Guidebook for Boulder
Food Scene
Walk over for great coffee, chai, tea and pastries all day, with a view of the Flatirons from their lovely patio. Then a wine bar in the evening, with live music most Friday and Saturday nights.
53 locals recommend
Caffè Sole
637R South Broadway StreetWalk over for great coffee, chai, tea and pastries all day, with a view of the Flatirons from their lovely patio. Then a wine bar in the evening, with live music most Friday and Saturday nights.
Great breakfast and lunch place, lots of options including vegetarian and gluten free. Nice patio. Walk there from my house.
62 locals recommend
South Side Walnut Cafe
673 S BroadwayGreat breakfast and lunch place, lots of options including vegetarian and gluten free. Nice patio. Walk there from my house.
One of the best bakeries in town, walking distance from my house, and it's gluten free too. Great sweets and muffins, cakes. Baguettes & bread you'd never guess are gluten free! Alas, they don't open until 10a, but then you can grab something here, then head over for coffee at Caffe Sole. Or pick something up to bring home for the next day. Entrance on the east side, near the "back" or east door to Pharmaca.
8 locals recommend
Kim and Jake's Cakes
641 S BroadwayOne of the best bakeries in town, walking distance from my house, and it's gluten free too. Great sweets and muffins, cakes. Baguettes & bread you'd never guess are gluten free! Alas, they don't open until 10a, but then you can grab something here, then head over for coffee at Caffe Sole. Or pick something up to bring home for the next day. Entrance on the east side, near the "back" or east door to Pharmaca.
Getting Around
Busses to the Airport (Skyride) & Denver (Flatirons Flyer) stop at Table Mesa & Broadway, the actual stop is "39th St and Table Mesa." Google maps says its 11 min walk from my house, 1/2 mile. Skyride takes about 45 min to/from the airport, its my preferred way to get there. From the same stop, the RTD "Flatiron Flyer" goes to Denver Union station, takes about 35-40 min & every 15 min or less most of the day Monday-Saturday, every half hour most of Sunday; Last bus back is at midnight or later. B-cycle bikes for rent at Union station and many places around Denver.
http://www.rtd-denver.com/
Alternately -- get off at the 1st stop, Table Mesa PnR and call a Lyft/Uber instead of walking.
39th Street & Table Mesa Pnr
3900 Table Mesa DriveBusses to the Airport (Skyride) & Denver (Flatirons Flyer) stop at Table Mesa & Broadway, the actual stop is "39th St and Table Mesa." Google maps says its 11 min walk from my house, 1/2 mile. Skyride takes about 45 min to/from the airport, its my preferred way to get there. From the same stop, the RTD "Flatiron Flyer" goes to Denver Union station, takes about 35-40 min & every 15 min or less most of the day Monday-Saturday, every half hour most of Sunday; Last bus back is at midnight or later. B-cycle bikes for rent at Union station and many places around Denver.
http://www.rtd-denver.com/
Alternately -- get off at the 1st stop, Table Mesa PnR and call a Lyft/Uber instead of walking.
The "Skip" RTD bus stops at Table Mesa and Yale, actually on the SE side (not where air BnB's map shows it). The Skip takes you to campus or downtown to the Pearl St Mall area, and all the way to the north end of Boulder. Runs every 7-10 minutes, a little longer apart in the evening. Returning, the Skip makes a long loop around the neighborhood before getting back to that stop at Yale,, so I usually just get off at Table Mesa and Broadway for the short walk up, and often stop at the grocery or other shops first. http://www3.rtd-denver.com/schedules/getSchedule.action?runboardId=2591&routeType=11&routeId=SKIP&serviceType=2
Table Mesa Dr & Yale Rd
The "Skip" RTD bus stops at Table Mesa and Yale, actually on the SE side (not where air BnB's map shows it). The Skip takes you to campus or downtown to the Pearl St Mall area, and all the way to the north end of Boulder. Runs every 7-10 minutes, a little longer apart in the evening. Returning, the Skip makes a long loop around the neighborhood before getting back to that stop at Yale,, so I usually just get off at Table Mesa and Broadway for the short walk up, and often stop at the grocery or other shops first. http://www3.rtd-denver.com/schedules/getSchedule.action?runboardId=2591&routeType=11&routeId=SKIP&serviceType=2
Parks & Nature
You don't need a car to get to some great hiking and skiing -- bus to trailheads and to Eldora Ski area. To trailheads: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/taking-the-bus-to-osmp
To Eldora Ski area (downhill, nordic, and snowshoeing) in Nederland, take the Skip downtown, and change to the RTD N bus to Nederland and on to Eldora. http://www3.rtd-denver.com/schedules/getSchedule.action?runboardId=2591&routeId=N&routeType=12&&direction=E-Bound&serviceType=1#day
Table Mesa Dr & S Broadway
You don't need a car to get to some great hiking and skiing -- bus to trailheads and to Eldora Ski area. To trailheads: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/taking-the-bus-to-osmp
To Eldora Ski area (downhill, nordic, and snowshoeing) in Nederland, take the Skip downtown, and change to the RTD N bus to Nederland and on to Eldora. http://www3.rtd-denver.com/schedules/getSchedule.action?runboardId=2591&routeId=N&routeType=12&&direction=E-Bound&serviceType=1#day
No need to have a car -- take the Skip (or walk) to this trailhead near my house: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/shanahan-ridge-trailhead
you can bus to other trailheads too: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/taking-the-bus-to-osmp
30 locals recommend
Shanahan Ridge Trailhead
1915 Lehigh StNo need to have a car -- take the Skip (or walk) to this trailhead near my house: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/shanahan-ridge-trailhead
you can bus to other trailheads too: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/taking-the-bus-to-osmp
Sightseeing
The beautifully crafted Tea house was a gift from Boulder's sister city in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. adjacent to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts (BMOCA) and the Boulder Farmer's market, its a great place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well as tea. Beautifully crafted by hand, with an interior sculpture fountain. Even if you don't eat there, stop by and look at the beautiful exterior and ask to peek inside -- they're used to it, and there's often a line to eat anyway. A few years later, Boulder gave them a cyber-cafe tricked-out with solar panels, etc. https://boulderteahouse.com/
317 locals recommend
The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
1770 13th StThe beautifully crafted Tea house was a gift from Boulder's sister city in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. adjacent to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts (BMOCA) and the Boulder Farmer's market, its a great place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well as tea. Beautifully crafted by hand, with an interior sculpture fountain. Even if you don't eat there, stop by and look at the beautiful exterior and ask to peek inside -- they're used to it, and there's often a line to eat anyway. A few years later, Boulder gave them a cyber-cafe tricked-out with solar panels, etc. https://boulderteahouse.com/
NCAR mesa lab is renowned as an iconic building by I.M. Pei, and a national science lab with interesting weather and climate science exhibits in its lobby, and a nature trail. Public tours MWF at noon, or browse on your own 9-5 weekdays, 9-4 weekends: https://scied.ucar.edu/exhibits/exhibits-national-center-atmospheric-research. It's a long-ish walk from my house, ~1.5 miles (ask me about the shortcut trail through the open space).
And its also a trailhead for some great trails: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/national-center-for-atmospheric-research-trailhead
64 locals recommend
NCAR Mesa Laboratory
1850 Table Mesa DrNCAR mesa lab is renowned as an iconic building by I.M. Pei, and a national science lab with interesting weather and climate science exhibits in its lobby, and a nature trail. Public tours MWF at noon, or browse on your own 9-5 weekdays, 9-4 weekends: https://scied.ucar.edu/exhibits/exhibits-national-center-atmospheric-research. It's a long-ish walk from my house, ~1.5 miles (ask me about the shortcut trail through the open space).
And its also a trailhead for some great trails: https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/national-center-for-atmospheric-research-trailhead
Take a tour of NOAA's Boulder facility, among NOAA's premier research and services centers. Public tours every Tuesday at 1pm, ~1.5 hours. See the local the National Weather Service Forecast Office, the Space Weather Prediction Center (solar flare predictions and warnings), the Global Monitoring Division for information on the carbon dioxide record, and Science On a Sphere.
To sign up: https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/outreach/tours.html
NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory - Chemical Sciences Division
325 BroadwayTake a tour of NOAA's Boulder facility, among NOAA's premier research and services centers. Public tours every Tuesday at 1pm, ~1.5 hours. See the local the National Weather Service Forecast Office, the Space Weather Prediction Center (solar flare predictions and warnings), the Global Monitoring Division for information on the carbon dioxide record, and Science On a Sphere.
To sign up: https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/outreach/tours.html
Boulder has been called the Napa Valley of beer (https://www.tripsavvy.com/top-boulder-breweries-419255) as the home to over 50 microbreweries. Many have tours of their operations, see their webpage linked from: http://boulderbreweryguide.com/breweries.aspx
for a bike + tour of breweries: https://www.beerandbiketours.com/boulder-brew-cruise/
18 locals recommend
Boulder Beer Company
2880 Wilderness PlBoulder has been called the Napa Valley of beer (https://www.tripsavvy.com/top-boulder-breweries-419255) as the home to over 50 microbreweries. Many have tours of their operations, see their webpage linked from: http://boulderbreweryguide.com/breweries.aspx
for a bike + tour of breweries: https://www.beerandbiketours.com/boulder-brew-cruise/
Shopping
Open until Nov 17th this year, Boulder Farmer's Market on 13th between Arapaho and Canyon has locally and regionally grown vegetables, meat, cheeses and many other products, and also merchants selling ready to eat food so you can eat breakfast, lunch while here (asian dumplings are a personal favorite!). 8-2 on Saturdays thru Nov 17th '18. The Wednesday evening market will resume in late spring 2019. https://www.bcfm.org/boulder-saturday/. Take the Skip bus up Broadway to get there, get off at Arapaho and walk a block east.
169 locals recommend
Boulder Farmers Market
13th StreetOpen until Nov 17th this year, Boulder Farmer's Market on 13th between Arapaho and Canyon has locally and regionally grown vegetables, meat, cheeses and many other products, and also merchants selling ready to eat food so you can eat breakfast, lunch while here (asian dumplings are a personal favorite!). 8-2 on Saturdays thru Nov 17th '18. The Wednesday evening market will resume in late spring 2019. https://www.bcfm.org/boulder-saturday/. Take the Skip bus up Broadway to get there, get off at Arapaho and walk a block east.
Neighborhood yarn and fiber arts shop, http://www.shuttlesspindlesandskeins.com/
Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins
635 South BroadwayNeighborhood yarn and fiber arts shop, http://www.shuttlesspindlesandskeins.com/
Arts & Culture
three weekends in October, artists from around the city and county open their studios to the public. There's also a show at the Museum of Boulder at Broadway and Pine street with one piece from each of the over 100 artists. That show is free during tour times, $5 during the week (M-W-F 9-5). It's free to stop at any of the studios (look for the yellow signs around town), and there's a catalog on line, https://www.openstudios.org/, or you can buy a print map and guide at many places around town (see where: https://www.openstudios.org/digital-catalog).
Open Studios
1128 Pine Streetthree weekends in October, artists from around the city and county open their studios to the public. There's also a show at the Museum of Boulder at Broadway and Pine street with one piece from each of the over 100 artists. That show is free during tour times, $5 during the week (M-W-F 9-5). It's free to stop at any of the studios (look for the yellow signs around town), and there's a catalog on line, https://www.openstudios.org/, or you can buy a print map and guide at many places around town (see where: https://www.openstudios.org/digital-catalog).
Long-time local artist's cooperative, my favorite place for gifts. They have things in a wide range of prices, from inexpensive on up. It's a pleasure just to browse. Items in many media, metal, textile, prints, jewelry, scarves, pottery, cards. Many Boulder- and Colorado-themed items, but not only that. 1421 Pearl St, https://boulderartsandcrafts.com. There are several other art galleries on Pearl Street.
7 locals recommend
Boulder Arts and Crafts Gallery
1421 Pearl StLong-time local artist's cooperative, my favorite place for gifts. They have things in a wide range of prices, from inexpensive on up. It's a pleasure just to browse. Items in many media, metal, textile, prints, jewelry, scarves, pottery, cards. Many Boulder- and Colorado-themed items, but not only that. 1421 Pearl St, https://boulderartsandcrafts.com. There are several other art galleries on Pearl Street.
Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) will be back for its 15th year Feb 28th-March 3rd 2019. It's a four-day celebration of the art of cinema, at the Boulder Theater and several nearby venues -- all easily accessible from my house via the Skip bus. I'll be opening those dates on my air BnB calendar soon, send me a message if you're interested before I've opened them. https://biff1.com/
Boulder International Film Festival
1426 Pearl StBoulder International Film Festival (BIFF) will be back for its 15th year Feb 28th-March 3rd 2019. It's a four-day celebration of the art of cinema, at the Boulder Theater and several nearby venues -- all easily accessible from my house via the Skip bus. I'll be opening those dates on my air BnB calendar soon, send me a message if you're interested before I've opened them. https://biff1.com/
Essentials
Natural Grocery walking distance from my house. King Soopers is also walking distance, a more traditional grocery, but still has lots of natural and local options. Both have lots of toiletries too.
161 locals recommend
Lucky's Market
3960 BroadwayNatural Grocery walking distance from my house. King Soopers is also walking distance, a more traditional grocery, but still has lots of natural and local options. Both have lots of toiletries too.