Getting Here and Around

Although a 10-minute walk separates downtown from the Hill, each area has a distinct flavor. Downtown—particularly the Pearl Street pedestrian mall—bustles with families, street performers, upscale boutiques, and eateries, while the Hill pulsates with trendy shops, packed coffeehouses, bars and rock clubs, and restaurants geared more to students. Parking and driving in these sections of Boulder can be frustrating and time-consuming. Leave your car at the hotel and try the Hop (bouldercolorado.gov/hopbus), a bus that circulates in both directions through downtown, the Twenty Ninth Street Mall, the CU Boulder campus, and Boulder Junction for $3 (cash) one way. Buses run every 10 to 30 minutes.

Both Boulder Custom Rides and zTrip provide private car service within Boulder.

For a quick trip, borrow a bike from B-cycle, Boulder's bike-sharing service, which has more than 300 bikes and more than 45 stations all over town. Download the free app, pick your pass, take a bike from one station, and return it to any other. The rate structure encourages trips of 30 minutes or less.

Contacts

Boulder B-cycle. Boulder, Colorado. 303/532--4412; boulder.bcycle.com.

Boulder Custom Rides. Boulder, Colorado. 303/906–0250; www.bouldercoloradousa.com/listings/boulder-custom-rides/1974/.

zTrip. Boulder, Colorado. 303/699–8747; www.ztrip.com/boulder.