Things to Do in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder packs a full weekend of things to do into a walkable downtown and the foothills right behind it: hiking trails at the base of the Flatirons, Pearl Street's shops and street performers, breweries and restaurants, museums, and family-friendly parks. This guide organizes it all into eight categories, so you can jump straight to what you're in the mood for.
Photo: Tyler Cipriani ยท CC BY-SA 4.0
Boulder at a glance
| Category | Best for | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoors & trails | Getting outside | Visit Outdoor Boulder › |
| Food, restaurants & breweries | Eating and drinking well | Visit Taste Boulder › |
| Family / with kids | Families | See the guide › |
| Rainy day / indoor | Bad weather or smoky days | See the guide › |
| Free things to do | Budget-minded trips | See the guide › |
| This weekend / seasonal & events | What's on right now | See the guide › |
| Nightlife & breweries | Evenings out | See the guide › |
| Arts, museums & Pearl Street | Culture and shopping | See the guide › |
Not visiting?
If you live in Boulder
Dance, pottery, cooking and improv classes. Clubs you can actually join. Adult leagues, pickleball courts, gyms with real prices, groups for 55 and over, and volunteering sorted by how much time it genuinely takes. Eleven pages, checked the same way as everything else here.
See what's here for residentsBrowse by category
Every category below has its own full guide. Start with whatever fits your trip.
Outdoors & trails Flatirons trails and the full outdoor guide, on our dedicated site Outdoor Boulder. Visit Outdoor Boulder › 
Food, restaurants & breweries Boulder restaurant by restaurant, on our dedicated dining site Taste Boulder. Visit Taste Boulder › 
Family / with kids Easy wins for a day out with kids, from parks to hands-on museums. See the guide › 
Rainy day / indoor What to do when the trails are out and you want to stay dry. See the guide › 
Free things to do The best of Boulder that costs nothing but a parking spot. See the guide › 
This weekend / seasonal & events Seasonal picks and what's worth doing this particular weekend. See the guide › 
Nightlife & breweries Bars, breweries, and live music once the sun goes down. See the guide › 
Arts, museums & Pearl Street Galleries, museums, and the Pearl Street Mall's shops and street performers. See the guide › Photo credits
- Outdoors & trails: 2 Flatirons from the Chautauqua (4208842555) by joiseyshowaa from Freehold, NJ, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Food, restaurants & breweries: Avanti Boulder - A Collective Eatery (52848733633) by Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Family / with kids: Boulder trails, 150 miles by ,
- Rainy day / indoor: Boulder Dushanbe teahouse ceiling by Mark Gallagher from Colorado Springs, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Free things to do: Boulder Public Library, exterior drone photo by ,
- This weekend / seasonal & events: Boulder County Farmers' Market by Kvng, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nightlife & breweries: Boulder Theater Night by The original uploader was Molas at English Wikipedia., CC BY 2.0
- Arts, museums & Pearl Street: Pearl Street - Downtown Boulder - Colorado in Winter (52878129986) by Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Free things to do in Boulder
A surprising amount of Boulder costs nothing but a parking spot: the Open Space and Mountain Parks trail system, the Pearl Street Mall's street performers and window shopping, and the Boulder Creek Path through the middle of town. See the full free things to do guide.
Things to do in Boulder with kids
Boulder is an easy family trip: flat paths, hands-on museums, and short foothill trails that work for younger legs. See the family guide for a full day-out plan.
Things to do in Boulder this weekend
What's worth doing changes with the season and the calendar. The this weekend guide covers seasonal picks and what's on right now.
Indoor things to do when it's cold or smoky
Wildfire smoke and winter storms both mean a day better spent indoors. See the rainy day and indoor guide for museums, galleries, and other backup plans.
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Ask about featuring your business ›Things to do in Boulder: frequently asked questions
What's Boulder, Colorado known for?
Boulder is known for the Flatirons, the tilted rock formations that form a dramatic backdrop right at the edge of downtown, for the University of Colorado Boulder, for the Pearl Street Mall's shops and street performers, and for an outdoor-recreation culture that puts hiking, cycling, and climbing minutes from the city center.
How many days do you need in Boulder?
A weekend covers the highlights: a walk on Pearl Street, a foothills hike, and a meal or two. If you want to add a day trip up the canyon toward Nederland and the high country, or spend more time on the trails, plan for three days.
What are the best free things to do in Boulder?
Most of Boulder's best activities cost nothing but a parking spot or a walk from downtown: hiking the Open Space and Mountain Parks trails, wandering and people-watching on the Pearl Street Mall, and walking or biking the Boulder Creek Path. See the full free things to do guide for specifics.
Is Boulder good for a family trip?
Yes. Boulder has flat, stroller-friendly paths, hands-on museums, and easy foothill trails that work for kids, plus a walkable downtown where nobody needs a car for a few hours. See the family guide for a full day-out plan.
What's the best time of year to visit Boulder?
Summer brings the fullest calendar of outdoor activity and the busiest trailheads and parking. Fall brings cooler air, gold aspens up the canyons, and thinner crowds, which makes it a favorite for hiking. Winter still works for lower, sunnier trails and Pearl Street's shops; spring can be muddy on the trails but is quiet downtown.
Do you need a car to enjoy Boulder?
Not downtown. Pearl Street, many restaurants, and the Boulder Creek Path are all walkable or bikeable from a central hotel. But the higher trailheads, and day trips up the canyon toward Nederland, effectively need a car or a ride.