Boulder

We’ve been through Colorado before, but shied away from staying too long. Time for us to be a little Boulder! We stayed with Danielle’s friend in this notoriously chill college town and used it as a home base to explore some of the area attractions – indoors and out.

Our first stop was the factory tour of Celestial Seasonings, makers of Sleepy Time✨ tea and many others. Neither of us are big tea fans, but that’s okay, because neither are Celestial Seasonings! Almost all of their “teas” aren’t really; they’re made with herbs rather than tea leaves. We enjoyed the visit and the samples, but not-tea still takes a distant backseat when other beverages are on the table.

Speaking of, Colorado is one of America’s craft beer capitals. Two of the biggest are Avery and Left Hand Brewing✨. Both have diverse lineups that focus on strong (and often experimental) flavors. Fate Brewing Company✨ seemed fine enough but was ill-fated, closing just two months after our visit.

Craft spirits were just as well-represented. A whisky tasting flight✨ gave us a good impression of the offerings at Spirit Hound Distillers✨. All top-notch.

The white whale of our last visit to the Centennial State was Rocky Mountain National Park, a mistake we wouldn’t make a second time. En route to the most convenient entrance from Boulder is the small town of Estes Park, which in addition to park proximity boasts the The Stanley Hotel✨ of The Shining fame.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

The park lived up to our every hope✨ with its vast and impressive vistas. Winter snows kept the higher routes closed✨ even at the end of March, but plenty of rocky outcrops✨ had already exposed themselves.

We trekked the rim of Bear Lake, still thickly coated✨ in ice, even as large sun-soaked boulders✨ melted themselves free. Snow still blanketed✨ everything in the least bit of shade.

Back in Boulder, we found more hiking within walking distance. We rambled up the foothills toward the National Center for Atmospheric Research✨, taking in the views✨ back toward the city.

The NCAR building✨, designed by I.M. Pei, makes the most of its mountainside locale. A small museum inside features weather exhibits. A touchable tornado✨ and cloud machine were personal favorites.

Behind the lab, a maze of trails reach up and around Green Mountain. The summit view✨ exemplified how flat much of the mountain state really is.

Beyond Boulder, we spend an afternoon in Denver✨, spotting the State Capitol building and stopping in to the Central Library✨. We had lunch on the 16th Street Mall✨ and grabbed a couple beers at Freshcraft before busing back to Boulder.

Tapping into the college-town vibe, Kevin did some cooking for our hosts, whipping up an authentic Rochester-style garbage plate✨ as an homage to his alma mater.

Before we were even settled in, it was time to move on. The quaint French village of Vannes beckoned, by way of a short dozen-or-so hours flight through Paris. Au revoir Boulder! Bienvenue Brittany!

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