One-Day Tour of Boulder

Description:

This small nook of a restaurant, which serves nothing but breakfast, is a throwback to the Eisenhower administration in both look and price. All that is missing is the Everly Brothers on the radio. Booths and classic chrome counter stools give the room its time machine look. The all-breakfast menu offers the usual morning staples of pancakes, eggs, French toast, hash browns and biscuits all at great prices. Keeping with the mood of Boulder it serves organic coffee.

Their other location is located on the University Hill at 1333 Broadway St.

Our Local Expert Says:

With its charming ambiance and its delicious Louisiana Creole-inspired breakfasts, its no wonder that Lucile's wins the Boulder Weekly's Best Breakfast award time and time again.

Description:

Lucile's is a quaint restaurant near the Pearl Street Mall is nestled in a Victorian house complete with a large porch and deck. The staff is friendly, and the food is wonderful. Make sure to get here early on weekends, as the place is always packed. Children are welcome. The chef creates delicious Louisiana-style cuisine. Breakfast selections include fresh baked biscuits, waffles, and Eggs Sardou-a Creole specialty. Fresh fruit and cereal is also available. The lunch menu offers salads, Creole and Po'Boy sandwiches. No alcohol is served, but there are plenty of coffee drinks.

Our Local Expert Says:

Not only does the Pearl Street Mall have the best shopping in Boulder, but you could spend all day there listening to musicians, watching street performers, and having drinks and people-watching on an outdoor patio.

Description:

This four-block pedestrian mall is a unique and essential part of Boulder. With a wide selection of shops and restaurants, this mall is sure to keep you entertained as you stroll in and out of art galleries, listen to musicians playing free live music, enjoy the shows of buskers (such as the famous Derek Derek), and have a bite to eat on one of Pearl Street's many outdoor patios. It's also a great place for kids, with water spouts that come out of the bricks by 14th street, street performers making balloon art, and big animal statues on which to climb on the east side of the walking mall. In the summer, Pearl Street is host to many events such as Band on the Bricks and the Downtown Boulder Art Fair. The stores also extend both east and west of the walking portion of the Pearl Street Mall, so be sure to continue on to find more interesting stores and restaurants.

Our Local Expert Says:

Chautauqua Park is the best place to get a stunning view of the Flatirons. Take a picnic and enjoy the park, or explore the Chautauqua Community; eat at the community dining hall and catch a concert at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium.

Description:

This picturesque park located at the base of the Flatirons has many trailheads that are the gateways to the Rocky Mountains. The park is a wonderful place for walking, picnicking, and people-watching. The park is part of the Chautauqua community, an idea built from the Chautauqua movement popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that was based around adult education that attempted to provide entertainment and culture for the whole community. The Boulder Chautauqua community opened in 1898 and contains a public dining hall, lodging, a community house for local events, and the beautiful Chautauqua Auditorium, which houses the esteemed Colorado Music Festival in the summer, as well as other concerts throughout the year.

Our Local Expert Says:

The museum hosts a monthly "NightLite" event in which visitors can enter the museum from 8-11 p.m., view the museum's collection, and enjoy various forms of live entertainment.

Description:

This multidisciplinary art museum, created in 1972 to exhibit the work of contemporary artists, has evolved into an exciting venue where one can expect to see almost anything art-related, from the lighthearted to the elegant, political to religious, by regional and international contemporary artists. There are special programs for young children and a variety of other events throughout the year. Performing arts -- from poetry and dance to music and drama -- are occasionally presented in the museum's "black box" performance venue. There are free tours during Farmer's Market (summer Saturdays) at 11am and kid's programs. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.

In addition, a separate organization puts on Saturday evening movie screenings in the adjacent parking lot in summer; classic movies such as Citizen Kane and cult classics are shown outside ($5 suggested donation per person; visit www.boulderoutdoorcinema.com for information). Take a lawn chair or blanket.

Description:

Trattoria on Pearl features modern Italian cuisine in its warm and cozy restaurant located on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall. It also has a 40 seat patio for people watching during warm days and evenings. Chef Daniel Cofrades, who trained in the best kitchens in France and previously worked with Kevin Taylor and at Adega, meticulously prepares each dish. Favorites include homemade gnocchi, ravioli, cracker-crisp pizzas, linguine vongole (clams), cioppino, pollo arrosto (roast chicken), and veal scaloppine. Owner Guillermo Casarrubias has put the wine expertise he gained at the Brown Palace in Denver, the Left Bank in Vail, and the Pump Room in Chicago to good use. He has increased the wine list from 50 to 300 bottles of wine from around the world, including French, Italian, California, Colorado, Spanish, Chilean, Australian and Argentinean varieties. Guillermo has also developed specific pairings of after dinner drinks and desserts — the perfect conclusion for the ideal meal.

Our Local Expert Says:

A drive up Flagstaff Mountain is the easiest way to get an aerial view of Boulder and to have a secluded mountain picnic.

Description:

Just west of downtown, the winding road up the mountain provides stunning panoramic views of Boulder, Denver, and the eastern plains after a beautiful drive or a strenuous bike ride. There are many picnic tables just off the road where you can park and walk for a few minutes and find yourself in a relatively quiet and secluded area. Flagstaff Mountain also has mountain bike trails and popular climbing routes, as well as the Summit Nature Center (open weekends in the summer) and an outdoor amphitheater. The Flagstaff House, one of Boulder's most upscale restaurants, is also situated on Flagstaff Mountain, which affords it incredible views and quite a romantic atmosphere.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Hungry Toad offers a surprisingly varied menu for what appears to be just a pub.

Description:

Step into The Hungry Toad--a restaurant disguised as a pub--and one suddenly gets a strong urge to sport a derby and predict how the Leeds rugby team will fare against York this year. Wooden tables and brick walls make for a perfect setting to order a pint of Guinness or Killians. The menu mirrors the setting by offering such specialty items as a London Broil Steak, and Shepard's Pie. In addition the restaurant also serves pasta, salad and burgers.

Our Local Expert Says:

This theater is one of the best in town because it offers both ample seating and ample dancing room, making it an ideal venue for everyone.

Description:

This posh venue has graced downtown Boulder since 1906. Originally opened as an opera house, the historic building underwent a massive renovation in the 1980s. Located just off the Pearl Street Mall, the complex hosts nightly concerts, film screenings and other community events. National Public Radio hosts the popular weekly environmental and musical radio show E-Town here. While it remains a popular venue for local entertainers, the theater's cabaret-style seating, preserved art deco ornamentation and state-of-the art sound and lighting system attract national and international artists. Call for a schedule, or check the Web site to order tickets online.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Boulder Dinner Theater even offers something for the kids -- The Kid Kabaret.

Description:

Three levels and about 285 tables surround the thrust stage at this popular venue. The theater puts on an average of four musicals per year and wins numerous yearly awards from the Denver Drama Critics Circle. Come here for an evening of elegant food and phenomenal acting. Following traditional dinner-theater style, the actors double as the wait staff. A delicious meal is served before the show, and dessert is served during the intermission. Try the Chicken Cordon Bleu or prime rib, scrumptious desserts and after-dinner drinks.

Our Local Expert Says:

Pool tables, intimate lighting, and exposed-brick walls make this hangout feel less like a hotel joint, and more like a local favorite. Enjoy live jazz and blues on selected days, but be warned-this is a favorite hangout for college students on most weekends.

Description:

Hidden beneath the historic Hotel Boulderado, this cavernous maze of low-lit rooms serves as a Mecca for local and regional blues and rock acts. The classy, yet renegade-like atmosphere draws a range of people, from seasoned music veterans, to yuppies and bohemians. But whatever the flavor, the bar promises an authentic taste of Boulder and an entertaining evening.