For those of us who’ve flown the coop, returning to your hometown is a unique mix of (mostly) familiar places seen through fresh eyes. That’s Fort Collins, Colorado, for me. Returning to Fort Fun—or FoCo as folks are more apt to refer to it today—means seeing the familiar foothills and the Colorado State University campus, plus checking out the city’s vibrant and evolving craft beer culture, nature, and art.
Returning to Fort Fun—or FoCo as folks are more apt to refer to it today—means seeing the familiar foothills and the Colorado State University campus, plus checking out the city’s vibrant and evolving craft beer culture, nature, and art.
Whether you’re here for a weekend getaway, taking a day trip from Denver, or passing through en route to places like quaint Estes Park, Fort Collins offers a blend of laid-back charm and youthful energy that’s hard to replicate. I’ve worn bike tires bald on the city’s bike trails and have reveled in celebrations, food, and drink in historic Old Town. Here’s my perspective as a visitor (now) mixed with feedback from friends and family who live here.
Getting There
Denver International Airport (DEN) is probably your point of entry if you’re coming from afar and is about an hour from Fort Collins. Denver is consistently one of the busiest airports in the U.S., so it’s a direct flight from most North American destinations as well as many international ones. It’s also a hub for United Airlines and a primary operating base for both Southwest and Frontier, so chances are there a variety of flight options to get here.
Once in Denver, there are a few bus options to get to Fort Collins: Landline is usually my parents’ go-to; Bustang is a less expensive option but probably less convenient, too. And once you’re in Fort Collins, the Transfort bus system is free to ride. But in reality, you’ll probably need a car to get to Fort Collins as well as once you’re there.
As you’d expect for a large airport, Denver has all the rental car options. And for all of them, you’ll end up riding a bus from the terminal. That said, the rental car facilities are close enough to the terminal so it’s not too tedious (take note, Las Vegas). Once you have your rental car, you’ll spend the next hour driving north—most of which is on I-25, though the E-470 bypass saves time but involves tolls. By the way, I-25 will be under construction. It has been since I was born and I expect it will be long after I’m gone. (#protip: you may be able to sign up your rental car with ExpressToll to avoid rental company fees on top of the toll charges, but you have to register before you incur tolls.)
Sightseeing Highlights
Fort Collins offers a relaxed mix of outdoor adventure, craft culture, and a charming Old Town that make it easy to fill a long weekend. Stroll the historic downtown, browse local boutiques, and enjoy patio dining before sampling some of the city’s renowned breweries (more on those below). Outdoor enthusiasts will find miles of scenic trails along the Cache la Poudre River, plus easy access to hiking, biking, and and other recreation in the nearby foothills.
Whether you’re catching live music, exploring farmers markets, or cruising the town by bike, Fort Collins delivers a laid-back Colorado experience with plenty to do. Check out the Visit Fort Collins site for all of the latest, or check out some of my favorites and those of my family and friends, such as:
Old Town Fort Collins—said to have inspired Disneyland’s Main Street—is full of restaurants, shops, and watering holes (see below for some favorites). On summer days, the city will close down some of the streets for live music and festivals as well.
Horsetooth Reservoir (named after the tooth-shaped rock visible from much of Fort Collins) and the surrounding area is full of spots for hiking, biking (if you’re up for some hills!), and water sports such as paddle boarding, kayaking and boating. And the city views from Horsetooth are pretty gorgeous, too.
Colorado State University is an anchor of Fort Collins. It’s one of the nation’s top fermentation science programs which was a factor in cementing Fort Collins’ reputation as a leader in the craft beer movement (more on that below). But before or after sampling the beer, wandering through CSU’s campus is a nice way to spend some time: the Oval is particularly picturesque and there are regular free concerts at the lagoon in the summer. Further, the annual flower trial gardens tip folks off that CSU as a historically agricultural school and are located directly across the street from the University Center for the Arts. That’s located in the historic Fort Collins High School, the 1924 building I graduated from. I guess we’re both a bit more grown up now!
If you’re looking for other active options, Fort Collins has nearly 300 miles of bike paths and trails (see HERE for a map) as well as some really beautiful natural areas all around town. On the East side, trails connect Prospect Ponds, Running Deer Natural Area, Riverbend Ponds, Cattail Chorus Natural Area, and Kingfisher Point Natural Area where you could spend an hour or a day exploring and birdwatching.
For something totally different, the Morning Fresh Dairy Farm in nearby Bellevue offers regular tours of their dairy and samples of their Noosa yogurt and other products.
Eating and Drinking
Fort Collins holds its own when it comes to food and drink, offering up a creative culinary scene. From chef-driven farm-to-table restaurants to cozy brunch spots and globally inspired eats, there’s something for most every craving. The city is equally famous for its craft beverage culture with some of the founders of the craft brewing world—alongside inventive cocktail bars and a growing lineup of distilleries and coffee roasters—making it just as easy to sip your way through town as it is to dine your way through it.
As for food, coming to Colorado, I’m always eager to take advantage of the wealth and quality of Mexican food available here. This could be a very long list, but a couple highlights are:
- Rio Grande, which has now expanded all across the state, has its roots in Fort Collins and is, appropriately, a staple here. Their signature margaritas—rocks or frozen—quickly became legendary when they opened in 1986, and have remained so. The food is decent, but the margaritas are definitely the main event here.
- The recently-opened Madre Cucina, from the same folks as Los Comales Taqueria, which has been around for a bit. Madre Cucina, right in Old Town, is decidedly more upscale than CSU-adjacent taqueria, meaning your mood more than the food will probably be the draw to one or the other. I wish Madre Cucina had more appetizers or shareable dishes on the menu, but both restaurants have also good margaritas and great staff which helps make up for some minor shortcomings.
If you need something to fill your belly before starting on the margaritas, the Silver Grill Cafe is another stalwart of Fort Collins and is particularly well known for breakfast, though they are open for lunch until 2pm. Most folks will call out the cinnamon rolls (or cinnamon roll French toast) as the raison d’être, but their pork green chile is an addictive underdog. They don’t take reservations, so be prepared for a wait on weekend mornings.
As for beer, Fort Collins is widely regarded as one of America’s premier beer cities, home to a pioneering craft scene that helped shape Colorado’s brewing reputation. The city earned its “pioneer” status largely because it was home to some of the earliest and most influential craft breweries in the country, especially New Belgium Brewing Company (founded in 1991) and Odell Brewing Company (founded in 1989). These breweries built strong community-centered taproom cultures that other breweries across the U.S. would later emulate. Check out a more complete listing at Colorado Beer List, but a few places I’ve frequented include:
- Coopersmith’s Pub and Brewing was Fort Collins’ first craft brewery, established back in 1989. It’s still in the original Old Town location, so it’s a great spot to stop on your downtown stroll.
- New Belgium, as their name implies, focuses on Belgian styles. That means many (most?) of the brews in their tasting room are pretty high alcohol—so pace yourself. They do have a fantastic plaza outside the tasting room’s front door where they host food trucks, live music, and more. So it’s a great place to spend some time.
- Odell Brewing Co. is just up the street from New Belgium and also hosts music and food trucks regularly. It’s not as fancy as their neighbor, but I like their beer better, so this is probably my Fort Collins favorite.
- Breckenridge Brewery has an outpost in Fort Collins too and it’s in the same neighborhood as New Belgium and Odell, just a few steps further east. I had been in the building previously when it was Fort Collins Brewing, but haven’t been since it’s been Breckenridge. That said, I’ve had Breckenridge beer elsewhere and like it.
- Beerwerks Fort Collins is a second location of nearby Timnath Beerwerks. Both locations are great and I like their beer—and the variety they brew—though given the choice, I’d gravitate to the patio at the Timnath, just a few steps from my elementary school.
- It’s a taproom rather than a brewery, but Mayor of Old Town is another good spot to check out, especially with its location just north of the CSU campus. They’ve got an attractive taproom and a great selection of local (and some other) beers.
Lodging
While I often stay with family, Fort Collins has plenty of lodging options, from local boutiques to national chains. Where to stay probably depends a lot on what you plan to do.
If you’re getting out and about for hiking and biking, a location that’s easy to come and go from (and has free parking) is probably most important. You’ll have your choice of most national chains (sorry Hyatt members) and a room that will probably look the same as one in any other city in the U.S.
But if you plan to spend most of your time around Old Town of the CSU campus, there are a couple options that are an easy walk to Old Town shops and restaurants, as well as being much more interesting:
- The Armstrong Hotel is a restored 1923 building in Old Town. The locally-owned hotel has many of the 100-year old building’s original features and is located right along N. College Avenue. Add $20 per night for parking.
- Alternately, the Elizabeth Hotel is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. It’s in a swanky new building with a rooftop patio and is just a few steps from Old Town Square. Take note that while the vinyl lending library is free, parking is $25 a night.
LGBTQ Safety
As a college town, Fort Collins is generally progressive and welcoming for LGBTQ folks. While it took me a while as a gay kid to feel safe in my own skin, even decades ago, being gay rarely felt unsafe in Fort Collins.
Fort Collins remains a generally safe place for LGBTQ folks today, earning a perfect 100 in HRC’s Municipal Equality Index. Colorado is also rated as one of the safer state in SafeHome.org’s LGBTQ ratings and in terms of protections for transgender folks and/or the lack of pending anti-trans legislation.
Upper Left Traveler 