May 2024
Perfect 3 Day Itinerary for Boulder, Colorado
With 300 days of sunshine a year and over 155 miles of hiking trails, Boulder, Colorado is an outdoor paradise. This college town is one of the happiest cities in the country which thrives by having a large downtown promenade along with mountain views of the famous Flatiron Mountains. A trip to Boulder can easily be paired with a few days in Denver, spent hiking the Rocky Mountains, or skiing one of the premier ski slopes in the area. Our trip to Boulder was short at three days so we spent our time focused on Boulder itself and there is lots to do.
Know Before You Go
Boulder is really an all-year destination so depending on what you want to do on your trip will dictate when you should visit. For hiking and outdoor adventures like rock climbing and biking, spring and summer are ideal. Boulder is a winter wonderland surrounded by epic ski resorts which keeps locals active all year round. Depending on where you are traveling from, take note of the altitude as it takes some people by surprise as it can be an adjustment, especially if you plan on going up into the mountains for hiking or winter sports.
Where to Stay
Pearl Street is where all the action is in downtown Boulder so being walking distance from there is ideal. Our Airbnb was perfectly located between the college campus and Pearl Street where most of the action in Boulder is found. The neighborhood was super private and quiet with walking distance to all the downtown areas so I would definitely recommend this area when looking for accommodations in Boulder.
How to Get Around
Boulder is a 40 minute drive from Denver so if you need to fly, this is the best route to look into. You may not need a car during your trip so evaluate that before committing to how to get from the airport to Boulder as there is public transit and an airport bus available. Boulder is delightfully walkable and very pedestrian and bike friendly so depending on the scope of your trip, a car may not be necessary. There are many ways to rent a bike if you want that to get around including transitional bike rental stores and app based services. There is also public transit available (website or app)so check that where you want to go is covered by that before jumping to renting a car.
What is There To Do
Downtown Mall and Pearl Street
- Home to shopping, dining, coffee, breweries, and more with most of the area being pedestrian only.
- Every Wednesday and Saturday there is a farmer’s market with over 150 vendor stalls offering local fruits, veggies, and home-baked goods.
- Keep an eye out for festivals and events as they happen all year round. One we just missed is Bands on the Brick from June to September with free concerts each week including pop-up beer gardens.
- Check the schedule to see a show at the Boulder Theater.
Museums
- Museum of Boulder – Located downtown and goes through the history of Boulder and the surrounding areas
- Fiske Planetarium – Located outside of downtown, the Planetarium hosts shows for paid admission and a free exhibit in the lobby area
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Boulder – Located a bit further outside of downtown and I wish I made it to this one as it is an active research center that focuses on weather forecasts of Earth’s atmosphere and the space environment
- Public Library – Located downtown and has an extensive selection to enjoy
Hiking and Parks
- Boulder boasts 155 miles of hiking trails and there are many dedicated outdoors spaces to explore.
- Visit the Flartiron Mountains at Chautauqua Park for hiking trails and rock climbing or visit the Chautauqua Auditorium for a show in the summer.
- Nearby Flagstaff Mountain has additional hiking trails nearby downtown for additional miles.
- Eben G Fine Park is by the creek and gives visitors the option for tubing or kayaking, or walk along Boulder Creek Path which connects to downtown Boulder.
Day Trip Options or Extensions
- Denver – Especially if this is your entry point to Colorado, spending additional days in Denver makes sense and has lots to offer.
- Rocky Mountains – Within an hour drive, you can be hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. If I had an extra day for our trip, this would have been my preference and I would complete the Emerald Lake Trail (moderate 3.2 miles, 620 ft elevation gain) for a day trip. It is easy to extend multiple days to explore the Rockies as there are many amazing hikes to enjoy.
- Create your own Beer Christmas or travel along the Boulder Ale Trail that covers over ten microbreweries along the trail. There are also pop-up beer gardens and many places downtown to enjoy local brews. Some of the top breweries to visit include:
- Wild provisions
- Avery
- Asher
- Upslope
- Twisted Pine
- Red Rocks Amphitheater is an epic concert venue that is a bucket list location to see a show for many people and it is under an hour away from Boulder.
- If you are traveling in the winter time, hit the slopes. The closest ski resort Eldora Mountain with 65 runs at all levels but Colorado is full of premiere winter activities that you can choose from.
Where to Eat
With over 120 restaurants to explore, Boulder is a foodie town and in fact received the title of “The Foodiest Town in America” by Bon Appétit. And there is something for everyone – from fine dining, to farm-to-table, to vegetarian and vegan, and so much more – come to Boulder hungry. And Boulder is also home to a fantastic brewery and coffee scene where you can taste something new every day. Even tea drinkers get some love with dedicated tea offerings at Celestial Seasonings and Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. These recommendations are by no means an extensive list but these are the spots that caught my eye.
- Bohemian Biergarten
- Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery
- West End Tavern
- Gemini
- Avanti Food and Beverage – A must stop on your trip. This fantastic food hall contains multiple food vendors – Arepas, Tawianiese, oven pizzas, paninis, Mediterranean, and more-, bars, and a rooftop indoor and outdoor seating area.
- There are tons of breakfast / brunch spots: The Bluff, Birdcall, Alpine Modern, Lucile’s Creole Cafe, Snooze, Village Coffee Shop
- Coffee: Boxcar, Ozo, Paul’s, Verb, January
- Causal eateries such as Rincon Argentino and The Post Chicken
- For a more upscale dining experience, visit OAK or SALT
Perfect Itinerary
This itinerary works very well as a stand alone trip or as part of a longer trip. There is so much to see so if you have more time to explore, I highly recommend it! You can mix and match days or double up in activities you really want to do.
| Day 1 | Arrive in Boulder Check into accommodations |
| Downtown Mall – Pearl Street | |
| Day 2 | Chautauqua Park |
| Museum of choice or Eben G Fine Park | |
| Day 3 | Day trip of choice or Pearl Street |
| Departure |