good places, Cafe Alpine and then Blue River Bistro. Blue River Bistro, however, can get VERY crowded and noisy. Of course, shopping is better in Vail too.

Both Breck and Vail have lovely mountain views, and they are close enough to each other (about 45 minutes apart) that you could visit one while staying at the other. Each of them has a river running through town, with a nice footpath (bikepath) running alongside it. The gondola in Vail is open in the summer, so you can ride to the top of the mountain and enjoy the view from there.

I don't golf, though my husband does. All of the towns have at least one course, Keystone, Vail, Breck. I think Vail's is private (Breck's is a public course), but I don't remember anything other than that. I think Breck's was designed by Jack Nicklaus. Maybe. This golf stuff goes in one ear, out the other...

The drive to Denver is an easy one. Keep in mind, however, that on Saturady and Sunday evenings in the summer, the traffic out of the mountains is horrible, so plan accordingly.

I just wanted to say that my husband and I spent four nights in Vail and two nights in Beaver Creek last July and had a great time. The weather was terrific - about 75 degrees with low humidity - perfect! We stayed at the Sonnenalp in Vail for four nights and then the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch for two nights - both fantastic.

We aren't really outdoor people, but we really absolutely LOVED Colorado! The mountains are spectacular. We spent one day in Breckinridge and thought it was great, too. We like nice hotels, shopping and nice restaurants - this trip was perfect!

Have fun!

I would choose Breckenridge for a summer visit. Definitely have dinner at the Cafe Alpine. It's our favorite. Main Street is fun to shop on and the town is just great.

Any advice on places to stay in Breck .. Hotels or B&B's .. ?

I think Vail has better dining than Breckenridge. Agree with Cafe Alpine, I think it is the best restuarant in Breck. Grasshopper is right look at VRBO.Com for good deals for both Vail and Breck also sometimes http://denver.craigslist.org/vac/ has good owners direct deals.

If you go with Breckenridge take a drive over to Keystone for a memorable dinner either at Ski Tip, my favorite in Summit County, or you can take the gondola up to the top of the mountain for dinner at Alpenglow Stube, http://keystone.snow.com/keystonedin...fine.stube.asp

Also the golf at both Keystone and Breck is wonderful!

The Ski Tip Lodge is my favorite too. And in July there's nothing better than going out on the patio for dessert and watching the beavers work in their pond.

Because I have a condo in Breck, I can't tell you much about the hotels & B&Bs.

The Village at Breckenridge is a big property, condos in a hotel environment, indoor/outdoor pool, a bit older, some of the rooms are nicer than others

Hyatt has Main Street Station, which is new, access to an outdoor pool next door. Both this and the Village are right on Main Street.

There's a B&B that I recommended in another posting, and solely on the basis that I've run past it many times, and it's beautiful from the outside. If I can find that post, I'll let you know the name of it.

If you go through a reservation service, ask for a property that's walking distance to Main Street.

If you stay in Breck, definitely get breakfast or lunch food from Clint's at least once - I love croissants, and theirs are great! Also, if you like Thai food, there's a little Thai place called My Thai. Limited menu, but pretty tasty and the people there are very nice.

Thank you so much .. would love the name of a B&B in Breck or a hotel near Main Street or within walking distance .. I think we have pretty much decided to stay in Breck and maybe visit Vail on a day trip .. and if you have other suggestions .. other than Breck and/or Vail would love them and be most appreciative .. Regards from Boston .. !