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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Around Boulder

There are many things to do and see around Boulder, MANY restaurants, many bars and a large number of breweries and brew pubs too. This list can not be exhaustive, but gives you an idea.

Pearl Street Mall (20 minute walk from Millennium hotel)
The pedestrian downtown of Boulder, full or restaurants/bars/buskers/shops.
Downtown Boulder [Wiki page]

29th Street Mall (5 minute walk from Millennium hotel)
An outside Mall with more shops(Macy’s/Apple/Target/etc) than Pearl Street, but again many restaurants, some bars and the cinema.
29th Street Mall

Rocky Mountain National Park
If you have a car, Rocky Mountain Nataional Park is just an hour north. There are many hikes, but a shorter one 0.6 miles each way to a frozen waterfall (Alberta Falls). Also the town of Estes Park is nearby with the historic Stanley hotel where Steven King stayed and based The Shinning on.

Pikes Peak
About 2 hours south (100 miles) is Pikes Peak, a 14,000ft + mountain that you can get to the top of by a Cog Railway. There is also a toll road that you can take to drive the 13 mile route to the top, although the top few miles may be closed off due to snow.
Near Pikes Peak is Garden of the Gods, an out of place landscape, very reminiscent of the area around Los Alamos.

Ski Resorts
Many ski resorts in the area, and ski towns. From nearest going outwards to around 2.5 hours drive:
Eldora (45 mins from Boulder, local bus goes there. Also good for Nordic),
Winter Park, Loveland, A-basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper, Cooper, Vail, Beaver Creek

Breweries/Pubs
Backcountry Pizza & Tap House is a very extensive Tap House (50+ draft beers, plus restaurant), and a short walk from the Millenium.
Also a short walk from the hotel on 29th is BJ’s Brewhouse & Restaurant (a chain pub though), and on the opposite side of the road (west side on 28th) is Baker Street, a fake English pub – who’s main draw is it’s only a few blocks from the hotel. That said, the Millenium hotel bar may be a better choice and closer.
On/near Pearl Street mall is the Walnut Brewery (popular with SwRI Boulder-ites, because you can see their building from it) and West Flanders, a Belgium Style brewer.
The Mountain Sun is at east end of Pearl, 1.5 blocks east of the pedestrian part, and is probably my favourite. February is Stout month, the Girl Scout Stout (made with Girl Scout cookies) is goooood, but the place is not that large so expect to have to wait for a table.
If you have a car then these three breweries are also good: Avery, Asher (all organic), Southern Sun (the Southern Sun is sister brewery of the Mountain Sun, but is much larger and far easier to get a table). Many of these breweries offer tours, see websites.

Other random Restaurants

  • Dushanbe Teahouse: Most ornate restaurant, built in Tajikistan.
  • Sherpas Nepalese, Indian, and Tibetan food
  • Leaf Vegetarian (and Vegan) restaurant
  • The Med Mediterranean food, tapas, paella, pastas, etc.
  • Faster Food: Mod Market Fresh/healthy ingredients, good for lunch or a quick dinner (short walk from Millennium)
  • Fast Food: larkburger Burger joint originating from Vail, just over the road from the Millennium.
  • High end: Black Cat Bistro (reservations a must) Food from their own local farm!
  • Brunch: Foolish Craigs on Pearl (they also do lunch/dinner)
  • Brunch: Snooze An “AM eatery” so specializes in brunch
  • Brunch: Walnut Cafe Two Boulder locations, always busy
  • Brunch: Lucile’s Lucile’s Creole Cafe