Toyota sponsored our Fall Drive. All opinions are my own.
Toyota Fall Drive – Breckenridge Colorado
When Toyota set up a fun Toyota Fall Drive for the kids and me, I was so excited. Not only was I going to get to test drive a brand spanking new 2021 Avalon Limited but I was going to get to spend some socially distant fun with Jude and Teagan in the beautiful mountain town of Breckenridge.
Fall is my very favorite time of the year and being that we live in Colorado, we sure do have the perfect places to visit and enjoy fall. I decided that our Toyota Fall Drive would take us to Breckenridge. Breckenridge Colorado is known for it’s ski resort town but for us, we went for that mountain air, a Troll Hunt, Trains and a Poolside view!
Experiences Over Things!
With our changing situation as a family but also this unprecedented time in a pandemic I have really been trying to focus on that motto “Experiences Over Things”, that I love. Having the opportunity to jump into a car and go for a drive to experience another area of Colorado is a perfect way for me to share some more experiences with the kids.
I grew up going to Breckenridge a few times a year with my family since my aunt and uncle owned a cabin there. It had been over 16 years since I had been to Breckenridge and it was so great to visit again. Not only for me to relive and remember some great times with my family but to share those memories and places with Jude and Teagan. It was a simple trip but one that I know they will remember!
Mountain Driving Made Fun
When I started planning this trip, I was a bit worried about the weather because in Colorado, the weather can change in a moment! We really lucked out with some great weather for both drives and our exploring around town. Once I started driving the Toyota Avalon, I knew that if we were caught in some crazy winter weather I would feel safe and ready for the drive. I have not driven a sedan in a long time – I am used to my SUV so getting into this car was different but it was so fun to drive! For a larger sedan this Avalon had a lot of pick up and go. It was a smooth drive the made those mountain roads pretty fun to drive on!
The kids and I packed up the car and stopped at Starbucks for a perfect fall drink for our drive up the mountain. The space in the car and the trunk made our trip super comfortable too! The kids had plenty of room in the back seat and the truck had ample space for our suitcase, food and cooler.
Exploring Breckenridge Colorado
We didn’t get into Breckenridge until after dark on Friday. We decided to keep to ourselves that evening and enjoyed our dinner in our hotel room. I made sure to book a hotel that had a kitchen in the room so we could try to keep our social distancing bubble as much as possible. So, we did not explore Breckenridge until Saturday.
Don’t you love the mountain town main street? It is my favorite in any mountain town. We had an early breakfast and then started our Breckenridge exploring! The town was bustling but for the most part every0ne was doing their best to keep 6 feet apart and masks were mandated.
Troll Hunting In Breckenridge!
The big treat I had in store for our trip was finding that Breckenridge Troll! I have wanted to share this fun art piece with Jude and Teagan but never got around to coming up to Breckenridge over the summer. While this isn’t a hike, it is a fun little stroll through town and to the Trollstigen Trail.
Isak Heartstone is a 15-foot tall wooden troll sculpture located on the Trollstigen Trail in Breckenridge, Colorado. The newly constructed trailhead is located in the southeast corner of the Stephen C. West Ice Arena parking lot, next to Illinois Gulch Trailhead. Originally built as a part of the annual Breckenridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA) held in August, Isak was created by the Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who is known worldwide for bringing awareness to recycling and upcycling by building great things out of trash. Isak is Breckenridge’s most popular outdoor art exhibit. If you’re trying to have one-on-one time with the troll, its ideal to visit first thing in the morning or early evening.
We visited Isak first thing in the morning. We only had one other family on the trail with us so it really was the perfect time to go. Like I said, it was not a long hike but it is a really pretty trail up to the Troll. It was so fun to see the kids react to him! He is HUGE, super creative too! Make sure you look for the Troll foot prints in the parking lot, it was fun to follow those tracks all the way to the trailhead. The kids thought that was pretty silly.
High Line Railroad Park and Museum
Right across from the parking lot that the Troll Trailhead is located we also found a Railroad Park and Museum. We did not go into a museum because it was closed for the season but did check out all of the trains and information about the Railroads in Colorado. Some of the trains you could walk onto, so the kids really enjoyed checking those out.
This small museum has lots of great information and images to learn more about how the rail transformed Breckenridge and other small mountain communities. This museum is open seasonally, June through September. During that time it is staffed with docent to answer questions.
Poolside Fun…Even In The Fall
One thing I knew we needed when looking for hotels to stay at in Breckenridge was a hotel with a pool! Little did I know that the one we booked would have a rooftop pool (heated of course) and hot tub. It was pretty perfect! Thanks to COVID regulations, we had the whole space to ourselves for two hours!! The kids played in the pool and I enjoyed the amazing mountain views from the hot tub!
Hotel pool swimming is probably one of Jude and Teagan’s very favorite things to do on a vacation or getaway. So, needless to say, there were some very happy kiddos with their private pool time!!
2012 Toyota Avalon Limited
When I look at this car I see luxury! It gave us a smooth ride and all of us felt comfortable and safe on our fall drive. Like all of the Toyota’s have experienced, you can tell that Toyota adds every possible detail to make the time you have to spend in the car comfortable and easy.
Color: Blueprint / interior: Cognac leather
Toyota Safety Sense – Equipped with pre-collision system, pedestrian detection, full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert
Premium audio: 9-inch touch screen, dynamic navigation, 14 JBL speakers, handsfree Bluetooth phone and music, USB media port, 4 additional USB charge ports, Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatible
Heated leather steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats
Qi wireless charging system
Family Travel To Breckenridge Colorado
We had such a great time on our little family getaway to Breckenridge Colorado. It was much needed as we jump into full-time remote learning next week. A little reset and fun to keep up motivated through this crazy season of life. I love that in less than a two hour drive the kids and I were able to connect, make memories, laugh, explore and have some fun. These are the moments and experiences I am always so grateful for as a mom.
