CHAARG’s Guide To 48 Hours In Boulder
You guys know I loved Denver [check out my guide here!] — but MAN, if I had to pick a mountain town to live in for two weeks, I’d for sure pick Boulder. Literally, the cabin we stayed at was basically at the base of a mountain trail. While I’d love to explore Boulder for two weeks, 48 hours was a perfect amount of time to get a feel for the beautiful city. [++ it’s only 30–45 minutes from Denver… aka weekend trip!]
Stay
Airbnb
PLEASE STAY HERE! WOW! It’s pricier than I typically spend on Airbnb [$195//night], but it was worth it. The space was beautiful, comfy bed, CAPPUCCINO MAKER, spacious kitchen + table… not to mention, A HOT TUB + FIREPLACE! They also gave us a bottle of wine + chocolate, which was such a cherry on top to this already perfect place. Like I said, it’s at the base of hike, too. We had a car [which I would recommend], but you could walk if you wanted to — it’s 1.5 from the downtown.
Coffee + Tea
Wonder Press / wonderpress.com
1] Wonder Press: While we had amazing coffee//espresso at our Airbnb, I wish we got a drink here everyday [I’m bummed we discovered this on the last day!]. Juices, nut milks, smoothies, BP coffees, + more. The Champion Toast [almond butter, banana, honey drizzle, cinnamon] was TO DIE FOR. Get it! Loved the Green Monkey Smoothie + Coffee Banana Chip Smoothie, too!
2] Alpine Modern Market: Two different locations, this is a nice “get ish done” space. They also have small bites! I got a matcha latte here : ).
3] Boulder Dushanbe TeaHouse: I would have loved to do high tea here! Next time ; ). They serve food, but go for the tea! Literally tea on tea on tea — the chai is a house favorite.
Restaurants
Flower Child / iamaflowerchild.com
1] Fresh Thymes: all gluten-free!* We came here after a hike STARVING… + got… basically everything ; ). Local burger, mac n cheese [it’s made with cashew cream sauce!] — added: pesto, mushroom + onions. Piri-Piri chicken + grilled kale, ++ a ton of the small dishes [a la carte] — really you can’t go wrong here. GET THE MAGIC BAR FOR DESSERT!
2] Thrive: — all raw everything!* Loved the rainbow magic salad ++ the raw burger + coconut wrap [both were on their menu as specials, so not sure how long they will be available]. ++ the maca almond cup, omg. Also, amazing smoothies. Tarot cards, crystals, + angel numbers everywhere, so prepare for a “new age” vibe ; )… we went here for lunch two days in a row!
3] Flower Child: Mediterranean quinoa salad, Mother Earth bowl, brussels + squash salad, + spicy Japanese eggplant [get it!]. Beautiful, clean + open vibe. All the meals were veggie forward + incredible. They have locations in a few other states… crossing fingers that it comes to Chicago!
Restaurants I Want To Check Out Next Time: Cured [cheese shop + deli], Roxie Tacos [indian tacos — need I say more!], Amu [japanese], Blooming Beets Kitchen [g-free]
Shops + Cute Places
Lolita’s / boulderdowntown.com
1] Walk down Pearl Street — Walk up + down Pearl Street + go into as many shops as you can : )! It’s considered a “mall…” home to tons of cute boutiques, + restaurants + lots of people selling things, + playing instruments! Make sure you say hi to Justin’s HQ ; ).
2] Lolita’s — Wanted to mention Lolita’s because #1] It’s so cute. #2] It’s open 24/7. + #3] It had an incredible deli in the back… get their breakfast burrito with chorizo. YUM.
3] Lucky’s Market — Since we stayed at an Airbnb we wanted to get things like popcorn, mango for hikes, kombucha, yogurt partfaits for breakfast, + wine! There’s a Whole Foods in Boulder… but we found Lucky’s + I loved it! Super cute, + there is a wine shop right next door ; ).
4] Boulder’s Farmers Market — This is a must! It’s open 8 AM — 2 PM on Saturdays! This was probably the best farmers market that I’ve ever been to. Grab food for a picnic + hike!
Places I Want To Check Out Next Time: Boulder Creative Collective, Fior Gelato
Wellness
1] The Dragon Tree Spa: I knew I wanted to treat myself to a massage, + this was the only spa I found aha… but it was incredible! Pricey, but worth it. You are able to use the sauna for up to 30 minutes before, which I highly recommend. I did a deep tissue massage for 90 minutes, using oil for a “pitta imbalance” [read about Ayurveda here]. So, so good.
2] Try CBD: I feel like CBD is the new healthy buzzword, + it was all over Colorado… coffee with CBD, massages with CBD, etc. I haven’t tried it enough to see it is *works* — so, see for yourself! + let me know what you think : ).
3] HIKE HIKE HIKE! You can’t go to Boulder without hiking. Here are the trails we did:
- Friday: Royal Arch *I think this is the most well known hike in Boulder
- Saturday: Mount Sanitas Valley Loop
- Sunday: Bear Peak Trail *this was definitely the hardest, but WORTH IT!
Wellness Spots I Want To Check Out Next Time: The Movement Collective, The Yoga Workshop
As Heard In Boulder: “Even if the effing strip mall is cute”
Can’t wait to come back… seriously thinking about spending two weeks at this Airbnb in 2019. What Boulder spots did I miss that I need on the list? Let me know!
Check out my instagram highlights “Boulder” for more at @etavierne.
