Destination – Boulder

By Andrew Heidt

If you’re feeling the pressure to come up with ever-more-innovative ways to wow clients and create a buzz among your meeting attendees, you’re not alone.

We hear from meeting planning pros all the time: “I just need some new ideas.” Luckily, in Boulder, Colorado a community of creative thinkers and tech startups are embracing fresh, new notions about meetings that can help breathe new life into your gathering—in a fresh-air setting, to boot.

FRESH IDEAS

By popular request, we put together a list of fresh ideas, a curated collection of unique activities for groups in Boulder. Here are a few highlights.

  • Charter your own fleet of hot air balloons. Each basket holds about 10 people, so a few balloons can accommodate a decent-sized group. And floating quietly over the Boulder Valley provides a striking view of the famous Flatirons, dramatic Rocky Mountain vistas and the eastern plains.
    Hot air balloon ride with the Flatirons as a backdrop. Courtesy of Boulder CVB.

    A hot air balloon ride with the Flatirons as a beautiful backdrop. Courtesy of Boulder CVB.

  • A new twist on yoga. Yoga Journal named Boulder a Top 10 Yoga Town. Boulder is also a hotbed for craft brewing. Put the two together and you get brewhouse yoga, offered by Jenna Bee of Bee Yoga and held at Sanitas Brewing Company’s Boulder headquarters. As Jenna says, “Breathe, laugh and nurture yourself on the mat, then breathe, laugh and nurture yourself over a beer in the tap room.” It’s a great optional activity for those in a group that want to get moving and bond over a beer, too.
    Brewhouse yoga offered by Bee Yoga at Sanitas Brewing Company. Courtesy of Bee Yoga.

    Brewhouse yoga offered by Bee Yoga at Sanitas Brewing Company. Courtesy of Bee Yoga.

  • Ride a hillbilly shack on wheels. It’s probably fair to say you’ve never seen a bus like Banjo Billy’s Bus. This rolling contraption is a kick in and of itself, but the real fun is learning fascinating tidbits and trivia as your group cruises through historic areas and beautiful sights on a grand tour of Boulder.   
    Banjo Billy's Bus Tour is a colorful way to see the sights in Boulder. Courtesy of Boulder CVB.

    Banjo Billy’s Bus Tour is a colorful way to see the sights in Boulder. Courtesy of Boulder CVB.

FRESH FOOD

Extend ideas about fresh meetings to attendees’ plates. With some 850 farms in Boulder County and the title of “America’s Foodiest Town” (bestowed by Bon Appetit magazine), you’ll find chefs who are taking farm-to-fork to a whole new level in Boulder. Choose a seasonally focused spot with private dining like Salt, Leaf or Blackbelly Market or go all out with a spectacular farm dinner with mountain views.

A Boulder farm dinner in the field. Photo by Paul Bousquet.

A Boulder farm dinner in the field. Photo by Paul Bousquet.

FRESH AIR

In a previous Destination Colorado blog, I wrote about how much attendees love to get fresh air when they meet in Colorado. In Boulder, hiking trails, babbling creeks, mountain biking paths and more are almost always minutes away—if not right at your doorstep. Arrange a naturalist guide to take you into Boulder’s wilderness, go on a group scavenger hunt at Chautauqua Park or opt for a picnic lunch beside Boulder Creek. Your guests will capture memorable moments and views on camera, and more importantly, they won’t forget the experience.

A group getting a breath of fresh air on the NCAR Weather Trail. Photo by Rich Grant.

A group getting a breath of fresh air on the NCAR Weather Trail. Photo by Rich Grant.

Andrew Heidt has spent the last 12 years in the convention and visitors bureau world and has achieved the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation from the Convention Industry Council.  Andrew can be found enjoying the Colorado outdoors, skiing as much as possible and giving triathlons a shot. He is the Director of Group Sales and Marketing for the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau.