According to the reviews on Trip Advisor, here are the top attractions in Boulder, as voted on by visitors:

1 – Flatirons:

The Flatirons are a group of rock formations in the western United States, in Boulder, Colorado, that are made up of flatirons and other irregular shapes. A group of five huge, numbered Flatirons may be found on the east slope of Green Mountain, running north to south from north to south. The phrase “The Flatirons” is sometimes used to refer to just these five Flatirons.

 

2 – Chautauqua Park

Chautauqua Park is a part of a historic Boulder landmark that dates back more than a century to the time when the city began protecting natural area. Boulder’s citizens voted in 1898 to issue a bond to purchase 80 acres for the purpose of establishing a “Chautauqua”. An open turf area with a playground and tennis courts is provided on land owned by Boulder Parks & Recreation next to OSMP trails, Chautauqua Dining Hall/Auditorium/Chautauqua Ranger Cottage.

 

3 – Pearl Street

On Pearl Street, you’ll find Boulder’s heart and soul: restaurants, boutiques, and people-watching opportunities dating back nearly four decades! Boulder’s historic downtown has a brick-paved pedestrian promenade, sun-dappled benches and restaurant patios, shops to their hearts’ content, and only-in-Boulder street entertainers to keep visitors and locals entertained for hours. Traffic is halted for four blocks on Pearl, but the celebration continues for several more.

EARTH MAN can be found all over Boulder, but here you can see he’s playing in the heart of Pearl Street.  Photo credit: Joseph Wirth

4 – Eldorado Canyon

Boulder’s own Eldorado Canyon is a well-kept secret. It doesn’t matter if you want to take a hike among the towering sandstone outcroppings, enjoy a picnic by the picturesque South Boulder Creek, or scale the golden cliffs of Eldo. Eldorado Canyon State Park offers it all. Learn about this little-known treasure and bring back memories that will stay for generations.SmarterTravel.com named Eldorado Canyon State Park as one of its “10 State Parks You Can’t Miss.”

More than 500 technical rock climbing routes beckon climbers from all over the world to test their mettle on “Eldo’s” golden cliffs, which are affectionately known as “Eldo”. Everyone who comes here is captivated by the canyon’s magnificence. Trails range from moderate to tough, and they connect to the larger Boulder trail network. South Boulder Creek is a beautiful place to have a picnic or go fishing. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are available in Eldorado Canyon throughout the winter months.

During the milder months and on weekdays in the summer, the park’s peaceful beauty can best be appreciated.
Avoid the crowds on weekends during the summer! During the months of May through September, Eldorado Canyon is nearly always full of automobiles, thus visitors can only enter the Park if additional space becomes available.

 

5 – Flagstaff Mountain:

Hike up Flagstaff Summit from the bottom of Flagstaff Road. There are numerous switchbacks and crossings of Flagstaff Mountain Road on the 2.1-mile Flagstaff Trail. Bouldering may be done on the side of the trail thanks to large rocks. You’ll be able to view deer and a wide variety of birds while you’re there.

 

 

6 – Boulder Creek Path

Over five miles of Boulder Creek Path follow the water’s edge from East Boulder’s 55th Street to west Boulder Canyon, passing past city parks, the CU campus, and the heart of downtown Boulder.
On this well-used path, you may expect to see a lot of other people walking, blading, running, or cycling.
Except for the gravelly section at the westernmost end, the walkway is paved the entire way.
USA Today ranked it as one of the best urban biking trails in the country.

 

7 –  National Center for Atmospheric Research 

Since its inception in 1960, the National Science Foundation has supported NCAR in its mission to make world-class resources available to universities that would otherwise be out of reach. More than 50 years later, we’re still fulfilling that promise to our customers. Resources provided by NCAR include high-performance supercomputers, aircraft, sophisticated computer models, and huge data collections.