Just 5,430 feet above sea level and 30 minutes north of bustling Denver, Boulder, Colorado
, remains an ideal, budget-friendly weekend getaway for families. This growing metropolis offers a blossoming foodie scene and laidback city vibe, surrounded by Rocky Mountain beauty.
Begin the day at the Boulder Tea House for brunch, boasting a variety of American and traditional Persian cuisine. Enjoy an American breakfast at $9.50 per person, including a homemade pop tart the kids will love, or the Honduran beleada for $10.50. Parents and adult children, add a mimosa or Bloody Mary for an additional $6.
Treat the kids to teatime during a free, 45-minute tour of Boulder’s own Celestial Seasonings Company. Visits include a walk through the tea production factory, Art Gallery, Tea Sampling Bar and Mint Room before concluding in the Celestial Gift Shop.
Completely surrounded by landscape and natural wonders, a trip to Boulder wouldn’t be complete without a biking or hiking expedition. Explore the great outdoors for little to no cost, from the Flat Irons and natural sandstone formations through more than 330 miles of trails.
Get from place to place along the five-mile stretch of Boulder Creek Path, or rent a car and head to Eldorado Canyon in Eldorado State Park for some hiking, rock climbing, biking, boating and fishing. Daily park passes range from $7–9 per car, making any of Boulder’s many parks a budget-friendly option.
Photo: Ron Rapp | Dreamstime
Pearl Street is at the heart of Boulder and offers unique shops, restaurants and breweries with a historic, rustic feel. While downtown, explore the cultural scene with a tour through Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art for $1. Don’t forget to check out University of Colorado Boulder’s Museum of Natural History for interactive exhibits, dinosaurs and the kid-centric Discovery Corner
.
Teens and older kids enjoy The Hill, the bustling neighborhood by the university offering fun restaurants, bars and cafes featuring live music and nightly events.
With lush green parks prime for outdoor adventures scattered through Boulder and fun local shops and restaurants to explore downtown, there is a buzz about the city perfect for active families. Get outdoors and have fun bonding over shared experiences while still taking time to lay low and enjoy the city. Residents of Boulder cultivate a colorful, healthy, active and fun environment for visitors to enjoy, even on a budget.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedDestinations
Sep 2, 2026Look Past the Traditional Classroom with Scott Dunn’s Back-to-School Itineraries
Parents looking to provide their kids with hands-on learning experiences going beyond textbooks by visiting unique destinations with family-centric approaches will find that and more with Scott Dunn's private, expert-led itineraries. These experiences provide lessons the classroom cannot.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Destinations / North America
Sep 2, 2026Visit an Old-Fashioned County Fair in Maine
Celebrate autumn with a family trip to a traditional New England county fair. These annual celebrations of agriculture and country life are filled with sights and activities for the whole family to enjoy, from admiring prize pumpkins and meeting live animals to witnessing horse shows, listening to country music and dancing, and doing craft demonstrations. Most fairs also have carnival rides and hands-on activities for kids.
Destinations / Europe
Sep 2, 2026A Brand-New, World-Class Aquarium Coming to Dublin, Ireland
A groundbreaking new marine attraction, OceanÈire, was recently announced in Dublin, Ireland, promising to redefine family entertainment, marine research and conservation in Ireland. While a debut date and specific location has yet to be revealed, OceanÉire already unveiled several details of the multimillion-dollar aquarium.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Travel Tips
Sep 1, 2026TikTok Revolutionizes Travel Planning and Inspiration
With an estimated 1.9 billion users worldwide, TikTok influences nearly every part of our lives, from food to fashion. The app so profoundly changed the way we travel, it now describes itself as a “modern-day travel agency, itinerary planner, and travel blog rolled into one.” Using TikTok to plan travel is so popular, the app recently launched TikTok Go to make booking even easier.
ShareThis