Three Perfect Days in Fort Collins, Colorado
- Wendy Hilberman
- Oct 8, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 28
I always jump at the chance to hop on an airplane and head out to Fort Collins, Colorado for a visit with my daughter. I planned my visit for the second week of August. I booked a Double Queen room at the Elizabeth Hotel, a Marriot Autograph Collection hotel in the heart of downtown The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection (marriott.com). This was my fourth stay at the Elizabeth Hotel and I can honestly say the location, amenities, staff, and comfortable beds keep me coming back year after year. The Elizabeth has a WOW factor with the gorgeous lobby with the spiral staircase that leads to the second floor, the case of guitars that they loan out to the guests, the vinyl collection and record players in the rooms, and of course the rooftop bar and live music.
Fort Collins, Colorado has the quintessential downtown to meander the brick-paved walkways filled with flower boxes, and cozy alleyways. Downtown has something for everyone and having a local (my daughter) show you around gives you a great insider view of Fort Collins.
Day 1 Old Town Shopping
Brunch at Ginger and Baker
Ginger and Baker is an experience in and of itself. It is a restaurant, bakery, cooking school, coffee shop, market, and cafe. More than anything it is a gathering place. People are hanging out, eating, visiting, and enjoying this beautifully restored space. Happy dogs hang out with their family members on the porch as they enjoy a cup of coffee or a slice of homemade pie.
The history of the building is pretty cool. It is located in the historic Northern Colorado Feeders Supply building. It has been a part of the fabric of Fort Collins since the turn of the last century, serving as a store, grain elevator, warehouse, and gathering place. The historic building received a loving and comprehensive renovation under the new ownership of Ginger Graham a Harvard MBA graduate, a lifelong baker, and former CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance. The former building is now home to two restaurants, a hands-on teaching kitchen, several event spaces, and the Market & Bakery, where guests can purchase such favorites as meatloaf, pot pie, and an assortment of homemade pies.
Shopping in Old Town
We walked from Ginger and Baker to Old Town, a scenic stroll on brick-lined pavers lined with colorful flowers. We took our time perusing through the shops, there was so much to see. Here are a couple of our favorite shops.
Vintage Willows Boutique
Ivy Boutique
Sunday Supply
Wayward Shop
Indigo Rose
Cira Shop
Trimble Court Artisans
The Perennial Gardner
Blue Harvest
Historic Downtown Fort Collins is vibrant and easy to navigate. You can walk, bike, take the trolley, e-scooter, bus, skateboard, or drive. There are many ways to see and experience downtown.
Dinner at the Emporium Restaurant at the Elizabeth Hotel
After shopping, we grabbed dinner at the Elizabeth Hotel at the Emporium Restaurant. We could walk in without a reservation, though I recommend you make a reservation. The restaurant is busy. We had a nice dinner and have dined here on several occasions. We tried and enjoyed the menu items Poulet Supreme, Nola Salmon, Bison Stroganoff, and the Green Goddess Salad. The Emporium | American Brasserie & Coffee Shop in Fort Collins, CO (emporiumftcollins.com)
Live Music at the Magic Rat
Our last stop of the day was to grab a cocktail at the Magic Rat and listen to some live music. The Magic Rat is located in Old Firehouse Alley adjacent to the Elizabeth Hotel with an entrance in the hotel lobby. The venue is open to the public for live music events & concerts. Check their calendar for specifics, it changes frequently.
Do you like live music? Fort Collins has a vibrant music scene.
Day 2 Makers Market at New Belgium Brewery
Brunch at Silver Dollar Grill
We started our day with brunch at Silver Dollar Grill a popular restaurant with famous Cinamon Rolls and great breakfast options. Think bottomless Mimosas, three different kinds of eggs benedict, fried chicken & cinnamon toast, omelets, and trout & eggs. The menu is vast, and they serve both breakfast and lunch. Did I mention they have a full bar? The wait for a table can be long, so get up early and plan to be patient. It is worth it for one of the best breakfasts in town. Oh, and one last tip, get an order to go of the famous cinnamon rolls.
Poudre River Trail Walk
After breakfast, we headed over to the Poudre River Trail where we spent the next hour walking off our fantastic breakfast. We accessed the trailhead
next to Lee Martinez Park a short walk from the hotel. This 1.4-mile loop trail is generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 25 min to complete. This trail is popular for road biking, running, and dog walkers. It has great views of the river and local wildlife.
New Belgium Brewery Maker's Market
Our next stop was the Makers Market hosted at Human-Powered Brewery | New Belgium Brewing which occurs several times a year featuring food trucks, beer, and dozens of artisan vendors. This is a cool event with a great vibe. We found some beautiful hand-crafted jewelry from local vendors and enjoyed hearing their stories about how they create their art and the passion behind it. Insider tip, there is always something AWESOME happening at New Belgium Brewery, check out their calendar.
Dinner at Rare Italian Restaurant
Dinner tonight was at Rare Italian Restaurant in the heart of Old Town. This was our sixth trip to Rare Italian and we have never been disappointed with the quality of food. We had made our reservation online earlier in the week. The menu is extensive and includes fresh pasta, house-aged steaks, seafood, and antipasta. They have both indoor and outdoor dining and a vibrant bar with a full cocktail and wine menu. We enjoyed a great meal and a perfect end to our busy day exploring Fort Collins.
Day 3 Outdoor Adventures
We started our third and final day together by grabbing a cup of coffee and finishing the fantastic cinnamon rolls we had purchased from Silver Grill Cafe. We grabbed our swimsuits and headed to Horse Tooth Reservoir, a short drive from my daughter's home. We were early enough to find a parking spot in the lower lot and parked next to the water. We had packed snacks and some water for our refreshments and proceeded to blow up our floats. The water was clear and blue and felt incredible. We spent several hours enjoying the sunshine on our floats.
Chocolate & Ice Cream
After a great day at Horsetooth Reservoir, we changed our clothes and headed downtown. My daughter a true chocolate enthusiast has fallen in love with a chocolate shop HOME | Nuance Chocolate in Old Town that she was eager to share with me. We were greeted by an enthusiastic team of chocolatiers as they explained the history of the shop, the chocolate-making process, and the different kinds of chocolates available for purchase. While they do not hand out chocolate samples, we spent some time looking at and selecting several mixed boxes of chocolates and bars for gifting.
Shopping for chocolate made us crave ice cream, so we headed over to Old Town Churn Ice Cream for a cone while we listened to some live music. The square was filled with people hanging out and families chasing kids around. It was a fun atmosphere and delicious ice cream.
Art Walk in Old Town
Fort Collins is known for being an artisan community that celebrates art expression throughout its vibrant downtown. As you stroll through Old Town art is literally on every corner, so we took the opportunity to map out a walking tour of Art in Public Places. Fort Collins has over 100 pianos about town painted by local artists. Pianos About Town is a collaborative project between the City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places Program, Bohemian Foundation, and the Downtown Development Authority. The project combines art and music for the enjoyment of the community. Pianos are painted from May through October in Old Town Square, where the public can interact with the artists as they work in addition to indoor locations during the winter months.
Our scavenger hunt for pianos was a total blast and we had so much fun checking out the pianos and watching people interact with them.
Fort Collins also has many beautifully painted murals in alleyways and walls throughout the downtown. ART IS ALIVE EVERYWHERE.
Charcuterie Tasting
We wandered into our final stop of the day for an early dinner at The Welsh Rabbit Cheese Shop. A family-owned cheese shop that serves delicious cheeses, charcuterie, sandwiches, olives, pickled vegetables (try the pickled okra), meats, and bread. This meal was one of my favorites during the three-day trip. We returned to the hotel and said our sad goodbyes until the next epic visit.
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