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Boulder

Boulder comes with plenty of stereotypes. It's a hippie town. It's a yuppie town. It's pretentious. It's the most beautiful place on earth. Like many preconceived notions, many of these have at least a grain of truth. But the real Boulder, the one behind the layers of perception, is simply a wonderful place to be.

At the center of it all is the University of Colorado campus with its manicured quads and towering stone buildings. The college-town atmosphere also means Boulder has plenty of arts, culture, live music, hippie drum circles, and sharp-nosed intellectual debates.

Beyond the campus, the town is a lovely grouping of small retail enclaves, like the pedestrian Pearl Street Mall, walking paths, parks and Victorian houses dating back a hundred years.

On the edge of town you have one of the best open-space park systems in the US with amazing outdoor adventures right at your door.

Explore Boulder

  • Chautauqua Park

    This historic landmark park is the gateway to Boulder’s most magnificent slab of open space adjoining the iconic Flatirons; its wide, lush lawn attracts…

  • D

    Dairy Arts Center

    A historic milk-processing factory turned arts center, the Dairy is one of Boulder's top cultural hubs. It's a state-of-the-art facility with three stages…

  • P

    Pearl Street Mall

    The highlight of downtown Boulder is the Pearl Street Mall, a vibrant pedestrian zone filled with kids' climbing boulders and splash fountains, bars,…

  • Celestial Seasonings

    If you like tea, you'll dig visiting Celestial Seasonings, one of the world's largest herbal tea producers. Visitors are treated to a 45-minute tour,…

  • C

    Central Park

    A long blade of lush lawn spanning from the Museum of Contemporary Art at 13th St, and encompassing the Public Library, a twice-weekly seasonal farmers…

  • C

    CU Museum of Natural History

    Tucked into a nondescript university building, CU's natural history museum is far from forgettable. Two floors of multimedia exhibits showcase the…

  • B

    Boulder Reservoir

    When you’re this far from the ocean, this is where folks come to suntan, swim and play in the water. There's a big sandy beach, lifeguards and a well…

  • F

    Fiske Planetarium

    Don't be fooled by the tired lobby with its '80s-era displays: Fiske has one of the hottest projection and sound systems around, making for spectacular…

Planning Toolkit

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  • Plan a day trip full of local flavor and get back in time with these same-day options.

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  • Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Boulder.

  • See

    Chautauqua Park

    This historic landmark park is the gateway to Boulder’s most magnificent slab of open space adjoining the iconic Flatirons; its wide, lush lawn attracts…

  • See

    Dairy Arts Center

    A historic milk-processing factory turned arts center, the Dairy is one of Boulder's top cultural hubs. It's a state-of-the-art facility with three stages…

  • See

    Pearl Street Mall

    The highlight of downtown Boulder is the Pearl Street Mall, a vibrant pedestrian zone filled with kids' climbing boulders and splash fountains, bars,…

  • See

    Celestial Seasonings

    If you like tea, you'll dig visiting Celestial Seasonings, one of the world's largest herbal tea producers. Visitors are treated to a 45-minute tour,…

  • See

    Central Park

    A long blade of lush lawn spanning from the Museum of Contemporary Art at 13th St, and encompassing the Public Library, a twice-weekly seasonal farmers…

  • See

    CU Museum of Natural History

    Tucked into a nondescript university building, CU's natural history museum is far from forgettable. Two floors of multimedia exhibits showcase the…

  • See

    Boulder Reservoir

    When you’re this far from the ocean, this is where folks come to suntan, swim and play in the water. There's a big sandy beach, lifeguards and a well…

  • See

    Fiske Planetarium

    Don't be fooled by the tired lobby with its '80s-era displays: Fiske has one of the hottest projection and sound systems around, making for spectacular…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Boulder

Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.