Welcome to Lafayette
Untouched scenery and unmatched comfort just outside Boulder
Ten miles east of Boulder lies the exceptionally scenic community of Lafayette, Colorado. Lafayette is one of Colorado’s most beautiful cities and is home to 19 different parks within its nine-mile vicinity. Lakes, playgrounds, dog parks, picnic areas, and sporting fields are plentiful, and a vibrant downtown district is home to a high number of locally-owned restaurants, boutiques, coffee houses, and more.
Lafayette was founded in 1888 by a family who soon discovered coal on their property. Lafayette quickly became a part of Boulder’s booming coal industry and by the turn of the 20th century, the city had established banks, hotels, and was the location of one of the nation’s first distributed power grids. In modern times, Lafayette is a friendly, inviting community with tree-lined streets, quiet residential enclaves, and wide-open spaces.
What to Love
- Lafayette is one of Colorado’s most scenic communities with 19 different parks across town
- A location against the backdrop of the towering Rocky Mountains provides residents with endless opportunities for outdoor recreation
- Lafayette is conveniently located just ten miles from Boulder
Local Lifestyle
Life in Lafayette is peaceful and laid-back. Days out of the office are typically spent in the great outdoors. The base of the Rocky Mountains is just a few minutes west of town and Lafayette residents are afforded easy access to a number of trails, hiking paths, biking routes, parks, and more. Waneka Lake Park, arguably the most popular of these parks, also allows for paddleboarding and fishing on the water. In the evenings, the town can be found heading down to busy and vibrant Public Road and stopping by one of their many restaurants or bars.
Dining, Entertainment, & Shopping
The heart of Lafayette can be found on Public Road, where the streets are lined with coffee houses, cafes, wine bars, and shops. Any craving is sure to be satisfied with plentiful options including Mexican, Italian, Asian, Greek, American cuisine, and more. A few blocks away, The District offers shopping, co-working spaces, and more.
One of South Public Road’s best coffee houses can be found at BREW. BREW serves freshly-roasted coffee, tea, and just-baked pastries, along with their well-loved smoothies and acai bowls. BREW is also connected to Due South, an adorable boutique selling home decor, gifts, women’s clothing, and furniture.
A popular spot for Colorado-style comfort food can be found at Community. This properly-named, cozy spot serves up down-home classics with a Colorado twist, such as pork belly, short ribs, flank steak, and chicken pot pie. Feel free to make yourself at home and stay awhile; their craft beer and cocktail menu is impressive.
Odd13 Brewing is an inviting spot to wind down at the end of the week. This microbrewery offers a wide permanent selection as well as a seasonal rotation of all gluten-free beers. In addition to their beyond-extensive list of brews, Odd13 Brewing features a different guest food truck every day to satisfy any cravings which may arise.
Things To Do
Without question, Lafayette is best-known for its natural beauty and unmatched scenery. There are 19 parks sprinkled throughout the town along with an extensive list of trails, biking paths, lakes, sporting fields, and more. Lafayette does offer many city-wide events each year, such as easter egg hunting, movies in the park, the farmers’ market, art nights, and the famous peach festival. A highly popular event for over 20 years, the Lafayette Peach Festival brings food, arts and crafts, live performances, and over 30,000 pounds of peaches to the city every August.
Schools
Some top educational choices in Lafayette are:
- Peak to Peak Charter School, kindergarten-12th grade; PTP is a public liberal arts college preparatory school and a many-time winner of the John Irwin School of Excellence Award.
- Lafayette Elementary School, prekindergarten-5th grade; LES consistently ranks as one of the best elementary schools in the state with test scores far above the Colorado average.
- Angevine Middle School, grades 6-8; AMS features the highest extracurricular participation rate of all middle schools in their district.
- Centaurus High School, grades 9-12; CHS is well-known for its highly-rated engineering, advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and AVID programs.
