what to do in boulder

Happy Friday! Recently I’ve gotten alot of questions from y’all about what to do in Boulder – favorite restaurants, hikes, etc. Boulder (and Colorado, in general) is such a fun and beautiful place to come visit in the summer, so today I thought I’d round up a few of our favorite spots in Boulder so far! (Also check out this post I did a few months ago with more Boulder ideas).

FOOD

Okay, I thought we were spoiled when we were in Dallas with how many great restaurants it had. Even though Boulder is a smaller city, it’s DEFINITELY not lacking in the food category! There are SO many amazing restaurants here – I’ve been referring to this city as a foodie’s heaven. Here are some of our favorite restaurants so far:

Pizzeria Locale – this is probably our favorite pizza spot in Boulder. It reminds us so much of Italy because the pizza is Napoletana style and tastes so authentic and fresh! The environment is also really cute, and the perfect date night atmosphere!
Brasserie Ten Ten – this french-inspired restaurant is a MUST when you’re in Boulder! they have an amazing menu with tons of great options, and we’ve loved everything we’ve tried here. I DEFINITELY recommend you go for happy hour – incredible prices on drinks and appetizers. You get SO much bang for your buck. We also love coming here for brunch on the weekends! (Get the crab cake benedict!)
The Med – another happy hour must! This mediterranean restaurant has so many healthy and fresh menu options, a super fun environment and an absolutely amazing happy hour. Last time we went, Michael and I both got a glass of wine, probably 4 happy hour appetizers (definitely enough to make a meal out of it), and dessert…and I think our bill was under $40! And everything was delicious.
Snooze – thus far, this is probably my favorite brunch spot in Boulder. Snooze used to only be in Colorado but I think they’re popping up all over the place now. The brunch is SO amazing – whether you’re wanting specialty pancakes, or specialty eggs benedict…they’ve got it all.
The Buff – another amazing brunch spot (probably my second favorite, if not tied with Snooze!). I think Michael likes the Buff more because they have a bigger menu with TONS of options. Both are amazing though, and both will always have a long wait…so be prepared!

I could literally make a list with 100 restaurants on there because there are so many good ones haha, but this should be a good start!

HIKING

This aspect of Boulder still overwhelms me a bit because there are SO MANY amazing hiking options. It’s probably our favorite part about living in Boulder so far – our lifestyle has become so active and it’s amazing. If you’re coming to Boulder and looking for a good hike…I’d recommend downloading the ‘All Trails’ app. It will show you what hikes your nearby, rank how hard they are, etc. I’ve loved that app!

Our favorite hike in Boulder so far is Mount Sanitas. It’s maybe 3ish miles round trip, slightly difficult but not too hard at all, and the views are amazing.

We’ve also done Royal Arches which was really pretty. But when we went it was SO crowded. So, I wouldn’t recommend going going on a weekend. Or, if you do, definitely go early!

There are TONS of hikes that start in Chautauqua park, so definitely check that out while you’re in Boulder! It’s also just a gorgeous area to have a picnic in or hang out and read.

SHOPPING

Boulder actually has a lot of really good shopping options, which I was surprised by! Definitely go walk up and down Pearl street while you’re in Boulder. It’s Boulder’s downtown and has so many cute shops/boutiques/restaurants, not to mention street performers! Pearl Street has some cute local boutiques, but also has Free People, Athleta, Patagonia, and other big name stores like that.

I also love 29th street mall! It’s an outdoor shopping area that has lululemon, madewell, sephora, anthropologie, and more!

Hopefully this gives y’all some ideas of what to do in Boulder! We’ve only been here a few months and still have alot more exploring to do, but these are some of our favorite spots so far! Our friends are coming in town this weekend and we can’t wait to show them how amazing and beautiful this city is. Have a great weekend y’all!

xo Lauren

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