Boulder is home to several federal research facilities, two of which you can tour. They're the perfect multi generational activity, as older members of your party will love the educational aspects while kiddos will be entertained by the hands-on parts.
• Ever touched a cloud? Created a tornado? Your family can do both at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) visitor center. Take a noon tour Mon, Wed or Fri. Or go the self-guided route. Start in the NCAR theater to watch a fascinating video called "Air, Planet, People" and walk the scenic Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail located behind the lab.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tours take place at 1pm each Tuesday and include stops at several working portions of the laboratory where you'll be the first to learn the national weather forecast. A high point of the tour is the Science on a Sphere stop, which involves a very cool and very large animated globe.
The CU Museum of Natural History is a treasure trove of more than 4 million objects, from dino bones to Colorado's largest collection of bee specimens. Grandparents may enjoy the museum’s anthropology section, with its collections of Southwestern pottery and textiles and Navajo and Pueblo silverwork, while kids should head to the basement to play with a small collection of hands-on exhibits, puppets and learning kits. Your party can opt to split up, too, with older members heading to the worthwhile CU Art Museum, not too far across campus.
Photo: Patrick Campbell/University of Colorado
Also on the CU campus is Fiske Planetarium, whose 65-foot diameter dome is the largest between Chicago and Los Angeles. Check the schedule for family-friendly films like, “We Are Stars,” a visual exploration of cosmic chemistry and our explosive origins on Earth.
Boulder's historic downtown centers around Pearl Street, which is lined with shops and eateries. There are climbable sculptures, rock gardens to play in, street performers, a splash pad for summer, candy shops, coffee shops for hot chocolate in winter, and much more to explore.
The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) offers an ongoing series of educational nature programs on topics including ecology, wildlife, local history, night hikes and children’s programs. All are free and open to the public. Just check the schedule in advance.
Every evening holds a different performance at the Dairy Arts Center — or just "The Dairy" to locals. Catch a theater or dance performance, see an art house flick at the Dairy’s Boedecker Cinema, or simply stop by to admire the exquisite local artwork on display in the galleries.
Boulder has a high number of bookstores per capita, and many of them are excellent for browsing and buying. Try the Boulder Book Store, Trident Booksellers or the more eccentric Beat Book Shop. You can also delve into Boulder’s literary scene.
The iconic, art deco-styled Boulder Theater is an acclaimed venue for live music performances by the likes of Shawn Colvin, the Pixies, Seether and Steve Earle.
