Travel season is upon us, and for those of us looking for open water excursions this summer Boulder is more than happy to deliver. Facing the Front Range and back dropped by the famous Flat Irons, this Colorado treasure has long been known as an adventure junkie haven. However, it’s Boulder’s unique mix of additional adventure activities and culture that makes it the ultimate get-a-way for those of us that want to swim and enjoy a little more than a tent and a protein bar at the end of a day!
Here are the Top Four Reasons why you should hit Boulder this summer.
Reason #1 – Swim a Mile More Than a Mile High
The Boulder Reservoir offers swimmers the opportunity to train at the 5200 feet above sea level with open water swimming hours throughout the week leading up to the Triton Boulder open water swim. Don’t like swimming alone? There are various groups that host guided swims throughout the summer. Really want to challenge yourself??? Come race at the Triton Boulder open water swim. The Triton Boulder was created to honor the spirit of the all-around aquatic athlete, the Triton Series combines a multitude of open water challenges in events across the country. The Triton Boulder features the signature Triton SPRINT (500 m) , ONE (1.2 mile) and SELECT (2.4 mile) courses and is being considered one of the Top Ten Open Water Challenges in the country. More information is available at www.TritonSeries.com
Reason #2 – Bikes, Bikes and more Bikes
Biking is one of the best ‘dryland’ exercises for swimmers. Perhaps that is why so many great swimmers and triathletes hail Boulder. One of the first cities to embrace the biking movement, Boulder’s biking culture is virtually unmatched anywhere in the country. Families can enjoy an extensive bike share program that allows for casual rides throughout the entire downtown area. Road warriors can experience even more altitude crushing intensity cruising the Morgul-Bismark Route , made famous by it’s appearance in the movie American Flyers. For those that want to get down and dirty, Betasso Preserve and the Valmont Bike Park offer days of opportunities with miles and miles of mountain bike trails. You can even service your ride 24/7 with a bike necessity vending machine located outside of UBikes. Feeling really froggy??? Grab your costume and join the Boulder Cruiser Ride, a themed costumed event through the streets every Thur night in the summer.
Reason #3 – Channel Your Inner Foodie
While most of America has just discovered the wondrous benefits of the Farmers Market, the Boulder restaurant scene has been embracing the Farm-to-Table movement since the 60s. This has not gone unnoticed. Boulder was named one of the Five ‘Secret Foodie’ Cities by Forbes Magazine and ‘America’s Foodiest Town’ by Bon Appetit Magazine. Fan favorites include the historic Flagstaff House, Frasca Food & Wine, and Oak at 14th Street.
Reason #4 – Culture, Culture, Culture
Boulder meets the culture challenge with a thriving music, arts and shopping scene. The Downtown Design District is diverse in medium with studios specializing in everything from oil paintings to wood etchings. While Red Rocks tends to steal the CO music spotlight (did we mention it’s only 45 min down the road?); Boulder Theater has been an art deco institution since 1906 with various famous music artists and avant-garde films regularly filling its calendar. Pearl Street Mall offers an eclectic mix of boutiques spanned across a four block pedestrian mall in the center of town. Need an afternoon pick me up? Swing by Dushanbe Teahouse, this ornate landmark was shipped piece by piece from sister city Tajikistan and rebuilt on the Boulder creek side.
All in all Boulder offers an adventure fan the ultimate opportunity to enjoy swimming in the great outdoors in an upscale environment. But it also fosters the idea of relaxing and enjoying your next event/training related vacation.
Come join us for the Triton Boulder open water experience August 26-27, 2017.
Open Water Planet (OWP) was created to provide the open water sports community a place to call their own. We are spread all over the world but we are alike in so many ways. We work hard, we play hard. There is always an excuse to travel and the thrills are all the reward we need. Our pools have no walls and the lanes are ever-changing. OWP spreads it’s core message of never fearing the unknown through the company’s series of open water events, clinics, swim travel, training programs and custom gear. All specifically aimed at helping those passionate about the water to get where they want to go.
Swimming news courtesy of Open Water Planet, a SwimSwam partner.