Looking for a ski and snowboarding paradise rich in gold mining history, and only about 2 hours southwest of Denver? With a money-saving Breckenridge vacation rental, you can call one of North America’s most popular winter ski resorts home. Ski or snowboard four steep challenging mountains if you are expert or intermediate. Attend ski school if you are a beginner. Summers Breckenridge beckons with golf, fly fishing, river rafting, mountain biking, hiking trails, and horse riding.

Breckenridge began life as a gold mining camp on the Blue River in 1859, and was reborn in 1960 as a ski resort. Your money-saving Breckenridge vacation rental is your portal to about 30 lifts, 155 trails, and 2,358 acres of bowls and steep inspiring terrain. Peaks 7, 8, 9, and 10 are linked for skiing and snowboarding. Peak 10 is renowned for formidable terrain with big bumps, hidden kickers, glades, and long mogul runs. Peak 9 has tight tree alleys and expert runs down Devil’s Crotch and the Mine Shaft. Lower on Peak 9 are runs for beginners. Peak 8 is celebrated for its short, steep Lake Chutes and soft cornices. Kids can play mini-golf at the Peak 8 Fun Park. Peak 7 features steep treeless terrain, with a ski school at the bottom.

Summer Breckenridge vacation rental homes, condos, and apartments are an exceptional money-saving value. Take full advantage by playing all 27 championship holes at the city-owned, Jack Nicklaus-designed Breckenridge Golf Club. Raft or fly fish the Blue River where miners once dredged for gold. Fishing, boating, sailing, canoeing, and windsurfing are among the possibilities at Dillion Lake, a reservoir formed by damming the Blue River. Bike and hike the many trails. Or see the lay of the land from horseback.

Explore Colorado’s largest historic district and the 350 Gold Rush era buildings still extant. The Edwin Carter Museum in an 1875 log cabin building celebrates a gold miner who became a celebrated naturalist studying Rocky Mountain wildlife. Gold prices are back up, and the precious metal is making a comeback. So don a hard hat, and head underground to tour the restored Country Boy Mine where a new breed of miners are drilling. Perhaps pet the burros and teach the kids to pan for gold in the creek.

Take a break from the ski slopes, and visit the Breckenridge Rotary Snowplow Park. The International Snow Sculpture Championships come to town in January. View independent films at the three-decade-old Breckenridge Festival of Film. Attend the Backstage Theatre, which has been staging plays for over 35 years. Listen to the young musicians of the National Repertory Orchestra based in Breckenridge. Plenty to do when you chose a money-saving Breckenridge vacation rental.