Boulder: My Happy Place

Boulder is my Happy Place

How fun for me that Downtown Boulder has been celebrating Happiness Happens Month all of August, 2022!

This is so cool for me for many reasons:

  1. Boulder really IS my Happy Place! I love so many things about it! (In fact, it will be hard to limit the length of this blog post. I might have to write an eBook about why Boulder is such a wonderful place.)
  2. I personally know Pamela Gail Johnson, the Founder of Happiness Happens Month. (I’m even quoted in her new book, Practical Happiness!) Pamela has been a great inspiration and mentor for me in my promotion of National Carpe Diem Day!
  3. I’ve lived on the outskirts of Boulder for 22 years but I’m always discovering more. Now that I’m retired, I’ve wanted to learn more about its history and really explore all it has to offer. I also love scavenger hunts and games. The Happiness Happens events gave me the perfect opportunity and appreciate Boulder on a deeper level!

Getting Prepared

I started the month with a trip to one of the Boulder Visitor’s Centers to pick up a lot of great information about Hiking Trails, Pearl Street, History, and Walking Tours.

I also subscribed to the bi-weekly Downtown Boulder newsletter, which is always filled with fun events going on. For example, the email I got this morning told me about these upcoming September, 2022 events:

So much to do in Boulder!!

Here are some of the things I love best about Boulder:

The Hiking

Chautauqua Park – One of my favorite places to hike in Boulder

I do a lot of Boulder hiking! What a great way to get exercise, experience nature, sunshine, and beauty – all things that increase our happiness!

Pearl Street

There are so many wonderful restaurants and stores on the Pearl Street Mall! I once wanted to try and experience every one of them and then I learned there were over 1000 businesses! I love the many unique and local businesses. But one of the things that makes me really happy are all the flowers that line Pearl Street!

The Events

The Tulip Fairy and Elf Festival welcomes Spring to Boulder
Artisans show there wares at Boulder Art shows
More Art at First Fridays in North Boulder
The annual Bolder Boulder 10K race has been a special tradition for me since moving to Boulder in 1999.
The Boulder Band Shell offers up bands and dancing at Memorial Weekend and Labor Day Weekend Festivals, and is a community gathering spot for many events.
Band on the Bricks – Weekly summer outdoor concerts
The Boulder International Film Festival
Mapleton Hill PorchFest

Other Iconic Boulder spots

The Dushanbe Teahouse
Boulder Creek
CU Football games at Folsom Field
The Boulder Library.
Dancing on the patio at St. Julien Hotel and Spa
Dancing at The Avalon Ballroom
Another shot of the Boulder Library!

This is just a sampling of the beauty of Boulder. I didn’t even include pictures of the University, the playhouses, the music venues, the 29th Street Mall, NCAR, the Breweries (I don’t drink beer, but I hear the Breweries are awesome!) I could go on and on.

I think we so often take for granted the beauty in our own back yards. This Happiness Happens month in Boulder has reminded me of how lucky I am to live in one of the most beautiful, cultural, and friendly places in the country.