Tanning Salon
ASPEN TAN 1710 29th St., Unit 2012, 720-565-2826
Second Place: At the Beach Third Place: Tans to Go Fourth Place: Veranda Sun Fifth Place: Polish Tan & Nail Spa
Tired of looking like you live somewhere in Scandinavia where the days are short and skin tones run as pale as Texas beer? Well stop whining, and do something about that lack of pigment. Our readers tell us that the best place to get golden brown and beach ready is at Aspen Tan.
Golf Course
FLATIRONS GOLF COURSE 5706 Arapahoe Ave., 303-442-7851
Second Place: Indian Peaks Golf Course Third Place: Haystack Mountain Golf Course Fourth Place: Boulder Country Club Fifth Place: Omni Interlocken Resort Golf Club
The only thing that could make Flatirons Golf Course better is if it was located in the real Flatirons. Okay, we admit that this would be an open-space travesty but can you just imagine the elevated tee boxes? The truth is, Flatirons is apparently just fine where it is because our readers picked it as the best golf course around. Time to tee it up.
Martial Arts
EASTON TRAINING CENTER 2005 32nd St., 303-938-1275
Second Place: Boulder Karate Third Place: Boulder Kung Fu Academy Fourth Place: Tran’s Martial Arts Fifth Place: Boulder Quest Center
The martial arts promote self-defense, mental discipline and physical fitness, all things that most of us could benefit from. With that in mind, our readers tell us that the 10,000-square-foot facility of Easton Training Center is the best place to learn and train. Easton offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing and CrossFit classes for all ages and skill levels. They also offer women-only classes and kids programs. Classes are offered seven days a week from early morning to well into the evening, so there is no excuse to stay on that couch.
MMJ Dispensary
THE DANDELION 845 Walnut St., 303-459-4676
Second Place: Herbal Wellness Third Place: Terrapin Fourth Place: Helping Hands Herbals/The Bud Depot (tie) Fifth Place: 14er Holistics
You could nearly fill the alphabet with the many offerings from Boulder’s top medical marijuana shop The Dandelion — flowers, edibles, beverages, tinctures, oils, glass pipes, baked goods, candies, salty snacks, infused oils, mists, books, teas, hash, keef. Whatever ails you, they can amend it. Members who designate Dandelion as their caregiver get some choice benefits, and those who drop in timed to the week’s specials can enjoy discounts on merchandise, edibles and shatter.
Gym/Fitness Center
COLORADO ATHLETIC CLUB 1821 30th St., 303-501-1700
Second Place: 24 Hour Fitness Third Place: Rally Sport Health and Fitness Club Fourth Place: YMCA of Boulder Valley Mapleton Center Fifth Place: North Boulder Recreation Center
Boulder is consistently voted one of the healthiest places to live with some of the most active residents. With so many outdoor activities so close, it helps to have a good gym nearby to stay in shape. Our voters say Colorado Athletic Club is the place to be for fitness. With a full supply of weight training supplies, treadmills, sport activities and recovery features, Colorado Athletic Club has been a favorite for locals for a long time. Plus, our readers like the ease of use at the facility and its affordability. And what with all those endorphins pumping, you’re likely to see a smiling face next time you stop in.
Nail Salon
TEN20 2005 Pearl St., 720-565-1020
Second Place: jlounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa Third Place: Contempo Nails Fourth Place: Happy Star Nails Fifth Place: Angel Nails
Having a good nail salon is critical. You get a bad one and you end up blowing $40 on a sub-par manicure, or worse, you get some weird, old fungus. But a good nail salon, well, now we’re talking. From expert nail artists to skilled manicurists and pedicurists, a trip to the nail salon can invigorate even the most tired and weary minds and bodies. Ten20 was the choice for best nail salon, and it’s likely due to the extra steps they take to make each visit a successful one. With a relaxing atmosphere, skilled nail technicians and exceptional amenities, Ten20 is an asset to the hands and feet of Boulder County.
Medical Center
BOULDER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 1100 Balsam Ave., 303-440-2273
Second Place: Boulder Medical Center Third Place: Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center Fourth Place: Kaiser Permanente Fifth Place: Avista Adventist Hospital
In a community that enjoys actions sports, it’s essential to know that if, knock on wood, we ever get injured we have people who can fix us. From falling off our bikes, to falling off of mountains, Boulderites love to put themselves in situations that could result in a few stitches. When you’re hurt, you want to be in good hands, and our readers prefer the hands at Boulder Community Health. When you’re in need, Boulder Community Hospital provides friendly, fast service and up-to-date quality care, and they’ll work on getting you back out on those trails as soon as possible.
Pet Boarding
COTTONWOOD KENNELS 7275 Valmont Road, 303-442-2602 %u2028
Second Place: Camp Bow Wow Third Place: The Divine Canine Pet Care Center Fourth Place: Bowhaus Dog Day Care and Boarding Fifth Place: Dog Spot/Happy Hounds Dog Care Center (tie)
Pets are part of our family, so when we travel and can’t take them with us, we want to make sure they have the best care possible. And here in Boulder, our readers say that place is Cottonwood Kennels — not just a kennel, a “bed and breakfast for pets.” Located on a small farm off Valmont Road, Cottonwood Kennels believes that the key to a happy pet is personal interaction, which is why they will carefully monitor, record and report your pet’s eating, drinking, potty habits and disposition during their stay. And even if your pet doesn’t need boarding, Cottonwood Kennels offers pet grooming and Doggie Play Care for those pet parents who have to spend a little more time than they’d like away from their fuzzy loved ones.
MMJ Evaluation Service
HOLOS HEALTH 5377 Manhattan Circle, 720-273-3568 %u2028
Second Place: GrassRoots Medical Clinic Third Place: Fully Alive Medicine Fourth Place: Relaxed Clarity Fifth Place: Colorado Medical Marijuana LLC
Holos Health has clearly stood out to our readers, getting voted Best MMJ Evaluation Service and Best Alternative Health Care Practitioners in 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015. Not only does Dr. Joe Cohen provide superior preventative care in his own office, he trains other professionals in medicinal cannabis. Whether you suffer from severe pain, seizures, glaucoma or a number of other ailments, Holos Health can help you through the process of getting a state medical marijuana card.
Lasik Services
BEYER LASIK AT BOULDER EYES 1810 30th St., Suite B, 303-499-2020
Second Place: Boulder Eye Surgeons Third Place: Boulder Vision Associates Fourth Place: Insight Lasik Fifth Place: Eyecare Center of Northern Colorado
So, you’ve finally decided to end the perpetual debate over which glasses will best accessorize your lifestyle and just go for LASIK surgery. The 20-year-old Boulder Eyes/ Beyer LASIK recommends looking for eye correction surgery in a place that’s clean, with a doctor whose credentials you can check on the National Practitioner Data Bank, updated technology for providing eye correction surgery and friendly, knowledgeable staff you’ll feel comfortable working with. In other words, consider Beyer and their years of success stories.
Barber Shop
FLOYD’S 99 BARBERSHOP 2790 Pearl St., 303-442-2279
Second Place: Al’s Barber Shop Third Place: Voodoo Hair Lounge Fourth Place: Silver & Gold Barbers and Stylists Fifth Place: Alpine Barbers
Life is a top-down operation. Translation: If your hair isn’t doing it for you then your brain gets depressed and the next thing you know you get fired from your job, lose your partner and wind up living on the street. Don’t let bad hair destroy everything you’ve worked for. Get on over to Floyd’s 99 Barbershop and get a truly great haircut. It might just save your life.
Chiropractor
THE JOINT 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite C2, 303-440-8019
Second Place: Swan Lake Chiropractic Health Centre Third Place: North Boulder Chiropractic Fourth Place: Cafe of Life (in memoriam) Fifth Place: Duggan Chiropractic
Chiropractors are one of those rare medical professionals that make you feel good immediately upon visiting them. Doctors give you prescriptions, dentists make your gums bleed, but chiropractors get right down to work and help improve your life. It’s no wonder Boulder County has a bevy of solid chiropractors, none more so than the folks at The Joint. They do a fantastic job of getting to the source of the issue in a comfortable and affordable environment and get you back to living your active lifestyle. It’d be a pain in the neck not to have a good chiropractor and so thankfully we have The Joint.
Indoor Climbing Gym
BOULDER ROCK CLUB 2829 Mapleton Ave., 800-836-4008, ext. 4 %u2028
Second Place: Movement Climbing Fitness Third Place: The Spot Bouldering Gym Fourth Place: ABC Kids Climbing Fifth Place: Lakeshore Athletic Club
Got a kid who wants to climb stuff? Or maybe you want to climb on stuff. Whatever.
Whoever. Get on over to Boulder Rock Club for a rockin’ good time for the whole family. They offer top-roping, lead climbing and bouldering, but also group fitness classes. Never climbed before? No problem. BRC offers classes for tiny tots (3 and a half to 5 years old) through adults. Wanna have a birthday party that stands out in the sea of pool parties, skating rinks and bowling allies? Once again, BRC’s got you covered.
Massage
ST JULIEN HOTEL & SPA 900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696
Second Place: Bodywork Bistro Third Place: Massage Envy Spa Fourth Place: Essentiels Day Spa Fifth Place: The Dragontree Holistic Day Spa
When it comes time to pamper yourself — maybe you’ve had a long week, a month or even a year — a massage is a good place to turn. With expertly trained massage therapists, the St Julien Hotel & Spa was our readers’ pick for best massage in Boulder. But the spa at the St Julien goes further. It enables you to have a massage with different soothing oils and in different styles to ensure maximum relaxation and progress. The space is elegantly designed and manicured for each patron to fully enjoy themselves. With relaxing music and scents, St Julien Hotel & Spa has all massage bases covered.
Veterinarian Care
ALPINE HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS 3210 Valmont Road, 303-443-9661
Second Place: Humane Society of Boulder Valley Third Place: Boulder Veterinary Hospital Fourth Place: Arapahoe Animal Hospital Fifth Place: Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital
The vet is one of those places where you only find out how important it is to have a good, trustworthy one until you get one that isn’t. Since Boulder is such a dog town, it’s no surprise that there are a number of good veterinarians and veterinary hospitals in the area. Our readers say that no one takes care of Fido and Mittens better than Alpine Hospital for Animals. With fair pricing, reliable service and friendly staff members, Alpine Hospital for Animals provides the necessary service of pet care in the community. Whether your pup or kitty gets sick or just needs his nails clipped, our readers say Alpine is the place to go.
Alternative Health Care
HOLOS HEALTH 5377 Manhattan Circle, Suite 204, 720- 273-3568
Second Place: Chautauqua Health Third Place: Helios Integrated Medicine Fourth Place: Fully Alive Medicine Fifth Place: Rolf Institute of Structural Integration
Sort of like the best way to have a clean apartment is to keep it that way — not let it turn into a disaster and then try to fix it, the best way to have a healthy body is to maintain it, and at Holos Health, their full-time medical office focuses on preventive care. By bringing a holistic approach to the idea of wellness augmented by medical marijuana, Holos Health’s Dr. Joe Cohen combines medical marijuana consultations with other wellness issues, including nutrition, lifestyle and functional medicine.
Dental Care
NORTH BOULDER DENTAL 1001 North St., 303-447-1042
Second Place: Boulder Dental Group Third Place: Alpine Dentistry Fourth Place: Boulder Dental Arts Fifth Place: Boulder Smiles
Whether you’re taking your teeth in for a basic tune-up or looking for more significant work to improve your front-end, North Boulder Dental is prepared with a team of experienced dental professionals. The staff is continually updating their education in the latest on dental research, and ready to meet individual needs for patients of any age.
Yoga Studio
CORE POWER 1129 13th St., 866-441-9642 645 27th Way, 303-497-9642 3280 28th St., 303-440-3930
Second Place: Yoga Pod Third Place: Little Yoga Studio Fourth Place: Studio Be Yoga Fifth Place: Boulder Bodyworks
Even though it seems likely, yoga bodies are not standard issue once you move to a Boulder zip code. Those bodies come with endless stretching and sweat dripping on a yoga mat.
Boulderites don’t mess around with choosing yoga studios — they want the best, which means they want Core Power. If you’re looking to become a member of the yoga body club, Core Power will get you there. Their studio is inviting for beginners, challenging for the pros and brimming with well-trained instructors that will not only give you a good workout but will melt your stress away.
Hair Salon
VOODOO HAIR LOUNGE 2100 Pearl St., 303-449-4453
Second Place: SideDoor Salon Third Place: Twig Hair Salon Fourth Place: The Parlour Hair Salon Fifth Place: Salon Salon
Hair is important. No, really. It’s one of the ways we communicate who we are to the rest of the world. Some hair whispers, “I sit in a nondescript cubicle all day,” while other hair screams, “I’m one of a kind. Catch me if you can.” At Voodoo Hair Lounge, hair is art, expression and perfection. The highly trained and creative stylists at this downtown Boulder legend come from all over the country and we guarantee that they can make your hair say anything you want it to. You could say it’s their mission… which just happens to state: “Our mission is simple; fashion forward style, mastery of the latest hair trends and techniques, superior customer service and a personal dedication to excellence.” And all this great hair is being done in Voodoo’s newly remodeled space that’s worth dropping in for all by itself. No wonder this place is our reader’s favorite hair salon.
Acupuncture
BOULDER COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE 3405 Penrose Place, 303-443-3034 %u2028
Second Place: Boulder Sports Acupuncture Third Place: Acupuncture Clinic of Boulder Fourth Place: Aloha Wellness Associates Fifth Place: Boulder Body Balance Acupuncture Clinic
In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is thought to correct imbalances in the flow of qi, which is, quite simply, the life force of any living thing. Whether you suffer from depression, digestive disorders, allergies, migraines, insomnia, joint pain or a plethora of other physical ailments, the professionals at Boulder Community Acupuncture can balance your qi and get you back to your old self in no time. They even offer acupuncture for kids via sho-ni-shin, a needle-free form of pediatric acupuncture that can alleviate asthma, chronic earaches, bed-wetting and even behavioral challenges. Got a sports-related injury? Boulder Community Acupuncture’s got you covered there too. They offer a sliding fee scale to make acupuncture accessible to the Boulder community. So if you’ve tried other treatments and find yourself wondering what’s next, give Boulder Community Acupuncture a try — our readers say they’re the best in town.
Skin Care Services
DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS OF BOULDER 2880 Folsom St., Suite 200, 303-442-6647
Second Place: Divine Resonance Third Place: The Dragontree Holistic Day Spa Fourth Place: jlounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa Fifth Place: The Beauty Spot
You’ve only got one face to put forward to the world, so you’re going to want it to be a nice one. And if you’ve got the same bug that bit everyone else who lives in Boulder and you enjoy skiing, hiking, climbing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rafting and cycling, you’ve probably had plenty of sunshine-drenched days on that nose. Even the best of sunscreen care can wear thin, and so when you need a little pampering to recover from those days playing outdoors, try the Dermatology Specialists of Boulder. They specialize in skin cancer removal, in addition to providing an array of cosmetic services.
Day Spa
SPA AT ST JULIEN 900 Walnut St., 303-406-8218 %u2028
Second Place: Essentiels Day Spa Third Place: The Dragontree Holistic Day Spa Fourth Place: jlounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa Fifth Place: Finishing Touch Salon & Day Spa
When our readers want to luxuriate, they head to the Spa at St Julien where they can partake in manicures, pedicures, full-body massage, facials, exfoliating scrubs and of course a relaxing sauna. Detox, hydrate, tone and rejuvenate in the St Julien’s 10,000-square-foot spa, or keep that energized body looking great in their fully equipped fitness center. Professionals there have even created signature treatments based on Colorado’s indigenous plants and elements that you can’t experience anywhere else. Boulderites aren’t the only ones who think the spa at St Julien is world-class — it was one of the 75 top spas in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler in 2013.
Pilates
BOULDERBODYWORKS 1301 Yellow Pine Ave., 303-444-2739
Second Place: Bolder Pilates Third Place: Body Dynamics Fourth Place: Core Wisdom Fifth Place: RallySport Health and Fitness Club
If you’re feeling down, remember the infamous words of Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” And remember, happiness is contagious. So really, the best thing to do for the community is to make yourself happy. If you’re in need of a rush of endorphins, head down to BoulderBodyworks and take a pilates class. You’ll sweat out the stresses and turn all the negative juju into beams of sunshine, all the while making your butt tighter. It’s a win-win situation — for the world and your butt.
Dance Studio
BOULDER BALLET COMPANY AND SCHOOL 2590 Walnut St., 303-443-0028
Second Place: Alchemy of Movement Third Place: Avalon Ballroom Fourth Place: Streetside Dance Studios Fifth Place: Boulder Spirals
When you’re sick of the same old bump and grind, it’s time to learn some new moves.
Ballet will up your game and give you just the right amount of class and grace in any situation, in or out of the studio. Ballet takes the right training and dedication to the bar; it teaches strength and coordination to even the clumsiest of people. With professional teachers and comprehensive training, Boulder Ballet Company and School takes first position for Best of Boulder. Boulder Ballet is churning out the next crop of ballerinas one elegant plié at a time.
