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Welcome to Boulder, Colorado. A sunny college town that the Chainsmokers once sang about. But with easy access to hiking trails, breweries and sprawling parks on every corner, and a killer food scene…this town appeals to more than just co-eds. On our road trip across the US, we thought Boulder we be just a quick stopover. But we ended up savoring a week eating and hiking our way through Boulder.
I’d heard that Boulder was the California of Colorado. Which is typically meant as an insult. But as a Californian at heart, (how bad could a state that holds Yosemite, Pinnacles, and Joshua Tree possibly be) I was interested in seeing exactly what that meant. Apparently, it means a relaxed, young atmosphere with a cobblestoned historic old town and a surprising amount of unique cultural activities (like a traditional Tajikistan tea house, but we’ll get to that later). Boulder is also a haven for adventure enthusiasts. But that’s kinda just a trademark of Colorado in general. Everyone here is an avid hiker, mountaineer, climber, mountain biker.
Here’s how you can spend a weekend getting to know Boulder, Colorado and love the city as much as we did.
Planning the Perfect Weekend in Boulder, Colorado
The first place to start when planning any trip is determining when to go. Fortunately, unlike the rest of Colorado, Boulder warms quickly in the Spring. Even at 5,300 ft elevation, most of the hikes are thawed for hiking by mid-May. Unless you’re planning on hitting the slopes, I recommend planning your visit for May-October.
If you’re planning on hiking through the rest of Colorado, however, don’t expect the scenic Alpine lakes to be thawed and hike-able (without snow-shoes) until late June. We road-tripped through Utah’s National Parks and then plowed our way into Colorado ready to hike. But unfortunately, we were about a month too early.
If you’re a vanlifer like us, cities mean food, parks, and exploring on foot. We’re not big museum people or interested in paying top dollar for touristy attractions. Our recommendations will help you get to the heart of the destination and get to know Boulder like a local.
Best Free Attractions in Boulder
Here’s a handful of stuff to fill your day in Boulder without breaking the bank. Or so you can feel guilt-free spending more money on food.
Walk Pearl Street
Pearl street is the most touristy part of Boulder. But it’s also where the best people-watching, thrift shops, shopping, and odd quirky Boulder shops are. You could spend an afternoon strolling the street on your first day in the city.
Drive Flagstaff Mountain to Artists Point
Or hike it. It takes about an hour and a half to hike to the summit of Flagstaff Mountain or just a quick 15-minutes to drive up. It offers great views of Boulder and in the distance…the permanetly snowy peaks of the Rockies.
Fish or Picnic at Central Park
This lovely park offers river access! This was one of our favorite places to spend an afternoon in Boulder. It is a typical hangout for college students and a popular day-drinking spot by the looks of it. We saw several locals casting lines in the water later in the afternoon.
Budget-Friendly Eats in Boulder
Here’s the low-down on cheap(ish) Boulder food. The city is notoriously expensive for Colorado. But these places are worth shelling out a little dough for.
T/aco
Mexican food in Colorado is top-notch. If you’re skeptical…surprise 20% of the state identifies as Latinx. This particular spot is cheap and makes some of the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life. I recommend sipping a Margarita while munching the Barbacoa or duck taco.
The Post
Fried Chicken & beer. This is one of Boulder’s best breweries. Made even better by phenomenal fried chicken and chicken and waffles. This is a MUST-EAT.
Dushanbe Tea House
Boulder has its very own traditional Tajikistan Tea House! Not only does Dushanbe have over 100 loose leaf teas and traditional Tajik food, it’s also a unique cultural experience that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else in the states.
Fun Fact: Dushanbe, Tajikistan is actually Boulder, Colorado’s sister city. This tea house was commissioned by the mayor of Dushanbe and painstakingly hand-crafted in Tajikistan and then shipped and assembled piece by piece in Boulder.
Tibet Kitchen
Maybe it’s the kinship Colorado feels with the altitude but Colorado has loads of Tibetian food. This is one of the best in the state.
Avanti
Part brewery part collective food house. It’s kinda like street food meets indoors. Enjoy some delicious brews and grab a few bites at some of the eateries featured inside the cafeteria style first-floor.
These kinds of establishments would be called Hawker Stalls in Singapore. They were our absolute favorite when traveling Singapore on a budget. Spoiler: We only spent $30 per day for the two of us!
Pasta Jay’s
Don’t be fooled by the American sounding name and the cheesy faux-Italian decor. This is a delicious spot if you’re feeling a bit of brick oven pizza.
The Sink
I’m just throwing this one in here because it’s a tasty local favorite but also because it’s owned by Elon Musk’s brother! Just a weird little trivia fact for all you Tesla lovers out there.
Best Hikes in Boulder
First & Second Flat Iron
Short but strenuous. This hike takes you from the lush green valley of Chautauqua Park up to the oddly flat mountains that create a lovely back-drop for the city. It’s pretty much uphill the whole way but great for both views of Boulder and burning off your brews and fried chicken from the night before.
If you’re a climber there is also some great (semi)beginner climbing at the summit.
Royal Arch Loop
This portion of the trail was closed for restoration while we visited but we’ve heard it’s worth the extra mile or so. You can easily add this archway onto the flatiron loop from Chautauqua Park.
These were our two favorite hikes in Boulder. Both are in the same general area. But if you’re staying longer than a weekend and want to do some more regional hikes check out Alltrails for more scenic routes in the area.
Vanlife Tips in Boulder
Planning on exploring Boulder on a cross-country USA road trip like us? Here’s a few things you should know if you’re planning on Van-dwelling or car-camping during your visit to the city.
1. Parking is Limited.
Parking in Boulder, especialy overnight can be diffiult if you’re visiting after Memorial Day. After Memorial Day Chautauqua Park becomes PAID parking instead of 24/7 free parking. Fortuntely, we visited the week before Memorial Day. If you’re not so lucky…10th and 11th just up the way are residential parking but don’t have any limitations.
Check out my guide on stealth camping in cities.
2. Most Parks Have Water Refills & Public Restrooms.
Two essentials that make vanlife a whole lot easier.
Renting a Van More Your Style??
Lucky for you Travellers Autobarn has budget-friendly super comfortable van rentals that are fully equipped for any adventure. If you’re thinking a van build might be in your future, I always recommend test-driving van life before you invest the big bucks. This is my favorite van rental company for the price in the USA.
Day-Trips Around Boulder
We made Boulder our home base for Northern Colorado. It’s just a short distance from the hectic city of Denver and the remote snowy peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park. Here’s a few things you could do in each destination.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Depending on the time of year of your visit Rocky Mountain may be frosty and snow-covered. I would wait for the balmy summer months after the trails have had a chance to thaw to give the park a visit. We preferred to drive to the Estes Park entrance, which gave us access to Bear Lake Road (for hiking and wildlife).
Scenic Route: To add a scenic drive back to Boulder take Route 72 to Ward and then cut East. It will take you through some densely forested roads and some very interesting tiny Colorado towns on your way back to the city.
Denver
Another foodie city. Denver is just a quick 45-minute drive from Boulder. I recommend Working Class BBQ, Machete Tacos, and of course, Death & Co. if you’re looking to treat yourself to an evening of fancy cocktails.
Boulder is a great city to spend a weekend in. If you like good food and the great outdoors that is. It was our favorite city in Colorado. Add this trendy mountain town to your Colorado bucketlist today!
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