If you live in Boulder, you know all of the touristy hotspots in town, and chances are, you’ve stopped frequenting them as often over the years. It’s not that you don’t love them, you do. And they give the city its personality and flair. It’s just that you don’t love battling the crowds. Especially since you’re a local now.

But don’t give up. Your favorite iconic Boulder landmarks are still there, and it’s time to rediscover them.

Take Chautauqua Park for example. More than a half-a-million people visit this National Historic Landmark each year, and I bet you did as well when you first set foot in Boulder. Did you know that there are ten beautiful trails waiting to be discovered at this popular tourist attraction? Most out-of-towners opt to tackle the Chautauqua Trail (0.6 mi.) that begins at the trailhead and boasts some of the most beautiful views the Flatirons and Instagram-worthy photo opps in the park.

But when is the last time you felt the accomplishment of summiting one of the Flatirons? And did you know that one of the trails leads to an abandoned quarry? I had no idea, but the Woods Quarry Trail (.03 mi, connects to the Mesa Trail) is there, and it’s calling our names.

After trekking up and down trails throughout the park, you’re going to build up an appetite. It doesn’t matter if you’re an early riser and looking for brunch after your workout, or if a late afternoon to early evening hike it your thing—stop yourself from jumping back in your car and driving off. The Chautauqua Dining Hall is a stone’s throw from the trailhead, and is a stellar place to stop off, sweaty socks and crazy hair and all, for some sustenance and good views. Serving up meals since 1898, the dining hall has gone under some great renovations over the past few years at the hands of the folks behind Aji, Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, and other Three Leaf Concepts ventures. Right now, the menu is filled with fall-inspired drinks and dishes, like the belly-warming Rocky Mountain Mule—which will set you back a mere $5 during happy hour (3-6 p.m.). The Crunchy Kale Salad is my favorite, but sometimes you need to restock those calories you just burned off while hiking with a big plate of biscuits and gravy or a Hall Burger with bacon jam and a fried egg, and the works. If it’s nice, grab a seat on the porch and take in the history of the diners that have sat before. Initials and names carved in the wood railings and columns still shine through recent coats of white paint everywhere you look.

Rediscover this Boulder landmark while the colors of fall still blanket it. When you see how beautiful it looks right now, you’ll be sad you stayed away so long.

Tyra Sutak

Published on: August 28th, 2011

Have you ever been to a show at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium tucked beneath the base of one of the most popular hiking destinations in Boulder? I hadn’t, until an opportunity finally arose and I got the chance to cross “See Concert at Chautauqua” off of my super long Colorado Bucket List. I was not disappointed. In fact, Boulder showed me a pretty good evening on Saturday night, starting with happy hour at theBoulder Café (which included half-priced café plates and fondue along with a huge selection of half-priced wine and beer. B. Café offers their popular happy hour from 3PM to close, every day of the week).

The night got ten times better when my group discovered that the concert goers commuting to Chautauqua for the show could ride the Boulder Hop bus up to and from the venue for free– coincidentally, one of the bus stops happened to be located just steps away from the front doors of the Boulder Café, on 13th and Pearl.

It’s kind of hard to beat a dinner bill cut in half and free ride to the show.

After weaving through neighborhoods occupied by some of Boulder’s most coveted addresses, the bus arrived at Chautauqua and dropped our group off in time to trek it up the hill to will-call, pick up our tickets, and catch the last song by show opener, Catie Curtis.

Once inside of the auditorium, built in 1898, I took my beautifully crafted seat, carved of wood along with the rest of the audience that had packed themselves into the old building, with its naked rafters exposing over a century of diligent upkeep on the barn-like building that has been voted in the “top ten places that artists like to play” because of the intimate feel and superior acoustic settings of the venue.

Large open doors let the cool summer breeze in, and an attentive Chautauqua staff escorted ticket holders to their specific seats. In time, The Weepies took the stage which was adorned with a whimsical display of glittery cardboard cut-out stars and moons. The stage decorations were similiar to those found in a 4th grade play, but the music being delivered by the two artists that make up the popular indie-folk band, and their traveling bass player, was definitely mainstream caliber. Haunting vocals, emotive lyrics, and the story of a husband/wife team achieving years of success through their onstage collaboration had the crowd bobbing their heads, calling out songs, and singing along. The mellow music echoed perfectly off of the auditorium walls that have heard the sounds of all types of musicians including John Phillip Sousa and more recently, the Indigo Girls.

Whether you’re having a night out with the girls, out on a date night, or just taking your mom out on an I.O.U. present from her last birthday—check out the rest of the monthly fall music offerings at Chautauqua, and be sure to grab dinner and a drink at the Chautauqua Dining Hall before the show.

And if you’re trying to conserve funds—don’t worry. Just grab your favorite lawn chair and post up outside of the open doors of the building. No charge, great music, a sky full of stars and some fresh Chautauqua air.

Thanks, Boulder. It’s been fun. Let’s do it again sometime.

Tourist in Your Own City: A Hike and Happy Hour at Chautauqua →

The Bolder Life: Weep No More, Boulder →