Heading to CO to meet my folks and spend some time in Breckenridge. I know about the outdoor stuff like hiking and mountain biking, but my mom has a bum knee right now and won't have surgery until after the trip (she has a bad torn miniscus and some other minor thing that she's getting fixed). We'll be able to do some minor things and maybe an easy hike or two. Anything not super exerting for her knee?

There's great shopping very close by.

The way this year is going it might be a good time to watch snow fall.
Actually not that unusual for September anyway.

Aw crap... I'm buying my dad's Pontiac Vibe for a commuter vehicle and driving it back to Seattle (they're driving out from IL and flying back). Hopefully that is not an issue.

But it would be really cool to see!

Snow won't (usually) be a problem then. Bum knee is tough. You can ride the gondola to the top at Keystone, there used to be a good restaurant up there, probably still there, nice place to eat dinner. There's decent fly fishing in the Blue River both above Dillon Reservoir and below, try these guys, half-day trips are easy and not very expensive this time of year, and you don't need to be an experienced fly-fisher to catch fish and enjoy the day:

http://www.blueriveranglers.com/


Good luck. A bad day in Breckenridge in September is better than a good day most places.

Beer Fest. (Oktoberfest) 12th-14th.

Breck has lots of hiker infrastructure and a touristy downtown. It will be chilly, and the air will be thin at 10 grand. But there are lots of flat paths, and if it is sunny, it can be really nice.
Or it can be coooooooold.
Don't be afraid to just go for a nice drive. There are big passes to the east and south, a neat drive to Kremmling to the north, and Vail/Copper down the freeway to the west.

Leaves should be changing by then. Tons of stores in Silverthorne which is right down the road. (outlet mall)

When you get tired of the outlet stores walk upstream towards Dillon Dam. Bring your polarized glasses and goggle at the large numbers of trout at the bottom of the dam. you can't get all that close to the dam but usually this time of year there are lots of fish right at the fence/bridge.

There are a couple of good brew pubs there. Those should be easy on the knees.

Really unless you are into buying Tee shirt/trinkets, etc., there isn't much to do in town

Check out Hoosier Pass for changing of the aspens. Nice casual drive in the mountains.

If you have access to a 4 wheel drive high clearance vehicle drive to Fairplay and cross Mosquito Pass to Leadville. Then drive to Avon or Keystone and back to Breckenridge. Cool scenic drive and not too hard on the knee.

Thanks everyone! Will look into all of this.

Lets see: Ice rink, mountain bike trails, good food and probably some live music, fantastic scenery, fishing, hiking, did I mention fantastic scenery and the weather... Golf, horseback riding, ATV rentals... I am sure there are a few more things other than shopping...

Smoke weed and set the woods on fire like the rest of the losers. It cost money to fight the fires, its a win win.