Boulder sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains and about 25 miles northwest of Denver. Boulder is known for the beauty of the flatiron mountains that rise above the city, for being a cultural icon, and for being home to the University of Colorado, which is the state’s largest university. After being known as a “hippie town” in the 1960s, Boulder remains one of the most politically liberal cities in Colorado. Boulder is a playground for lovers of the outdoors as it has an extremely active culture and many options for playing outside.
Boulder has a commitment to its bike culture. At times, Boulder has more bikes on the road than cars. In addition to using bikes for commuting, Boulder is world class for recreational biking of all types. Bike shops are rarely more than a couple of blocks away, and visitors have plenty of options for renting a bike. Road bikers love the winding roads and expansive views. Mountain bikers have easy access to a variety of mountain biking paths. One of the more popular events is the Boulder Cruiser Ride, which happens every Thursday during the warm weather months. Bikers dress up in costumes for the weekly themes and bike around town with a huge group of bikers/partiers. rnrnFun fact – after a snowfall, the city typically plows the bike paths before the roads.
The heart of Boulder shopping and dining is Pearl Street Mall. This is a four-block pedestrian mall packed with shops, restaurants and bars. People also enjoy walking the mall because of the plethora of street performance artists including the “zip code man” (he has memorized every American zip code including details on many of the towns), as well as various magicians, musicians and dancers.
The Boulder culture is hard to define. The university has a major impact on the culture. The University of Colorado Museum is free admission and regularly features major exhibits. Art lovers should check out the various galleries and museums, including the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. The city calendar is full of festivals and events, including First Bite (Boulder’s restaurant week), the polar plunge, and the Boulder Creek Festival.
Winters in Boulder are a mix of sunny, but cool, days with occasional snowstorms. Boulder averages about a foot of snow per month from January through March. Many residents prefer to head out of town to the nearby ski areas during the winter weekends.
Spring in Boulder is typically mild with temps in the 60s and 70s. April still gets about a foot of snow, making it one of the most unpredictable months for weather. Spring is a transitional time where snow means skiing and sun means biking.
Summers are beautiful in Boulder with high temps in the mid-80s. The university students largely migrate away during the summer, which reduces the town population by about 25%. Boulder is very active in the summer, largely centered around one of the country's largest biking communities.
Fall is a popular time to visit Boulder. School is back in session and Saturdays center around the CU football games. The weather is typically mild, and it is a great time to see the changing of the colors.