Glamping: Boulder, Colorado Vacations

Boulder's first settlers came to hunt for gold, but today, it's a casually sophisticated town looks and feels very little like a mining camp. Tucked into the foothills below a rock formation known as The Flatirons, it's close to Denver geographically, but worlds apart in attitude. Shopping, they say, is the number one pursuit of travelers these days, and you'll find plenty of it here. Shops with clever names and unusual wares will draw in passers-by on the Pearl Street Mall downtown and Twenty Ninth Street is another favorite spot. Learn more about only-in-Boulder shops. But shopping isn't the only way to get outdoors, glamping in Colorado gets you closer to nature. The city was named the best place in the nation to indulge in outdoor sports by Outside magazine. Here, you'll find 45,000 acres of designated space to hike or ride a bike, climb a mountain, kayak a river, walk along a stream or fish. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular in winter, as is skiing and snowboarding at nearby Eldora Mountain Resort. And National Historic Landmark Chautauqua Park is one of the easiest ways to get on a trail and get a up-close view of those famous Flatirons.