There’s nothing quite like the smell of thousands of pounds of sizzling bacon wafting across the village in a beautiful mountain setting. Take in the delicious smells, tastes and sounds of the Bacon & Bourbon Festival at Keystone Resort, happening next weekend on June 23 & 24 in River Run Village.
Look forward to fun and original bacon dishes, like Bacon Ice Cream, BLTS, Bacon Tacos, Bacon on Pizza, Candied Bacon, Bacon Mac & Cheese, Bacon Bloodies and more! Keystone’s best restaurants serve up all sorts of dishes that include bacon in the most original ways.
This fun festival is as unique as they get, complete with great music to go with the delicious food! Festival favorite cover bands, Hell’s Bells and Lez Zepplin will both be back, rocking out on both days again for the 2018 festival. Take part in one of the Bacon Education Center Events to learn more about the salty goodness we all love so much. You will even have the chance to become a certified “Master Swinelier Certificate” from the Bacon Education Center!
Purchase a Bacon & Bourbon Festival ticket and lodging package from SummitCove Lodging and you’ll save up to 20% on the weekend. There are a number of different ticket packages available depending on how much bacon you plan to enjoy. Yes, this and all of Keystone events are family friendly and there is a ticket package for the kids! The kids ‘Piglet’ Package is for kids 12 and under and includes 3 tasting tickets for bacon cuisine, unlimited bacon strip samplings and 1 lemonade. The one-day ‘Swamplin’ Swine’ Package is good for unlimited bacon strip samplings, 4 tasting tickets and 2 beers or non-alcoholic beverages. If you are going all in, opt for the ‘Hungry Hog’ Pack which gives you 8 tasting tickets, unlimited bacon strips, and access to the Jim Beam Bourbon Tour. All tickets are good for just one-day, so purchase two if you are looking to enjoy the whole weekend. All of the ticket packages also include a commemorative event trucker hat!
Looking to be in the middle of it all? We recommend Jack Pine Lodge, Silver Mill Condos,Buffalo Lodge or Black Bear condos to be closest to the festival. If you want to be away from the village sounds, consider booking a condo outside of the main village for some peace and quiet after the festival ends!
With so many winter activity options available for the whole family in Keystone, it’s a little hard to fit it all into a long 3-day weekend. But if you are lucky enough to get even three days here, you are lucky enough! Here are some ideas on how to maximize three perfect winter days in Keystone on a family ski vacation.
Arrival Evening
You were able to book a discounted rental car since you booked your lodging with SummitCove Rentals, so pick it up at DIA and then hit the road and head West to Keystone Ski Resort! After a little over an hour of driving, get off of I-70 at the Silverthorne/Dillon exit 205 and stop at the City Market grocery store to pickup some essentials for the weekend like eggs, bagels, soda water, granola bars and sandwich supplies. There is a liquor store next door if you want to pickup a 6-pack of Colorado Craft beer. Now the family is complaining of hunger, so head into one of Summit County’s most well-known restaurants, the Dillon Dam Brewery. After dinner, drive 7 miles further into Keystone and stop by Mountain View Sports to pickup your discounted ski rentals that you reserved in advance. When you’re all fitted up, head across the street to the SummitCove check-in office to pickup your condo keys. After a quick run down on the condo, directions and everything you need to know your stay, you are officially ready to start your vacation! Park the condo in the heated parking garage at The Springs Condos and take the elevator up to your two bedroom vacation rental condo! Turn on the fireplace, unpack the groceries and if you have time, head down to the pool area for a quick dip in the hot tub or steam room or for a round of pool in the lobby. Hit the hay and set your alarm for your first day on the slopes tomorrow!
The Springs Vacation Condos at Keystone Resort
Day 1
Having eaten at the Dillon Dam Brewery the night before, you could nibble on leftovers in your River Run Village condominium refrigerator for breakfast. But since you also, smartly, picked up some groceries at the Dillon City Market, whip up your omelets and bacon (or bagels with cream cheese) to fuel your day on the ski slopes at Keystone Resort. Pack a granola bar in your pocket for a mid-morning snack on the mountain.
You’ve registered your kids for a full day of ski school, so walk from your condo to the River Run Village Children’s Ski and Snowboard School, near the gondola. Wave good-bye to the kiddos and enjoy your kid-free day on the slopes until about 3 p.m. You can stop for an amazing lunch and much needed break at the Four-Diamond Alpenglow Stube. Be sure to get a photo from the overlook!
While your husband tosses kids’ wet clothes into the condo’s dryer, scoot out to your late afternoon massage at the spa at the Keystone Lodge and Spa. Chances are, the kids are exhausted — especially if you’re in the high-altitude mountains from sea level! So, take it easy tonight with dinner at a Village restaurant or even get a pizza delivered from the best pizza joint in the county, Pizza 101. If you’re feeling energetic, shuttle over to the Snake River Saloon, your tastebuds will thank you for the extra effort. Hunker down with a family movie before bedtime!
Day 2
One adult can trot over to Inxpot for lattes, breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls to go, while the other adult gets the kids up and at ’em. After feasting comfortably in your condo’s dining area, gear up for a family ski day on the slopes. For lunch, everyone will find something that appeals at the Outpost Lodge. Or, plan on packing a lunch with cold cut sandwiches, granola bars, string cheese and apples. You can leave your backpack in a rented locker and head back there for your lunch break. Enjoy the slow green runs of Schoolmarm and the Family Ski Trail for lots of fun that everyone can enjoy.
At 2:30 p.m. make your way over to Adventure Point for your tubing reservations. Try not to shriek louder than your children as you sail down the steep slopes! Stop at the Keystone Kidtopia snow fort to admire the awesome ice sculpture. Kids will have fun throwing snowballs at their parents!
After a relaxing soak in your condo’s outdoor hot tub (or brief late afternoon nap), bundle up for a gondola ride to Der Fondue Chessel, where you’ll gorge yourselves on vegetables and bread dipped in the most savory melted cheese, as well as meat, seafood or still more veggies cooked on your table-top Raclette grill. In between courses, get up and do the chicken dance with the oom-pah-pah band. Save room for a variety of chocolate fondue for dessert. Waddle to the gondola for the ride home.
Day 3
For your final day, either strap your skis back on if conditions are phenomenal, or consider one of my favorite family activities in the area: dog sledding with Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge (about 30 minutes away). Even young children can drive the dogsled!
This afternoon, head to the Keystone Adventure Center at the Keystone Lodge to rent skates to take some turns on frozen Keystone Lake. (If you prefer to stick closer to “home,” you can also skate at Dercum Square in River Run Village.
Ice Skating at Dercum Square in River Run Village
To celebrate a successful three full days at Keystone, splurge on a family meal at the Ski Tip Lodge. This former 1800s stagecoach stop is now a cozy bed and breakfast offering a marvelous three-course gourmet dinner menu (with simple kid-pleasing items like burgers and pasta, too). Gathering around the fireplace for an array of delicious desserts is a lovely way to cap off a Keystone getaway!
Summit County or the Colorado Rockies in general, is one of the most active places on the planet whether it is winter or summer. But what happens if you suddenly find yourself unable to participate (perhaps from an injury) or just don’t enjoy or aren’t good at some of its main draws, such as skiing or snowboarding?
The first, easiest, and in my opinion most pleasurable thing to do is explore the dining options in Summit County. Keystone Resort in particular is a leader in this category, whether it is Der Fondue Chessel or The Alpenglow Stube (The highest 4 Diamond Rated Restaurant in North America) on top of the hill, or the Ski Tip Lodge or Keystone Ranch (28 out of 30 by Zagat) you are sure to find some of the best dining options in Summit County. Nearby Frisco, Colorado is no slouch here either with the somewhat unknown Food Hedz, a restaurant started up by a former Keystone Ranch chef, so you know it’s great!
As for local watering holes, in Keystone you will find a great variety of bars including the infamous Kickapoo Tavern. This place is known for their awesome apres-ski patio! Some other options to check out in River Run Village is the 9280′ Taphouse, Zuma Roadhouse and Spoon Cafe. In Mountain House look for the Last Lift Bar, the Snake River Saloon and Dos Locos Mexican Cantina. There are also a number of local breweries in Summit County including the well-known Dam Brewery and Broken Compass.
For those of us who live here, we tend to forget what an inescapably beautiful location it is. As is such I got back to an old college pastime and broke out the camera and started snapping away. The constantly changing weather conditions can often change how a photo presents from moment to moment. I would imagine if I could paint, it would be quite incredible too.
There are plenty of options for taking specialty classes at CMC as well, such as an Asian Cuisine Cooking Course or enjoying a night of pottery painting at Ready, Paint, Fire over in Lakeside Village.
Enjoy a fun night at Ready, Paint, Fire and make your own masterpiece while you enjoy a cocktail!
If shopping is your thing, The Outlets in Silverthorne are a formidable opponent for even the most seasoned shopping enthusiast. There are some great deals here and name brands like American Eagle, J Crew, Crocs, Bath and Body Works, The Gap, The Colorado Store and more. The Outlets are just about a 10 minute drive into Silverthorne from Keystone Resort. You can also head to the spa for an amazing day of relaxation and pampering.
One of the other things that can really captivate is the live music here in Summit County. From the Snake River Saloon in Keystone to the Motherloaded Tavern in Breckenridge to SilverHeels or the Barkley Ballroom in Frisco, live music is a staple of any small town or community and there is no short supply here. In the summer, Keystone Resort is home to some of the best festivals in the nation that bring in huge music acts, as well as some not as well-known, up and coming acts that you will love and they are all free to attend! There are also weekly summers at the Dillon Amphitheater and Frisco’s Historical Park with their ‘Concerts in the Park’. The best part is that you can find FREE LIVE MUSIC almost any day of the week here in Summit County.
Depending upon your injury, condition, or lack of skill that is preventing you from enjoying the more ‘hardcore’ activities here, there are other options that aren’t quite as physical. Ice Fishing is a great unique activity to partake in although it is catch and release. If you are able to sustain some degree of physicality and want something a little more adventurous you can also try Dogsledding or Snowmobiling. There are even places to Zipline in the winter for the adrenaline junkies, at Top of the Rockies Zip Line. Nordic skiing and snowshoeing are also great ways to get outside during the winter that don’t require as much skill or commitment. Snow tubing and ice skating are also very popular family activities that are right here in Keystone!
Zip Lining in the Winter with Top of the Rockies Zip Line
Lastly, if you arrive in one piece, but happen to be unfortunate enough to injure yourself while on vacation you can rest easy, we have some of the best Orthopaedic Surgeons and Physical Therapists in the world right here. Vail-Summit Orthopaedics and Steadman Hawkins are among the world leaders in sports medicine.
There are so many things to do here in Keystone in addition to skiing and snowboarding. Plan your winter family vacation in Keystone today and you can rest assured you will have plenty of fun things to do! You may even end up adding additional nights to your stay when you realize how many things you will want to pack into each day!
Keystone Resort was recently voted #23 2014 Best Ski Resorts in the West by readers of Ski Magazine! Some of the notable quotes from readers about their reasons for voting Keystone included raves about exploring the vast terrain in the Outback, being able to find fresh tracks as late as 1pm in North Bowl and the long ski days that make it possible for visitors to ski on the same day they fly into DIA.
Well, we would have to agree with the readers! Keystone Resort offers plenty of terrain to explore, 3,148 ski-able acres to be exact! It is easy to find in-your-face powder stashes all day long, whether it be in the trees of North Peak, the bowls in the Outback, or hike-to terrain of the Windows; you won’t have to search long. There are trails to please all levels of visitors, from beginners to powder-slaying experts and all of those in-between. You will also find here the popular A-51 terrain park which is frequented by pros often.
Keystone Resort is one of the only ski areas in Colorado to offer night skiing, meaning you could potentially ski up to 12 hours in a single day, but we dare you to try to make it that long! Keystone is also one of the closest resorts to Denver International Airport, just a quick 90 minute drive up the mountain and you are there! Its central location in Summit County allows you to also visit Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain in just 20 minutes or less, making it convenient to take a day trip to another mountain. Vacation lodging options in Keystone are affordable and its one of the few resorts to still offer free walk to the slopes visitor parking! Better yet, stay in a ski-in, ski out condo at Lone Eagle or hop on the free resort shuttle to take you over to the mountain!
There are also tons of other activities to do while visiting Keystone if you need to a break from the slopes and want a day to rest your muscles. Your family will love downhill snow-tubing hill at Adventure Point or skating around on the 5-acre outdoor ice rink at Lakeside Village. Take everyone on a winter sleigh ride or spend the day snowmobiling in the high country. Mom will love a relaxing spa day at the Keystone Lodge & Spa or Serenity Spa & Salon. After the day is over, visit one of the many fine dining options in Keystone or hit up the Snake River Saloon for live music and drinks. The options are endless at Keystone Resort!
Winter lodging options are already booking up for prime dates, so be sure to get your Keystone ski condo booked early! We’ll see you on the slopes!
Nothing screams fall like Oktoberfest season and this year Keystone is hosting its own Oktoberfest Celebration with Colorado Beers in River Run Village on Saturday, September 7, 2013! Commemorative mugs will be available for purchase for just $25 and you receive 3 free beers with your mug purchase! Four local breweries will be on-hand, serving up the freshest seasonal brews, including Breckenridge Brewery, Dillon Dam and Pug Ryan’s. Food and beer will be served all day from 2 – 6pm. You might even see some pretzel necklaces floating around! What’s good beer without pretzels?! A free concert will also be at the center of the festivities, with ‘Those Austrian Guys’ playing throughout the day. This will be a family-friendly event, with activities available for kids and adults! Purchase your Beer Steins early here: https://www.eventbrite.com/event/7721399915.
Prior to the Oktoberfest festival, check out the A-51 Backyard BBQ Rail Jam taking place at the West Gondola Parking Lot, starting at 11:30 am. Enter the jam for your chance to win some awesome prizes or just stop by to watch some great athletes putting on their best show!
Backyard BBQ River Run Rail Jam 2012
This will be an awesome way to wrap up one of the last weekends of summer in the Rockies! Book your discounted lodging here. Don’t miss this fun weekend in Keystone Colorado.
Nothing screams fall like Oktoberfest season and this year Keystone is hosting its own Oktoberfest Celebration with Colorado Beers in 
