Where to eat, stay and play in Boulder, Colorado

Craft beer is huge in Boulder, in part because the Brewers Association, the industrial group that represents small independent craft breweries across the country, is headquartered here. For lunch, grab a bite and a flight to Avery Brewing Company. Then, orchestrate a self-guided tour of the Boulder Brewery and sample IPAs, sour and stouts at places like Wild provisions, Sanitas, upward slope, Lodgepole pine, and Uhl’s.

If tea is more your speed, Boulder Dushanbe Tea House is a decorative teahouse located along the shores of Boulder Creek that was donated to Boulder by the Mayor of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, one of Boulder’s international sister cities. The intricately carved and hand-painted building itself is a work of art created by over 40 artisans in Tajikistan. Stop here for a full afternoon tea or just a soul warming cup of chai. For even more tea, take a tour of Heavenly seasonings, which has been making Boulder-inspired herbal blends since 1969 (tours are temporarily suspended due to the pandemic).

For dinner, visit Frasca food and wine, an award-winning James Beard restaurant with cuisine inspired by the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy (Frasca also made The New York Times 2021 list of the 50 best restaurants). Delicate pasta, expertly paired wines, innovative desserts, beautiful presentation and impeccable service combine to create a memorable multi-course dining experience that will be a highlight of the trip. For a nightcap, choose a drink from the restaurant’s traveling amaro cart, filled with current and vintage liquors from the 60s and 70s.

For something a little more casual (but just as delicious), sit down at one of Chef Daniel Asher’s restaurants: Ash’kara for modern Israeli cuisine on Pearl Street or River and woods for high comfort food in a historic miner’s cabin along Boulder Creek. A trip to Boulder would not be complete without a trip to The sink, a must-see college bar on University Hill that serves burgers and pizza. President Obama even made a surprise appearance in 2012 before a college speech and ordered Sinkza Pizza (Pepperoni, Sausage, and Pepper), which has since renamed the POTUS Pie.

Other places to bookmark include Mateo for Provençal-inspired dishes, 14th century oak for cocktails and classic dishes revisited with modernity, black belly for charcuterie and artisanal butchery, T / aco for fresh street tacos and margs, Flagstaff House for fine dining and a view of Boulder below, Bullfight for a wood-fired steak and seafood inspired by the Basque country of northern Spain, and Avanti for a variety of food hall style concepts and views of Pearl Street and the Flatirons from the rooftop terrace. If you don’t know where to eat, Megan Bucholz, owner of Visits to local tables, can expertly design a personalized food tour to suit your tastes and preferences.

Where to stay in Boulder

The St Julien Hotel & Spa offers luxury accommodation right in the city center and many of their rooms offer stunning views of the Flatirons. The red sandstone hotel also has a lovely terrace for alfresco dining in summer, a large fireplace for cozy cocktails in winter and an impressive selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes at Jill’s Restaurant and Bistro. The on-site spa is a welcome respite from a day of hiking or mountain biking.

A stay in one of the elegant Victorian-inspired bedrooms of the Boulderado Hotel offers a window into Boulder’s past. The majestic red brick building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been welcoming travelers since 1909, when Boulder earned the nickname “Athens of the West” for its natural scenery and cultural offerings. Over the years, distinguished guests have included Robert Frost, Ethel Barrymore, Helen Keller, and Louis Armstrong. The hotel also houses Spruce and fish farm restaurant, the cozy Corner bar, and the speakeasy style Permit n ° 1 cocktail lounge.

The shop Bradley Boulder Inn is a cozy bed and breakfast located one block from Pearl Street, while both Basecamp Boulder Hotel and the A-Lodge Boulder aimed at adventure-oriented travelers.