Posts tagged locations
5 Unique Tours of Downtown Boulder
Oct 19th
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
Boulder gets $$$ boost for green machines
Sep 15th
City of Boulder part of coalition receiving $500,000 grant from U.S. Department of Energy to advance electric vehicles and charging locations
The City of Boulder is part of the Colorado Clean Cities Coalition that was awarded $500,000 in grant funds under the Clean Cities Community Readiness and Planning for Plug-in Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure Funding Opportunity. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Sept. 8, 2011.
The grant funds will be shared by multiple public and private agencies to help fund Project FEVER (Funding Electric Vehicle Expansion in the Rockies), a year-long endeavor that will overcome barriers that are impeding penetration of electric vehicles in the marketplace. FEVER is a statewide plan that will target five core areas to prepare Colorado for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure: regulatory; permitting; planning; policy; and marketing, education and outreach.
In Boulder, the grant will provide funds to:
Help establish guidelines to determine the best locations for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations;
Standardize permitting operations; and,
Create a plan for linking Boulder to other communities in a statewide EV charging network.
“By developing the next generation of automotive engineers and preparing communities for plug-in electric vehicles, these projects will help reduce our nation’s dependence on oil imports, create jobs, and help America capture the growing global market for advance vehicles,” said U.S. DOE Secretary Steven Chu.
Sixty partners have come together to support this project, and include the City of Boulder, the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Xcel Energy, the Regional Air Quality Council, the City and County of Denver and several other private and public partners.
Sponsored by DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program and administered by the American Lung Association in Colorado, the Denver Metro Clean Cities Coalition is a government-industry partnership designed to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector.
For more information, contact Joe Castro, City of Boulder Facilities and Fleet manager, at castroj@bouldercolorado.gov or 303-441-3163.
Parking enforcement to be increased at Hessie Trailhead
Aug 25th
Boulder County, Colo. – The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and Transportation Department will be enforcing parking restrictions beginning this weekend at the Hessie Trailhead on Fourth of July Road (County Road 111) west of the town of Eldora.
Weekend congestion near the trailhead and along the road has resulted in gridlock and created unsafe conditions for residents and visitors. As a result of the number of vehicles and people attempting to navigate through the area, it would be impossible for an emergency vehicle to get from Eldora to the trailhead in a timely manner.
Watch video of traffic congestion.
“This is major safety issue that needs to be addressed right away,” Boulder County Transportation Director George Gerstle said. “There is very limited parking and it is important to keep the road clear so people can recreate safely and access is maintained for emergency responders.”
Parking is also discouraged in the town of Eldora. Visitors are encouraged to carpool or visit other locations during the remaining busy summer weekends.
