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6 Ways to Enjoy a Sober Spring in Boulder

Written on June 24, 2021
6 Ways to Enjoy a Sober Spring in Boulder

You know what they say,
“It’s a beautiful day to be sober!”

This couldn’t apply more to springtime in Boulder Colorado, right at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Blue skies, vibrant, abundant sunshine, and budding spring flowers under the feet of the snow capped mountains. When we think of spring, we think of renewal. Of second chances. Of a new start. We think of emerging like a tight bud after a chilling, lonely winter to brave the world, to awaken from hibernation. In these ways, spring embodies the heart of early recovery. A thawing of the dark period of addiction and a welcoming of rebirth, newness, and growth. The days grow longer and longer, the weather warmer and warmer. We watch the world around us slowly gain back the color it had lost during the famine months. We find ourselves reconnecting with our neighbors as people spend time on their porches once again. This spring feels all the more potent in its energy of hopefulness and renewal, for we are watching the world emerge, little by little, from the COVID-19 pandemic that has kept us furrowed away for so long. As more and more people become vaccinated, people are feeling a renewed sense of safety and hope from a year of turmoi. This is a spring unlike any other. There are so many wonderful ways to celebrate and enjoy this time of year in sobriety! Here are a few of our favorites:

Take a hike under the Flatirons in Boulder.

Boulder as a city is unique in that it is literally surrounded by beautiful open space. In fact, it was the first city in the country to buy the open space lands surrounding it in order to protect them. The result is a small city nestled by mountains on one side and serene farmland on the other. In this way, Boulder really is the best of both worlds! There are the great food and cultural events of a city with all the perks of a small mountain town; nature is just out your back door. We love hiking around the Boulder area and beyond at Flatirons Recovery, and incorporate it into our addiction recovery curriculum. The spring sun and emerging life on the trails is both exhilarating and therapeutic on our group hikes.

Pack a picnic

Picnicking is one of the best and safest ways to spend time with friends and family during COVID, and spring makes it extra lovely. Boulder and the surrounding areas have an abundance of wonderful picnic spots. From city parks where you can throw a frisbee back and forth, to the shores of serene lakes and creeks, to mountaintops with stunning vistas of the Rocky Mountains, there is no shortage of great spots to kick back and enjoy a delicious sober meal with others. And because Boulder is a foodie hub, there is also no shortage of delicious treats and non-alcoholic beverages to pack along, either.

Join an outdoor fitness or yoga class

Fitness is a hugely beneficial part of holistic recovery from addiction, which is why we integrate it into our programing on an almost daily basis. For those wanting more or who have completed our programming and are settling in the area, there is an abundance of amazing options for maintaining physical wellness. Boulder is considered a world-renowned epicenter of yoga and other mind-body practices, as well as rigorous fitness regimens such as cross-fit and bootcamps. Due to COVID, many great classes were moved outside to city parks last summer, and will likely be doing so again as the weather continues to warm.

Go rock climbing

Rock climbing is another thing Boulder and its surrounding area are famous for. From scaling the Flatirons that overlook the town to the advanced trad climbs of Eldorado Canyon, Boulder is one of the top climbing spots in the world. Spring is the perfect time to get outside and climb, when the weather is warm but not yet too hot. We love integrating rock climbing into our addiction treatment program for its numerous benefits: building confidence and trust in yourself and others, dropping into the present moment, enjoying exercise as part of a holistic recovery lifestyle, and mindfully exploring fear, risk, and boundaries in ways that directly apply to life in recovery.

Take a bike ride

Boulder and its surrounding towns are some of the most bikable in the country. You can zip across town on beautiful, tree and creek-lined paths hardly seeing a busy road. The roads that criss-cross Boulder’s open spaces are perfect for road biking, and the mountains offer an abundance of mountain biking excursions as well. Ditching the car for a bike is a wonderful way to celebrate the warmth of spring, all while getting a great workout.

Peruse a farmer’s market or farm stand

Boulder, Lafayette, and Louisville all have wonderful farmer’s markets where you can not only buy produce, but also peruse artisan wares, catch some live music, and lounge peacefully outside with a delicious meal from a local food truck or restaurant booth. Picking up some tulips, plant seeds, or early season produce make spring feel all the more real and exciting. In the farmland dotting the landscape around Lafayette, there are also plentiful farms where you can say hi to the animals, fill up on produce, and explore where your food comes from, a wonderful activity to develop mindfulness relating to holistic nutrition and diet.