Breckenridge CO – Scenery, Shops & Snacks
Breckenridge, Colorado – Scenery, Shops, and Snacks
by Suzanne Axt
Having recently relocated to downtown Denver from suburban New Jersey, I needed to take a break from “city life” and get out to the mountains. Yes, they were calling me, and I needed to go!
Breckenridge, Colorado, is a beautiful town at an elevation of 9,600 feet and is only a two-hour drive from Denver. My husband, Harry, is a skier and knew the place from having visited a few years ago with a bunch of his skiing buddies. I am not a skier, don’t want to be a skier, and will never be a skier. I don’t like winter either. But it was fall, and we agreed that Breckenridge might be a nice drive and a fun place to walk around. I love exploring new places and seeing the fall colors in the landscape. Unlike New Jersey, I was surprised to see that the tree leaves in Breckenridge were turning mostly a golden yellow. I was used to the reds, oranges, and yellows of the New Jersey landscape. Nevertheless, it was still breathtaking.
Well, alrighty then—off to see this beautiful town. Main Street was a happening place, with shops and restaurants as far as you could see. There were many people walking up and down both sides of the street, but there was plenty of parking, and we found a spot right on Main Street 
just as we came into town. One thing to remember is that, since the elevation is much higher than Denver, you need to take it easy with how much walking you do. I found myself a little out of breath at times.
I had made lunch reservations at the Canteen Tap House and Tavern through the Open Table app on my phone before we started out. Since it was a Saturday, I figured it would be a good idea. My hunch was right. When we arrived at the restaurant, the place was packed with locals and tourists. It is located right on Main Street, with an outdoor seating area as well as a full bar and dining area on the first floor and a second dining area on the second floor. We were seated upstairs on the second floor immediately. I ordered the margarita flat-bread pizza, and hubby ordered the Reuben sandwich with coleslaw. Both were delicious!
Afterwards, we walked over to Clint’s Coffee & Bakery Shop for a hot chai latte, drip coffee, a snickerdoodle cookie, and a chocolate chip cookie. This is an interesting shop with the coffee and bakery on the first floor right as you walk in and the lunch area downstairs. The chai latte was creamy, hot, and just what I needed. It was about 60 degrees out, but it felt like 55 degrees to me because we were in the mountains. Did I mention I don’t like the cold or winter? And who doesn’t love dessert? I am a big fan and loved the cookies—well, okay half of the cookies, since I had to share them with hubby. Yum!
The stores are plentiful, and there seems to be something for everyone’s taste here. I found a cute store called Two Wild Sisters that sells jewelry, T-shirts, and artwork. I basically went inside due to the store’s name because my sister, Cindy, and I like to call ourselves “two wild and mostly crazy sisters.” The owner, Tara Thompson, was extremely friendly. We chitchatted about all the women shoppers who walk into the store like me, because of its name. Call us sister-shoppers! She has a wall of photos of these womenand their sisters that many have given her to post. Such fun! I did buy matching T-shirts for myself and my younger sister (45 years young, but still baby sis to me).
All in all, I must say that Breckenridge in the fall is a great day trip from Denver. I look forward to returning to explore the other shops and restaurants on Main Street in the future—maybe in the summer when it is warmer out.
