Frisco Colorado, in Summit County, offers visitors four seasons of affordable family fun. The town sits in the heart of Summit County, and boasts a location convenient to the local ski areas consignment shops, art and crafts shopping, restaurants, cultural attractions and museums. The free Summit Stage bus stops in Frisco and takes you to destinations throughout the county, making it easy to visit nearby towns and local attractions. While the main draw for many visitors is the area’s skiing and mountain recreation, Frisco is also home to historical sites and year-round vacation activities. Set up your base camp in a local residence and get ready to enjoy yourself at an elevation of 9,000 feet above sea level.

The Frisco Lodge in Frisco, CO

Staying in Frisco

Summit Boulevard and Main Street house most of Frisco’s lodging venues. Summit Boulevard, with its big box hotels, Wal-Mart and fast food restaurants is Anywhere USA. This neighborhood fails to embody the true spirit of Frisco, Colorado.

Frisco’s soul lives on Main Street, where historic bed and breakfasts transport you back in time to the Victorian era. While you may prefer to stay in an up-to-date B&B or vacation home with modern amenities, you will nevertheless appreciate the old-fashioned feel of the mountain town. Get into the local spirit by visiting the past at the Frisco Historic Park and Museum – a preserved village that features an old schoolhouse, a church and a jailhouse. The Frisco Historical Society conducts free lectures and tours. During the summer, the park surrounding the historic village hosts lunchtime and evening concerts. Visiting Main Street and the Historic Park will have you dreaming of a simpler time while you enjoy your vacation.

Frisco Festivals

Frisco residents love to throw a party and invite everyone! The famous barbecue festival takes place in late June. At this event you can test samples from competing restaurants and vote for your favorites. Stay for July 4th weekend and enjoy the Frisco Arts Festival. Then, sit out on the Frisco Marina on Independence Day and watch the fireworks. Antique car aficionados enjoy the ‘Vettes on the Rockies Festival, which takes place in August. On Halloween, the Town of Frisco promotes safe Trick or Treating, by featuring a costume parade down Main Street. Local business owners stand outside their shops and provide treats for kids and kids-at-heart. In December, stop by the Main Street shops and sample a cup of wassail – a type of German cider.

Day Trip to Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain is about 10 minutes from Frisco. The well-designed resort has four distinct areas for beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert skiers and riders. But it’s more than just a winter sports playground – Copper transforms into a hiking and mountain biking center in the summer. Camp Woodward, located at Copper’s base area, offers cutting-edge indoor athletic skill training, as well as an outdoor half-pipe that stays open throughout the summer.

One warning: When locals talk about Summit County, they tell people that they came for the winters but stayed for the summers. After a few nights in Frisco, you might have second thoughts about leaving!

This blog post was contributed by Dan Weisman, the Blog Editor at Flipkey.com, a vacation rental website with over 100,000 rentals worldwide. You can read more of his writing on travel and lodging at www.flipkey.com/blog and join him on Twitter at @flipkey.

Tweet this

While some travelers’ idea of a relaxing weekend away is sleeping until noon and strolling through the local shops in town, we know there are those of you who are the adventurous types looking for something a little bit off the beaten path. So what suggestions do we have for you? Call it “Relax and Roll” if you will. There are many bed and breakfasts offering travelers looking to spice up their stay with some fun activities while also offering a laid back weekend away.

Cooking Class courtesy of Magnolia Springs B&B

At the Magnolia Springs Bed & Breakfast located in Magnolia Springs, AL, you not only get to enjoy a couple of glorious meals including a 5 course wine and chefs’ tasting menu hosted by Jesse’s Restaurant (which is walking distance from the bed and breakfast) and a gourmet 3-course breakfast but you also get to learn how to cook an incredibly delicious meal all on your own. Yummy! There are two classes offered over the weekend: The Gulf Coast Seafood Extravaganza and a course on putting together a healthy alternative to the usual brunch fare taught by Innkeeper David Worthington. The Gulf Coast course begins by teaching you the foods of the area during a lecture and then moves to a hands-on portion where you are given your own cooking station. Afterward, you and the other cooks will move to the dining room where your dinner will be served…to you!

For the second class Innkeeper David Worthington offers tips on preparing brunch meals that won’t bust your belly such as switching out heavy whipping cream for water and low fat cottage cheese in casseroles and other low fat alternatives. And, yes, it tastes great, too. “They say it is one of the, if not THE best breakfast they have ever had,” according to David.

So maybe cooking in a kitchen isn’t your thing. That’s fine. Do you like horses? More specifically, do you enjoy riding horses? Well, The Mountain Top Inn & Resort located in the beautifully lush Green Mountain National Forest in Chittenden, VT, may have the weekend excursion just for you. Their “Horseback Riding Vacation” allows experienced to aspiring riders an opportunity to view the landscape of the National Forest from a whole new perspective. You can take advantage of one of the Inn’s packages including Guided Trail Rides or Horseback Riding Instruction or customize one specific to your needs. You can even bring your own horse for the weekend and utilize the Inn’s boarding services. So giddy on up!

Your weekend away isn’t just for sleeping anymore, unless you want it that way.

Tweet this

Whatever your political beliefs, you should be sure to thank former president Ronald Reagan for establishing July as National Ice Cream Month in 1984. Perhaps it was his secret love for the treat, or perhaps he was thinking of the entire nation’s apparent fondness for it (about 90% of Americans eat ice cream, according to the International Dairy Foods Association), but President Reagan also went so far as to designate the third Sunday of every July National Ice Cream Day. This year, July 17 will be National Ice Cream Day. Whether you were aware of this month-long holiday or not, it’s never too late to celebrate!

Ice Cream, Courtesy Lotus Head

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like ice cream; it seems as if everyone loves the frozen treat! Well, innkeepers are people too, so it’s no surprise that so many innkeepers are fond of the dessert as well. Bernadine’s Stillman Inn in Galena, IL is hosted by many ice cream lovers. One innkeeper, Dave, says that at Bernadine’s Stillman Inn, they make sure their freezers are teeming with what they love: ice cream! Although the inn is filled with other late-night snacks like chocolate chip cookies and fresh fruit, ice cream seems to be both the guests’ and the innkeepers’ favorite treat. Complimentary ice cream bars (a favorite nighttime snack), ice cream sandwiches, and fudge bars are all available for the inn’s guests to savor.

And, well, if anybody knows a craving for ice cream it’s those expecting mothers out there! Pickles and ice cream, anyone? Conveniently, the Mount Victoria Bed & Breakfast Inn of Eureka Springs, AR offers a special called “Pickles & Ice Cream” that has been up, running, and super popular for five years. Among other fabulous things (like an in-room king Jacuzzi, gourmet breakfasts, massage, facial, dinner in town, and more), the package invites you back to your suite after a long day of shopping to a pint of your favorite ice cream! While innkeeper Lisa comments that mint chocolate chip seems to be the most popular flavor, your options are endless – just pick your favorite! It will be scooped into two tulip sundae glass bowls and dressed up with your desired toppings – maybe add some crunch with sprinkles or nuts.

Whether you want it for breakfast (yes, some inns – like The William Henry Miller Inn in Ithaca, NY – serve ice cream for breakfast!), lunch, dinner, or all of the above, be sure to celebrate this yummy holiday wholeheartedly!

Tweet this

July 4th is a special day for all Americans.  We share some special traditions: fireworks, barbecues, parades.  There are even cities where these have been happening for hundreds of years!

The first Independence Day Celebration in Bristol, RI took place in 1785!  It started out as a church meeting of about 1200 people, but it sure has come a long way.  This year is the 226th celebration there and they’ve got quite a schedule planned.  There will be a ball on July 2nd, a drum corps competition on July 3, and a parade on July 4th, not to mention fireworks, events for kids and adults, barbecues, and more.

Lincoln Memorial Fireworks

Kathleen, the innkeeper at the Bristol House Bed & Breakfast, says “it’s such a great New England Experience.”  They’ve been taking advantage of the nightly concerts in Independence Park, which start two weeks before the fourth.  Bristol, voted by Parade magazine as the most patriotic town in America, is right on the water and the area is great for hiking, biking and kayaking.  Just down the road from the inn, there is an easement – so guests who bring their own kayaks or rent them, will have no trouble getting them into the water.  Viewing the fireworks from the water is quite an experience, but Kathleen doesn’t recommend using a Kayak for that!  Bring your bike and take it less than a quarter mile away to the East Bay Bike Path – 14 scenic miles that pass through eight parks.  Travelers looking to stay at the Bristol House for the fourth should plan early, or come on a different weekend and still enjoy the historic Waterfront district and picturesque Narragansett Bay.

In Gatlinburg, TN, they have a much newer tradition.  For the past 36 years, they’ve been beginning their July 4th parade at midnight on the night of July 3rd.  This makes it the first Independence Day parade in the Nation!  Celebrities this year include Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke), Rick Hurst (Cletus), and the biggest thing to come out of Hazzard County, the General Lee.

While there, stay at the Laurel Springs Lodge Bed and Breakfast.  They were just featured in the Tennessee Traveler for positive guest reviews and the innkeeper says it’s all about adding little touches.  For example, this July 4th weekend will find red white and blue floral arrangements in the bedrooms, red white and blue desserts, chairs available for guests looking to watch the parade and fireworks, and July 4th beads.  They’re pretty much booked solid this weekend, but if you arrive in town without a place to stay, you can always check with them and you might be in luck if something opens up.

For more patriotic summer getaway ideas, check out the Summer Getaway specials page.

Tweet this