NAME: Lynnea
CITY: Boulder, Colorado
COUNTRY: United States
YEAR OF TRIP: 2017-2018
HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE? Local
BEST TIME TO GO: May/June or September/October
GREATEST CHALLENGE: Getting around – you definitely need a car!
WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL? Boulder was recently named the Happiest City in America by National Geographic – and for good reason. It is not only one of the most active cities in the country but also one of the sunniest and friendliest. There is an amazing sense of community, and the mountains are literally everyone’s backyard, with an endless array of outdoor sports such as rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, camping, high lining, trail running, swimming, and paragliding at your fingertips!
MUST EAT:
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Boulder Farmers Market (Boulder Central Park, Wednesday 4pm-8pm, Saturday 8am-2pm)
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Alpine Modern Café
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Rayback Collective
MUST SEE:
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Pearl Street Mall (amazing shops, cafes, restaurants, street art, street performances)
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University of Colorado Boulder Campus & The Hill (try to catch a football game if you’re around in the fall!)
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Boulder Canyon & Nederland (you can take the 25 minute drive up the scenic canyon, gaining almost 4000 feet in altitude to Nederland, a tiny ski village)
MUST DO:
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Hike Chautauqua (The Flatirons)
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Go rock climbing (either with a guide if you’re inexperienced, or even at The Spot, America’s first indoor climbing gym)
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Boulder is famous for its craft beer (it’s known as the “Napa Valley of Beer”) – do a Brewery Crawl and hit Avery Brewery, Boulder Beer, Upslope Brewery, Twisted Pine, and Mountain Sun
Other Recommendations: Go car camping on The Switzerland Trail, take a plunge or go tubing in Boulder Creek, visit Dark Horse Tavern on a Tuesday for their infamous “Trike Night,” drive up to Lost Gulch Lookout for the best sunset of your life, and get the best burrito you’ll ever have from Illegal Pete’s (open til 2 am!).