Texan Planning a Ski Trip to Colorado: A Planning Guide
If you ever get a chance to listen to my podcast, in the opening comments I often joke that if the states of Texas and California went on a road trip, did shots and accidentally got together…Colorado would be the result. It’s no surprise to be that Texans enjoy recreating in Colorado and vice versa. All of the states out West cross-pollinate between one another. But, if you’re a Texan planning a ski trip to Colorado, it can feel very overwhelming. This planning guide will share the top 3 mountain towns that I recommend and why. I also share some tips on how to avoid unexpected friction with Coloradans. You’re going to have a great time and welcome to Colorado!
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Cowtown Denver
Why You Should Spend a Day in Denver
(Before You Head Up to the Mountains)
One of the most important planning tips that most people don’t hear about enough is acclimating to the high altitude before hitting the slopes. Denver is a high altitude location and all of the ski resorts are located at significantly higher altitudes than Denver and any towns in Texas. There’s nothing that sucks more than a ski trip ruined by altitude sickness. If you have any medical concerns that you think could be impacted by the altitude speak with your doctor.
Spending a day in Denver will help with the acclimation process and it’s a great town to visit. I’ve shared what to do, where to stay and just to keep things easy. A day in Denver also builds in a time buffer in the event of a flight delay which can happen during the winter.
Where to Stay
I would recommend staying within walking distance of Union Station. In fact, there is a train from Denver International Airport that ends at Union Station.
Suggested Accommodation
I’ve shared a variety of spots at different price points ranging from a hostel to more high end properties.
- The Rally Hotel
- Located in the McGregor Square development
- The Maven
- Located in the Dairy Block development
- Hostel Fish
- If you’re over 30 years old and considering staying at a hostel, here’s what you need to know. I stay at them all the time without impacting quality and comfort. And it may surprise you to hear that there are A LOT of folks over 30 staying at hostels and hybrid boutique hotels.
What to Do In Denver
I’m all about keeping things simple. There’s tons of things to do in downtown Denver but there’s also a massive construction project on the 16th Street Mall. The construction makes things a pain in the butt and confusing.
Book a Tour
Leave the planning and logistics to someone else while you’re in town.
Additional Activities in Denver
- Watch a Denver Nuggets Game-We compete against 3 different Texas Teams
- Spend some time at the Museum of Illusions
- Go to a Broncos Game
- Catch a Colorado Avalanche game
- Enjoy a Broadway show at the Denver Center for Performing Adts
Which Ski Resort Should You Go To?
The answer truly depends on the following quesitons:
- Are you traveling on your own or with a group of people?
- Do you want an easy to get to resort?
- How much time you have for your ski trip
- Après ski experiences (what do you want to do when the ski day is over.
- How skilled are you as a skier?
I’ve visited a ton of resorts numerous times at various times of year. So with that in mind I’m sharing my picks. One of the picks is a location vs. a resort.
Photo Credit: Square State Colorado
Pick #1-Breckenridge Ski Resort
There are so many reasons why Breckenridge, Colorado is a wonderful town for Texans to ski in. In fact, you will likely encounter a lot of Texans while you’re in town.
- You can book a shuttle service between the airport direct to your accommodation.
- There’s a number of on and off the mountain activities available for kids through adults.
- You have a wide range of restaurants to eat at and there are grocery stores in town.
- Breckenridge hosts some really fun events that you could anchor your trip around.
- Turning on of the Holiday Lights
- Race of the Santas
- Ullr Fest-Typically the end of the first week of December
- New Year’s Eve Torchlight and Glow Worm Parade
- International Snow Sculpture Competition
Pick #2-Frisco, Colorado
Frisco is technically a town. It is NOT a ski resort. However, Frisco has close proximity and free shuttles to a number of ski resorts in Summit County from the Frisco Transit Center. If you’re wanting to enjoy a variety of mountains and you have a group of people who have are avid skiers wanting to go to enjoy a fun town, check out breweries (Out Range Rocks) and get some outlet shopping done in nearby Silverthorne-Frisco may be a great town to base your ski adventures from. Here are the resorts that you can get to from Frisco:
- Breckenridge
- Vail
- Copper Mountain
- Keystone
- Arapahoe Basin
Important tip: Double-check the Summit Shuttle service before booking your trip!!! The schedules can change so it’s always a good idea to do your due diligence.
Pick #3-Vail Ski Resort
If you’re looking for a resort with great back bowl skiing, an enclosed village with a European ski village aesthetic-Vail Ski Resort is a fantastic choice. There are activities for all ages, plenty of restaurants and a number of wonderful places to stay.
But for serious skiers, the conditions at Vail are top tier. If you’re a slightly bougier traveler, Vail will meet your needs.
Bonus Picks
I have 5 other suggestions of resorts to check out if you’re a Texan Planning a Ski Trip to Colorado.
- Winter Park-If you’re heading to Winter Park, I strongly recommend taking the Winter Park Ski Train to the resort. It’s such a treat and just a fun way to avoid dealing with the traffic.
- Crested Butte–This town is far from Denver so this is not a good pick for a shorter trip. Crested Butte has some of the best snow in the state and is in one of the most beautiful parts of Colorado.
- Telluride-Just like Crested Butte, Telluride is far from Denver. You need time to enjoy Telluride. It’s one of the most beautiful towns in Colorado and home to my favorite gondola (free) in the state.
- Ski Cooper-If you’re intrigued by the idea of visiting a smaller mountain town with a local mountain, Ski Cooper that is about 15-20 minutes away from Leadville, Colorado is a great mountain to enjoy. It’s also known for having really affordable lift tickets.
- Wolf Creek–This ski resort has magical snow. Seriously, magical. It’s far from Denver, but worth the trip.
Texan Planning a Ski Trip to Colorado
Don’t have to feel overwhelmed by all of the options. Each year my recommendations may change based on a number of changes. These changes could include changes in transportation-I’m watching the current conversation around the potential for starting train service to Steamboat Springs.
I also look at and consider the overall cost of a trip to specific towns, restaurant variety, fun activities and how welcoming the town is to visitors. If you’re a Texan planning a ski trip to Colorado, know that we enjoy having you. We love your energy, zest for fun and a lot of us have Texan relatives. We enjoy the regional rivalries and we “get” you.
Some Mistakes to Avoid
We are a different state so we do things a little differently. Here are some things to watch out for.
- Planning your ski trip too early during the season-It may be very tempting to schedule your ski trip right when the resorts open. Don’t do this. There will only be a few runs open at most resorts as they wait for Mother Nature to do her job. The earliest I will go up to ski is mid- December, preferably January. The Colorado ski season lasts until mid-April for the majority of resorts. January through the end of March is the sweet spot. If you’re a hardcore skier, Arapahoe Basin will typically be the last man standing until mid-summer. Way too hot for me to be on the slopes LOL!
- Forgetting to buy travel insurance-You’re going skiing. It’s never a bad idea to have additional travel insurance.
- Doing everything with your group-I picked towns that would allow members of your group to explore and do things on their own as well as with the group.
- Not having the right gear-You want to stay warm and cozy while skiing. Pay the money to rent the right gear. There’s nothing worse than getting cold and how long it can take to warm up when that happens.
Even More Planning Tips
- Having Tex Mex or BBQ in Colorado-I don’t recommend doing this. And Colorado’s Mexican food is more similar to New Mexican food.
- Make sure to researching different ski town activities in addition to skiing-There’s more to do than just skiing. Keep an eye out for:
- Concerts
- Snowmobiling
- Tours
- Snowshoeing
- Dog sledding
- Cross Country Skiing
- Underestimating how hard it is to drive in the snow and in the mountains-If you’ve never driven in the snow and are planning to drive from Denver to your ski resort…I’m going to encourage you to rethink that. Mountain driving without snow is technically difficult driving. Adding snowy conditions, other drivers and wildlife that can dash in the road is a recipe for stress.
- Underestimating how much time it takes to get from Denver to your ski resort-Don’t schedule your trip in such a way that you haven’t accounted for some of the things that can impact your travel during the winter:
- Traffic
- Snow
- Other drivers who suck at driving in the snow
- Not having access to a hot tub or fireplace-All accommodation must have a hot tub. This is my unofficial rule. I refuse to stay at any accommodation that doesn’t have these two amenities. There’s nothing better than soaking in a hot tub after a day on the slopes.