Part two of my series on where to find your perfect mountain home

The mountains west of Denver hold so many nooks for retreat and recreation. Everyone dreams of a mountain home, where you can set up camp for a long weekend and bypass the increasing weekend gridlock on I-70.

After some research, conversing with friends and looking back on some of my own time in the mountains, I have determined my top 5 areas to buy a mountain home and have created a series where I introduce each one.

In part one, I took a look at the great skiing and low-key, outdoorsy vibe in Winter Park.

Next up, let’s look at the heart of Summit County, Breckenridge and Frisco.

Breckenridge-Frisco

These two towns are full-service mountain towns — all the recreation mountain, minus the inconvenience of being remote.

Located just nine miles apart, choosing a home in either location opens up you up to the thriving and bustling mountain culture of each. A wonderful, paved bike path along the Blue River connects the two towns.

Four ski resorts — Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge and Copper — are all within a 30 minutes.

Drive from Denver

Only 90 minutes from Denver, Breckenridge and Frisco are suited for buyers seeking proximity to Denver and no shortage of activities for the whole family.

But be prepared to deal with I-70 traffic at its worst. Local traffic can be heavy, too.

Downtown Breckenridge has all the shops and restaurants, plus old mountain charm.

What they’re known for

Breckenridge is world-famous and brings some international flare. Tourists flock here year-round. The main street offers innumerable dining and shopping options.The gondola here leaves right out of town — connect a day of shopping with a ride up and hike down the mountain.

In Frisco, everything goes down within a walkable, one mile radius — from boating fun on Lake Dillon to breakfast at the Butterhorn Bakery. The Frisco Adventure Park is a great public park with disc golf, biking and hiking in the summer and tubing and cross country skiing in the winter.

They are also great launching pads for day trips off the beaten path — such as a visit to the ghost town of St. Elmo.

Summit County is a year-round destination and provides year-round amenities. Recreation centers, theaters and shopping bring the best of urban living to the mountains.

Real estate

Entry-level pricing for a two bedroom, two bathroom condo starts around $650,000 in Frisco and closer to $850,000 in Breckenridge. Single family homes in either town are over $1 million.

Average sale price in Breckenridge is about $100,000 higher than Frisco. Homes there also tend to spend about twice as long on the market and international buyers aren’t uncommon.

If you are looking at a condo or townhome — check to see if there are rental requirements on the property. Renting is popular in the area, but not an experience for everyone.

Denver families looking for commute convenience and no shortage of amenities should look at their options in Frisco or Breckenridge.

***Active Listing — 71 W Main St, #B, Frisco, CO 80443 (4 bed, 5 bath, 2,966 square feet). This townhouse is situated within a private enclave in Frisco. The back of the house sits along beautiful Ten Mile Creek, creating a relaxing outdoor experience. Listed at $1.5 million.