Arriving

By Plane

Boulder doesn’t have a commercial airport. Air travelers must fly into Denver International Airport and then make ground connections to Boulder, a trip of about an hour.

Getting to & from the Airport--The SuperShuttle Boulder (tel. 303/227-0000; www.supershuttle.com) makes regular trips between Boulder and Denver International Airport. The one-way fare is about $30 per person; round-trips run around $50.

Boulder Yellow Cab (tel. 303/777-7777; www.boulderyellowcab.com) charges $84 one-way to the airport for up to five passengers.

Buses operated by the Regional Transportation District, known locally as RTD (tel. 800/366-7433 or 303/299-6000; www.rtd-denver.com), charge $12 for a one-way trip to the airport (exact change required); those 15 and under ride free. Buses leave from, and return to, the main terminal at 14th and Walnut streets daily every hour from before 4am to after midnight.

Boulder Limousine Service (tel. 303/449-5466) charges $85 and up for a ride from DIA to Boulder (or vice versa) in a limousine.

By Car

The Boulder Turnpike (U.S. 36) branches off I-25 north of Denver and passes through the suburbs of Westminster, Broomfield, and Louisville before reaching Boulder. The trip takes about 30 minutes. If you are coming from Denver International Airport, take E-470 west, which becomes the Northwest Parkway (both are no-stop toll roads; owners are automatically billed by mail, but renters should check with their agent for their specific policy) to U.S. 36. If you’re arriving from the north, take the Longmont exit from I-25 and follow Colo. 119 all the way. Longmont is 7 miles due west of the freeway; Boulder is another 15 miles southwest on the Longmont Diagonal Highway.

Visitor Information

The Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2440 Pearl St. (at Folsom St.), Boulder, CO 80302 (tel. 800/444-0447 or 303/442-2911; www.bouldercoloradousa.com), is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm, and can provide excellent maps, brochures, and general information on the city. There are also visitor information kiosks on Pearl Street Mall and at the Davidson Mesa overlook, several miles southeast of Boulder on U.S. 36. Brochures are available at both sites year-round.

City Layout

The north-south streets increase in number going from west to east, beginning with 3rd Street. (The eastern city limit is at 61st St., although the numbers continue to the Boulder County line at 124th St. in Broomfield.) Where U.S. 36 enters Boulder (and does a 45-degree turn to the north), it becomes 28th Street, a major commercial artery. The Longmont Diagonal Highway (Colo. 119) enters Boulder from the northeast and intersects 28th Street at the north end of the city.

To reach downtown Boulder from U.S. 36, turn west on Canyon Boulevard (Colo. 119 west) and north on Broadway, which would be 12th Street if it had a number. It’s 2 blocks to the Pearl Street Mall, a 4-block, east-west pedestrian-only strip from 11th to 15th streets that constitutes the historic downtown district. Boulder’s few one-way streets circle the mall: 13th and 15th streets are one-way north, 11th and 14th one-way south, Walnut Street (a block south of the mall) one-way east, and Spruce Street (a block north) one-way west.

Broadway continues across the mall, eventually joining U.S. 36 north of the city. South of Arapahoe Avenue, Broadway turns southeast, skirting the University of Colorado campus and becoming Colo. 93 (the Foothills Hwy. to Golden) after crossing Baseline Road. Baseline follows a straight line from east Boulder, across U.S. 36 and Broadway, past Chautauqua Park and up the mountain slopes. To the south, Table Mesa Drive takes a similar course.

The Foothills Parkway (not to be confused with the Foothills Hwy.) is the principal north-south route on the east side of Boulder, extending from U.S. 36 at Table Mesa Drive to the Longmont Diagonal; Arapahoe Avenue, a block south of Canyon Boulevard, continues east across 28th Street as Arapahoe Road.

Getting Around

Getting Around

By Public Transportation -- The Regional Transportation District, known as the RTD (tel. 800/366-7433 or 303/299-6000; www.rtd-denver.com), provides bus service throughout Boulder as well as the Denver greater metropolitan area. The Boulder Transit Center, 14th and Walnut streets, is open Monday through Friday from 5am to midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 6am to midnight. Fares within the city are $2.25 for adults and children ($1.10 for seniors and passengers with disabilities; children 5 and under ride free). Schedules are available at the Transit Center, the Chamber of Commerce, and other locations. Buses are wheelchair accessible.

The city of Boulder runs a shuttle bus service called the HOP (tel. 303/447-8282), connecting downtown, University Hill, the University of Colorado, and 30th and Pearl. The HOP operates weekdays from 7am to 11pm, Saturdays from 9am to 11pm, and Sundays from 10am to 6pm. While the University of Colorado is in session, a late-night bus runs Thursday through Saturday nights until 3am. Buses run about every 8 to 15 minutes during the day, every 15 to 20 minutes at night; the fare is $2 ($1 for seniors; children 5 and under ride free).

The RTD runs a complimentary local shuttle, the SKIP, Monday through Friday from 5am to 12:30am, Saturday from 7am to 12:30am, and Sunday from 7am to 11pm. Buses run north and south along Broadway, with a loop through the west Table Mesa neighborhood, every 6 to 10 minutes during peak weekday times and less frequently in the evenings and on weekends.

By Car

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has an office at 1933 28th St., #200 (tel. 303/753-8800). It’s open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Car Rentals--Most people who fly to Colorado land at Denver International Airport and rent a car there. To rent a car in Boulder, contact Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, or National. For a list of car-rental agency websites, please see “Airline & Car-Rental Websites,”. 

Parking--Most downtown streets have parking meters, with rates of about 25¢ per 20 minutes. Downtown parking lots cost $1 to $3 for 3 hours. Parking can be hard to find around the Pearl Street Mall, but new lots have eased the pain. Outside downtown, free parking is generally available on side streets.

By Bicycle

Boulder is a wonderful place for bicycling; there are bike paths throughout the city and an extensive trail system leading for miles beyond Boulder’s borders.

You can rent and repair mountain bikes and buy trail and city maps at University Bicycles, 839 Pearl St., about 2 blocks west of the Pearl Street Mall (tel. 303/444-4196; www.ubikes.com), and Full Cycle, 1211 13th St., near the campus (tel. 303/440-7771; www.fullcyclebikes.com). Bike rentals cost $30 to $50 (or $75–$85 for a mountain bike or a luxury model) daily. Maps and other information are also available at the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2440 Pearl St. (tel. 303/442-2911).

By Taxi

Boulder Yellow Cab (tel. 303/777-7777) operates 24 hours, but you need to call for service--there are no taxi stands, and taxis won’t stop for you on the street. Other companies that serve Boulder are Freedom Cab (tel. 303/444-4444) and Metro Taxi (tel. 303/333-3333).

On Foot

You can walk to most of what’s worth seeing in downtown Boulder, especially around the Pearl Street Mall and University of Colorado campus. Historic Boulder, Inc., 4735 Walnut St. (tel. 303/444-5192; www.historicboulder.org), can provide advice about exploring the city’s historic neighborhoods on foot. Books and brochures covering historic walking tours are available at the Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2440 Pearl St.

Fast Facts

Area Code--Area codes are 303 and 720, and local calls require 10-digit dialing.

ATMs/Banks -- ATMs and banks are very common throughout the Boulder area.

Babysitters--The front desk at a major hotel often can make arrangements on your behalf.

Business Hours--Most banks are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and some have Saturday hours, too. Major stores are open Monday through Saturday from 9 or 10am until 5 or 6pm, and often Sunday from noon to 5pm. Department and discount stores often have later closing times.

Drugstores--Reliable prescription services are available at the Medical Center Pharmacy in the Boulder Medical Center, 2750 N. Broadway (tel. 303/440-3111). The pharmacy at King Soopers Supermarket, 1650 30th St., in Sunrise Plaza (tel. 303/444-0164), is open from 8am to 9pm weekdays, 9am to 6pm Saturdays, and 10am to 6pm Sundays.

Emergencies--For police, fire, or medical emergencies, call tel. 911. For the Poison Control Center, call tel. 303/739-1123. For the Rape Crisis Hotline, call tel. 303/443-7300.

Eyeglasses--You can get fast repair or replacement of your glasses at Visions Optical, 1933 28th St. (tel. 303/442-4521).

Hospitals--Full medical services, including 24-hour emergency treatment, are available at Boulder Community Hospital, 1100 Balsam Ave., at North Broadway (tel. 303/440-2273).

Newspapers & Magazines--Newspapers include the Daily Camera and the Boulder Weekly. Many Boulderites also read the campus paper, the Colorado Daily, available all over town. The Denver Post is also available at newsstands throughout the city. You can also find the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

Photographic Needs--For standard processing requirements (including 2-hr. slide processing), as well as custom lab work, contact Photo Craft, 2901 55th St. (tel. 303/442-6410). For equipment, supplies, and repairs, visit Mike’s Camera, 2500 Pearl St. (tel. 303/443-1715; www.mikescamera.com).

Post Office--The main downtown post office is at 15th and Walnut streets. Contact the U.S. Postal Service (tel. 800/275-8777; www.usps.com) for hours and other locations.

Safety--Although Boulder is generally a safe city, it is not crime-free. Be aware of your surroundings, especially if walking alone at night.

Taxes--State and city sales taxes total about 7%.

Useful Telephone Numbers--Call tel. 303/639-1111 for road conditions; tel. 303/825-7669 for ski reports; and tel. 303/494-4221 for weather reports.

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