Boulder: the Ultimate Guide
Boulder is a magical place. I’ve been living here for just over 2 years now, I’m still amazed by how much I love it. It feels like a small town, but yet, has every store you could ever need, amazing hiking within walking distance, and an awesome food scene. Below, I’ll share a few of my favorite Boulder places & activities. This will be an ever-changing list as I continue to explore my city!
Hiking Trails
Chautauqua / Bluebell Loop - 1.6 miles | easy/moderate
Green Mountain West Trail- 4 miles | moderate
Mount Sanitas and Sanitas Valley Loop Trial - 3.2 miles | difficult
Royal Arch - 3.4 miles | difficult
Outdoor Activities
Boulder Farmer’s Market - every Saturday from April - October
Adventure Mini Golf & Go Karting
Paddleboard or just relax at the Boulder Resevoir
Go tubing in Boulder Creek
Bike or Walk the Boulder Creek Path
Take Tennis Lessons at Rocky Mountain Tennis Center
Window Shop on Pearl Street
Window Shop at the 29th Street Mall
Indoor Activities
The Food Lab - Awesome cooking classes! Best date night ever
Piece, Love, & Chocolate - Learn how to make chocolate truffles!
Color Me Mine - Paint your own ceramics
Casual Restaurants
BarTaco - The Fried Plantain Appetizer and the Baja Fish Tacos are must-tries!
My Neighbor Felix - The Hibiscus Margarita is better than their Signature Marg in my opinion! Less sweet!
Rayback Collective - They have a large outdoor patio with rotating food trucks! Check out their website for the calendar.
Avanti- Food Hall with amazing rooftop views
Rosetta Hall - Another food hall with what I think is the best rooftop in Boulder!
Dagabi Cucina - unassuming tapas joint with delicious food
Hapa Sushi - Great sushi! My favorite is the firecracker roll.
Aloy Thai - The green & yellow curries are my fave!
Fine Dining
Japango - This is my favorite dinner restaurant in all of Boulder. All the sushi is amazingly fresh and the drinks are delicious.
Flagstaff House - Fine dining on top of Flagstaff Mountain overlooking Boulder. It’s very pricey, but worth it for a special event! Good food, great views, and fantastic service!
Corrida - Spanish tapas with a lovely patio!
Vegan Eats
Leaf Vegetarian - I usually like to get a few appetizers to share instead of an entree! The Mushroom Calamari is amazing!
Avanti - Try the Vegan Reuben!
Bar Taco - Secret Taco, Mushroom Taco
Rayback Collective’s Vegan Nights
Thrive - Raw Vegan Eatery. I love the Coconut Wrap and the Kale Chips.
Aloy Thai - Their coconut curries are to die for!
Vitality Bowls - The Nutty Bowl is delishhh
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - SO MANY VEGAN FLAVORS!
Breweries
Desserts
Ripple Frozen Yogurt - DIY froyo
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Coffee Shops
January Coffee - They have the most delicious vegan breakfast sandwiches!
Cristo’s Coffee - Probably my favorite coffee in all of Boulder
Alpine Modern - (College Ave. location) Cute coffee spot with a patio & firepit
Ozo Coffee - plenty of locations around Boulder
Local shops
Into the Wind Kites - 100% worth a visit! They sell colorful kites and a bunch of nostalgic games & toys!
Peppercorn - Kitchen & decor store selling cookware, tableware, gourmet goods, and unique gifts
Boulder Book Store - This is Boulder's largest independent bookstore with more than 100,000 titles and 3 floors!
Bliss - Awesome unique gift shop on Pearl Street
Liberty Puzzles - They sell unique, high-quality wooden jigsaw puzzles!
Festivals / street fairs
Boulder Farmer’s Market - every Saturday from April - October (artisan market every 2nd Saturday the month)
Boulder Creek Fest - May 26-29, 2023 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Pearl Street Arts Fest - July 13-14, 2023
Firefly Fall Festival - August 22-24, 2023
Planet-Based Living Festival - August 27, 2023