Boulder, the town known for the Flatiron mountains, Pearl Street Mall and the home of the Colorado University Buffalos (I’m a Colorado State Ram, so I don’t go there for the football!) it’s a quick 45-minute drive from Denver, sitting next to the Flatirons, named after their resemblance to an iron. While there are many ways to get to Boulder from Denver, I always choose to take the scenic route on highway 93 where you drive right along the mountains and open landscapes. The open road gives you a great view of the mountains and provides its own sense of peace as you get further away from the city.
North Table Mountain, Golden, Colorado
Boulder Hiking
On this drive to Boulder, you’ll find a couple places to pull over and hike. Only 20 minutes out from Denver is Golden, Colorado where you’ll find North Table Mountain. A short hike going straight up a hill onto a table mesa that looks over the mountains and city. Further along on the drive, you’ll pass Flatirons Vista. I love using this location for photo shoots or just for a short easy hike. It’s also the perfect place to take friends and family who are visiting and want to experience the outdoors without going too far or gaining a lot of elevation. With a combination of open space, forests and mountains it’s the perfect place to see a variety of landscapes and get the feel of Colorado without having to all the way into the mountains. If you plan on hiking here, I suggest going during the week or getting there early. The parking is limited and it fills ups fast, and you do have to pay to park. As with any park in Colorado, paying to park helps take care of the lands and provides you the adventures you love.
Flatiron Mountains near Boulder, Colorado
Places To Go In Boulder
If you aren’t looking for a place to hike or need something to do after your hike there are plenty of things to do in Boulder. The Celestial Seasoning factory is there right next to Avery brewery (One of our favorites!). If you love tea then I suggest heading to pearl street and checking out Ku Cha House of Tea. This is where I got to get my best loose leaf tea. Pearl Street is also a great place to walk around and find fun shops and street performers. If you love tacos then you won’t want to miss out on T|aco. With original flavors and a great atmosphere, you’ll feel like you just escaped to Mexico, or Texas at the very least.
Rincon Argentino, corn empanadas
On our latest trip to Boulder, we stopped by Rincon Argentino, an empanada restaurant that will blow your mind. From atmosphere to service we loved everything about this place and happened to be joining them on their 5-year anniversary. Each empanada is shaped differently in order to help identify it when served with a variety of flavors. This is something that all empanada shops due in Argentina creating a universal language of empanadas. They also have some Argentinian desserts, drinks and a whole lot of flavor. The light crispy pastry is everything you want in an empanada while the flavorful insides will simply make you wonder why this isn’t something you eat every day.
Photo: Dana Zucker from Travelingmom.com
Stay In Boulder
If you want to extend this trip and stay the night there’s plenty of places to check out but I’m a fan of the Adventure Lodge. Hidden in the back of boulder, going into the mountains is this fun little lodge. It’s perfect if you need to get up early and get out on an adventure or you just want to make a weekend of. I had a blast staying here for my birthday last year with a snowshoeing trip and a special birthday dinner at Brasserie Ten Ten (try their souffle for dessert, it’s amazing!) The Adventure Lodge provides tips for places to go if you aren’t sure where you adventure should take you next and also has its own campfires outside making it the perfect place to have a BBQ. If you’re hoping to stay connected on your trip, you might not fall in love with this place. Reception is limited here making it a real way to get off the grid and escape.
Photo: brasserietenten.com
While this is just the tip of the iceberg of everything you can do in Boulder, it’s definitely a good start. Hiking, food, beer, tea, and adventure, what more could you ask for? Feel free to comment below with any of your favorite Boulder spots or questions for more Denver or Boulder adventure spots, I’m sure I could think up a few for you!
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