Go Local / COME TO LIFE 6 SIDETRIPS Boulder is also close to Rocky Mountain National Park (1 hour), Eldorado Canyon State Park (15 minutes) and Golden Gate Canyon State Park (45 minutes). You can confidently claim that Nederland , just a half hour outside of Boulder, will be unlike any other town in your vacation repertoire. Case in point: Each March Frozen Dead Guy Days celebrates the remains of a man who died of a heart attack in 1989. His family keeps his body preserved in dry ice in the hopes that future science can revive him. Celebrate Ned’s nutty culture with craft brews, art and live music. Stroll downtown and experience the ambiance by browsing around local shops and restaurants. 57 piece from Boulder’s sister city in Tajikistan. Have a bite to eat and order a pot of tea from the exhaustive menu. Then discover the hiking trails in National Historic Landmark Chautauqua Park (5) , with options to suit every level of hiker and up-close views of the Flatirons — the slanting slabs of red sandstone that are Boulder’s most recog-nizable landmark. Stop into Chautauqua Dining Hall (4) , which has been serving Boulderites since 1898. the city’s chefs describe their favorite ways to explore the city. After, visit a brewery to taste the local suds and take a tour — there are more than 20 now, pretty serious for a town of 100,000 people! Pick up a Boulder Beer Trail brochure at area visitor centers, take a walking tour from Boulder Brew Tours or catch a ride on the Colorado Brewery Bus . Then head to OAK at fourteenth , where Vanity Fair -featured mixolo-gists demonstrate the art of handcrafted cocktails for your sipping pleasure. Another thing brewing in Boulder is kombucha. Stop into Rowdy Mermaid (7) for a tangy taste of this fermented tea that’s full of probiotics, beneficial yeast and enzymes. Or check in to the Rayback Collective (8) , a food-truck park/beer garden/live-music venue that’s drawing those in the know east of downtown. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: FROZEN DEAD GUY DAYS, ETHAN WELTY; CHAUTAUQUA PARK, JOSH HUMMEL; THE KITCHEN; ROWDY MERMAID; RAYBACK COLLECTIVE; CHAUTAUQUA DINING HALL, EFRAÍN M. PADRÓ. STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Boulder (page 189), Eldorado Springs (page 195), Louisville (page 200), Lyons , Superior , Westminster (page 206) EVENING Boulder is one of the reasons Bravo’s “Top Chef” filmed its most recent season in Colorado, so dinner at one of the city’s restaurants is a must. Wander around Pearl Street for plenty of award-winning options, including Provençal-inspired Mateo; Pizzeria Locale ’s Neapolitan pies (brought to you by the chefs at another Pearl Street favorite, Frasca Food & Wine ); or The Kitchen (6) , an eco-friendly bistro that pairs food with decadent brews. For more ideas, visit boulder coloradousa.com , where 8 4 COLORADO.COM / 161
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 161
