The Best of Boulder
Boulder is a perfect day trip for a mountain town feel without wasting too much time climbing the altitude. A college town known for its hippie culture, Boulder has a plethora of restaurants, bars, and other activities to enjoy with the scenery. All of these local places I’ve compiled below provide a good illustration for the quintessential Boulder experience.
In 1990, the city of Boulder was gifted this elaborately beautiful hand-carved and hand-painted teahouse to commemorate the establishment of sister city ties by Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Ornately decorated for the pleasure of afternoon tea, the teahouse offers a wide array of artesian teas alongside a vibrant organic eastern menu. The rich history of the location combined with the eclectic ambiance offers the quintessential immersive getaway from the busy college town.
Pearl Street Mall
The central shopping and dining district of Boulder, the Pearl Street Mall offers a plethora of local shoppes, restaurants, and bars for both locals’ and tourists’ pleasure with a scenic mountain backdrop. My favorite stores include the Boulder Bazaar, which carries eastern-inspired items like sound bowls, incense, and jewelry, the Boulder Bookstore, which is Boulder’s largest independent bookseller, and Into the Wind, which sells colorful kites, toys, and artwork.
Not only does this Pearl Street store offer a huge selection of craft honey products, but the back hosts a meadery & tasting room for patrons to sample and enjoy.
Once visited by Barack Obama himself, the Sink has been on the Hill for 100 years. Serving the best pizzas and burgers in Boulder combined with their funky art interior give this dive landmark status.
This is the Boulder go-to for sweet and savory crepes, with multiple specialties as well as create-your-own options alongside other traditional French cafe dishes.
A great choice for group dinners, Rosetta Hall is a lively multi-vendor eatery with eight cuisines from each corner of the world- Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Middle Eastern, Trinidadian, and American along with a French Patisserie- in addition to two bars and a coffee counter. Open from early in the morning until late at night, it’s the perfect spot for both working on your laptop with a cup of coffee and enjoying libations with your friends.
With selfie museums becoming ever more popular in major cities, Boulder is no exception. Wonder Wonder boasts 18 rooms of art installations, light displays, and technological contraptions offering plenty of artistic freedom for everyone, whether you’re an influencer, artist, or just wanting something for the ‘gram.
For those who love to socialize but don’t care to get drunk, a kava bar is always a great option. However, The Root Kava Co. is a standout among all its competition due to their high quality kava, multitude of blended kratom cocktails, artisan teas, and local artwork for sale on its walls.
For a local farm-fresh brunch and cute eclectic decor, Tangerine offers an innovative take on breakfast classics. Their scratch kitchen adds a slight Mediterranean twist to some of their dishes, and their full bar makes for a nice daydrinking experience too.
Hiking
Nestled at the base of the mountain range, Boulder’s hiking scene is an outdoorman’s wet dream. With the Flatirons, Chataqua, El Dorado, Boulder Canyon, and several other hikes in the immediate area, there’s more than enough to explore.
Touted as a true European gastropub, this rustic biergarten offers a large selection of beers, traditional Czech fare, and a unique ambiance with live music and a pretty patio.
Thanks for reading, Stay Mile High ✌️
