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Off the beaten path Boulder

Description:

Although Boulder is a town often visited by tourists—both for innumerable outdoor activities in gorgeous summer weather and en route to ski resorts in the winter—Boulder is also a town full of local culture and hidden gems. If bus tours and big hotels aren’t your forte, this guide will help you discover the locals’ side of The People’s Republic of Boulder.

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Author: Jess

Day 1 - Boulder

Alps Boulder Canyon Inn is a relatively small bed and breakfast up in the mountains, occupying a lovely location that is certainly off the beaten path. The Boulder Outlook Hotel is another good option for unusual lodging. They are locally-owned and zero waste, and they have live music in their bar every night. If you’d like to be closer to downtown Boulder, the Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast is another great choice that is often overlooked due to its location within a neighborhood. Start off your first day in Boulder with breakfast at the Walnut Café, a local favorite full of Boulder breakfast specials such as the Tofu Scramble and Granola Pancakes. Try to grab a seat outside—if it’s warm out, you can enjoy the weather, and if it’s chilly, they’ll give you blankets to cuddle up with. Next, head to the CU Campus and pick up a schedule for the Conference on World Affairs, a unique weeklong event that occurs every spring in Boulder. Take a while to read through the schedule and circle any panels that sound interesting to you, so that you can be sure to work them into your schedule. This event is easily one of the best parts about being a Boulderite, so don’t miss it. If you have the opportunity to see a speaker or a musician perform in Macky Auditorium, take it—this building is stunning and has wonderful acoustics. For dinner, try Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. Although it is located just off the Pearl Street walking mall, Leaf is rarely visited by tourists, who miss out on their delicious, interesting meals and their fantastic infused cocktails. If you’d prefer Mexican food, try Casa Alvarez, a local favorite. If you’re up to it, head to the Sundown Saloon—college kids call it “the scumdowner”—a subterranean pool hall known for cheap beer and a relaxed atmosphere. Spend your evening shooting pool and throwing darts with the locals, while listening to Johnny Cash on the jukebox.

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Alps Boulder Canyon Inn

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Location:

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38619 Boulder Canyon Drive
Boulder, CO 80302

Phone:

+1 303 444 5445 / +1 800 414 2577 (Toll Free)

Boulder Outlook Hotel & Suites

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Location:

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800 28th St.
Boulder, CO 80303

Phone:

+1 303 443-3322

Briar Rose Bed and Breakfast

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Location:

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2151 Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, CO 80302

Phone:

+1 303 442 3007 / +1 888 786 8440 (Toll Free)

Walnut Café

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Location:

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3073 Walnut St.
Boulder, CO 80301

Phone:

303-447-2315

Conference on World Affairs

Location:

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University of Colorado Boulder campus
UCB 465
Boulder, CO 80309

Phone:

303.492.2525

Macky Auditorium Concert Hall

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17th Street
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, CO 80309-0285

Phone:

303 492 8423 /303 449 1343 (Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra)

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant

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Location:

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2010 16th St.
Boulder, CO 80302

Casa Alvarez

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Location:

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3161 Walnut Street
Boulder, CO 80301

Phone:

+1 303 546 0630

Sundown Saloon

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Location:

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1136 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302

Phone:

303 449 4987

Day 2 - Boulder

Drive up the canyon to Nederland (“Ned”), a small, eccentric mountain town that many Boulderites haven’t even left the Bubble to visit. Sundance Café serves up a delicious breakfast (especially the banana and chocolate chip pancakes). Or, if you’re in the mood for a lighter, quicker breakfast, try the Shining Star Café, located on what is essentially THE road of Nederland, First Street. Stop in the People’s Mountain Co-op and pick up some snacks to bring along for a hike, and then stop by the Nederland Visitor Center (open from M-Th, 10am-2pm) to pick up maps and suggestions for good local hikes that fit the level of strenuousness you want. If you just take a short, morning hike, go to the Pioneer Inn for lunch, a local restaurant with delicious American and Mexican food and strange décor. Next, stroll along First Street, stopping in The Rustic Moose, Off Her Rocker, and Nature’s Own (an interesting rock and fossil shop). Enjoy the scenery on your drive back down the canyon to Boulder, stopping for photo opportunities along the way. For dinner, try Khow (pronounced “cow”) Thai, a local favorite that is consistently voted Best Thai in Boulder. Or, if you’re in the mood for Mexican food, Efrain’s is about as off the tourist path as you can get. For some evening entertainment, try Catacombs Bar, which is hidden below the famous Hotel Boulderado, but is full of locals. Enter into the trivia competition at 9pm (every Tuesday and Thursday), put on by Geeks Who Drink, a popular event with the locals.

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Sundance Café

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Location:

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23942 Highway 119
Boulder, CO 80466

Phone:

303 258-0804

Nederland

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Location:

Boulder, CO 80466

Phone:

303-258-3266

Pioneer Inn

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Location:

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15 East First Street
Boulder, CO 80466

Phone:

+1 303 258 7733

Khow Thai Café

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Location:

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1600 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80302

Phone:

303 447 0273

Efrain's Mexican

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Location:

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1630 N. 63rd St.
Boulder, CO 80301

Phone:

303 440 4045

Catacombs Bar

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2115 13th Street
Boulder, CO 80302

Phone:

303 443 0486

Day 3 - Boulder

Dot’s Diner is a local favorite breakfast spot, with delicious omelet specials and organic coffee. Or, if you’re in the mood for a fancier brunch, try Lucile’s, another local long-kept secret. After breakfast, drive to South Boulder to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (or NCAR, as the locals call it). Tours are available at noon (on Mondays and Wednesdays), or, if you’d prefer, take the hike from NCAR to Bear Peak, which offers the best 360 degree open views of Boulder and the surrounding Rocky Mountains. For a late lunch, head back downtown to the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, a beautiful and unique part of Boulder. If weather permits, chose a table outside by the creek after looking around inside at the ornate decorations and carvings. Or, if you’d prefer something cheaper and faster, try Snarf’s for some tasty, toasted subs. Next, meander over to the Pearl Street walking mall. While it is almost always bustling on weekends, weekdays tend to be much calmer and will allow you to avoid the crowds and the chaos. Be sure to notice the subterranean stores, as these are some of Boulder’s unique shops that are only visited by locals. Left Hand Books, for instance, just east of Broadway, is a wonderful, volunteer-run bookstore full of interesting books and Boulderesque t-shirts and bumper stickers. Continue walking east until the walking portion of Pearl Street ends, and on your right (on 15th Street), you will find the Belvedere Belgium Chocolate Shop, a delicious sweet spot often frequented by locals on special occasions. Although this shop is just off the Pearl Street Mall, it is often overlooked, but offers delicious chocolate-wine pairings, as it is co-inhabited by the Bookcliff Winery. After your tasting, be sure to walk several blocks further east on Pearl Street, a section of Pearl Street that contains many shops not often visited by tourists because they are located off the walking section mall. Stop in Willow, an eclectic little shop full of local art (which will be on your right between 15th and 16th Streets). On your way back, check out the shops on the other side of the street, particularly the Crystal Dragon, a head-shop that undoubtedly has scarcely changed since 1969. (Note: the walls of bumper stickers in the back of the shop are worth taking the time to read.) One of Boulder’s unique restaurants is Sherpa’s Adventurers, which serves up delicious food from the Himalayas. Or, if you’d prefer Mexican food, there is a tasty restaurant just on Pearl Street that is easily overlooked due to its hole-in-the-wall appearance. At night, check out the schedule of the International Film Series, put on by the University of Colorado, which shows interesting, independent films for good prices. Or, if you’d prefer something a little more lively, head to the Boulder Outlook for some live music.

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