Fort Collins is a small college town in northern Colorado just one hour’s drive from Boulder. As with almost anywhere else in Colorado, you can expect to see some incredible scenery in and around Fort Collins. But you don’t have to be a nature enthusiast to fall in love with this tiny town.
Some of the most popular things to do in Fort Collins include touring the town’s numerous breweries, exploring the well-preserved Old Town, and taking in a local sporting event. If you need any ideas of what to do once you reach this charming town, take a peek at our top six things to do in Fort Collins listed below.
1. Tour Local Breweries
Beer lovers, rejoice! Fort Collins has numerous award-winning local breweries you can taste your way through. The most popular local brewery to explore is the New Belgium Brewery.
New Belgium Brewery offers tours from 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM every day of the week, and is open from 11 AM – 8 PM.
A few other local breweries worth your time include Odell Brewing and CooperSmith’s Pub and Brewery. All of these breweries often host events, so be sure to check out what live events will be going on during your Fort Collins visit.
There’s also a popular Anheuser-Busch outpost in Fort Collins that has been operational since 1988. This Anheuser-Busch outpost has its very own Clydesdales as well as a Biergarten. Without a doubt, visiting the local breweries is one of the most popular things to do in Fort Collins.
2. Visit Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Founded in 2008, the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is a perfect place for anyone traveling with children. A few of the incredible interactive exhibits in this museum include a Music & Sound Lab, an “Animal Encounters” area, and a First Peoples exhibit.
You and your children will learn all about the cultural and geological history of Fort Collins in this jam-packed museum.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM – 5 PM and Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and is closed on Mondays.
There’s also an OtterBox Digital Dome Theater here that shows exciting films on a 35-foot diameter dome screen. You can check out what films and special events are going on in this museum online before you travel to Colorado. Be sure to put this on the top of your list of things to do in Fort Collins if you’re traveling with rambunctious toddlers.
3. Relax in the Historic Old Town
Anyone who wants to take a step back in time should spend some time in the Historic Old Town between Mountain Avenue and Walnut Street. You’ll find tons of shops, restaurants, and breweries as you stroll through the fine Old Town Center. Believe it or not, Walt Disney World’s Main Street USA was partly inspired by Fort Collins’s Old Town.
In total, there are 28 official historical buildings in Fort Collins’s Old Town area to explore. Nearby you can visit the historic Avery House that was once the residence of Fort Collins’s surveyor Franklin Avery. Before you leave, be sure to take a trolley ride through this charming area. There are tons of family friendly things to do in Fort Collins Old Town district.
4. Hike Up Horsetooth Mountain
The best hiking area near Fort Collins is Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. Officially considered a moderate hike, this mountain’s six mile looped trail is extremely popular from April to October. The entire Horsetooth Mountain Open Space includes some 2,711 acres with around 29 total miles of hiking and biking trails.
You can even go on horseback riding in Horsetooth Mountain Open Space if you so choose. The Horsetooth Mountain Open Space is only four miles from central Fort Collins.
5. See What’s Going on at Budweiser Events Center
The massive Budweiser Events Center is only a 25-minute drive south of central Fort Collins. This 7,200-seat auditorium is home to three Colorado sports teams: the Colorado Eagles (hockey), the Denver Dream (women’s football), and the Colorado Crush (indoor football).
In addition to sports, the Budweiser Events Center hosts numerous live concerts, fairs & rodeos, and family friendly shows each year. Be sure to have a look to see what shows will take place at the Budweiser Events Center when you’re visiting the Fort Collins area.
6. Walk Around the Colorado State University
Are you traveling with a teen gearing up for those dreaded college applications? If so, why wouldn’t you tour Colorado State University? Even if your kid doesn’t decide on going to this world-class university, it’s still quite soothing to stroll through this well-maintained campus.
You can take in a college game if you’re visiting during sporting season, or pop into the Lorry Center Theater to see if there are any student performances going on. If you’re into museums, you can tour the Budweiser Events Center, the Budweiser Events Center, or the Budweiser Events Center while at CSU.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are tons of things to do in Fort Collins. Whether you want to go hiking, biking, take in a show, or just relax on the original Main Street USA, you can do so in this chill college town.
A trip to Fort Collins is a superb and often overlooked day trip destinations for travelers to the Centennial State. Be sure to keep this list of the top six things to do in Fort Collins handy if you ever choose to visit Colorado in the near-future.