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Boulder, Colorado

Everything Boulder is known for

RoadyGoat plays music like this when you drive through Boulder. It's free on iPhone, and full songs play through Apple Music.

Boulder, Colorado, nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, has a notable musical identity. With 66 artists calling it home and 32 songs mentioning the city, Boulder has inspired and hosted a diverse range of musical talent. Artists such as the folk musician Gregory Alan Isakov and the rock band Big Head Todd and the Monsters are from Boulder. The city is also referenced in songs like "Boulder to Birmingham" by Emmylou Harris.

Boulder's music scene has a long history, with venues like the Boulder Theater and the Fox Theatre hosting a variety of acts. The city is also known for its outdoor recreation and stunning natural beauty.

Music in Boulder

Songs About Boulder

Rocky Mountain Healin'
Ray LaMontagne
100%
"Flatirons flashing in the sun"
I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado
Mary Travers
100%
"Some old song he wrote of love in Boulder Canyon"
Banshee Beat - Live June 2, 2009 Boulder, CO
Animal Collective
100%
"SONG: Banshee Beat - Live June 2, 2009 Boulder, CO"
Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krisna Beauregard
John Prine
100%
"In the Hotel Boulderado"
Jenny & the Ess-Dog
Stephen Malkmus
100%
"Jennifer left for school up in Boulder"
Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard
John Prine
93%
"In the Hotel Boulderado"
Rocky Mountain Healin’
Ray LaMontagne
93%
"Flatirons flashing in the sun"
back to boulder
the tender things
83%
"TITLE"
Boulder to Birmingham
Emmylou Harris
83%
"I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham"
Boulder Skies
Pure Prairie League
82%
"then I'll come on back to Boulder Skies"
Boulder to Birmingham
Dolly Parton
81%
"I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham"
Boulder
Cate Downey
81%
"I heard you went back to boulder"
boulder
blue hour
80%
Colorado Boulder
charlieonnafriday
79%
"She a lil' high roller, go to Colorado Boulder, yeah"
55%
"From your roommate back in Boulder"
Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues - Live
Todd Snider
55%
"Move up to Boulder, follow the Yonder Mountain String Band"
Going Back to Colorado
Zephyr
54%
"But nothing like I miss boulder town"
Jenny and the Ess-Dog
Stephen Malkmus
53%
"Jennifer left for school up in Boulder"

Showing top 20 of 40 songs · Hear more in the free iPhone app

Rivers & Roads in Song near Boulder

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Boulder.

History of Boulder

Longmont, CO RoadyGoat

Longmont, Colorado, owes its existence to a deliberate plan. Unlike many towns that sprung up organically around a mine or a railroad junction, Longmont was the brainchild of the Chicago-Colorado Colony, an intentional community seeking fertile land and a fresh start in 1871. Situated on the high plains at nearly 5,000 feet, with the dramatic silhouette of Longs Peak dominating the western horizon, the area offered both stunning views and the promise of agricultural prosperity. While farming remains important, the town has evolved, with manufacturing – particularly in the tech sector – now a major economic driver. The legacy of that planned beginning persists. Visitors are drawn to Longmont’s calm, friendly atmosphere, a palpable sense of community that distinguishes it from the frenetic pace of larger cities nearby. The craft brewing scene, exemplified by the nationally recognized Left Hand Brewing Company, is another draw, a modern echo of the town's industrious spirit. But if you ask a local why people truly settle in Longmont, they'll tell you it's more than just the scenery or the beer; it’s the feeling of belonging, the sense of a place where neighbors still look out for each other, even after floods like the devastating one in 2013 tested the town's resilience.

13.8 mi away

Longmont, CO RoadyGoat

Longmont, Colorado, a place where the plains meet the Rockies, has nurtured its share of notable figures. The town, named for the iconic Longs Peak visible on the horizon, saw its early days shaped by agriculture, a legacy that continues even as manufacturing, especially in the tech sector, takes hold. Buffalo Bill Cody himself graced the stage of the Dickens Opera House, a testament to the town's early connection to the wider world. While tragedy struck in 2013 with the devastating floods, the community's resilience shone through. More recently, Longmont High School celebrated a state football championship in 2009, showcasing local athletic talent.

13.8 mi away

Central City - Richest Square Mile on Earth

1859

The first major gold strike in Colorado, where John Gregory's 1859 discovery in Gregory Gulch launched the Pikes Peak Gold Rush and built a mining town that called itself the Richest Square Mile on Earth.

19.6 mi away

Buffalo Bill's Grave & Museum

1917

William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody, the most famous showman of the American frontier, is buried atop Lookout Mountain near Golden, Colorado, a site he chose himself for its commanding view of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains.

19.6 mi away

Things to Do in Boulder

Everything Near Boulder

24 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

  • Boulder, CO · Local history

    At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, where Boulder Creek rushes down from the Continental Divide, a different kind of gold fever took hold in 1858. It wasn't the precious metal alone that built Boulder, though that was…

  • Hotel Boulderado · 0.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Step back in time at the Hotel Boulderado, a Boulder landmark since 1909. Local architects Redding & Sons designed this grand hotel, which opened its doors on New Year's Day. Imagine the excitement as guests arrived to…

  • McKenzie Well · 2.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    This unassuming spot sparked a gusher of black gold that changed Colorado forever. In 1901, the McKenzie Well, or McKenzie #1, struck oil. This wasn't just any oil strike; it led to the discovery of the Boulder Oil…

  • Salina School · 6.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine learning in this one-room schoolhouse in a former mining town dating back to the 1870s! You're approaching the Salina School, a testament to early Colorado life. Built around 1875 or 1876, this humble building…

  • Gold Hill, Colorado · 8.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Get ready to step back in time! Gold Hill isn't just a pretty mountain town; it was the site of the first major gold discovery in what would become Colorado. Back in 1859, prospectors found gold here, sparking a rush to…

  • Kullgren House · 9.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine life as a coal miner in the late 19th century at this former boarding house. The Kullgren House, built in 1896, stands at 209 East Cleveland Street in Lafayette. It was home to Andrew Kullgren from 1896 to 1919.…

  • Miller House (Lafayette, Colorado) · 9.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    This unassuming house is a testament to Mary Miller, the woman who literally put Lafayette, Colorado on the map. Miller arrived in Colorado in 1863. More than two decades later, after discovering coal on her land, she…

  • Lafayette House · 9.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Ever wonder what it was like to live in a booming coal town? This unassuming house on Simpson Street holds a piece of that history. Built around 1900, the Lafayette House opened as a boarding house, offering a place for…

  • Switzerland Trail · 10.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine a train chugging along these very hills, connecting remote mining towns! That was the Switzerland Trail, originally a narrow-gauge railroad. Around the turn of the 1900s, the Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific…

  • Longmont, CO · 13.8 mi

    Longmont, Colorado, owes its existence to a deliberate plan. Unlike many towns that sprung up organically around a mine or a railroad junction, Longmont was the brainchild of the Chicago-Colorado Colony, an intentional…

  • Eldora, Colorado · 16.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Welcome to Eldora, or as the locals still call it, Happy Valley! This mountain hamlet transformed from a bustling gold mining camp to a beloved ski destination. Gold was discovered here in 1875, and a town quickly…

  • Gold Miner Hotel · 16.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over here, you've got to see this! This isn't just any hotel; it's a direct link to the Colorado gold rush. Back in 1898, when Eldora was booming with miners hoping to strike it rich, this hotel was built. Imagine…

Show all 24 nearby places
  • Eldora Historic District · 16.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Step back in time in this historic district, once a bustling mining camp known as Eldorado Camp. In the late 1800s, gold fever struck, and Eldora, originally called 'Happy Valley,' boomed as miners flocked here hoping…

  • Westminster Castle · 17.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Known locally as "The Pillar of Fire," this historic landmark stands out on the Colorado horizon. Construction of Westminster Castle, originally intended to house Westminster University, began in 1893. However, the…

  • Bowles House (Westminster, Colorado) · 17.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Ever wonder who brought the railroad to Westminster? It might just be the guy who built this house. That's the Bowles House, built around 1871 by Edward Bruce Bowles and his wife, Mahala. Bowles came to Colorado as a…

  • Astor House (Golden, Colorado) · 18.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Step back in time at this 1867 stone hotel, a relic from Golden's early days as a bustling frontier town. The Astor House was built in 1867. It was known by several names, including Castle Rock House and Hotel Boston,…

  • Central City/Black Hawk Historic District · 19.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Hold on tight; you're about to drive through a place once called the Richest Square Mile on Earth! This is the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District, a preserved window into Colorado's gold rush days. Back in the…

  • Ammunition Igloo · 19.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    This unassuming mound of earth and stone holds a secret: it's an ammunition bunker from World War II. Back in 1940, as the world braced for war, this igloo-shaped bunker was built at Camp George West. Its thick stone…

  • Central City - Richest Square Mile on Earth · 19.6 mi · Historical Marker

    The first major gold strike in Colorado, where John Gregory's 1859 discovery in Gregory Gulch launched the Pikes Peak Gold Rush and built a mining town that called itself the Richest Square Mile on Earth.

  • Buffalo Bill's Grave & Museum · 19.6 mi · Historical Marker

    William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody, the most famous showman of the American frontier, is buried atop Lookout Mountain near Golden, Colorado, a site he chose himself for its commanding view of the Great Plains and the Rocky…

  • Teller House · 19.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over for a drink, and maybe catch a glimpse of a ghost! The Teller House is more than just a historic hotel; it's a place steeped in legend. Built in 1872, the Teller House quickly became a lavish social hub in…

  • Central City Opera House · 19.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over for a second and imagine the echoes of arias and applause! This isn't just any building; it's the Central City Opera House, a place that once pulsed with the energy of Colorado's gold rush era. Built in 1878,…

  • Colorow Point Park · 19.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Pull over here for a second! This tiny park packs a punch, offering a breathtaking view and a connection to a powerful Ute leader. Colorow Point Park is named for Chief Colorow, a prominent figure in the Ute Nation. He…

  • Camp George West Historic District · 19.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb

    Imagine soldiers training right here, preparing for duty. Camp George West, established for the Colorado National Guard, was a crucial training ground, especially for rifle practice. While artillery practice was…

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