Boulder
Nestled against the Flatiron mountains 48 km west of Denver, Boulder's picturesque
setting alone distinguishes it from other urban communities in the Rocky Mountain states. Yet, beyond
the breathtaking scenery lies a town filled with culture, history and unique qualities that give Boulder
its personality and make it one of Colorado's most desired places to conduct business and visit.
As an environmentally conscientious town, it's only appropriate that Boulder's hub of shopping and
dining is situated on a four block pedestrian-only mall, known as "Pearl Street". Moreover, as a
walkway, visitors have the unique opportunity to experience the local culture that makes Boulder such a
special place to visit and live. Pearl Street's "personality" includes a variety of outdoor cafes,
restaurants, coffee houses, and street performers, all of which liven up the mall's atmosphere day and
night.
Catering to coffee drinkers and conversation, as well as capitalizing on Boulder's mild, four-season
climate, the city boasts more than 40 coffee houses and over 300 restaurants, with more than 100 of
these offering outdoor seating. As a city with more than 300 days of sunshine, outdoor dining is
popular--and possible--year round.
With more used bookstores per capita than any city in the United States and as one of the leading
regional shopping centers in Colorado, shopping and book scouting go hand-in-hand in this University
town. From boutiques to arts and crafts co-ops and galleries, browsers and bookworms alike can make a
day of exploring Boulder's variety of offerings.
Unique performance venues, such as the historic Boulder Theatre, The Fox Theater, Chautauqua Music
Hall, Mary Rippon Theater and Macky Auditorium provide intimate settings for Boulder's annual
Shakespeare, Bach, Dance and Music Festivals, as well as live concerts by well-knownperformers.
Visiting and aspiring musicians consider Boulder home due to the personalized experiences these
concert halls offer both performers and visitors.
Boulder's progressive lifestyle includes an affinity for a variety of ethnic foods, brought to this
mountain community from natives of Nepal, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Greece and Italy, to name a few.
Coupled with many award-winning chefs who specialize in regional cooking, Boulder's dining experience
is unparalleled in its offerings for a city with under 100,000 residents. From food and wine festivals to
cooking demonstrations and farmer's markets, diners are only limited by time and imagination.
Boulder's unique and varied lodging options provide guests with glimpses of the city's rich history and
heritage, with many bed and breakfasts, inns and hotels residing in preserved and historic landmarks.
Boulder's historic preservation has gone so far as to make it onto international television -- Mork &
Mindy, the popular, syndicated television show, used one of Boulder's own Victorian homes for the
show's setting.
Considered the "sports capital" of the United States, Boulder is home to many worldclass athletes and
runners as well as residents who choose to live here due to the community's variety of sports and
recreational opportunities. From kayaking and tubing in the Boulder Creek to cycling, rollerblading,
jogging and walking along the Boulder Bike Path, leisure sports enthusiasts have a number of options to
choose from within Boulder's city limits. Close by, there are four golf courses and three city owned and
operated state-of-the-art recreation centers, including more than 40 tennis courts. For more serious
adventurers, there's repelling and rock climbing in the neighboring mountains and state parks. Moreover,
strong local support to protect and retain open space provides an additional hundreds of kilometers of
hiking and mountain biking trails within Boulder County for every ability level.
Within easy driving distance from Boulder, world renowned ski resorts, national parks and attractions
abound, Under 50 km, there's Rocky Mountain National Park and Eldora Mountain Ski Area and Nordic
Center. Under 100 km, there's a variety of dude and guest ranches, historic gambling towns, such as
Black Hawk and Central City, and Winter Park Ski Resort. Under 150 km, there's the ski resort
communities of Summit County and Vail, as well as factory outlet stores for discounted name brand
shopping. Transportation is easily accessible through local transportation and car rental companies.
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