Travel & Stay
Welcome to Boulder, Colorado!
Getting to Boulder
Fly
Airport
Getting to Boulder from the Airport
It takes 45 minutes to an hour to get from the airport to Boulder.
Apart from renting a car (likely your best option) or Ubering (which is pretty expensive), there is also a great bus that can drop you off downtown.
Drive
If you’re coming from the west, just keep in mind that there are a lot of mountain passes in Colorado. You may want to plan your route to avoid them or enjoy them as you see fit. Generally all the passes are open (free of snow) by mid June.
Where to Stay
We don’t have an official hotel block as with a small wedding, we don’t meet the minimum requirements.
In general, we’d advise staying close to downtown (the Pearl Street Mall) if you want to be able to explore the “town” easily. This is also the main area for restaurants. You can also stay near Chautauqua Park (the most popular mountain park in Boulder) for great views and easy access to trails.
The ceremony is atop Flagstaff mountain (the road to get there goes right past Chautauqua Park for reference), and the reception is just north of downtown.
Here are a few hotels in the area that we’d recommend checking out:
St Julien Hotel & Spa
A luxury option in the heart of downtown. The St Julien is a great option if you want one of the best hotels in Boulder. It’s a block off of Pearl St, so you’re right near lots of great restaurants and stores to explore along the pedestrian mall.
Hotel Boulderado
Hotel Boulderado is a historic luxury hotel located downtown. It’s a block off of Pearl St, so you’re right near lots of great restaurants and stores to explore along the pedestrian mall.
Fairfield Inn
The Fairfield Inn is located in South Boulder, and is a bit more reasonably priced than the downtown options. It’s a good location, but not really in a walkable area.
What to Do
Trails
Bear Peak Loop
8.4 miles and 2,800 feet of gain to get you one of the best views of Boulder.
First and Second Flatiron Trail
The classic Boulder hike from Chautauqua Park. 2.4 miles and 1,400 feet of gain.
Royal Arch
3.3 mile out and back with 1,400 feet of gain to a cool “arch” overlooking Boulder.
Flatirons Vista Trail
3.5 miles and 285 feet of gain – a much flatter trail with gorgeous views of the Flat Irons and southern peaks of Boulder.
Mount Sanitas Loop
5 miles and 1,300 feet of gain up one of the more mellow mountains in Boulder. Great views and a lovely trail. We recommend going up Sanitas and down Lions Lair.
Red Rocks and Anemone Loop
4.4 miles and 977 feet of gain. A really nice little loop that gets you views in both directions.
Boulder Skyline Traverse
17 miles and 6,000 feet of gain. Do it as an out and back and double up for extra points.
Restaurants, Breweries & Coffee Shops
Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
One of our favorite restaurants in Boulder. Highly recommended. Make your reservations well in advance.
Leaf
Another favorite. Entirely vegan and vegetarian. If you want some delicious vegetarian fare on Pearl Street, check Leaf out.
Frasca
Okay, look. We’ve never been here. But it has a Michelin star. If you’re looking to splurge on something special in Boulder, this might be your spot.
Centro
There’s a lot of good Mexican food around. This is a good option if you like authentic and tasty but with a Colorado influence. No, I don’t know what that means, either.
T/aco
Another great Mexican option just off of Pearl. If you like margaritas, you’ll probably like T/aco.
Mountain Sun Pub
[Cash Only] A great option for tasty pub fare. Great burgers and beers.
Southern Sun
[Cash Only] Mountain Sun’s sister operation in South Boulder. Try the Date Night Burger, you won’t be disappointed.
Walnut Cafe
Great breakfast/brunch spot. There’s a location in central as well as South Boulder.
Avanti
Want to grab a bit while on Pearl Street? Avanti is a food hall with a variety of eateries inside. Grab a seat up on the roof deck and enjoy the views.
Ozo Coffee
There are a lot of coffee shops around, but this one has the best coffee in our opinion. Multiple locations around town.
Attractions
Chautauqua Park
Probably the most popular attraction in Boulder. Lots of hiking trails here, but you can also just enjoy the park. Paid parking on the weekends, and it may be a madhouse. Worth it though.
Pearl Street Mall
Boulder’s famous pedestrian mall. Lots of shops and restaurants to explore. This is Boulder’s “downtown”.
University of Colorado Boulder
In the summer they remove all the students and it’s actually quite nice to walk around.
Boulder County Farmer's Market
If you’re nearby (e.g. Pearl Street), checking out the Farmers Market can be fun. They usually have food trucks/stands as well as your usual market items.
Eldorado Canyon
Eldo is a state park just south of Boulder with lots of hiking trails and great climbing.
Celestial Seasonings Factory Tour
Do you like tea? Do you like tours? Wow! Consider combining your two favorite passions and take a tea tour!
Beyond Boulder
Brainard Lake Recreation Area
Brainard Lake is a beautiful area to hike in, and is a bit closer than RMNP. If you want to get up high but want to minimize the driving, this could be a good option.
Red Rocks
Red Rocks is a natural open-air amphitheater and amazing concert venue in Morrison, CO. It’s a popular place to check out even if there’s no event going on!
Rocky Mountain National Park
If you’re spending an extra day in Colorado, it’s worth checking out RMNP! It’s about a 60-90 minute drive from Boulder depending on where in the park you’re going.