Less than two hours from central Denver, this quaint little high country village sits next to Dillon Reservoir and is just a hop, skip, and a quick drive to surrounding vacation spots like A-Basin, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, and Keystone. While winter here is magical, this place is equally beautiful and packed with fun things to do in the warmer months, too. In this week’s Summer Mountain Getaway Guide we’re headed to Frisco!
🛌 Where to Stay
If a vintage themed bed-and-breakfast is more your style, Main Street offers options like the simple and relatively affordable Snowshoe Motel or the Frisco Lodge. Want that mountain getaway vibe? Try the Frisco Inn on Galena spa and hotel. (Plus, with lots of vacation homes in the area, Airbnb and Vrbo are always worth a look!)
🍽️ Get Your Grub On
For an authentic beer hall experience, grab a brew and a sausage at Ein Prosit and soak up the sun in their beer garden (then walk over to the Pullman Distillery for a whiskey tasting inside an antique train car!) Want a casual sit-down dinner? Bagalis offers delish Italian dishes and a vast wine selection. Uptown on Main serves burgers, pizzas, and great veggie options. Butterhorn Bakery’s mountain town kitsch is a vibe for brunch, or keep it simple with coffee and a muffin at Rocky Mountain Roasters.
- Pro-tip: Bagalis has the same killer brunch menu as its uber-popular sister, Bread + Salt, but with half the wait time!
Carved wooden bears line the sidewalk along Frisco’s Main Street. (George Rose / Getty Images)
🛶 Get Outside
Just a short hike from town is Rainbow Lake — an easy 1.5-mile, dog- and family-friendly trek that can be done in less than an hour. Advanced hikers can take the moderately difficult Peaks trail all the way to Breckenridge. Prefer sturdier ground? Check out Frisco’s 12 miles of paved pathways that meander around the whole town, great for biking or walking. Frisco Bay at Dillon Reservoir has kayaks, pontoons, stand-up paddle boards, and even fishing poles for rent.
- Know before you go: Reservations and rentals fill up fast, so make them early!
🛍️ Explore Main Street
Unlike some of its surrounding ski resort-centered counterparts, Frisco has managed to maintain its small town charm, and Main Street is where it’s at. Start at the Frisco Historic Park, which includes a town museum housed in the original schoolhouse. Then check out Foote’s Rest Sweet Shop operating out of an 1870s structure from Frisco’s mining days, indie book retailer Next Page Books and Nosh, and the Frisco Trading Post for tons of Colorado-centric merchandise. Vintage lovers will dig the Frisco Emporium, a mini-mall of gorgeous mountain consignment shops. Crate diggers and audiophiles will be pleasantly surprised to find that Frisco is home to two vinyl record stores, too — High Rhodes Records and Libby’s Old School Records.
☀️ Summer Events
- Frisco’s Fabulous Fourth of July | July 4
- Free Concert in the Park: Roundhouse Assembly | July 11
- Mountain Goat Kids Trail Running Series | July 30
👉 Psst! Want more? Check out our other Summer Mountain Getaway Guides:
