Things to Do in Fort Collins

A day in Fort Collins can be filled with things to do and see. Where else can you spend the morning hiking around Horsetooth Reservoir, the afternoon touring a brewery, and the evening listening to live music in an open-air amphitheater?

With a thriving arts scene, burgeoning craft culture, an amazing mix of outdoor recreation opportunities, and more, Fort Collins has something for everyone.

Craft Beer

The city of Fort Collins and the craft beer industry have a very unique relationship. Fort Collins produces 70% of the craft beer made in the state of Colorado. Currently, the city is home to the most microbreweries in the state, over 20 craft breweries as a matter of fact, and each one has its own distinctive style. This includes New Belgium Brewing which is one of the world’s largest operations, as well as a leader in eco-friendly and sustainable business practices. If you are looking to get a taste of award-winning lagers, pilsners and ales year-round, we suggest partaking in some brewery tours where you will be able to indulge yourself with a variety of taster trays. You can access more information about each brewery in the region at Colorado Brewer's Guild, by contacting them directly.

There are numerous Fort Collins breweries located within close proximity to historic downtown, including industry leaders New Belgium and gold medal-winning Odell Brewing Company, all within walking and bicycling distance, giving you the ease of exploring all in one trip. All beer lovers also have the opportunity to take guided tours that offer insider knowledge and transportation between each brewery to craft out your perfect beer day experience.

If you want to see the inner workings of the brewing process you can sign up to take brewery tours at Odell Brewing Company and New Belgium Brewing Company. Bottling and canning lines, sustainable practices, water and green energy initiatives and tasting insights are all part of what you learn on the tours.

Bicycling Culture

Riding a bicycle might be the ultimate way to experience Fort Collins. The city has a reasonably flat terrain, very wide bike lanes, and multiple trails including the more popular ones that follow the Cache la Poudre River and Spring Creek. Not to mention, biking is an enjoyable, healthy, and environmentally friendly way to get around. Fort Collins is a platinum-level, bike-friendly city, only one of five in the entire nation, thanks in part to the 285-plus miles of trails and bike lanes littered throughout the city and the mountain terrain. We invite you to cycle around in Old Town or pedal to one of the 20-plus local breweries and we promise you just might come across more bikes than cars on the road on any given day.

Outdoor Activities in Fort Collins 

Fort Collins rates very favorably on lists of towns that offer exceptional outdoor adventures. Whether you’re in Fort Collins for just a few days or weeks at a time, it’s nearly impossible to explore all of the trails, lakes, and streams in the surrounding foothills and mountains. Biking, fishing, hiking, golfing, riding horses, canoeing and camping, you name it, Fort Collins has you covered when it comes to outdoor recreation.

Fort Collins has big-city offerings with the amenities of a Colorado mountain town. All of the aforementioned activities including exploring open space are all encouraged on your visit to Fort Collins, which plays host to National Forests, the Cache la Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir. Outdoor attractions in and around the city will keep you busy for days!