Begin with Boulder

About 25 miles northwest of Denver and at about the same elevation you'll find Boulder, Co.  This is a really cool artsy community with sort of a "hip" vibe located at the base of the mountains. 

The center of town has a pedestrian street running east and west called Pearl Street.  This mile long street now called the Pearl Street Mall is tree lined with sitting areas and hundreds of shops, restaurants, and boutiques.  At the Boulder Arts and Crafts Gallery (www.boulderartsandcrafts.com) you can get feel of the local art including western, mountain, southwestern, Native |American and Mexican.   The U of Colorado is located less than a mile south of Pearl Street and a nice walk or drive.

 Continue west on Pearl and you'll quickly start climbing into the Rockies.  If hikeing is your thing, the Boulder Creek Path runs from the University west, winding its way right up to the hills west of town.  Where else can you start a hiking trek in a down town

and end up in the mountains?  Here is a link to all those fun arty festival activities in Bolder in the month of July from "Band on the Bricks" (Pearl St Mall) to an open air art show to beer tasting:

http://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/events/?e_ViewBy=month&e_sDate=07-01-2013&e_sortBy=eventName

The Uof C is also home to the Colorado Shakespeare Festival.  The festival runs from June through August and features popular works daily with ticket prices beginning at $10.  Here is the summer scheduel.
http://www.coloradoshakes.org/2013-season

Art on the Pearl St Mall. 
 Next week: Estes Park