Country Boy Mine is the real thing: a gold and silver mine founded in 1887 in French Gulch, the valley where Breckenridge's gold was first discovered in 1860. Guided tours lead visitors more than 1,000 feet into the mountain through the mine's original workings, with guides interpreting the hard, cold, candle-lit life of a 19th-century Colorado miner along the way.

The mine owes its second life to brothers Doug and David Tomlinson, whose families began restoring the collapsed workings in 1991 and turned the site into an independent heritage attraction rather than letting it crumble. Above ground there's gold panning in Eureka Creek — you keep what you find — plus a restored blacksmith shop, resident burros, and an extreme gravity sled run.

It runs year-round: indoor panning takes over in winter, joined by sleigh rides and tubing. Reservations are recommended, especially in peak seasons.