By G.A. Peck
I hadn’t seen much of Colorado in all these years, just glimpses of the Rocky Mountains from 30,000 feet as I jetted cross country on the way to the Left Coast. There was one occasion when I was able to marvel at the engineering of Denver’s airport while on a brief layover on my way out West. I knew I’d like the State, but never had cause enough to visit until recently, when I spent nearly a week in Denver, Boulder, Erie, and everywhere in between.
A family member was relocating from San Francisco to Boulder County, and I offered to lend a hand in getting him settled into his new home. It was the perfect, welcome excuse to visit with him and to explore a part of the country I had yet to see.
A room with a view
I needed a hotel that was conveniently located—within driving distance of Denver and Boulder County, where I planned to spend most of my stay. A search on some of the discount travel sites produced an untold number of Marriott Courtyard-type establishments, but I craved something with a little more ambience, and ended up choosing the Hotel Boulderado, right in the thick of things downtown.
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmJvdWxkZXJhZG8uY29tLw==
The hotel is magnificent, rich in history, impeccably clean, and authentically decorated in its original Victorian style. For approximately $250/night, I landed in a standard room with a king-sized bed, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was more like a suite you’d find in an upscale hotel, complete with a sitting room, separate bedroom, walk-in closet, and large bathroom (with, for a change, plenty of water pressure in the shower). It reminded me a little of my stay in the old section of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, only the Boulderado was much more roomy and less overrun by tourists. It, too, offered a range of amenities and services, including spa treatments. Every member of the staff I encountered was friendly, outgoing, eager to respond to any questions or request I had during my stay. This was, by far, the best hotel experience I may have ever had.
Food finds
I can’t profess to have enjoyed much of Boulder’s food during our stay, though I did feast on a great BBQ po boy on the rooftop deck of The Lazy Dog (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vYmxvZ3MubXlzcGFjZS5jb20vd3d3LnRoZWxhenlkb2cuY29t), and enjoyed a delicious breakfast crepe at Crepes a la Cart (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmJvdWxkZXJkb3dudG93bi5jb20vZ3VpZGUvZ28vMTAzOA==).
I had been warned by several of the locals that it was nearly impossible to get good, fresh seafood in Colorado. And that may very well be true. Rarely did I find any fish or shellfish on the menu, and the one time I did—at a Mexican restaurant, where I ordered ceviche—I found it, in fact, to be sub-par.
Shopping mecca
Downtown Boulder is replete with shopping opportunities, if you’re so inclined to stimulate the local economy. I enjoyed browsing a few of the shops, including a poster and print gallery that had a great selection of vintage maps, historic geographic prints of the area, and postcards. There was also no shortage of vintage and designer clothing boutiques, novelty stores, tea and holistic healing shops, and places hocking the works of local artists and craftsmen.
I spent some hard-earned cash here, http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnNhdm9yeXNwaWNlc2hvcC5jb20v, and was a little surprised I was able to transport an assortment of spice bags back home to Philadelphia without so much as a raised eyebrow or a curious sniff from airport security.
The shopping district has been designed to best accommodate foot and non-motorized traffic. Courtyards run down the center of certain blocks, and in the evenings, local performance artists and musicians line the streets to entertain the meandering masses.
Sightseeing
I’d had high hopes to see more of the region, including trekking out to some of the wilder areas of the State, visiting a few hot springs and so forth. I’d like to ski, perhaps, at some of the nearby hotspots, and I’d love to take a drive out to Rancho Del Rio (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnJhbmNob2RlbHJpby5jb20v), a rafting, river-guide camp, where my brother-in-law lived for a stretch of time. It sits right on the Colorado River, and I understand it’s quite rugged and picturesque. Time did not permit during this trip, but these destinations will definitely be a part of my future visits.
At least three new local friends recommended a drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm5wcy5nb3Yvcm9tbw==), which I made on my final full day in Colorado. It was a breathtaking, humbling—and sometimes treacherous drive, courtesy of winding roads that occasionally overlooked rather steep, plunge-to-your-death cliffs, and the impromptu elk crossings that forced quick stops.
Decompression
Having traveled both domestically and internationally, I have found that there are a few places on the globe where I’m able to totally decompress and relax, letting all the burdens of home wash away. Boulder was one of those places for me. I adjusted to the higher altitude and slower lifestyle almost instantly. I can understand why a few locals told me: “I’m originally from back East, but I came here on vacation (or to go to college), and I never left.” There’s something about those mountains and the lovely people of the area that welcomes you, like the embrace of an old friend you’ve been searching for and, at last, have found.Have some stories to share about your own time in Colorado? Comment or email us!
I hadn’t seen much of Colorado in all these years, just glimpses of the Rocky Mountains from 30,000 feet as I jetted cross country on the way to the Left Coast. There was one occasion when I was able to marvel at the engineering of Denver’s airport while on a brief layover on my way out West. I knew I’d like the State, but never had cause enough to visit until recently, when I spent nearly a week in Denver, Boulder, Erie, and everywhere in between.
A family member was relocating from San Francisco to Boulder County, and I offered to lend a hand in getting him settled into his new home. It was the perfect, welcome excuse to visit with him and to explore a part of the country I had yet to see.
A room with a view
I needed a hotel that was conveniently located—within driving distance of Denver and Boulder County, where I planned to spend most of my stay. A search on some of the discount travel sites produced an untold number of Marriott Courtyard-type establishments, but I craved something with a little more ambience, and ended up choosing the Hotel Boulderado, right in the thick of things downtown.
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmJvdWxkZXJhZG8uY29tLw==
The hotel is magnificent, rich in history, impeccably clean, and authentically decorated in its original Victorian style. For approximately $250/night, I landed in a standard room with a king-sized bed, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was more like a suite you’d find in an upscale hotel, complete with a sitting room, separate bedroom, walk-in closet, and large bathroom (with, for a change, plenty of water pressure in the shower). It reminded me a little of my stay in the old section of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, only the Boulderado was much more roomy and less overrun by tourists. It, too, offered a range of amenities and services, including spa treatments. Every member of the staff I encountered was friendly, outgoing, eager to respond to any questions or request I had during my stay. This was, by far, the best hotel experience I may have ever had.
Food finds
I can’t profess to have enjoyed much of Boulder’s food during our stay, though I did feast on a great BBQ po boy on the rooftop deck of The Lazy Dog (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vYmxvZ3MubXlzcGFjZS5jb20vd3d3LnRoZWxhenlkb2cuY29t), and enjoyed a delicious breakfast crepe at Crepes a la Cart (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmJvdWxkZXJkb3dudG93bi5jb20vZ3VpZGUvZ28vMTAzOA==).
I had been warned by several of the locals that it was nearly impossible to get good, fresh seafood in Colorado. And that may very well be true. Rarely did I find any fish or shellfish on the menu, and the one time I did—at a Mexican restaurant, where I ordered ceviche—I found it, in fact, to be sub-par.
Shopping mecca
Downtown Boulder is replete with shopping opportunities, if you’re so inclined to stimulate the local economy. I enjoyed browsing a few of the shops, including a poster and print gallery that had a great selection of vintage maps, historic geographic prints of the area, and postcards. There was also no shortage of vintage and designer clothing boutiques, novelty stores, tea and holistic healing shops, and places hocking the works of local artists and craftsmen.
I spent some hard-earned cash here, http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnNhdm9yeXNwaWNlc2hvcC5jb20v, and was a little surprised I was able to transport an assortment of spice bags back home to Philadelphia without so much as a raised eyebrow or a curious sniff from airport security.
The shopping district has been designed to best accommodate foot and non-motorized traffic. Courtyards run down the center of certain blocks, and in the evenings, local performance artists and musicians line the streets to entertain the meandering masses.
Sightseeing
I’d had high hopes to see more of the region, including trekking out to some of the wilder areas of the State, visiting a few hot springs and so forth. I’d like to ski, perhaps, at some of the nearby hotspots, and I’d love to take a drive out to Rancho Del Rio (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnJhbmNob2RlbHJpby5jb20v), a rafting, river-guide camp, where my brother-in-law lived for a stretch of time. It sits right on the Colorado River, and I understand it’s quite rugged and picturesque. Time did not permit during this trip, but these destinations will definitely be a part of my future visits.
At least three new local friends recommended a drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm5wcy5nb3Yvcm9tbw==), which I made on my final full day in Colorado. It was a breathtaking, humbling—and sometimes treacherous drive, courtesy of winding roads that occasionally overlooked rather steep, plunge-to-your-death cliffs, and the impromptu elk crossings that forced quick stops.
Decompression
Having traveled both domestically and internationally, I have found that there are a few places on the globe where I’m able to totally decompress and relax, letting all the burdens of home wash away. Boulder was one of those places for me. I adjusted to the higher altitude and slower lifestyle almost instantly. I can understand why a few locals told me: “I’m originally from back East, but I came here on vacation (or to go to college), and I never left.” There’s something about those mountains and the lovely people of the area that welcomes you, like the embrace of an old friend you’ve been searching for and, at last, have found.Have some stories to share about your own time in Colorado? Comment or email us!
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