Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in northern Colorado, Fort Collins is all about having fun, from skating the ponds and cross-country skiing the trails in winter to white water rafting down the Cache La Poudre River in summer. Restaurants, shops, art galleries and museums may be found for indoor fun in the historic downtown area; plus, Fort Collins has many parks, natural areas, bike paths and walking trails available for pursuing outdoor fun activities.
The Old Town district is full of fun places to explore. Take a walking tour and check out the 23 historic buildings, dating back to the 1800s. Stop for a meal or snack at one of the many restaurants -- there are over 80 to choose from. Visit museums and art galleries or attend a live show. Music is played on the Old Town Square Stage on a weeknight and festivals are a part of most weekends in the spring, summer and fall in Old Town.
Step back in time and take a ride on the historic streetcar. The electric trolley cars first operated in Fort Collins in 1907 and finished operation in 1951. Volunteers have restored Car 21 and it is now available for rides from May through September. The three-mile round trip operates each day from noon until 5 p.m. and takes about 30 minutes. The trolley runs from City Park to downtown Howe Street.
Fort Collins parks are full of fun things to do. The town's six large parks located throughout the city offer playgrounds, ball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts and soccer fields. In the summer at City Park, you may ride a paddle boat on the lake, take a train ride or cool down in the outdoor pool and lazy river. Fossil Creek Park has a skateboard area and roller-hockey rink. Adventure Island, Tar Pits Play Area, plus an interactive water feature and pond are all fun children areas at Fossil Creek. Miles of bike and walking trails flow throughout the parks and city.
Open year-round, Fort Fun is a 14-acre entertainment center with indoor and outdoor activities. Set in the historical past, one of Fort Fun's two mini-golf courses features local historical buildings. Indoor bumper cars, go-karts, bumper boats and a state-of-the-art laser tag arena are just a fraction of the activities that may be found at Fort Fun. Auntie Stone's Kitchen offers pizza, burgers and other treats served up in a pioneer cabin. Opening hours vary depending on month and day. The cost is based on each activity by buying points that are placed on a debit type card.
