What better way to experience our vibrant city than all at once!  Whether you’re outdoorsy, a foodie, family-oriented, or just like to drink beer, there’s a tour happening today that knows just how to tickle your fancy.  Grab your Hawaiian print shirt, some binoculars and a camera; here are 5 of the best one-and-done ways to experience the greatest downtown in America in a couple of hours (or less)!

1. MyHandleBar
Why crawl from bar to bar if you can bike?  If you haven’t seen this contraption wheeling its way around downtown then you’re missing quite a sight.  MyHandleBar is a peddle powered portable bike bar, equipped for 16 passengers and comes with its own designated driver.  Peddle with your buddies to move the portable watering hole from bar to bar.   MyHandleBar offers a “Boulder Brewery Biking” tour stopping at locations such as The Walnut Brewery, The Lazy Dog, Bitter Bar, Conor O’Neills and Pearl Street Pub.  Another tour is the “Boulder Bar Bash” stopping at destinations such as Shooters,Catacombs, The Walrus, The Attic and Tahona Tequilla Bistro.  Talk about innovating the bar crawl!  And hey, all that peddling will cancel out the calories you drink, right?

2. Boulder Walking Tours
If you’re not into drinking or crawling, follow an experienced local guide on a relaxing walk through downtown while you learn about the history, planning and people of Boulder.  Some of the sites include the magical Dushanbe Teahouse and the cafes and shops of Pearl’s West and East Ends.  The talk will also allow you to get an inside scoop on the public art found on the mall. (Why is that elk there anyway?)

3. Local Table Tours
Calling all foodies!  Discover what bon appetit magazine called “America’s Foodiest Town” on a Downtown Dining Tour.  LocalTableTours.com offers cocktail tours, coffee and pastry tours, market-to-table tours, and even tours of the Boulder County Farmers Market.   These are not sampling tours…so get ready to eat!  With over 100 restaurants in Downtown a table tour is a great way to get started on conquering them all.  Their motto is “Eat.Drink.Walk.Repeat.”  Sounds pretty fabulous to me.  I’m especially interested in trying the cocktail tour.  It’s supposed to be something like a private cocktail class…meet the bartenders and learn their unique mixology techniques.  Tour prices range from $25-$70.

4. Banjo Billy Bus Tours
My friends and I have rented out the Banjo Billy Bus to truck us down to Brad Paisley concerts.  Usually, it offers a 90-minute tour of Boulder from the comfort of an old sofa, recliner, or even a saddle.  Find out about more of the eclectic side of Boulder through ghost stories and folk lore.  This “traveling hillbilly shack” lets its passengers vote on the stories they want to hear.  If you’re into country, or a little Jack D, Banjo Billy will show you a good time.

5. Boulder Area Bicycle Adventures
Need something a little more outdoorsy?  Boulder Area Bicycle Adventures offers a Historic Downtown and Pearl Street Mall Tour on wheels!  Enjoy Pearl as well as other nearby areas such as the Boulder Creek Path and Red Rocks Settler’s Park.  This fast paced biking excursion is perfect for families.  Do you know what trees are the oldest or what styles of architecture are used most?  This tour is great for pointing out some of these less noticeable but still special aspects of Boulder.

Whether you’re a local or looking to visit Boulder for the first time, tours are great way to fit a lot into a busy schedule.  So get out there before the snow comes!  (I don’t think MyHandleBar will operate too well in slush).

Happy Bouldering!

-Lindsey from Downtown Boulder