Visit Boulder, Colorado: A Beautiful Day Trip From Denver

In need of a weekend away and some hockey, we decided to head to Denver to catch the St. Louis Blues play the Colorado Avalanche.  We'll come back to our first day in Denver.  The loss still stings a little...

After a breakfast at the hotel, we headed to Union Station located in Lower Downtown Denver.   Built in 1868, the station connected the Union Pacific Railroad, bringing train travel to the west.  This historic building stands tall in district, giving travelers a landmark around the city.  We caught the bus, paying a total of $5.00 for a round trip fair and a forty-five minute ride to the college town of Boulder.  Located just northwest of Denver, it was a trip to the edge of the Rockies.

We started our day by grabbing maps and some drinks and finding a seat in the corner open market on Pearl Street.  We had come to Boulder with little knowledge.  On the bus ride up, a local told us about a few places to visit, including a nearby hike overlooking the city.  We were ready for a day of adventure.

Boulder sits about 200 ft higher in elevation than the Mile High City of Denver.  Our hike was set to take us up about 600 more feet in elevation.  The elevation difference in Colorado is more surprising than you might consider.  Thirst and dry lips tend to be a regular occurrence, as we learned respiration causes dehydration faster the higher you are.  Slow and steady was the plan.

The hike was worth it.  As we made our way up and over the crests of the hills, each view became more beautiful.  The day was sunny, something rare for us to see in Michigan in February, and 50 degrees.  We were sweating and catching our breath as we found our way to the spot overlooking Boulder.  Still rocking our favorite hiking shoes (CLICK HERE for THE BEST hiking shoes.  We are Amazon Affiliates and will make a small amount from qualifying purchases.)

Sitting on the edge of the Rockies, it's hard not to imagine what life was like when the west was being settled.  What was it like to cross the plains only to find the massive cliffs of the Rockies in front of you?  They spent days traveling across this area, and we were able to travel from Denver to Boulder in forty-five minutes.  It's wild and important o remember how much the world has changed.

After hiking to the lookout, we made our way back into the city.  We found the most amazing place for lunch.  T/Aco is a small eatery just off of Walnut.  When we walked in, we found ourselves greeted as if we were family.  The owners were present and ensuring every customer was taken care of.  The food was incredible.  We highly recommend the duck taco.  We loved it so much, we returned to have another!

We spent the rest of the day walking among the shops and making our way along the streets of Boulder.  Each store proved an eclectic retail experience.  We found so many different items, from alpaca socks to Buddhist statues.

We ended the day relaxing with drinks as we took in the final moments of a city we surprisingly fell in love with.  It was everything we hoped the vacation would be.  Hiking, great food, great views, and great people.  We love you, Boulder!  Thanks for a great trip!

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