The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Boulder, Colorado Now
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2022 • 4 min read
At the foot of the Rocky Mountains—Boulder, Colorado is a perfect balance of urban and outdoors. Known for its stellar food scene, breweries, an always-exciting downtown and more outdoor activities than you can count. Boulder's striking natural setting fuels the community's passion for the outdoors and the desire to help protect Mother Nature.
Image courtesy of Visit Boulder
1. THE SHOPPING
Pearl Street, stretching from 11th Street to 15th Street, is the heart and soul of Boulder and has been for more than four decades. Located in the center of historic downtown—locals and visitors alike stroll the brick-paved pedestrian walkway and shop to their hearts' content, while stopping to watch Boulder street performers. Shopping on Pearl Street rivals that of cities five times its size, with locally-owned boutiques, specialty stores, bookstores, vintage shops, gift shops, and a dazzling array of creative retailers. Downtown Boulder offers authentic experiences for everyone.
Image courtesy of Visit Boulder
Called the "Rodeo Drive of outdoor apparel," Pearl Street has an outdoor gear shop or two on nearly every block from 8th to 23rd Street and is something of a mecca for hikers, climbers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. Also a work of art in its own right, Pearl Street has many galleries, local artisan shops and outdoor works of art to entertain the eye. Over at Twenty Ninth Street you’ll find Anthropologie, Bonobos and J. Crew, amongst others.
2. THE ART
Boulder boasts one of America's most vibrant arts communities and that includes its iconic outdoor art. There are more than 100 colorful murals that can be found throughout the city. From the annual Street Wise mural festival to the Creative Neighborhoods project, the city is turning blank walls around town into canvases for an inspired selection of local artists.
Image courtesy of Visit Boulder
With Boulder being the fifth most vibrant arts community among medium-sized U.S. cities, there are plenty to choose from. There's almost always an eye-catching and thought-provoking installation at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. Located in a historically land-marked, warehouse building in the heart of downtown Boulder, the museum exhibits contemporary art by regional, national and international artists presented in three galleries and a 100-set black-box theater.
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is a dynamic venue dedicated to the presentation of significant art of our time. By welcoming diverse aesthetics and perspectives, the museum provides an open forum for dialogue and an investigation of contemporary art through the creative expression of ideas.
3. THE COCKTAILS & CUISINE
Farow Restaurant is based on the philosophy of sourcing around 90% of their ingredients within ten miles of the restaurant. They believe that local, seasonal food tastes better and supporting local is the best way forward For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying either the White Peach Sangria—concocted with white wine, peaches, citrus and soda or the Cherry Vieux Carré with cognac, rye, Benedictine, angostura, cherry purée, black cardamom, orange, and vanilla.
Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado
Farow Restaurant sources the highest quality ingredients and they make everything from their bread to their pasta from scratch. The flour and grains are fresh milled and organic; meats are local and pasture raised. They work their menu around the seasons and are always putting the freshest food on your plates. Favorite dishes include Peach & Tomato Salad tossed in a sherry vinaigrette with imported burrata from Italy, Chorizo over corn spoon bread with a corn salad and chili purée, as well as a daily House-made Focaccia that fermented for three days from start to finish, using only local, fresh milled, organic, heirloom flours.
Take the time to indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy one of many decadent desserts such as Buttermilk Peach Pie with peach hard sauce and a caramelized white chocolate whipped corn ganache. Hungry yet?
4. THE GARDENS
The Flatirons are the striking, slanted, reddish-brown sandstone formations that make up a portion of Boulder’s foothills on the west side of town. They are Boulder’s most iconic landmark, and you’ll see their likeness in artwork throughout town. One of Boulder’s best pleasures is that you get to experience wildflower season twice; once on the Front Range in May and June, and then again in mid-July in the high mountains.
Image courtesy of Visit Boulder
The Flatirons offer a great mountain backdrop to frame wildflowers. Particularly in springtime, it’s something of a hidden paradise. The Purple Pasque Flower only blooms for a few days in April and is one of the first to emerge. By July, the summer heat sets in, peak color passes and the green meadows turn yellow. Yet, individual flowers continue to bloom all over. Whether frosted with snow, cloaked in fog, or glowing warm and red under sunny skies, the Flatirons offer the quintessential Boulder view.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE
Distinctive, historic Western Victorian architecture, among the oldest in Boulder, is replete on Boulder’s historic Pearl Street. Often, you can identify the time period of a building by looking above its doorway for the year it was built. Known as the Gingerbread House, the Arnett-Fullen House was built circa 1877 for Willamette Arnett, heir to one of the founders of the Boulder Land and Trust Company.
The home features a mixture of architectural styles including Gothic Revival, Victorian, Carpenter Gothic, Second Empire, and Italianate styles and has farmhouse aesthetics, the use of cast iron throughout, and has Boulder's earliest indoor bathrooms, central heating and cold running water systems. There have been many stories of spirits in the house and hauntings. The two-story, private residence is open to the public during certain times of the year.
WHERE TO STAY IN BOULDER, COLORADO
The award-winning Omni Interlocken Hotel provides a luxurious retreat just outside of Boulder. Nestled against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, the hotel offers a wealth of exciting experiences. With stunning panoramic views of the mountains and valley, you’ll be swept off your feet and into total tranquility. The pools are an ideal place for ultimate relaxation during your stay in Boulder. Indulge in the year-round, resort-style pools and hot tub surrounded by mountain greenery and gentle waterfalls.
