Boulder, Colorado practicalities. Local and long-distance buses come into Boulder at the Transit Center, 14th and Walnut streets (phone 303/442-1044); there are regular services from Denver and the airport

Boulder, Colorado
Local and long-distance buses come into Boulder at the Transit Center, 14th and Walnut streets (phone 303/442-1044); there are regular services from Denver and the airport

Local and long-distance buses come into Boulder at the Transit Center, 14th and Walnut streets (phone 303/442-1044); there are regular services from Denver and the airport (every 30min 8am-6pm, hourly 5-8am & 6-11pm; 75¢ local fare, $3 to Denver, $8 to airport; phone 303/299-6000). The Boulder Airporter also runs shuttles from Denver International Airport (hourly 8am-11pm; $14; phone 303/444-0808). Boulder's local shuttle bus, the HOP (every 15min Mon-Wed 7am-9pm, Thurs-Sat 7am-2.30am; 75¢), links downtown, the university and the trendy student district known as "the Hill." The hospitable visitor center is at 2440 Pearl St (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; phone 303/442-2911 or 1-800/444-0447).

Even if you're not staying in the historic Hotel Boulderado , wonderfully located near Pearl Street at 2115 13th St (phone 303/442-4344, ; $160-200), it's an atmospheric place to wander into for a drink and to listen to the free evening jazz. Nearby, in another grand old restored building, the Pearl Street Inn , 1820 Pearl St (phone 303/444-5584 or 1-888/810-1302, ; $100-130), offers elegant B&B-style accommodations. The Foot of the Mountain , 200 Arapahoe Ave (phone 303/442-5688; $75-100), is a friendly, log-cabin-style motel , nine blocks from downtown beside Boulder Creek. There's a welcoming youth hostel in a Victorian building at 1107 12th St, near the campus (phone 303/442-0522; $35-50); dorm beds cost $15, and there are lots of private rooms ($35 single, $42 double).

You won't have any problem finding bars and restaurants downtown, especially around the Pearl Street area. Two local papers, the Boulder Planet and the Boulder Weekly , are replete with dining and boozing information. May Wah Cuisine , 2500 Baseline Rd (phone 303/499-8225), is a good-value Chinese restaurant with cheap lunch specials, while The Harvest Restaurant and Bakery , 1738 Pearl St (phone 303/449-6223), is a must for any vegetarian, or anyone who appreciates healthy fare - though they do serve some flesh. A good upmarket choice is the Flagstaff House , 1138 Flagstaff Rd (phone 303/442-4640), where the menu frequently changes but often includes gamey "Rocky Mountain Cuisine." The Hotel Boulderado has two popular nighttime haunts: the Corner Bar , with armchair seating, a patio and pub food, and the Catacombs , which features nightly live blues, jazz and acoustic guitar music. The West End Tavern , 926 Pearl St (phone 303/444-3535), is a great venue for live jazz and comedy, with local microbrews and spectacular Flatiron mountain views from the roof terrace. For getting your groove on, Round Midnight at 1005 Pearl St is your best bet; there's a packed dance floor on the weekends (phone 303/442-2176).

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