Looking for budget stays in Boulder? This section is designed to save you time, money, and unnecessary stress. We've got insider tips to help you find affordable hostels and the cheapest places to stay in Boulder.
Boulder is located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains just outside of the Denver metropolitan area. Boulder has a reputation for being very liberal, a result of its popularity with the sixties counterculture movement and its thriving student population who attend the large University of Colorado. The city’s natural attractions include mountains, hiking trails, canyons, and waterfalls.
Hostels in Boulder are usually located on or near University Hill, the site of the local college scene and right next to the University of Colorado. Most of what you’ll find in the area consists of bars, frat houses, and pizza parlors. Bicycle culture is popular in Boulder and the city’s bike paths can take you almost anywhere. Pearl Street, to the north of the Hill, is the city’s main shopping and nightlife district.
Boulder’s natural landmarks include the Flatirons, Eldorado Canyon, Flagstaff Mountain, and Boulder Falls. The Flatirons are distinctive rock formations and are Boulder’s main identifying landmark. Eldorado Canyon is famous for rock climbing and Flagstaff Mountain is an easy hike. Boulder Falls is a forty-foot waterfall on the Boulder River. Chautauqua Park has the most popular hiking trails in the city and is conveniently located in southwest Boulder.
Boulder also hosts several unusual annual events that attest to its liberal history. Boulder Kinetics is a kinetic sculpture race established more than thirty years ago and the Polar Bear Plunge is a winter event where participants jump into the freezing Boulder Reservoir. Another tradition that was eventually squelched was the Naked Pumpkin Run where runners raced around the streets of Boulder wearing nothing but shoes and hollow pumpkins on their heads.