Menu
Menu
Family trip to Boulder, Colorado – Fall 2020
- By Michael Lakus
- Read Time: 5min
Boulder Bound, but New Season
Hmm.. Boulder… Sounds familiar? Back in March I spent a day in Boulder right before catching the tail end of the ’19 – ’20 spring ski season! However, this time it is all about the fall season. There was plenty of hiking and hanging out on this family trip.
If it isn’t known by now, my parents really enjoy Colorado, even more so as my sister has been living there for a few years. We normally take an annual ski trip, but being out there in autumn is just as spectacular in its own way.
Here is quick sneak peek of what went on in Boulder and beyond. During the last few plane departures, it’s been satisfying to knock out the video edits in-flight and recap. Enjoy! Additionally, here are some other Colorado and Boulder posts that may tickle your fancy.
Travel Logistics
This was an extended "weekend trip" for me, so I worked a little while out there on my downtime. Flight was with United and under $200 RT with free upgrades to economy plus. Proud of my parents for using Chase UR for a Marriott and Avis rental. Reasonable redemptions, more to splurge on foods.
We actually stayed south of Boulder, closer to Broomfield. Hiking was split between the Rocky Mountain National Park and the outskirts of Boulder. Pearl Street Mall is where you will find all the things. Click the tab on the top left of the map to see more details!
First Day, First Hike
Our first full day in Colorado sent us past Boulder, up to the Rocky Mountain National Park. The drive was relaxing and many of the trees were going through their colorful seasonal change. Apparently the changing of leaves is quite quick (a week or so), so it was a serendipitous situation. We made a pitstop in Estes Park, too, where we stumbled upon a large gathering of Elk. It was pretty funny to see so many just straight chillin’ at this lake, where a month prior in Yellowstone we were lucky to see one!
Acclimation to avoid Taxation
Keep in mind if you're coming from sea level, you are now a mile higher in elevation! Hence, you'll get winded quicker. Altitude affects everyone differently, so sometimes hiking a day or two after arrival lets the body adjust.
Once at the trail head, we set out to hike up to three lakes – Nymph, Dream and Haiyaha. I can’t remember the exact distance, but I believe in total, we hiked a little over 4 miles. Haiyaha was the definite favorite for me. There was a large boulder field surrounding the majority of the lake, so traversing was a game of jumping from rock to rock. Shoutout to the fearless chipmunks as well who know exactly what they want and aren’t afraid to dive right into your backpack 🙂
Downtown Boulder
With the weather being freaking perfect, we spent a good bit of time outside in downtown Boulder. Before I jump into anything, here were our top spots:
Hapa Sushi and Bohemian Biergarten both hit the spot. At Hapa, they had some half off sushi specials and sake bombs (Fri-Sat), so how can I resist!? Bohemian was a BEAST. I’m fairly certain we ordered every appetizer since we couldn’t make up our minds. Regardless, you can never go wrong with some hearty Eastern European food and a pint of the golden good stuff. To top it off, Boulder Baked was serving cookies on demand for dessert. Don’t mind if I do.
Ready to get fancy and taste some unique teas? Last time I was in Boulder I made it to Dushanbe Tea House. This time was no exception either, but no need to cover it again. Instead, I offer a second option and my new go-to in Boulder. Trident was recommended from another tea seller as a place to sit back, relax and have yourself a tea time. From the outside, it looks like a bookstore and coffee shop, but to my surprise they did full gong-fu style tea service – amazing. I won’t get into the whole tea thing cause I’ll talk for days, but if you like well-sourced, pure loose leaf tea for around $5 per session, then Trident is it.
Flatirons and Final Day
Oh, Flatirons… wadda day, wadda playa. If we only knew the conditions that would be bestowed upon us. The weather sure did make for some interesting golf! The boys were in the thick of it with gale force winds ripping through the course. Hats were kites, tree branches became projectiles, golf balls were lost in the middle of the fairway, concealed by copious leaf coverage. Chaos – it could not be helped. The back 9 was the polar opposite, though, and allowed for some poker golf. Where’s my money, Smitty!?
On the last day, we squeezed another hike in right outside of Boulder. The reds, oranges and yellows were super vibrant along the entire hike with a lot of tree coverage. This was much more tame than the trails in the park, but, nevertheless, a pleasant daily route to close out.
And just like that, we were on a flight back to Florida, welcomed by the inevitable humidity. This year has been a weird one, no doubt, and many of the travels will probably be domestic. There is something to be said though about revisiting the same place. Whether it be during a different season or a new area – it brings something new to the table each time. And that is time well spent with family and friends.
-ML
Recap of Places
- Rocky Mountain National Park – Trail head to Nymph, Dream and Haiyaha lakes
- Pearl Street Main – The main walking street in downtown Boulder
- Hapa Sushi – Sushi and Sake
- Trident – hidden gem tea house!
- Bohemian Biergarten – those Eastern European dishes…
- Boulder Baked – “desserts that deliver”
- Flatirons Golf – well-maintained course in Boulder, weather permitting!
Want to share?
Want to share?
Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
All Posts »
This Post Has One Comment
Love the video, Michael! I need to get out to Colorado!
Comments are closed.