There’s no denying it: Boulder, CO, is—and will always be—one of the coolest towns in America. Just 30 minutes up the road from the Centennial State’s bustling capital of Denver, the outdoor Shangri-la on the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front Range will deepen your breath (and drop your jaw, in all likelihood) the moment you catch a glimpse of the city’s trademark Flatiron peaks from Highway 36 as you begin your descent into Boulder Valley, 5,430 feet above sea level.
Name it, and the former 19th-century supply town for miners and farmers, which is now home to the University of Colorado, has it: 300 days of sunshine, 46,000 acres of open space, hundreds of miles of heart-pumping trails, over 20 craft breweries, multiple Michelin-rated restaurants, 300 miles of bikeway, thousands of rock climbing routes, and quick access to a flurry of high country fun on and around the not-too-distant Continental Divide. Then there’s college football, where the recent arrival of a certain Coach Prime has brightened Boulder’s spotlight all the more.
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As with any epic destination, there are a few non-negotiable must-dos when visiting the free-spirited “People’s Republic of Boulder.” High among them is people-watching along Pearl Street Mall, grabbing a pint and a burger—or pizza, as President Obama once did—at The Sink (CU’s beloved dive bar), and ambling along the banks of Boulder Creek, the aquatic artery that snakes its way across town.
This Boulder guide should come with a warning, of course, that one visit (hell, 10 of them) isn’t enough to drink in the endlessly crisp mountain air of this high desert wonderland. You’ll be back, guaranteed. For now, here’s a roadmap to pluck as much out of Boulder as you can in three delicious days.
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How to Get to and Around Boulder
Boulder is 30 miles northwest of Denver and a 45-minute drive from Denver International Airport (DEN), which serves more than 200 nonstop destinations. You can book a shuttle or hop on the bus, but a rental car will give you the flexibility to explore the entertainment options, parks, and surrounding mountain towns of Colorado’s Front Range—which include places like Red Rocks Amphitheater, Nederland, and Estes Park, the gateway town to Rocky Mountain National Park. If you don’t want to deal with parking in Boulder, The Eldo Shuttle (Eldorado State Park) and Chautauqua Park-to-Park Shuttle (Chautauqua Park), both free, will drop you off at the trailhead during summer’s busiest months. In town, e-bikes and e-scooters are widely available to rent for the day.
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When to Visit Boulder
With 300 days of annual sunshine, Boulder is a mild year-round destination. The best seasons to visit are spring and fall, when mornings are cool and temperatures hang in the 60s and 70s. From May through the summer, the Foothills get blanketed in wildflowers—lupine, paintbrush, and Colorado columbine. In the summer, an influx of tourists come through town and temperatures can reach the mid-90s. Low season is winter, which is cold and quiet, but offers lower prices and postcard views of the snow-dusted Flatirons.
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Where to Stay in Boulder
One block south of lively Pearl Street, the four-star St Julien Hotel & Spa is Boulder’s ultimate luxe basecamp. The 201-room property offers red-rocked Flatiron panoramas (be sure to request a mountain view) and convenient access to Boulder’s best shops and restaurants, the Boulder Creek Path, and Mount Sanitas Trail. After a day of hiking and biking, let your hair down with a Colorado Bliss CBD deep tissue massage at the on-site spa. Then have a tipple at the T-Zero Lounge, where the Julien Old Fashion won’t do you wrong. Jill’s Restaurant & Bistro slings wood-fired pizzas and organic farm-to-table fare. Kick back with a nightcap on the garden terrace or in the spacious lobby, the place to see and be seen in Boulder.
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For a glimpse of Boulder’s past, hang your hat at Hotel Boulderado, a city landmark on the National Register of Historic Places that opened its doors in 1909. Robert Frost, Helen Keller, and Louis Armstrong have all slept at the Victorian-inspired hotel right off Pearl Street in the heart of downtown. Spruce Farm & Fish and the always-fun Corner Bar are worthy in-house dining options. Downstairs, get your Prohibition-era groove on at License No. 1, a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge that doubles as a comedy club.
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Where to Eat: Best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in Boulder
Every college town has its ambrosial greasy spoon. In Boulder, that’s The Village Coffee Shop, a local institution. The pint-sized hole-in-the-wall does all the classics just right: fluffy buttermilk pancakes, loaded breakfast burritos, and crispy hash browns to boot. Come for the chow, stay for the Boulder-cool community vibe.
There’s no better lunch spot to walk straight into from the dusty trail than Chautauqua Dining Hall at the foot of the Flatirons. Whether you snag a table on the airy veranda or post up at its cozy bartop (or fireplace in winter), you’re in for some hearty Colorado-inspired cooking, with most of it being sourced directly from the restaurant’s own farm. Elk sausage and bison burgers dot the lunch menu and pair well with a local brew. For a post-hike carb overload, order the chicken and waffles, available on the brunch menu, which runs until 3 p.m.
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One bite at Santo, Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s culinary shrine dedicated to Northern New Mexican cuisine, and you’ll know why it garnered Michelin’s approval. Everything at the Top Chef-winning Taos native’s eatery is jam-packed with flavor—and heat, if you dare—along with fun twists on New Mexican staples. Fire things up with a made-from-scratch margarita. For a smoky tinge, go with the La Luna; for tingling heat, the Chile Marg does the trick. Start with a bowl of posole (be sure to add pork adovada) and a plate of squash flautas. Next, the green chile mac ‘n’ cheese and chicken mole are wood-oven favorites. Any of the taco entrees hit just right, especially the seared fish. Finish the frenzy off with a slice of the Mexican hot chocolate bread pudding.
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Best Bar in Boulder
On a chill Walnut Street corner, The Bitter Bar delivers maybe the best happy hour in town, with drinks slung by some of the most talented and passionate local mixologists. Twists on classic cocktails like the bourbon-built Boulder V.2.0. are always top-notch. The Rye Don’t You Tiki My Whiskey blends falernum, Cynar, whiskey, and limon into an herbal elixir. Sip the Sasha’s Stash for a tequila-forward boozy knockout.
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Don’t-Miss: Top Attraction in Boulder
Nothing captures Boulder like the Flatirons, the striking sandstone rock outcroppings that backdrop the city, rising from its foothills to 7,630 feet. Part of Boulder’s Open Space & Mountain Parks, the craggy 300-million-year-old range invites several approaches—including hiking, biking, climbing, or plain old picnicking in its shadows. Start at Chautauqua Park, one of Boulder’s busiest hiking areas, and the trailhead for some 40 miles of hiking (pop inside for a map and ranger advice). The Royal Arch Trail is a challenging three-mile, out-and-back tromp with a big payoff: Boulder Valley’s best aerial view. Fit cyclists should consider a ride up Flagstaff Road. At sunset, soak up rooftop Flatiron views at Avanti F&B or Rosetta Hall in town.
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Things to Do in Boulder Over Three Days
Day 1: Hike a Peak, Sip Craft Suds, and Browse Pearl Street Mall
The early hiker gets the parking spots in Boulder, and there’s no better weather window than morning in Colorado. Caffeine junkies will want to pop into Boxcar Coffee Roasters first for a pastry and a cup of specialty joe on the east end of Pearl Street. For some healthy fuel, stop by Wonder Press for one of its plant-based smoothies (the Green Monkey is sure to jumpstart you), avocado toast, or some killer overnight oats.
Maren Horjus
Mount Sanitas Trail is the perfect lung-opener just five minutes from town. As popular with locals and their dogs as it is with out-of-towners, the five-mile loop will have you climbing 1,348 feet to the summit for a bird’s-eye view extending from CU’s red-roofed campus clear on to downtown Denver. For a heart-pumping alternative, head to Chautauqua Park and tackle Green Mountain, one of Boulder’s highest peaks at 8,144 feet. On a clear-skied day, 24 different snow-capped peaks can be seen at the top, including multiple 14ers. Through canyons and forests of Ponderosa pines, give yourself a minimum of four hours to tame the 2,600-plus ascent.
In town, primo sandwiches await hungry hikers at Blackbelly, an artisanal butchery and market. From there, stave off muscle fatigue and trail inflammation with a one-hour session at Portal, a thermal culture haven with multiple Scandinavian saunas and three ice-cold plunge pools. Conveniently, Sanitas Brewing’s taproom is right next door for a well-deserved cold one on draft. Sud lovers should also bookmark Avery Brewing Co. and Upslope while in town.
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For dinner, Boulder’s thriving food and beverage scene centers on the dynamic Pearl Street Mall, a brick-paved pedestrian path home to boutique shops, big-name outdoor brands, and a diversity of A-plus watering holes. True to its name, Oak at Fourteenth excels at wood-fired American dishes. James Beard Award-winning Frasca Food and Wine has a Michelin star for its Northern Italian fare while its sister restaurant, Alberico Pizzeria, slings authentic Neapolitan pies. Stella’s Cucina brings Manhattan vibes and cocktail culture (order the Negroni) to Boulder. Jungle is a wonderland of rum. And Pearl Street Pub & Cellar is a local hangout with a blue-collar spirit.
Pearl Street comes alive at night, and no Boulder trip is official without a lap around this famous thoroughfare for some shopping and people-watching. For your stroll, grab a creamy scoop at Gelato Boy, a from-scratch gelateria. Bookworms will want to probe the aisles inside both Trident Booksellers & Café and the palatial Boulder Bookstore. The hip threads inside Canoe Club take menswear to the next level. Before calling it a day, kick back on a bench and watch a street performer or two entertain the Boulder crowds.
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Day 2: Take a Two-Wheel Tour, See a Red Rocks Show, and Hit the Farmer’s Market
After a morning pick-me-up at Beleza Coffee Bar, walk across the street to Santo for a chorizo breakfast burrito, the best in town. Those looking to take it easy should head to the Boulder Farmer’s Market in Central Park, a Saturday morning staple since 1987, where a bevy of Boulderites nab their weekly produce. From kombucha to tacos, honey to barbecue, there’s a vendor for every taste. With one of their all-world chais in hand, walk through the rose garden at the adjacent Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, adorned with some 50 heirloom varieties that aromatize and beatify the Persian-inspired building.
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Boulder is a cyclist’s dream, and boasts hundreds of miles of bike paths for all levels of riders. Boulder Bike Tours can take you on an easygoing e-bike tour (three hours) along the Boulder Creek Path before lunch at a nearby organic farm. For a bigger two-wheeled adventure, join its half-day ride in the mountains to crush some hidden routes on high-altitude terrain. Twenty minutes south of town, Eldorado Canyon State Park entices mountain bikers, hikers, and oodles of rock climbers. You can always rent some pedals on a whim from Boulder BCycle, a bike-sharing system sprinkled all over town. Keep an eye out for vibrant graffiti by SMiLE, an anonymous street artist dubbed the “Bansky of Boulder.”
For some evening entertainment, buzz down to Denver for a meal at Alma Fonda Fina, one of the hottest new restaurants in Mile High’s LoHi neighborhood. The modern Mexican joint by Chef Johnny Curiel is love at first bite—especially when your palate meets the camote asodo, an agave-roasted sweet potato plate served over fennel-whipped requeson (Mexico’s play on ricotta cheese). Newly opened Cozobi Fonda Fina, Chef Curiel’s latest creation, is right across the street from the St Julien. After dinner, make your way up to Red Rocks Amphitheater for a show at my vote for the coolest outdoor concert venue in America—just 20 minutes from Denver (40 miles from Boulder).
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Day 3: Cruise the Peak to Peak Highway, Peruse Mountain Mercantile Stores, and Find Nederland
Pick up a cappuccino at Alpine Modern Cafe on College Ave, a popular student hangout in a stone cottage that used to be a beloved grocery store for hippies in its heyday. Then head north out of Boulder on Highway 36 before driving west up Lefthand Canyon to James Canyon en route to Jamestown, a former mining camp nearly 7,000 feet above sea level. The hamlet’s lone food option is Jamestown Mercantile, also known as The Merc, a favorite of tourists and cyclists alike, especially for Sunday brunch. Savor your breakfast burrito or eggs Benedict of the day while live music envelops the outside lawn.
Twenty minutes up the mountain is another fun pitstop, Gold Hill, a notable 19th-century prospector’s town during the Colorado Gold Rush. Perched above Sunshine Canyon, you’re only 10 miles from Boulder, but you’ll feel a world away at 8,400 feet in elevation (3,000 feet higher than Boulder). Pay a visit to the Gold Hill General Store & Pub for a slice of fruit pie. If you time it right, the historic Gold Hill Inn hosts a stellar lineup of rotating musical acts.
John De Bord
A short drive away is Brainard Lake Recreation Area, an outdoor paradise along the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. Wrapped by a subalpine forest inside a breathtaking glacial-carved valley, you’re in for a treat no matter the season with its abundance of wildlife, hiking, and snowshoeing trails, all above 10,000 feet. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot a moose foraging in one of its numerous wet areas. Plan ahead as the park operates on a timed-entry system.
Wind your way back down to Boulder with a visit to Nederland, one of the funkiest little mountain towns in America. The patio at Crosscut Pizza & Taphouse is a great spot to post up with a cold brew in hand for your final meal in town. Wrap up your trip by casting a line into Boulder Creek for a brown or rainbow trout—fishing license required. As you make your way down the stunning Boulder Canyon Drive, soak it all in and remember that a return trip won’t be far away.