Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, just twenty-five miles north of the capital city of Denver, lies Boulder, Colorado. This liberal city is known for being home to the University of Colorado, as well as receiving high marks when it comes to measuring quality of life, health, art and education. You might imagine that such a pleasant environment in such a picturesque setting would make for a pleasing vacation and you would be right in that assumption. Adding to the attraction is the variety of hotels Boulder visitors can choose from during their stay. During a vacation here, you can take advantage of the mountains by skiing, hiking or camping, or take in some of the enjoyable attractions in town.
Fans of independent films and filmmaking will appreciate a trip to Boulder, which is home to three important events in the film community. Since 2005, the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) has been featuring the best and brightest new international films. Although not as big as some other U.S. film festivals like Sundance or the Seattle International Film Festival, it is an up-and-comer in the film world. Crowds at BIFF continue to grow and in 2009, the festival was attended by Chevy Chase, star of film and television.
The town is also home to the International Film Series (IFS) and has been since 1941. The IFS shows more than one hundred films a year at its art-house venue. The IFS has garnered enough fame over the years that it is now one of just three venues in the state where Oscar-nominated short films are screened. Finally, cinema buffs should also enjoy the Shoot Out Filmmaking Festival. In this unique competition, filmmakers are granted twenty-four hours to make a short film using only a camera and with no other editing tools. At the end of the weekend, the top ten films are screened for an audience and prizes are awarded. Shoot Out has won several film festival awards from publications in Denver. You can see that in addition to the standard complement of hotels Boulder has plenty of character to offer its guests.
To get out and explore the Rockies, Boulder is a great place to start. More than 36,000 acres of accessible wilderness surround the town, making for incredible hiking, biking and climbing opportunities. Get a trail map from one of the local businesses or try asking at any of the hotels Boulder has to offer and get started, hiking or biking the trails of Chautauqua Park, Bear Peak and Green Mountain. There are trails for hikers of all experience levels and for both mountain bikes and road bikes. Eldorado Canyon is full of opportunities for superb rock climbing, as are the Flatirons and Boulder Canyon. All these mountains and expansive outdoor space make the area an outdoors enthusiast's dream vacation spot and that is without even mentioning all the ski resorts and mountains that are just a short distance away.
In addition to the film festivals, there are some other fun local events to enjoy throughout the year. Boulder Creek Festival is a three-day event over Memorial Day weekend that includes live music, local food, vendors featuring local crafts and products and fun activities for children. This festival coincides with Bolder Boulder, a road race that attracts over fifty thousand runners each year. With these events drawing such large crowds over Memorial Day Weekend, the hotels Boulder has may be under greater strain, making it more difficult to get a room without advanced planning.
There are two airports within about thirty miles of Boulder, Fort Collins-Loveland (FNL) and Denver International (DEN). Since the two are about equidistant and Denver is much larger, it will probably be cheaper and easier to fly into Denver. It never hurts to have another option though, so you can look into Fort Collins as well. Inquire at your choice of the hotels Boulder has to offer about whether they offer shuttle service from local airports. Otherwise, you may have to rent a car.
For an active and somewhat remote experience without going too far off the beaten path, this Colorado town does not disappoint. Because it is in such a pristine environment and boasts so many fine hotels Boulder is an ideal base of operations for your next Rocky Mountain getaway.
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