With the largest historic district in the state, and hundreds of shops and restaurants on its authentic Victorian Main Street, Breckenridge is a picture perfect mixture of Old West meets modern resort town.

First settled in 1849 at the peak of the gold rush, the town flourished with a prosperous mining industry, and even produced the largest gold nugget ever found in Colorado - a 13-pound nugget dubbed "Tom's Baby." Breckenridge survived the booms and busts of the mining trade until the locals discovered white gold on the snow -covered slopes of the Ten Mile Range. Peak 8 opened for skiing in 1961.

Since then, the town has held tightly to its past, and today boasts the largest historic district in the state, with more than 100 buildings listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Visitors to Breckenridge can delve into the history of the town with historical walking tours presented by the Summit Historical Society.

In modern times, Breckenridge has flourished alongside its namesake ski resort. Shops on Main Street, and nearby Ridge and Park streets, beckon shoppers with their wares, offering everything from fine art, to kicky boutique items, to haute couture and fanciful T-shirts. At the end of the day, the restaurants of Breckenridge will whet your appetite, no matter what your taste buds desire. Choose from burgers, pizza, western barbecue, seafood, Cajun or fine dining in a romantic atmosphere.

The Ten Mile Range and the Blue River in Breckenridge provide the perfect outdoor playground. In the summer, enjoy fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking, white water rafting, horseback riding and the Alpine Slide. The winter months offer downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating, popular attractions in town are the Jack Nicklaus designed Breckenridge Golf Club, the Breckenridge Recreation Center and the Breckenridge Ice Rink. Look for a new enclosed ice rink and nine new holes on the town golf course in coming years.

-source, The Summit Colorado's Playground, Summit County Chamber of Commerce (800) 530-3099