2010 Local Attractions

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In addition to being a great place to explore cohousing, Boulder is just a great place to visit – especially during the month of June. To get oriented, you might want to visit Boulder’s Convention and Visitors Bureau website, especially their "things to do" page. Here are our picks for the best things to do during a Boulder summer!

In Boulder

Pearl Street Mall – The heart of downtown Boulder, this pedestrian-only open-air mall features a wide array of dining and shopping experiences. Surrounded by the Flatiron Mountains, with the inviting crystal-clear Boulder Creek steps away, downtown Boulder presents an engaging blend of colorful history, distinctive architecture, and energetic Boulder lifestyle. Summer’s the perfect time to enjoy the Pearl Street Mall – buskers, live music, food vendors, and more!
Boulder Farmers’ Market – This open-air extravaganza is the largest, friendliest farmers’ market in Colorado, and it all takes place in the heart of downtown Boulder. While you’re there, stop by the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art and the famous Dushanbe Teahouse, the only structure of its kind in the western hemisphere. The stunning teahouse was given to the city of Boulder by its sister city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The teahouse is open daily for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. Afternoon tea requires reservations 24 hours in advance. If you don’t have time for a meal, just pop in for an ice-cold glass of tea or even a cocktail.
Colorado Shakespeare Festival – Held under the stars on the University of Colorado campus, this theater festival has been named by Time Magazine as one of the top three Shakespeare festivals. This summer’s offerings include King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, and Measure for Measure, as well as productions of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town and Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s The Fantasticks.
CU Museums and Galleries – The University of Colorado campus offers a wide array of museums and galleries, including an art museum, a heritage center, a planetarium, and an observatory.
Chautauqua Auditorium – One of Boulder’s most beloved concert venues is located in the historic Chautauqua Park. Enjoy Boulder’s summer classic music festival or hear top-drawer musical acts. There’s nothing better than hearing music in this indoor/outdoor venue.
National Center for Atmospheric Research – NCAR sits nestled against Boulder, Colorado's famous Flatirons and the foothills to the Rocky Mountains. NCAR welcomes the public seven days a week to its visitor center, which offers educational exhibits, a daily noon tour, and a tour by cell phone. The Tree Plaza can be a pleasant place to enjoy a picnic. The Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail and other scenic trails of varying difficulty can be accessed directly from the parking lot.
Boulder Outdoor Cinema – Enjoy movies under the stars on a beautiful Boulder night.
Nomad Theatre – Boulder's only professional resident theater is housed at Nomad Cohousing Community. Theater and cohousing all in one fun stop!
The only bowling in Boulder happens in CU’s University Memorial Center. Very fun!
City of Boulder’s Scott Carpenter Pool – Boulder’s only 50-meter pool is great for both elite athletes and recreational swimmers. Take a ride down the slide or dive from the springboard! The pool is located at 1505 30th Street. If you’re taking the bus, you want the stop at 30th Street and Marine Street. For more information, call 303-441-3427.
Eben G. Fine Park – Located at 101 Arapahoe Avenue, Eben G. Fine Park is one of the jewels of the Boulder Parks system. The Park is located along the western end of Boulder Creek Park and includes picnic shelters, restrooms, bike paths, lots of shade, and lovely creekside picnic spots. Take the bus to Canyon Boulevard and Pearl Street.
Gateway Park Fun Center – Gateway provides interactive amusement activities in a safe, wholesome, and beautiful setting. Activities include go-kart tracks, miniature golf courses, mazes, and batting cages. Located at 4800 28th Street, Gateway can be reached by bus via the Front Range Avenue and Broadway stop.
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks – Boulder's Open Space & Mountain Parks program is the product of a long history of actions taken by the City of Boulder government and the people of Boulder in response to their concern for the preservation of buffer areas and the mountain backdrop. Boulder citizens enjoy over 45,000 acres of city open space land in and around the city. Some of the land is in agricultural production, preserving the historic cultural landscape of Boulder County while keeping the land open for wildlife and passive recreational uses. In addition to the aesthetic pleasure of Boulder's Open Space & Mountain Parks, an extensive trail system is available for hikers and horseback riders. Bicyclists enjoy riding on designated trails. Picnicking and fishing areas also appeal to area residents, and a variety of free educational programs is offered by Open Space and Mountain Parks staff.

Near Boulder

Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides – This tour company will be offering special discounted tours before and after the conference. Guided hikes, guided biking tours, a sightseeing excursion to Rocky Mountain National Park, and a Boulder Brewery tasting tour are among the many possibilities. For details and rates, visit the company’s special 2010 National Cohousing Conference website.
Boulder County Open Space – Mirroring the City of Boulder’s Open Space program, the surrounding county also has a Parks and Open Space program. It was initiated in the mid-1960s by citizens interested in preserving land from rapid development. At that time, there were fewer than 130,000 people living in Boulder County. Now, there are nearly 300,000. Today, Boulder County owns or oversees almost 94,000 acres of open space. Parks and trails are available, as are guided hikes and other special events.
Butterfly Pavilion – This unique facility combines science education with hands-on fun to teach visitors about invertebrates, science, and conservation. The interactive exhibits are geared primarily toward families with kids ages two to twelve years old, but people of all ages embrace the beauty and wonder of the tropical conservatory filled with 1,200 free-flying butterflies imported from around the globe. The Butterfly Pavilion is located at 6252 W. 104th Avenue in Broomfield, Colorado. By bus, travel to the Highway 36 & Church Ranch park-n-ride.
Eldorado Canyon State Park – Located on Kneale Road five miles southwest of Boulder, Eldorado Canyon is a hidden treasure right in Boulder’s backyard. Whether it’s hiking amid the towering sandstone cliffs, picnicking along scenic South Boulder Creek, or climbing Eldo's sheer golden walls, Eldorado Canyon State Park truly has something for everyone. Selected as one of ten state parks you can’t miss by SmarterTravel.com, Eldorado Canyon offers over 500 technical rock-climbing routes luring climbers from around the world to challenge their skills on "Eldo’s" golden cliffs. Hiking, mountain biking, and fishing are all popular activities in the park. During the summer, the quiet beauty of the park can be experienced best on weekdays. Please avoid the summer weekend crowds! Eldorado Canyon almost always reaches vehicle capacity on weekends and holidays from May through September.
Rocky Mountain National Park – This spectacular national park is just a 45-minute drive northwest of Boulder. This living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, with elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the wet, grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the weather-ravaged top of Longs Peak, provides visitors with opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. For more on visiting the Rocky Mountains (inside and outside the park), check out CU’s visitor’s guide.
Denver – The mile-high city is just a 45-minute bus ride from Boulder. See the B or BX schedule at the website of RTD, Denver/Boulder’s public transit system.