Chautauqua Park in Boulder Colorado
One of Boulder’s most iconic landmarks, Chautauqua Park is a popular place for hiking and dining. It also contains a rich history that helped shape Boulder into what it is today.
Originally, the Colorado Chautauqua had tent housing but locals began building cottages that could be rented out to guests. The association later used the income from cottage rentals as its primary source of revenue. You’ll be glad you read this!
The Dining Hall
Located within the National Historic Landmark of Boulder’s Chautauqua Park, this dining hall serves up brunch, lunch, dinner, and drinks from morning to night. The restaurant is just a small part of the overall experience that has become a Boulder tradition since 1898 and is now home to lodging options, venues to host private events and activities that range from relaxing hikes to live concerts.
The Dining Hall has a robust brunch, lunch, and dinner menu with classic American dishes like fried chicken benedicts, mole tots, and bison pastrami sandwiches. They also offer Colorado meat such as trout and elk along with delicious desserts and specialty cocktails made from locally sourced ingredients.
Whether you’re looking for a place to stop before heading up the trails on a local hike, grabbing a quick bite before an evening concert at the Auditorium, or meeting friends over dinner, you can’t find a more perfect spot than the dining hall at the Colorado Chautauqua. Guests can enjoy the views of the Flatirons while enjoying a great meal.
The General Store
This new convenience store is a welcome addition to the community for guests who stay in cottages or other lodging options in Chautauqua. It sells coffee, sweet and savory pastries, chai, local teas, cold beverages, milkshakes, energy snacks, and mementos to take home.
Colorado Chautauqua, the oldest continuously operating Chautauqua west of Texas, was founded in 1898. It is also the only year-round Chautauqua and one of the few that remains intact from its heyday in the 1920s.
Today, the historic village within Boulder, Colorado is a National Landmark that offers dining options, venues for public and private events, lodging, and other facilities and activities for visitors. Chautauqua Park is also the trailhead for 40 miles of hiking trails including hikes into the Flatirons and paths through canyons and summits with views to the Rocky Mountains in the west. Dayhikes Near Denver has detailed trail profiles for many of the hikes that begin in or are adjacent to Chautauqua Park. A must-see place!
The Auditorium
Originally built for the first season of the Colorado Chautauqua in 1898, this wooden auditorium has hosted lectures and musical performances since then. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
In 1918, the Colorado Chautauqua reorganized itself as a Boulder-based enterprise and began to offer motion pictures in addition to live stage presentations. The Chautauqua Association pledged that the motion picture presentations would be limited to films considered morally uplifting and suitable for family viewing.
If you attend a concert at the Auditorium, be sure to save on parking by taking advantage of the free HOP 2 Chautauqua transit service. The shuttle runs on concert nights from a downtown bus stop.
The Cottages
House Crazy Sarah stumbled upon this adorable historic completely contained village (complete with its own restaurant and general store) one fine weekend and was intrigued. This Colorado Chautauqua is a hiker and mountain biker’s dream, sitting directly on multiple trailheads for the Flatirons.
The Community House is the heart of this park, offering guest lectures, concerts, and films. It’s also where the famous Colorado Music Festival takes place in the summer.
58 cottages sit around a courtyard, giving you a chance to unplug, unwind, and immerse yourself in this special place. Each cottage is unique and offers different amenities like clawfoot tubs, fireplaces, and screened-in porches. Browse the next article.
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