Tuesday, January 2, 2008
Always seeking a new cool thing to do, Ana searched for the perfect thing to cap off our trip and to celebrate a friend's birthday. She found this company called TwoBelowZero offering Winter Dinner Sleigh Rides. We instructed everyone to meet at the parking lot near Beaver Run (where we stayed last year) at about 6:30 p.m. She had no idea what was in store, but as soon as you got there, the smell of horse was in the air! That's OK because we were about to take a sleigh ride up the mountain in the dark and in the freezing cold. Huddled under blankets we made our way up in two sleds. Each one identical and with it's bandit of heckler's making fun of each other and enjoying the beautiful ride under the moonlight.
Our destination was a pitched, heated tent. We actually would see this tent on the way down the mountain each day as we skiied right by it, but at night they converted into a dinner place with live music. As we entered the tent, we were greeted with a long table and some great acoustic live music. From the oldies to the new songs, we had many requests as we sang and ate a great buffet dinner. From the meats to the chicken to the pasta, there was enough variety to please everyone.
There was only one other party in the tent at the same time and they were celebrating a birthday too. As we all sang Happy Birthday, we reveled in the night and this unique experience. We hope the kids remember this as much as we do. As soon as you get to Breck, check out the TwoBelowZero web site for the latest promotions and times so you can call and book early.
Showing posts with label Breck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breck. Show all posts
Downstairs at Eric's...because everywhere else just sucks - Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
What a great tagline: BECAUSE EVERYWHERE ELSE JUST SUCKS! You already get a feel for what type of place this is and it's a cross between Dave & Busters LITE, Bennigan's bar, and a pizza place. Downstairs at Eric's is always packed, this popular Breck spot boasts over 120 beers, it's very own Bar Cam, an arcade for the kids, awesome burgers, and sports on television sets all over the place. Located at 111 South Main Street, it's easy to walk to from the main resorts and worth the wait.
During this peak season, being able to fit about 24 of us in one sitting is almost impossible. We have squeezed into the bar area (yes with kids) and carved out a home base while the kids played in the arcade (with at least 1-2 adults taking turns watching them) and the rest of us ordering the food and drinks. With such a large group, you are forced to eat standing up and in spurts, but it's fun. I want to make it clear that we drink responsibly and this bar is not a dark, gloomy, seedy kind of place showing kids some "bad" things. Kids are more than welcome here and we like that. Just check out the web site to catch a glimpse of the Bar Cam and the kid-friendly menu.
RANDOM THOUGHT: I am not sure of the connection and always forget to ask, but the name of this place is same as Yaz or Yazoo's first album. If you recall this was a duo in the early 80s starring Alison Moyet and forgot the guy's name. The album yielded hits like "Don't Go" and "Situation." It reminds me of my older brother and his friends and my friend's older sister. The first time I listened to it was at my friend's house as she blared it out of her bedroom. Check it out on iTunes if you haven't heard it before.
What a great tagline: BECAUSE EVERYWHERE ELSE JUST SUCKS! You already get a feel for what type of place this is and it's a cross between Dave & Busters LITE, Bennigan's bar, and a pizza place. Downstairs at Eric's is always packed, this popular Breck spot boasts over 120 beers, it's very own Bar Cam, an arcade for the kids, awesome burgers, and sports on television sets all over the place. Located at 111 South Main Street, it's easy to walk to from the main resorts and worth the wait.
During this peak season, being able to fit about 24 of us in one sitting is almost impossible. We have squeezed into the bar area (yes with kids) and carved out a home base while the kids played in the arcade (with at least 1-2 adults taking turns watching them) and the rest of us ordering the food and drinks. With such a large group, you are forced to eat standing up and in spurts, but it's fun. I want to make it clear that we drink responsibly and this bar is not a dark, gloomy, seedy kind of place showing kids some "bad" things. Kids are more than welcome here and we like that. Just check out the web site to catch a glimpse of the Bar Cam and the kid-friendly menu.
RANDOM THOUGHT: I am not sure of the connection and always forget to ask, but the name of this place is same as Yaz or Yazoo's first album. If you recall this was a duo in the early 80s starring Alison Moyet and forgot the guy's name. The album yielded hits like "Don't Go" and "Situation." It reminds me of my older brother and his friends and my friend's older sister. The first time I listened to it was at my friend's house as she blared it out of her bedroom. Check it out on iTunes if you haven't heard it before.
Torch Light Parade - Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, December 31, 2007
Part of what makes celebrating New Year's Eve so special in Breckenridge is the Torch Light Parade. An annual ritual starting at around 6:00 p.m., the local ski resort employees travel to the top of the mountain and ski, board, or snowmobile down the mountain in perfect unison holding blow torches. The weather has to be perfect and it has been cancelled in the past. It is worth seeing at least once. Usually, 9:00 p.m. is fireworks time to get everyone to bed early for some New Year's Day skiing.
To check out the latest New Year's Eve celebration schedule in Breck, you can go to http://www.breckenridge.com/.
Part of what makes celebrating New Year's Eve so special in Breckenridge is the Torch Light Parade. An annual ritual starting at around 6:00 p.m., the local ski resort employees travel to the top of the mountain and ski, board, or snowmobile down the mountain in perfect unison holding blow torches. The weather has to be perfect and it has been cancelled in the past. It is worth seeing at least once. Usually, 9:00 p.m. is fireworks time to get everyone to bed early for some New Year's Day skiing.
To check out the latest New Year's Eve celebration schedule in Breck, you can go to http://www.breckenridge.com/.
Breaks at Ten Mile Station and Midnight Crepes in Breck - Sunday, December 30, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
If you have noticed, alot of our time on these vacations is spent planning the next meal. Everything is governed by food and what new place we will discover. In this post, I share a commonly known one and one that you have to patiently search and wait for because it's too good to pass up.
Starting with the better known one, a ski day is never perfect unless you have lunch at the Ten Mile Station and take the typical family and friends photo on top overlooking the mountain range and Breck below. You can take 100 pictures in 30 minutes and never get tired. This is where everyone meets for lunch in a food court-style restaurant, takes a restroom break, and just get warm. The Ten Mile Station is located on Peak 9 at the top of the QuickSilver SuperChair. During the Summer, there are many weddings and receptions held at this restautrant to take advantage of the spectacular views. This is also the meeting point of many runs ranging from Blues, Greens, and the lifts up to the Blacks.
Now, after a heavy lunch at Ten Mile Station, drinks at The Maggie and a communal dinner at a friend's place, where else can one go close to midnight to have the best dessert around? Just a 10-minute walk down Main Street or better yet a 2-minute drive for the warm-blooded Miamians, Crepes A La Cart is the answer. Located at 307 South Main Street, this small, food-truck sits back with a roaring fire pit for the 4-6 lucky folks to find a spot along the benches in front of it. A long line of crepe enthusiasts wait patiently for their turn. Bottom line...buying crepes for 10 people close to midnight in the freezing cold takes a long time especially with special orders like Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Meringue pie.
The best way to do this is to drive in a big rowdy group, park the car along Main Street in eye's view and elect 2-3 adults to go get the crepes. The ones staying behind can just make fun of the ones outside bearing the brunt of the cold. However, what they don't know is that standing close to the fire and talking with the locals and other tourists has it's perks too like learning about a cool bar in town.
If you have noticed, alot of our time on these vacations is spent planning the next meal. Everything is governed by food and what new place we will discover. In this post, I share a commonly known one and one that you have to patiently search and wait for because it's too good to pass up.
Starting with the better known one, a ski day is never perfect unless you have lunch at the Ten Mile Station and take the typical family and friends photo on top overlooking the mountain range and Breck below. You can take 100 pictures in 30 minutes and never get tired. This is where everyone meets for lunch in a food court-style restaurant, takes a restroom break, and just get warm. The Ten Mile Station is located on Peak 9 at the top of the QuickSilver SuperChair. During the Summer, there are many weddings and receptions held at this restautrant to take advantage of the spectacular views. This is also the meeting point of many runs ranging from Blues, Greens, and the lifts up to the Blacks.
Now, after a heavy lunch at Ten Mile Station, drinks at The Maggie and a communal dinner at a friend's place, where else can one go close to midnight to have the best dessert around? Just a 10-minute walk down Main Street or better yet a 2-minute drive for the warm-blooded Miamians, Crepes A La Cart is the answer. Located at 307 South Main Street, this small, food-truck sits back with a roaring fire pit for the 4-6 lucky folks to find a spot along the benches in front of it. A long line of crepe enthusiasts wait patiently for their turn. Bottom line...buying crepes for 10 people close to midnight in the freezing cold takes a long time especially with special orders like Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Meringue pie.
The best way to do this is to drive in a big rowdy group, park the car along Main Street in eye's view and elect 2-3 adults to go get the crepes. The ones staying behind can just make fun of the ones outside bearing the brunt of the cold. However, what they don't know is that standing close to the fire and talking with the locals and other tourists has it's perks too like learning about a cool bar in town.
Miamians skiing AGAIN in Breck to celebrate New Year's - Thursday, December 27, 2007 - Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007 - Friday, December 28, 2007
Wow! A year has flown since this last Colorado trip and everyone is excited to be back to Breck. That's right...once you go back for seconds, you have the honorary duty to call Breckenridge by it's nickname of Breck. I believe many people name their sons Breck, which has it's pros and cons. Nonetheless, we are on our way with the Ss, while others are leaving later or via different cities. This time we had to overnight in Denver on arrival to head out first thing in the morning to Breck. We knew the chances for weather to be bad were great, so we did not want to drive in the night. We bunkered down, slept, and waited until morning.
During the drive to Breckenridge, we stopped at Beau Jo's Pizza in Evergreen, Colorado. S had eaten there before and the pizza was good and quite popular in the area. Beau Jo's Pizza started in Idaho and spread throughout the western states. From Mountain pies to Praire pies, this thick crusted pizza is made to order and provided with a side of honey for all of the leftover crust. A delicious dessert made on the spot right after your meal.
In addition, we stopped by the Safeway in Frisco, CO for some grocery shopping. Over $150 spent, but it would last us most of the week knowing we would have a full kitchen in our room. Regardless of kitchen or not, it is always a good idea to go grocery shopping for at least water and snacks.
This time we booked closer to the ski lift in a place called The Village at Breckenridge. Check out their site for the latest promotions. As stated on their web site, this has long been a favorite year-round destination along the river with a ski-in/ski-out lodging facility and ideally situated at the base of the ski resort with ski school and ski rentals just steps away. In addition, it has convenient access to the town's shops, restaurants, activities and events.
We checked into room V4610 and it was one large studio room with a bed, sofa bed in living room, dining room, and full kitchen. We were somewhat cramped, but it was fine for the amount of time we were going to spend there. However, we made it a point that during this trip, we were going to visit many real estate companies like Great Western Lodging to name a few. We saw other options for the next time to look at privately owned homes and condos. We also inquired about purchasing a place amongst a few of us to have as an investment property.
Just steps from the hotel, we rented our equipment at Charter Sports. With a convenient web site to search for the nearest locations and best rates, you can book everything ahead of time to save time after you get to the store. One thing to always get is a helmet no matter how old you are.
We them met up with everyone and went to the Quandry Grille in Breckenridge right on Main Street. A good restaurant for large groups it was perfect for ending to the day. Check out the web site for their hours of operation and menu.
Wow! A year has flown since this last Colorado trip and everyone is excited to be back to Breck. That's right...once you go back for seconds, you have the honorary duty to call Breckenridge by it's nickname of Breck. I believe many people name their sons Breck, which has it's pros and cons. Nonetheless, we are on our way with the Ss, while others are leaving later or via different cities. This time we had to overnight in Denver on arrival to head out first thing in the morning to Breck. We knew the chances for weather to be bad were great, so we did not want to drive in the night. We bunkered down, slept, and waited until morning.
During the drive to Breckenridge, we stopped at Beau Jo's Pizza in Evergreen, Colorado. S had eaten there before and the pizza was good and quite popular in the area. Beau Jo's Pizza started in Idaho and spread throughout the western states. From Mountain pies to Praire pies, this thick crusted pizza is made to order and provided with a side of honey for all of the leftover crust. A delicious dessert made on the spot right after your meal.
In addition, we stopped by the Safeway in Frisco, CO for some grocery shopping. Over $150 spent, but it would last us most of the week knowing we would have a full kitchen in our room. Regardless of kitchen or not, it is always a good idea to go grocery shopping for at least water and snacks.
This time we booked closer to the ski lift in a place called The Village at Breckenridge. Check out their site for the latest promotions. As stated on their web site, this has long been a favorite year-round destination along the river with a ski-in/ski-out lodging facility and ideally situated at the base of the ski resort with ski school and ski rentals just steps away. In addition, it has convenient access to the town's shops, restaurants, activities and events.
We checked into room V4610 and it was one large studio room with a bed, sofa bed in living room, dining room, and full kitchen. We were somewhat cramped, but it was fine for the amount of time we were going to spend there. However, we made it a point that during this trip, we were going to visit many real estate companies like Great Western Lodging to name a few. We saw other options for the next time to look at privately owned homes and condos. We also inquired about purchasing a place amongst a few of us to have as an investment property.
Just steps from the hotel, we rented our equipment at Charter Sports. With a convenient web site to search for the nearest locations and best rates, you can book everything ahead of time to save time after you get to the store. One thing to always get is a helmet no matter how old you are.
We them met up with everyone and went to the Quandry Grille in Breckenridge right on Main Street. A good restaurant for large groups it was perfect for ending to the day. Check out the web site for their hours of operation and menu.
Plastic sleds and New Year's Eve at Beaver Run - Sunday, December 31, 2006
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Another beautiful day in Breckenridge and everyone is getting in the groove of things. Everyone is getting more in tune with the mountain and the slopes. Everyone is not looking forward to the end of the trip, but we know we have to do one thing that we see each and every day outside of our window: sledding down a hill, street style on a plastic sled. We went to Wal-Mart and bought plastic sleds. The kids loved this more than skiing and it is alot less expensive. By the way, if you ever forget any winter clothes or need extras of anything, Wal-Mart has it all at everyday low prices...this slogan is more true here than anywhere else. I personally do not like the Wal-Mart shopping experience, but it's worth the hassle.
After many hours of zooming down in all possibe combos (solos, family, son/father, daughter/father, friend/friend, etc.), we learned alot. We learned that sledding in black dress shoes is not a good idea, that one of the Dads did NOT know there was a locker in the basement of the hotel and would store everyting at The Maggie, which was quite far from the hotel, and that the Sports setting on my Canon camera is the BEST. We got the most amazing photos and videos of this day and it was one of the most memorable moments of the whole trip.
Now, tonight was New Year's Eve and we wanted to do something low key...not in town. We had many kids in the party and we all wanted to congregate somewhere quieter and that can hold us. So, we planned to have a Spaghetti dinner at the Ss, which was great along with some drinks and we all headed over to Beaver Run where toward the back there was a game room, lounge area that was pretty secluded. We opted to stay indoors, but we can see the fireworks through the glass windows. We had the television on set to Dick Clark's Rockin New Year's Eve at Times Square, some iPOD music, some drink, and we were golden.
As the clock struck 12, we celebrated the year, looked forward to the next one, and felt how truly blessed we were to be there celebrating in the snow. It was a first for me at almost 40! It was great and we danced and talked into the night. Until next year we said! Unitl next year!
Another beautiful day in Breckenridge and everyone is getting in the groove of things. Everyone is getting more in tune with the mountain and the slopes. Everyone is not looking forward to the end of the trip, but we know we have to do one thing that we see each and every day outside of our window: sledding down a hill, street style on a plastic sled. We went to Wal-Mart and bought plastic sleds. The kids loved this more than skiing and it is alot less expensive. By the way, if you ever forget any winter clothes or need extras of anything, Wal-Mart has it all at everyday low prices...this slogan is more true here than anywhere else. I personally do not like the Wal-Mart shopping experience, but it's worth the hassle.
After many hours of zooming down in all possibe combos (solos, family, son/father, daughter/father, friend/friend, etc.), we learned alot. We learned that sledding in black dress shoes is not a good idea, that one of the Dads did NOT know there was a locker in the basement of the hotel and would store everyting at The Maggie, which was quite far from the hotel, and that the Sports setting on my Canon camera is the BEST. We got the most amazing photos and videos of this day and it was one of the most memorable moments of the whole trip.
Now, tonight was New Year's Eve and we wanted to do something low key...not in town. We had many kids in the party and we all wanted to congregate somewhere quieter and that can hold us. So, we planned to have a Spaghetti dinner at the Ss, which was great along with some drinks and we all headed over to Beaver Run where toward the back there was a game room, lounge area that was pretty secluded. We opted to stay indoors, but we can see the fireworks through the glass windows. We had the television on set to Dick Clark's Rockin New Year's Eve at Times Square, some iPOD music, some drink, and we were golden.
As the clock struck 12, we celebrated the year, looked forward to the next one, and felt how truly blessed we were to be there celebrating in the snow. It was a first for me at almost 40! It was great and we danced and talked into the night. Until next year we said! Unitl next year!
Family learns to ski during beautiful sunny, cold days!
Thursday, December 28, 2006 - Saturday, December 30, 2006
As the week progresses, you get used to the whole process. Basically, your cold always and you have to carry alot of things across the hotel, snow, etc. It is work, but it is good work because your family is having fun. Because the kids were 3 and 7, they needed help. We had lockers at Beaver Run that we would store our equipment. The equipment was rented on-site in the lobby area and was probably more expensive than the ones in town, but you could not beat the convenience. We actually were able to put on the equipment outside the locker area and ski down to the ski lift, but it always took a long time.
During these two days, the family learned to ski. There was snow everywhere, but the temperatures were cold, but not bitter cold. It was perfect. U and I stayed on snowboards leaving us alienated from the rest who took up skiing. This is important to note that in our stubborness to be cool and to learn something different (which I would not change), we did not spend alot of time with everyone else during the day. We were to busy falling and sitting, falling and sitting. It took us these days to finally get it, but it was not easy. During one of the afternoons, U and I wanted to go back down the mountain just one more time WITHOUT falling (which was not easy to do). Everyone joked that we would go Brokeback if a storm hit where we would be forced to spoon to stay warm. Yeah...right...don't think so, but they got a good laugh and we made it down OK.
Like with anything that you have never tried before, snowboarding was on my list. I am glad I did it then, but the next two times I have gone on a snow trip, I have elected to ski instead. I spend more time with the family and everyone is literally on the same "board."
As the week progresses, you get used to the whole process. Basically, your cold always and you have to carry alot of things across the hotel, snow, etc. It is work, but it is good work because your family is having fun. Because the kids were 3 and 7, they needed help. We had lockers at Beaver Run that we would store our equipment. The equipment was rented on-site in the lobby area and was probably more expensive than the ones in town, but you could not beat the convenience. We actually were able to put on the equipment outside the locker area and ski down to the ski lift, but it always took a long time.
During these two days, the family learned to ski. There was snow everywhere, but the temperatures were cold, but not bitter cold. It was perfect. U and I stayed on snowboards leaving us alienated from the rest who took up skiing. This is important to note that in our stubborness to be cool and to learn something different (which I would not change), we did not spend alot of time with everyone else during the day. We were to busy falling and sitting, falling and sitting. It took us these days to finally get it, but it was not easy. During one of the afternoons, U and I wanted to go back down the mountain just one more time WITHOUT falling (which was not easy to do). Everyone joked that we would go Brokeback if a storm hit where we would be forced to spoon to stay warm. Yeah...right...don't think so, but they got a good laugh and we made it down OK.
Like with anything that you have never tried before, snowboarding was on my list. I am glad I did it then, but the next two times I have gone on a snow trip, I have elected to ski instead. I spend more time with the family and everyone is literally on the same "board."
Settling in at Beaver Run and capping each night at Maggie's! - Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
We woke up early and I had a fart to learn to snowboard, while every other sane family wanted to take ski lessons. U and I decided on snowboarding and we would drag our wives and sons into it. Ana used our daughter as excuse (a very valid one I might add) to not do anything, but U's wife was gung-ho. As we set up the lessons and walked down to catch the lift, we spent 10 minutes talking to the Aussie instructor name Jacob. He explained everyting and showed us how to put everything on. U's wife decided it was enough and took herself out of the lesson. It was a great message for the kids who weren't very happy either, but the Dads were going to SNOWBOARD and that was it.
We spent the day sitting, literally sitting on the snow. Actually, the sitting comes right after the falling. You see snowboarding is much harder than skiing: both legs are strapped to the same board, you don't have poles to help you, the falling happens quick and hard (usually on your tail bone or your back), and you tend to be less in control. Also, the lift thing is more complex and you have to watch out for all the careening-out-of-countrol snowboarders all around you (who are learning just like you).
The snow was falling hard that day and blinding. There was a special enclosed tunnel that allowed you to go up the hill on an escalator type thing. It was convenient and better than taking the lift. After many attempts and hours of lessons, we decided to call it quits for the day. The visibility was poor and we were getting hungry.
Each night was the same tradition: a drink and some appetizer at The Maggie. It is located at the base of Peak 9 by the Quicksilver SuperChair. It's bascially a bar with bar food, but one of the highlights of the trip where we all congregated regardless of where each family went each day. It was one of the constants before dinner.
We woke up early and I had a fart to learn to snowboard, while every other sane family wanted to take ski lessons. U and I decided on snowboarding and we would drag our wives and sons into it. Ana used our daughter as excuse (a very valid one I might add) to not do anything, but U's wife was gung-ho. As we set up the lessons and walked down to catch the lift, we spent 10 minutes talking to the Aussie instructor name Jacob. He explained everyting and showed us how to put everything on. U's wife decided it was enough and took herself out of the lesson. It was a great message for the kids who weren't very happy either, but the Dads were going to SNOWBOARD and that was it.
We spent the day sitting, literally sitting on the snow. Actually, the sitting comes right after the falling. You see snowboarding is much harder than skiing: both legs are strapped to the same board, you don't have poles to help you, the falling happens quick and hard (usually on your tail bone or your back), and you tend to be less in control. Also, the lift thing is more complex and you have to watch out for all the careening-out-of-countrol snowboarders all around you (who are learning just like you).
The snow was falling hard that day and blinding. There was a special enclosed tunnel that allowed you to go up the hill on an escalator type thing. It was convenient and better than taking the lift. After many attempts and hours of lessons, we decided to call it quits for the day. The visibility was poor and we were getting hungry.
Each night was the same tradition: a drink and some appetizer at The Maggie. It is located at the base of Peak 9 by the Quicksilver SuperChair. It's bascially a bar with bar food, but one of the highlights of the trip where we all congregated regardless of where each family went each day. It was one of the constants before dinner.
Miamians skiing in Colorado for the first time! - Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Most Miamians claim to have skiied along the East Coast of the United States (upstate New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina), but that is not really skiing until you move west. For some time, our friends and I wanted to plan a big skiing trip during the busiest and most expensive time of year: week after Christmas to ring in the New Year. Not only did we do it once, but we did it two years in a row and in the same place: Breckenridge, Colorado. We picked this location because it had everything for the beginner and more advanced skiier, plus the S's visited the year before all by themselves AND they wanted to do it again with alot more people.
IMPORTANT TIP: To really take advantage of the best deals for this HIGH SEASON time, it is important that you book early. Start looking at options in July or August prior to your trip and book early. There are many non-stop options into Denver for access to most ski resorts and if you go to Vail, there is non-stop flights there as well. As for accommodations, don't just stick with the name brands like Marriott or resorts like the one we stayed at. There are many privately-owned options where you can find roomier and more convenient options. For these options, you can go to Vacation Rental By Owner (http://www.vrbo.com/) or contact a local real estate company like Great Western Lodging (http://www.gwlodging.com/).
We landed into Denver in the evening with the Us. It was cold. The kind of cold that makes your bones hurt, but we were happy to be there. There were about five other families flying in for the same week: different flights, days, schedules, but same thing in mind: ski the Rockies and start creating some memories just like when most of us were kids. One of the best things about traveling in large groups is that each evening one family is selected to host dinner. We all pile into each other's hotel room, cabin, townhouse, or whatever to get a taste of home cooking and good old banter.
Upon arrival into Denver, we decided NOT to rent a car and take a Shuttle Van with Colorado Mountain Express (http://www.coloradomountainexpress.com/) to Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center (http://www.beaverrun.com/). Not to be confused with Beaver Creek (a resort/city in Colorado), this is the less luxurious, but a family-friendly hotel/resort about two hours from Denver, Colorado near the heart of Breckenridge. As for the shuttle ride, it was perfect to just sit back and not have to worry about driving at night in the bitter cold. We even convinced the driver to stop at McDonald's.
As we drove into the night, we wondered what the week would have in store for us. We wondered if everyone was on time. We wondered why we didn't book a beach vacation instead. We quickly remembered the beach is nothing new for us, but barreling down a slope in snow was new to us and the opportunity to experience it with a group of friends was priceless.
Arriving late into the night, we unloaded the tons of bags from the shuttle to the reception area. It was a long way from the reception area, but we finally checked into room 4206. It was comfortable room with one Queen bed a small kitchenette, exposed bath tub, small living area with sofa bed, and a view of the back side of the resort. Frankly, the room was a little dated, more long than wide making it difficult to pass through the room without bumping into others or things, but it would have to do just fine. We made plans for the next day to meet for breakfast and take some lessons.
Most Miamians claim to have skiied along the East Coast of the United States (upstate New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina), but that is not really skiing until you move west. For some time, our friends and I wanted to plan a big skiing trip during the busiest and most expensive time of year: week after Christmas to ring in the New Year. Not only did we do it once, but we did it two years in a row and in the same place: Breckenridge, Colorado. We picked this location because it had everything for the beginner and more advanced skiier, plus the S's visited the year before all by themselves AND they wanted to do it again with alot more people.
IMPORTANT TIP: To really take advantage of the best deals for this HIGH SEASON time, it is important that you book early. Start looking at options in July or August prior to your trip and book early. There are many non-stop options into Denver for access to most ski resorts and if you go to Vail, there is non-stop flights there as well. As for accommodations, don't just stick with the name brands like Marriott or resorts like the one we stayed at. There are many privately-owned options where you can find roomier and more convenient options. For these options, you can go to Vacation Rental By Owner (http://www.vrbo.com/) or contact a local real estate company like Great Western Lodging (http://www.gwlodging.com/).
We landed into Denver in the evening with the Us. It was cold. The kind of cold that makes your bones hurt, but we were happy to be there. There were about five other families flying in for the same week: different flights, days, schedules, but same thing in mind: ski the Rockies and start creating some memories just like when most of us were kids. One of the best things about traveling in large groups is that each evening one family is selected to host dinner. We all pile into each other's hotel room, cabin, townhouse, or whatever to get a taste of home cooking and good old banter.
Upon arrival into Denver, we decided NOT to rent a car and take a Shuttle Van with Colorado Mountain Express (http://www.coloradomountainexpress.com/) to Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center (http://www.beaverrun.com/). Not to be confused with Beaver Creek (a resort/city in Colorado), this is the less luxurious, but a family-friendly hotel/resort about two hours from Denver, Colorado near the heart of Breckenridge. As for the shuttle ride, it was perfect to just sit back and not have to worry about driving at night in the bitter cold. We even convinced the driver to stop at McDonald's.
As we drove into the night, we wondered what the week would have in store for us. We wondered if everyone was on time. We wondered why we didn't book a beach vacation instead. We quickly remembered the beach is nothing new for us, but barreling down a slope in snow was new to us and the opportunity to experience it with a group of friends was priceless.
Arriving late into the night, we unloaded the tons of bags from the shuttle to the reception area. It was a long way from the reception area, but we finally checked into room 4206. It was comfortable room with one Queen bed a small kitchenette, exposed bath tub, small living area with sofa bed, and a view of the back side of the resort. Frankly, the room was a little dated, more long than wide making it difficult to pass through the room without bumping into others or things, but it would have to do just fine. We made plans for the next day to meet for breakfast and take some lessons.
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