11 Reasons to Visit Fort Collins This Winter
The winter season in Fort Collins is absolutely beautiful and truly is one of the best times of the year to plan a trip. Fort Collins offers a multitude of things to do during the winter season. From Fat Biking to the ultimate foodie escape and everything in-between, there are so many reasons to visit Fort Collins this winter! Which of the 11 reasons listed below is your favorite?
1. Magical Lights in Old Town Fort Collins
All of Downtown Fort Collins during the winter is lit up with warm string lights that create a magical ambiance as you stroll around exploring the restaurants, shops, music venues, and bars that are all to be found within walking distance of each other. Bring your family and friends to sip on some warm hot cocoa from one of the many downtown coffee shops and ice skate underneath the magical lights in Old Town Square at the Old Town Skate Rink.
2. Live Music & Theatre
During the winter months in Fort Collins, music and theatre are booming throughout the community. Enjoy live shows from our multiple music and theatre venues including Washington’s, Aggie Theater, the Mishawaka Amphitheater, Bas Bleu Theatre Co., The Armory, The Lincoln Center, Magic Rat, Surfside 7, The Fort Collins Symphony, and the University Center for the Arts.
3. Fat Biking & Snowshoeing
If you’re yearning for the incredible scenery of the backcountry, look no further than nearby Cameron Pass or Lory State Park. Both offer amazing opportunities to experience snowshoeing or riding Fat Bikes. Have a blast spending the day riding or snowshoeing on snow-packed trails along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. These are some of the most unique ways to enjoy the famous Colorado snow. You get to experience the beauty of the Rockies while taking it all in atop two gigantic wheels or snowshoes. Fort Collins has amazing outfitters and guides, like Front Range Ride Guides, for both activities that can be found here. Some of the best hiking and biking trails during the winter can be found around Horsetooth Reservoir and in the Poudre Canyon as well.
Lory State Park
Located just west of Fort Collins, Lory State Park offers tons of trails with beautiful views and ranging difficulty levels. Trails are open year round and are open to Hiking, Snowshoeing, and Cross Country Skiing.
Horsetooth Mountain Open Space
Located west of Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space is one of Fort Collin’s greatest outdoor playgrounds and it is open year round. Choose from multiple different trails ranging in difficulty level and enjoy the snowy vistas.
Cache la Poudre River Canyon
The Poudre Canyon offers excellent winter recreation just outside Fort Collins. Enjoy beautiful views of the backcountry blanketed by snow. The following are popular trails up the Poudre Canyon:
4. Craft Beer Seasonal Tastings
Currently, Fort Collins is home to more than 20 craft breweries, the most microbreweries in the state of Colorado. We must say the winter season is one of the best times to taste award-winning seasonal craft beer from each of the distinctive breweries in Fort Collins. Beers such as Accumulation and Holiday Ale from New Belgium Brewing, Isolation Ale from Odell Brewing Co., or H&D Snug Vanilla Caramel Double Cream Ale from Horse and Dragon Brewing just to name a few. Feel free to take part in some brewery tours and sample an eclectic array of taster trays, just remember to spend a few days to taste them all! Check out our Brewery Tours page for a full list of Fort Collins breweries.
5. Winter Events You Don't Want To Miss
- Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony
- Head to Old Town Square on November 1st for the kick-off to winter with the Holiday Lighting Ceremony. The ceremony will be held from 5:30-7pm and features live music and a countdown to turning on the lights at 6:30pm.
- Garden of Lights
- Stroll through a whimsical, twinkling winter wonderland illuminated by hundreds of thousands of LED lights at the Gardens on Spring Creek! This event features a half-mile loop of perennial flower beds, huge sculptural flowers, grapevines, butterflies, a holiday village, and other favorite garden creatures - all constructed entirely from holiday lights.
- Handmade Market NoCo
- Handmade Market NoCo hosts markets throughout December with local artisans and makers. Stop into Maxline Brewing on December 7 and sip and shop. On Dec. 15, the market will be set up at Ginger and Baker. Check out Handmade Market Noco's website for more market dates.
6. Dining for the Ultimate Foodie
When you’re in Fort Collins winter doesn’t mean you have to leave dinner feeling like you’re 10 pounds heavier. Fort Collins takes pride in its fresh dining scene and local sourcing, which means meals that make you feel good, and not only because they remind you of Mom’s back-home cooking. Some of the local favorites during the winter are Austin’s American Grill, RARE Italian, Jax Fish House, and The Farmhouse at Jessup Farms due to their fresh meals that are indicative of the season. And, don’t forget dessert or an after-dinner drink! Nuance Chocolate and Kilwins make sweets that are to die for and Ace Gillett's and Social are the ultimate mixologists.
7. Unique Coffee Shops to Warm You Up
Fort Collins is known for its local craft coffee scene and each coffee shop offers a unique drink that is sure to warm you from the inside out. Check out one of the craft coffee roasters and brewers like the Bean Cycle, Harbinger, Wander Coffee, Mugs, Little Bird Bakery or Lima. Check out Happy Lucky’s Tea House or Ku Cha House of Tea for that perfect tea to match your craving.
8. Winter Farmers Market
Fort Collins offers the only Winter Farmers Market in Northern Colorado, featuring rows of beautiful winter produce like fresh greens, root vegetables, local mushrooms and soft cheeses from the Fort Collins-based MouCo Cheese Co. among other things. This winter market truly brings to light the craft culture in Fort Collins with tables of local homemade artisan crafts. The market is open all winter long every Saturday starting on November 7 and running to April 19th and is located at Foothills Mall (215 E Foothills Pkwy).
9. Monthly Art Walks & Foodie Walks
Downtown Fort Collins hosts the First Friday Art Walk™ on the first Friday of each month, and there’s no better time to explore the art museums and local galleries than during the winter under the holiday lights. Walk from venue to venue and enjoy the local art scene that illuminates with life under the soft-lit glow of the Old Town storefronts.
Downtown Fort Collins also hosts the Fort Collins Foodie Walk™ where some of the best culinary shops in town stay open late every third Friday of each month. Let yourself indulge in great seasonal flavors as you walk through Historic Old Town. This is a great way to let your inner foodie out while partaking on this self-guided tour where you’ll get to try new and exciting tastes and flavors.
10. Museums to Explore
What better way to spend a chilly day in Fort Collins than staying warm while exploring our numerous museums around town? Start the day off at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery where you can enjoy hands on exhibits exploring science, music and the history of Fort Collins. Plus, the museum is home to an incredible digital dome theater that offers a movie viewing experience like no other. If you haven’t had your fill of arts and culture after that, head down the street to the Fort Collins Museum of Art featuring national exhibitions of beautiful artwork. If you're feeling the itch to travel, Global Village Museum showcases international folk art and engages and inspires visitors to learn about world cultures, art, and history. To end your day of museums, head to Colorado State University's University Center for the Arts and enjoy the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising and the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art. Both of these museums are free and open to the public!
11. Winter Holiday Shopping
Fort Collins has unique offerings when it comes to locally, hand-made products that you can find all across downtown in the multiple, one-of-a-kind boutique shops. If you're looking for large-scale, nationally known stores, we have that as well. Look no further than the Shops at Foothills Mall and Front Range Village. These shopping centers offer brands such as DSW Shoes, World Market, Lowe’s, Victoria’s Secret, Nordstrom Rack, and H&M. As you can see, Fort Collins offers a wide variety of women’s and men’s clothing, fashionable and functional shoe wear, and accessories via department store or locally made!
