Breakfast at the Colorado Chautauqua

On a cold and rainy Saturday morning in Boulder, Colorado, our daughter and her friends chose an unusual venue for breakfast and a first-time meeting of their parents. By 10:30 a.m. our party of eight was seated in the Dining Hall at Colorado Chautauqua, a century-old eatery set amidst one of only three remaining 'chautauquas' in the U.S. - and the only one that still operates year-round.

The Colorado Chautauqua is a thriving remnant of the early 1900s, when more than 12,000 communities across the country hosted programs designed to foster lifelong learning, an appreciation of nature, the arts, and other cherished ideals of that time period. Today, the Colorado Chautauqua still offers 60 cottages for rent during each summer, and continues a tradition of oratory and arts presentations throughout the year.

But the Dining Hall was a true revelation. Not only did the families of three girls who have been friends throughout four years of college meet for the first time, but we enjoyed a hearty, tasty breakfast for minimal cost. Where else can you get a stellar Eggs Benedict for only $9.00?