Heading to Colorado for a ski trip in the Rocky Mountains? Here’s a breakdown of how much it might cost a family of four to take a ski vacation to a popular Colorado resort for a full week from Saturday to Sunday.

The Family

Clearly, every ski trip and family looks different, but for the purposes of this breakdown I’m going to assume that an out-of-state family of four is visiting Colorado to enjoy the slopes of one of the state’s most popular ski resorts – Breckenridge. They will be visiting during mid-January, Colorado’s prime ski season, but not for any specific holiday or event. They will arrive in Colorado and head home on the weekends and ski during the week.

Transportation to Colorado

Although it’s difficult to calculate the specific cost of transportation to Colorado, as visitors travel from lots of different places and by different means, I’m going to say that the family of four is flying into Denver International Airport. According to the United States Department of Transportation the average fare for a flight from Chicago O’Hare in 2025 was $371.91. That would make the cost of traveling to Colorado $1,487.64 for a family of four.

Travel to the resort

So, if the family has flown into Denver International Airport, that means they have multiple options to get the mountains. Although Colorado does offer plenty of shuttle options, renting a car seems to be a more popular choice families opt for.

Renting a Hyundai Tucson would cost the family $203 for the trip, according to Kayak.

Lift tickets for five weekdays

For this report, our hypothetical family is heading to Breckenridge, which is one of the most popular Colorado ski areas out-of-staters tend to visit.

According to Breckenridge Resort’s website, it would cost about $3,000 for two adults and two children to ski five weekdays at the resort (when purchasing single-day tickets directly on Breckenridge’s website).

However, it’s also important to note that lift ticket prices vary depending on whether it’s a weekday or weekend, and what time of the season it is. Fortunately for the hypothetical family, they are travelling on the weekend and skiing during the week, and not taking their vacation during peak times (like holidays or spring break).

Gear rentals

The price of renting equipment varies greatly depending on what gear you need. Rental packages start at $68 per day on the Breckenridge Resort website, making the total about $272 per day for four people. However, kids ski packages are a bit cheaper, starting at $51 per day.

Lodging

Many budget and mid-range hotels in Breckenridge during peak ski season average about $800 – $1,500 per night, bringing the total cost for a seven-night stay for a family of four to $5,500 – $10,500.

Food around town

If we’re assuming that the family is eating breakfast at their hotel and purchasing lunch and dinner elsewhere, the cost of food on a vacation to Breckenridge can vary.

The cost of living website Numbeo calculates a meal for two at a mid-range restaurant (three courses, without drinks) in Breckenridge at $67.50.

So, if we assume that adults spend about $5 on a homemade breakfast, $12 on lunch, and $33.75 on dinner, that totals around $50.75 per day. If we assume a child’s food cost is half of that, it would total $25.38.

For seven full days of meals, that would be a total of $1,065.82.

Gifts, souvenirs, and other spending

We will give this family a spending fund of $500 for things like coffee, t-shirts, Uber rides, and event tickets.

The total cost

Obviously, there is a lot of estimation when calculating the cost of a hypothetical trip. However, based on these numbers a weeklong ski trip to Breckenridge for a family of four might cost around $14,000.

Tips for cutting costs

1. Consider using discount lift ticket websites like Liftopia and buy tickets early.
2. Skip the souvenirs.
3. Eat cheap and take advantage of meals offered by the hotel.
4. Take advantage of public transportation in mountain towns.
5. Search for package deals (like lift ticket bundles).
6. Rent your equipment and gear off the slopes. There are some great deals at local shops.