Boulder for 5 days over 4th of July
 

Will be visiting a friend who is working in Boulder ..Need to find a "reasonable" place to stay probably in town.In checking prices they seem high but this is a holiday weekend...a motel is ok or even a B and B ...Would like suggestions for day trips and some flea markets if the are nearby .It is our first trip here and we are open for all suggestions but cannot hike due to an injury..

Run out and buy today's NY Sunday Times. There is a big article on Boulder in the travel section.

Boulder is in a beautiful setting at the foot of the Flatirons, and you'll find plenty to do. If you can't hike, that's a shame because so much of the surrounding beauty is great for hiking.

Otherwise, I'd suggest day-trips like driving to Eldorado Canyon, a beautiful setting south of town, where there's a public pool and you can watch people rock climb. Drive up Boulder Canyon to sightsee and eat at the Red Lion Inn on your way back to town. Drive to Estes for the day, to get a glimpse of Rocky Mountain National Park, drive up Trail Ridge Road if you have time. The scenery from there is like nowhere else. Drive to downtown Denver (i.e. LoDo) for a ballgame or dinner. Drive to Red Rocks Park to catch a concert or simply sightsee.

Other ideas in Boulder: Have dinner at Chatauqua Park, on the south side of Boulder. It has a beautiful veranda where you can watch the sunset on the Flatirons, and enjoy a very nice meal. There are also concerts and other entertainment at the small Chatauqua venue that's worth checking out. (If you could hike, there's the place to do it, too.) Visit the Teahouse for a 'very Boulder' lunch-- great food in a unique setting by the creek. Stroll the downtown Boulder Pearl Street mall and watch the buskers perform, grab a sandwich at one of many restaurants there. Visit CU-Boulder's beautiful red-tile roof and red rock campus.

Catch fireworks on July 4th in CU's Folsom Field (check to make sure they'll do it again this year). If you like soccer, the Colorado Rapids usually do a special July 4th game in Denver, including fireworks.

Sorry I can't help with better hotel suggestions. Maybe go to CU's website and see what lodging they suggest for visitors. There are some motels on 28th street, below campus, that are probably moderately priced. There's a brand new hotel/spa in Boulder, maybe offering grand opening specials-- sorry I don't know the name. The Boulderado is the grande dame of hotels downtown, maybe they have specials (probably not on July 4th, though).

Boulder is a blast. Enjoy it.

Lodging:
Foot Of the Mountain Motel
Silver Saddle
Boulder Lodge
Can't think of any flea markets nearby, but they've got a nice army surplus store and 2nd hand store on the Pearl Street Mall. Nice side trip is to town of Lyons. Boulder's a beautiful town,expensive and very liberal to put it mildly. Antiques in nearby town of Niwot. I agree on watching mtn.climbers in ELdorado Canyon.

Thanks for the info and i did do a search of other travel sites and the Quality Inn came up several times as a reasonablly priced "small" hotel in a good location..I called and they gave me a "first time" user price of $99/nt for 6 nights.