An Afternoon in Boulder, Colorado

I had no doubts, but it was fun to confirm this in person — Boulder is a great city.

At only a half-hour away from Denver, it’s convenient to visit for an afternoon or evening. My uncle and I drove in for a few hours and spent most of our time at the popular Pearl Street Mall, an outdoor pedestrian area full of shops, restaurants, bookstores, and hotels. Since it had snowed the day before, it felt like a proper wintery Colorado mountain-adjacent town (it’s situated just east of Rocky Mountain National Park). If it hadn’t snowed, we were hoping to squeeze in a hike in the flatlands. Next time!

View on our drive into Boulder:

Pearl Street Mall, probably the number one place to visit in Boulder based on the stores and restaurants and overall charming quality of the area:

I checked out the best coffee places in Boulder (there are maybe five that are all highly rated) and we ended up coming across Ozo Coffee first, so that’s where we got our caffeine fix. I really liked this place — they have a special mocha menu, with all sorts of unique flavor combinations. I got the Stargazer — maple syrup, star anise, caramel, and a hint of dark chocolate. Doesn’t that make your mouth water?

We loved this store, Bayleaf — it’s got sections from different countries, with lots of food items and trinkets. Great international flair. I was disappointed to read just now that it closed for good on New Years!