Boulder, Colorado as seen from the rooftop of the City Courthouse, looking down on the Pearl Street Mall and beyond to the Flatirons. Photo by Stephen Collector courtesy of Boulder CVB.
HIGH HEELS TO HIKING BOOTS Savoring all the charms of Boulder and Denver Written by Bridget Williams
Dramatically nestled up to the Rocky Mountains, Denver bills itself as an ideal basecamp for myriad outdoor adventures. While the Mile High City has served in that capacity for me on multiple occasions, for our most recent visit, we utilized its cosmopolitan charms as a well-earned reward after a few hiking-focused days in nearby Boulder. With the lowest obesity rates in the nation and omnipresent opportunities to engage with the outdoors, every time I'm in Colorado, I feel healthy by association. In addition, there is a unique confluence of affluence and outdoorsy in places like Boulder, creating an upscale "work hard, play hard" environment. Look no further than Pearl Street, the retail heart of this city of 105,000, to see upmarket outfitters including Fjällräven, Black Diamond, and a dozen more who've set up shop there. In a recent article for 5280 magazine, Scott Crabtree, a commercial realtor with The Colorado Group, called the street the "Rodeo Drive of outdoor apparel." And, with Boulder's cost of living coming in around 42% above the national average, it consistently ranks as the most affluent medium-sized city in the United States. What this means for visitors is outstanding food, wine, and craft beer offerings; top-notch shopping with lots of independently owned 46 slmag.net
outlets; a thriving arts scene; and miles and miles of trails for exploring by foot or bike. Want to park your car and forget about it for a few days? If so, check-in at the award-winning and locally owned St. Julien Hotel & Spa (stjulien.com), situated in the shadows of the Flatirons in the heart of downtown Boulder. The hotel's public spaces and 201 newly renovated guest rooms boast Arts and Crafts-style architecture and a color palette that captures the essence of fall in the Rockies. For the best views of the Flatiron Mountains, book a 400-square-foot King Veranda room. Property amenities include the 10,000-square-foot Spa at St. Julien and fitness facility, a 50-foot indoor lap pool, Jill's Restaurant & Bistro (jillsboulder.com), T-Zero Cocktail Bar, and ample indoor and outdoor meeting, gathering, and event space. As evening approaches, there's a noticeable uptick in energy as locals and visitors order a cocktail and gather in the lobby's comfortable seating areas and on the terrace under the shade of patio umbrellas. A striking illuminated onyx bar defines T-Zero; the stone reappears in the open kitchen of Jill's, where the woodfired oven is the focal point.
