My Boulder favorites, from Flatirons hikes at Chautauqua and the Pearl Street Mall to the Dushanbe Teahouse, brewpubs, and The Hill. These are the spots I send every friend visiting the foothills.
Map
Pearl Street Mall is where every Boulder visit starts for me, with street performers, flower beds, and the Flatirons peeking over the rooftops.
Pearl Street Mall
Chautauqua Park is my favorite trailhead in town, with the classic Flatirons view right from the meadow.
Chautauqua Park
I drive up Flagstaff Mountain to the Sunrise Amphitheater for a sweeping look over Boulder and the plains.
Sunrise Amphitheater
Mount Sanitas is my go-to quick, steep hike when I want a workout and a big view in under two hours.
Mount Sanitas Trailhead
I bike or walk the Boulder Creek Path along the water, and in summer I watch the tubers float by.
Boulder Creek Path
Eldorado Canyon is my favorite spot to watch climbers on the towering red walls while I hike along the creek.
Eldorado Canyon State Park
The Dushanbe Teahouse is a hand-carved gift from Boulder's sister city in Tajikistan, and I never skip afternoon tea there.
The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
The Saturday Boulder County Farmers Market is where I load up on Palisade peaches and grab breakfast burritos by the creek.
Boulder Farmers Market
I take the Celestial Seasonings tea tour and always laugh when they open the mint room.
Celestial Seasonings
The NCAR Mesa Lab is a free, beautiful I.M. Pei building with weather exhibits and an easy trail out the back door.
NSF NCAR Mesa Laboratory
I wander Norlin Quad on the CU campus to see the red sandstone buildings set against the mountains.
Norlin Quadrangle
The CU Museum of Natural History is a free little gem with dinosaur fossils and great rotating exhibits.
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
Fiske Planetarium's evening shows are one of my favorite rainy-night plans in Boulder.
Fiske Planetarium
The Museum of Boulder is where I learn the town's quirky history, and the rooftop deck has a great Flatirons view.
The Museum of Boulder
BMoCA is a small, free contemporary art museum I pop into right next to the Teahouse.
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Hotel Boulderado is a gorgeous 1909 hotel, and I stop in just to stare up at the stained-glass ceiling.
Hotel Boulderado
The Boulder Theater is an art deco venue where I have seen some of my favorite concerts and comedy shows.
Boulder Theater
The Fox Theatre on The Hill is my favorite small venue for catching bands up close.
The Fox Theatre
Boulder Bookstore is a big, creaky independent bookstore where I can lose an hour on the upper floors.
Boulder Bookstore
Frasca is my special-occasion dinner in Boulder, serving northern Italian Friulian food with an incredible wine list.
Frasca
Brasserie Ten Ten is my pick for French onion soup and happy hour oysters near Pearl Street.
Brasserie Ten Ten
Sherpa's serves Nepali and Tibetan food in a cozy old house, and I always order the momos.
Sherpa’s Adventure | Restaurant & Bar
Lucile's is my favorite Boulder breakfast, with beignets, grits, and big Creole plates in a little Victorian house.
Lucile's Creole Cafe
West End Tavern's rooftop is where I grab a burger and a bourbon with views of the Flatirons.
West End Tavern
Mountain Sun is my favorite Boulder brewpub, with no TVs, board games on every table, and a famous Colorado Kind Ale.
Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery
Southern Sun is the laid-back sister of Mountain Sun, perfect for a pint and nachos after a hike at NCAR.
Southern Sun Pub & Brewery
Avery Brewing has a huge taproom where I sample their barrel-aged beers and watch the brewery through the windows.
Avery Brewing Company
The Rayback is my favorite backyard hangout, with food trucks, a big patio, and dogs everywhere.
Rayback Collective
The Sink is a graffiti-covered CU institution where I get a burger and a slice of their ugly crust pizza.
The Sink
Boxcar is where I go for a carefully made pour-over and a pastry on east Pearl.
Boxcar Coffee
Piece, Love & Chocolate is my sweet stop on West Pearl, and I get a slice of cake and a hot chocolate.
