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Things to Do in Boulder on a CU Campus Visit
Published October 30, 2026
On a CU campus visit, things to do in Boulder sit close together: The Hill next to campus, two campus museums, Pearl Street downtown, and Chautauqua Park.
Things to do in Boulder, Colorado on a CU campus visit sit close together: The Hill next to campus, a free natural history museum and a planetarium on campus, Pearl Street downtown, and Chautauqua Park with the Flatirons in view. This list comes from Tour The Hill, a Boulder company whose guides are current CU Boulder students.
What is there to do near the CU Boulder campus?
Three things to do on or next to the CU Boulder campus are The Hill, the CU Museum of Natural History and Fiske Planetarium.
- The Hill. "University Hill (aka 'The Hill') is one of Boulder's main commercial districts," and it "connects the University of Colorado campus to the east with the historic University Hills neighborhood to the west," per the Hill's business association. Liam Zirkle, a CU Boulder alum and Tour The Hill co-founder, calls it "where all the college kids live, where all the fraternities and sororities are." Our guide to what The Hill is maps the strip.
- CU Museum of Natural History. In the Henderson Building at 15th and Broadway, free, and open "Tuesday - Saturday 10am to 4pm, with extended hours until 7pm on Thursdays," per the museum's site (read October 2026). The same page also says "Open seven days a week," so check the day before you go.
- Fiske Planetarium. At 2414 Regent Drive. Its fall 2026 calendar lists public shows on Thursday and Friday evenings and on weekend afternoons, with tickets on Fiske's site.
How far is Pearl Street from CU Boulder?
Pearl Street is about a mile's walk from parts of The Hill, the neighborhood next to CU Boulder, by Liam's count. The pedestrian blocks downtown became the "Downtown Boulder Mall" on Aug. 6, 1977, "prohibiting cars on these blocks," per the City of Boulder. The Downtown Boulder Partnership is marking the mall's 50th anniversary in 2027.
To skip the walk, take the HOP bus. CU's transportation office lists the HOP for "Twenty Ninth Street Retail District, Downtown, and University Hill." The City's HOP page gives weekday service every 12 minutes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., a $2.75 fare, and free rides for anyone 19 and under (read October 2026).
Pearl Street is also a dinner stop. On eating out, Liam names two areas: "The Hill and Pearl Street are just the two areas I would mention there."
Where can a family go outside in Boulder during a college visit?
Two places for a family to go outside in Boulder during a college visit are Chautauqua Park and the Boulder Creek Path.
- Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road. Open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day (read October 2026), with access to the City's Open Space and Mountain Parks trails and the Flatirons in view, per the City's park page. The City warns that parking-lot construction may affect parking through November 30, 2026.
- Boulder Creek Path. A "popular, 5.5-mile multi-use path" from Boulder Canyon to the Stazio Ballfields, running "through downtown" past the Main Library and the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, per the City.
Liam lists student weekends as "Skiing, hiking, camping," and adds, "not every kid's outdoorsy." Plan Chautauqua or the creek path on your own time, before or after campus.
What do CU Boulder students do on weekends?
CU Boulder students spend weekends outdoors, at games and concerts, and on The Hill, in Liam's account. "I'd say football games, concerts, and now big events are coming back to the stadium again," he says, and The Hill always has people on it: "there's always kids roaming around."
If you want to see a game weekend, the last 2026 home games at Folsom Field are these, per the Colorado football schedule (read October 2026):
- Saturday, October 31: Kansas State, 12 p.m.
- Friday, November 13: Houston, 8:15 p.m.
- Saturday, November 28: UCF, time to be announced.
Our one-day visit plan puts campus, The Hill and dinner in order.
To see campus and The Hill with a current CU student, book Tour The Hill's Private Tour, $150 per group for 60 to 90 minutes, at tourthehillboulder.com/request-tour.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CU Museum of Natural History free?
Yes, the CU Museum of Natural History is free, according to the museum's website (read October 2026). It sits in the Henderson Building at 15th and Broadway and lists hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Thursdays open until 7 p.m.
Can you walk from CU Boulder to Pearl Street?
Yes, you can walk from CU Boulder to Pearl Street. It is about a mile from parts of The Hill, by Liam Zirkle's count. The HOP bus also links University Hill and downtown, every 12 minutes on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., for $2.75, according to the City of Boulder (as of October 2026).
How long is the Boulder Creek Path?
The Boulder Creek Path is 5.5 miles long, according to the City of Boulder. It runs from Boulder Canyon on the west end to the Stazio Ballfields on the east, through downtown, and it passes the Main Library and the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse on the way. The City calls it a multi-use path.