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Five Ways to Boulder Like a Local

Street Art by SMiLE in Boulder, Colorado

1. The Boulder Farmers Market opened in downtown Boulder in 1987. It is a major attraction for both residents and visitors to the City of Boulder. The market season runs from the first Saturday in April through the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check out the Insider Guide to the Boulder Farmer's Market to get the scoop on how the locals do it. 

 

2. As you wander through Boulder keep your eyes peeled for some amazing local art by artist “SMiLE”! Their art is speckled though the city on electrical boxes and down alleyways, and they are always crafting new art in the most unexpected places. Though nobody knows who they really are, their art is sure to put a smile on your face! A true Boulder mystery…

 

3. Boulder is known for its outstanding trails. It is likely that when you do research on which trails to explore, you will see that Chautauqua is at the top of the list. This location has beautiful views and is worth taking the time to visit. Check out the Insider Guide to Chautauqua to learn more. We also recommend exploring some of the best-kept secrets of Boulder: Settler’s Park, Shanahan Ridge in South Boulder and Sunshine Canyon in North Boulder. 

 

4. An old plumbing supply store is the hottest hangout in Boulder. The Rayback Collective is Boulder’s first food truck park located in the reclaimed Rayback Plumbing building. Grab a seat inside or outside and enjoy gourmet bites from a roundup of favorite food trucks and 30 or so beers, ciders and wines from the bar. 

 

5. Boulder's only mint room is famous. Take a tour of Celestial Seasonings and get an up-close look at how the largest tea manufacturer in North America blends ingredients into some of the country's most beloved teas (Sleepytime tea, anyone?). Take the mint room challenge and see how long you can last. While waiting for the tour to begin, taste any of the 90+ teas and view the paintings on the front of the tea boxes in the art gallery — all for free. 

 

Bonus! You can eat at a restaurant named after a real-life cannibal.

Somebody at the University of Colorado had a wicked sense of humor when they named the main grill in the University Memorial Center the Alferd Packer Restaurant and Grill. Alferd Packer was part of a gold prospecting expedition that headed into the Colorado mountains mid-winter. The party became stranded and Packer later emerged from the mountains alone and in relatively good form. Rumor is he later confessed to having survived the ordeal by consuming the flesh of some of his companions. We recommend trying the McAlferd for breakfast!