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Spring Break in Boulder

Get excited! It’s time to plan a sunny spring break, with fresh mountain air, outdoor fun, good food and a few urban adventures, too. Come to Boulder and spend a week hiking the famous Flatirons, shopping Pearl Street, dining at the newest eateries and exploring this confluence of city and nature that truly comes alive in the season of renewal.

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”― Rainer Maria Rilke
 

isitors take a moment to chat on a bench with the Flatirons rising up in the distance.

Things to Do on Spring Break

Stroll Pearl Street 

Downtown Boulder’s brick-paved Pearl Street is the heart and soul of Boulder and is lined with shops and cafes. Street performers put on shows up and down Pearl. In spring, dozens of flowerbeds bloom with some 15,000 tulips. The timing of the buds’ opening is, of course, up to Mother Nature, but you will often see the tulips begin to pop up in early April, with the blossoms peaking in mid to late April.

Yellow tulips on Pearl Street with Flatirons in Background

Spring Skiing and Snowboarding

Despite rising average temperatures, March is Colorado's snowiest month, making it an excellent time of year to get in some runs while crowds are a little quieter. Eldora is the closest ski area to Boulder at just 21 miles away (a 35-minute drive), welcoming skiers, snowboarders, cross-country skiers, snowshoers and uphill skiers. Through mid-April, Eldora hosts festivities including an Après Music series, DJ performances at the base of the mountain, co-working sessions and more.

Eldora

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

A fragrant cup of floral tea under a canopy of exquisite carvings and painted motifs is a spring treat that awaits at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. This one-of-a-kind Persian teahouse was an artisan-crafted gift to Boulder from our sister city in Tajikistan.

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Patio

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Locals Know

While you're at the teahouse, pick up a bottle of the house-made spiced chai to take home with you! It’s a favorite local drink and will be a warm reminder of your visit to Boulder.

Go on a Wildflower Identification Hike

In early spring, you’ll start to see pasque flowers and spring beauties, with larkspur and chiming bells emerging by mid-spring. We’ve compiled the best wildflower hikes, with an identification guide so you’ll know what to keep an eye out for.

Yellow Flowers and Trail

Ride E-Bikes

See more of Boulder from a bike when you take an e-bike tour or rent an e-bike. From murals to breweries to historical site tours, there’s an e-bike tour that will spark your interest. Read our e-biking guide on where to ride, rent and book, plus what you need to know.

Electric Cruiser Bike Tour Boulder

Boulder Farmers Market

Sample, shop, meet local farmers, smell the flowers, hear live music, sit creek-side and eat great food. The Boulder Farmers Market has a festival-like atmosphere along the Boulder Creek and happens on the doorsteps of the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse and Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA).

Boulder Farmers Market From Above

Go Birdwatching

Spring migration brings some incredible avian species and waterfowl to the Boulder area, which has several natural areas beloved by bird-watchers. Get all the details on our birdwatching page.

Museum of Boulder Rooftop Patio

Spring Break Eats & Drinks

Spring dining surely means patio time, fresh salads, something bright and bubbly to drink and something sweet to celebrate the changing of the seasons.

  • Head to the rooftop at Rosetta Hall or Avanti F&B, two Boulder food halls where you can pick from a variety of world cuisines and then enjoy it al fresco with unparalleled mountain views.
  • Try a fresh salad from Sweetgreen, Flower Child, The Kitchen, ThriveZeal, Leaf or a number of other salad-forward dining spots in Boulder. 
  • Try a full-strength craft cocktail at Japango, a low-alcohol sipper at OAK or an alcohol-free spirit at the tiki bar JUNGLE.
  • Keep things light for dessert with a scoop of Gelato Boy’s spring-perfect strawberry gelato, a berry tarte from Shamane’s Bakery, or a Loralyn shortbread raspberry cookie bar from Spruce Confections.

Events to Attend

In spring, several favorite local events happen throughout town. For planning purposes, it’s helpful to know that the University of Colorado Boulder and Boulder Valley School District spring breaks are typically the third full week of March.

Boulder International Film Festival
February 29-March 3, 2024
Films and filmmakers from around the world come to Boulder for a four-day celebration of the art of cinema.

BOCO Flamenco Spring Festival
March 4-7, 2024
The Dairy Arts Center hosts multiple days of music and dance featuring José Maya, Rycardo Moreno and more.

Local Lab New Play Festival
March 14-17, 2024
A three-day theater festival of new works with fully-staged concert readings, workshops and the opportunity for playwrights and attendees to participate in conversations.

Boulder Arts Week
April 5-13, 2024
Come enjoy an inclusive, weeklong celebration of Boulder's vibrant arts and culture offerings, including art walks, exhibitions, performances, music, theater, public art, lectures, film screenings and workshops at venues throughout the city.

Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado
April 9-12, 2024
This year the Conference on World Affairs will feature over 70 panels that explore three exciting themes, including AI, climate change and more— all free and open to the public.

Taste of Pearl
April 14, 2024
Fifteen Boulder restaurants pair up with local wineries and distilleries for a unique experience where participants stroll through downtown and sample food and drinks while perusing galleries and shopping at local boutiques.

Bluebird Music Festival
April 20-21, 2024
Ben Harper, Watchhouse (previously Mandolin Orange), Shovels & Rope, Haley Heynderickx and more headline this festival with solo, acoustic performances inside the stunning Macky Auditorium.

Tulip Fairy & Elf Festival
April 28, 2024 (Rain date: May 5)
Downtown Boulder's annual awakening of the tulips, where little ones dress up like fairies and elves. 

Boulder Creek Festival
May 25-27, 2024
Live music, an artisan market, a beer festival and more events take place all along Boulder Creek in this beloved local event.

BolderBoulder 10k Road Race
May 27, 2024
One of the largest and most highly acclaimed 10Ks in the world, with runners, joggers, walkers and spectators of all ages — many in costume — and a bash at the finish line in Folsom Field stadium.