Fort Collins is a mid-sized university city (Colorado State University, approximately 35,000 students) with a walkable historic downtown, an outsized craft beer scene, and direct access to Rocky Mountain National Park and the Cache la Poudre River canyon. New Belgium Brewing started here; Odell Brewing was founded here 35 years ago; the city now claims approximately 20 functioning breweries. Old Town is genuinely pleasant in a way that university downtowns often aren’t - the historic brick buildings have been preserved rather than demolished.
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Old Town Fort Collins
Old Town Fort Collins (College Ave and Mountain Ave) is a 15-block historic district with original 19th-century commercial buildings housing independent restaurants, breweries, bookshops, and outdoor gear retailers. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the better-preserved small-city downtowns in the Mountain West.
Key stops in Old Town:
- Mountain Avenue - the main visual streetscape; broad, brick-paved median with mature trees and outdoor café seating
- The Lyric Cinema & Café (1209 N College Ave) - Fort Collins’s independent cinema with a café; the best film programming in the city
- Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing (5 Old Town Square) - the longest-running brewpub in Old Town; reliable pub food and consistent house beers
- Choice City Butcher & Deli (104 W Olive St) - house-cured meats, sandwiches, and charcuterie; worth a stop for lunch or provisions
- Hoodoo’s Coffeehouse (209 S College Ave) - the most-visited independent coffee shop in Fort Collins; strong espresso and pour-over programs
Old Town Square hosts farmers’ markets, outdoor concerts, and events throughout the warmer months.
New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium Brewing (500 Linden St) is one of the most recognized American craft breweries - founded 1991 by Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan, now employee-owned. Fat Tire Belgian White, Voodoo Ranger IPA, and Voodoo Ranger American Hazy IPA are the flagship national brands.
Free brewery tours include a guided walk through the production facility, fermentation hall, and packaging lines, ending with tastings in the taproom. Book at newbelgium.com (advance booking strongly recommended for weekends). The taproom (Liquid Center) is open daily without a tour from approximately 11am–9pm. The outdoor deck along the Poudre River and the river access trail directly behind the brewery are worth time.
Odell Brewing
Odell Brewing (800 E Lincoln Ave) opened in 1989 - the first craft brewery in Fort Collins. The taproom has a substantial outdoor patio and regular food trucks on weekends. 90 Shilling Ale and Rupture Feral IPA are the house standards; the seasonal and small-batch releases are frequently stronger. Open daily 11am–9pm.
The Odell Brewing Barrel Room hosts special events and limited-release tapings. The brewery’s production facility is visible from the taproom.
Horsetooth Reservoir and Lory State Park
Horsetooth Reservoir (Centennial Dr, 4 miles west of downtown) is a 6.5-mile-long reservoir along the foothills west of Fort Collins. Swimming is permitted throughout (no lifeguards); the boat ramp areas have the best beach access. Paddleboard and kayak rentals are available at the marina from approximately May through September.
The Horsetooth Rock Trail (3.4 miles round trip, 1,300 feet elevation gain, strenuous) climbs through the Dakota Hogback to a distinctive sandstone outcrop above the reservoir with panoramic views of the Front Range and Eastern Plains.
Lory State Park (708 Lodgepole Dr, adjacent to the reservoir’s north end) has 26 miles of trails - primarily mountain biking (the Arthur’s Rock Trail is the most popular hike, 3.4 miles, 1,000 feet gain to the summit).
Cache la Poudre River Canyon
The Cache la Poudre River is Colorado’s only federally designated Wild and Scenic River. The Poudre Canyon (CO-14, beginning approximately 10 miles northwest of downtown) runs 75 miles west to Cameron Pass - a scenic drive in autumn (peak color late September–mid-October) and a whitewater corridor in spring and early summer.
Whitewater rafting: Several outfitters in the canyon (A-Kayak, Poudre Wilderness Volunteers, Rios Amigos) run half-day and full-day trips on Class III–V sections. Half-day trips typically run approximately $55–$75 per person; full-day approximately $90–$120.
Hiking: The Greyrock Trail (4.8 miles round trip, 2,000 feet gain) begins at the Greyrock Trailhead on CO-14 and climbs to a bare granite dome above the canyon - one of the strongest day hikes directly accessible from Fort Collins.
Colorado State University
The CSU campus (1062 Campus Delivery) is architecturally varied but has two strong public attractions: the Lory Student Center (with galleries and student-run café) and the CSU Agricultural Sciences campus with the Trial Gardens (free, open to public during growing season - an extensive display of ornamental plants in seasonal plantings). Moby Arena hosts mid-sized concerts and events.
Guided Tours Worth Booking in Advance
| Tour | Duration | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins Craft Beer Tasting Tour | 2.5 hrs | $59 | Book |
| Cache la Poudre Whitewater Rafting Half-Day | 4 hrs | $65 | Book |
| Rocky Mountain National Park Day Trip from Fort Collins | 8 hrs | $149 | Book |
| Fort Collins Old Town Food & Culture Walk | 2 hrs | $45 | Book |
Browse all Fort Collins tours on GetYourGuide - free cancellation on most bookings up to 24 hours before departure.