Getting the lay of the land (Boulder, Longmont: rental, crime, house)

[dpolly]

Hi! My family and I (daughter 10) will be moving to Boulder from Alabama in July. We would really like to know of any Must See and Do things that we should check out in the few weeks she will have before starting school. I would really like it if she felt a little familiar with the area when she starts school.

Also any tips or info for newcomers is SOOO greatly appreciated!!!! Can't wait to be in beautiful Boulder!

[Katarina Witt]

Well, Boulder isn't too big, so you ought to be able to see plenty of it before she starts school. I don't know if she'd like the Pearl St. Mall, but you probably would. Chautauqua Park, restaurant, et all is pretty cool and she might enjoy the hiking. There are some failry easy trails there. For actual shopping for things you really need, e.g. school clothes, try FlatIron Crossing Mall. It's in Broomfield, but that's close enough. There is the Boulder Reservoir where you can go swimming and boating. Check out the rec centers; North, South, and East. The pool at East is really neat for kids. I'll let some others add their faves.

[TropicanaRose]

North Boulder Rec has a fancy leisure pool too. What kinds of things does your daughter like to do?

[dpolly]

Well, we are an outdoorsy family, so we are certainly looking forward to all the open space around Boulder. She is a girl scout here so I hope to find a troop for her there. Loves swimming and has dabbled in a lot of other sports just for fun. Of course being 'pre-teen' she has her electronics and shopping needs.

Thank you for your mentioning rec centers. That is definitely something I will check out. We live on the Tennessee River here so we will definitely miss swimming!

Kind of on another topic, but, is Boulder the kind of town where I am going to feel comfortable letting her rider around our neighborhood on her bike? Alone? Or send her to the store to grab something? That is certainly the feel I have gotten when visiting and it is what I am hoping to bring her into. I know that anything can happen anywhere, I was just wondering if any of you have kids and how 'safe' are the neighborhoods of Boulder?

[TropicanaRose]

I would not let her run around alone. You can look at crime maps, etc. and get the facts- which may well support letting her run around alone. Facts aside, very few of the moms that I know would feel comfortable allowing their ten year old out alone. A dad in one of my relative's neighborhood (which is a very nice one) recently did just that, and it was discussed. Get to know people before you make the choice to let her run around alone. It's possible that you will be in a neighborhood/social group where that is acceptable, but wait until you get the lay of the land.

I'm always seeing statistics about how children are safer from stranger crimes now than they ever have been. But the perceptions about danger and how you are or are not watching your child could have an effect on how you and your daughter are received.

I hope that this reply makes sense. It isn't meant to be a judgment on your desire to let your ten year old fly solo now and then- just a frank reply as to how that decision may be perceived by many Boulder parents.

I'm giving you a link to the CU Science Discovery classes. Some of them are outdoor classes, such as the one exploring Eldorado Canyon every day for a week. These camps usually fill up pretty quickly, but I have seen people have pretty good luck with the waiting lists. If she could get in it might be a nice way to meet some other children.
Summer Classes | Science Discovery | University of Colorado at Boulder

Speaking of Eldorado, that's another fun place to swim:

Eldorado Natural Spring Water

REI has a cute passport that kids can use to make a hiking journal. If you scroll down the page, you can also download a guide to "family hikes" near Boulder.

REI's Kids' Passport to Adventure

Boulder has tons of fun events and activities, from festivals to ranger talks. The Daily Camera website has a searchable calendar, and when you are here you can also pick up the free Boulder County Kids newspaper.

This is a great place for active families. I hope you love it!

[suzco]

Originally Posted by dpolly

. . .
Kind of on another topic, but, is Boulder the kind of town where I am going to feel comfortable letting her rider around our neighborhood on her bike? Alone? Or send her to the store to grab something? . . .

Apart from the issues TropicanaRose mentioned above, there are some other concerns. Depending on your exact neighborhood, very local bike riding etc. might be fine, but Boulder is not a quiet small town; there's lots of traffic and congestion on the roads. There are plenty of bike paths and bike lanes, but you still have to get to and from them. Most stores are in busy, heavily trafficked areas.

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

100% agree here. We live in the very s.w. part of Longmont - very quite area for the most part, 1 block from a King Soopers which my son could get to using the back way. But at 10 there would be no way I would let him, because the one road that would have to be crossed is too busy. It's the drivers not paying attention I worried about.
He's almost 15 now and when he goes to that area, he goes with a group. I think they are easier to see that way. And they usually walk.
Just seems like these days with people being in a hurry, talking on cell phones while driving, inexperienced teens behind the wheel....we had a close call one time, when all 3 of us were riding bikes. We had right of way to cross, but the inexperienced teen in the car wanting to turn right wasn't paying attention.
Boulder being a college town and the congestion with traffic.....I wouldn't feel comfortable with if it were my child. Now just riding around in a quiet neighborhood? That's a different story. But I agree - get the lay of the land first, get to know some neighbors, etc. before giving her too much freedom

You might find NCAR interesting and there are some good trails out of there. If she likes biking then she might like some of these camps:
Ride SMBA! - Home

[dpolly]

Thank you all for your excellent input. That is exactly what I needed. I like the idea of being able to peruse the sidewalks of a quiet neighborhood (we live in a rural setting here) but would never send her onto the busy streets (until, gulp, she's driving!)

Also, thanks so much for the activities you all listed above. Lots of great stuff there!

[dpolly]

Well, we visited Boulder last weekend and found a great rental on Tantra Park Circle. It is the cutest house, and a great quiet neighborhood and SOO close to everything!

Sold our house here, too! Its all happening so fast now, but I CANT WAIT!

[Katarina Witt]

Good luck with your move. Keep us posted.