Walkin' Boulder: Pedestrian Weekend
Walkin' Boulder
By Sue Deans
The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot.
October 10, 2011
It’s always fun to have visitors in Boulder, especially when the weather is as perfect as it was a couple of weekends ago.
We had planned a pedestrian weekend for our guests, who were staying in a downtown hotel, so that they would not have to rent cars and could walk almost everywhere they needed or wanted to be.
Here’s a look at what we did.
Many of the guests arrived Friday morning at DIA and some got to Boulder in time for lunch at Reuben’s, a couple of blocks from the hotel at Broadway and Walnut. They loved the sandwiches on pretzel rolls and the sweet potato fries.
While some of the visitors rested or napped at their hotel, the serious shoppers got started on Pearl Street and the mall, including of course a stop at The Pedestrian Shops for comfortable shoes. In addition, The Fall Festival brought dozens of artists and artisans to display their work in booths downtown.
Others explored Alfalfa’s, Whole Foods and Liquor Mart, bringing back food for a buffet dinner at a downtown condo just two blocks from the hotel. The “meet, eat and greet” featured salmon, chicken, beef, salads, cheese, bread and beautiful pastries for dessert.
On Saturday morning we led everyone on a short walk to the City Club in the Highland Building, the renovated school at Ninth Street and Arapahoe, for breakfast and a meeting. Those not taking part toured the Farmers’ Market and the Fall Festival and bought even more shoes at The Pedestrian Shops.
Saturday afternoon’s field trip, in a hotel van, was to Red Oak Park, a new complex of affordable housing at 2637 Valmont Road, built on the site of a former mobile home park, Boulder Mobile Manor. The homes are fully equipped with solar to generate their power.
Even more shopping ensued when we got back downtown.
Dinner at Jill’s at the St. Julien Hotel was the final event, the piece de resistance as the restaurant’s general manager Philippe Antoine would say, an excellent meal for the grand finale of the weekend.
The guests departed Sunday, wishing they could have stayed longer to enjoy Boulder’s walkability. Not to mention the great weather.