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Why It's Green:
Boulder boasts of the eco-luxe St. Julien Hotel, which is on its way to becoming a Zero Waste Hotel by reducing its waste from 33 tons per month to about 3.3 tons by 2010, a 90% reduction. And how Boulder-ish is this: 85% of the shops on the central Pearl Street shopping area use wind power, and all of downtown has free, solar-powered Wi-Fi. Not to mention that the hottest restaurant in town, The Kitchen, buys renewable wind energy, composts all scraps, uses recycled wooden tables and light fixtures, and filters its used cooking oil for use in biodiesel. Even their straws are compostable!
Get Beautified and Biking in Boulder, Colorado
So what's this mountaintop utopia like? Picture a perfectly planned city of under 100,000 nestled up alongside a great university with young-ish, enlightened, happy, healthy folks everywhere you look. On the three hundred days of sunshine—more than Miami gets—which are judiciously spread out over four very distinct seasons, outdoorsy locals and visitors head out to one of the many local ski areas or just wander around the city’s 30,000 acres of open space. If you're culturally inclined (or if you’re just sick of feeling so healthy), there are over thirty art galleries, four fantastic museums and dozens of world-class festivals, including the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Colorado Music Festival.
For those who prefer some indulgences when traveling, Boulder has plenty of eco-excess to tempt you. The 10,000 square-foot spa at the new St. Julien Hotel (doubles start at $250) offers several signature locally-created treatments like Boulder Rocks, an energy-balancing therapy that starts with a renewing facial using energy-balancing gemstones and is followed by a sublime, full body, hot stone massage.
Visiting foodies should be sure not to miss The Kitchen (call 303-544-5973 for more information), a high-concept local bistro that serves delicious water that flows from an artesian spring, all-organic food, and the city's best burgers, made from hormone-free lamb. Then there's also Frasca Food and Wine (303-442-6966), on the central shopping street in town, a seasonal Italian restaurant that strongly supports local farmers who provide excellent, naturally raised meats and organically grown produce. And if you really want a green gourmet feast, make sure you're in Boulder on March 20th, or International Earth Day (not regular, ol' Earth Day, which takes place every year on April 22nd—oh, those international Boulderites!). Make a reservation now for the Zero Carbon Footprint Wine Dinner at the Jill’s Restaurant, as conceived by executive chef Jason Rogers and Benziger Family Winery. This five-course dinner incorporates certified organic and sustainable produce and meats from within a 100 miles; each course will be paired with Benziger biodynamic wines. Because even food from next door has some carbon footprint, the restaurant will pay to offset the energy required to bring all the food and wine to the table, as well as the carbon footprint created by the guests. Now that's exquisite eco-eats.—Charles Runnette
