Colorado has a deserved reputation for its splendid outdoors. from the Rocky Mountains to the prairie, natural beauty covers most of the area. Although Colorado is more well-known for its winter vacation spots, like Aspen and Vail, there are some great places to go for a summer vacation. One such place is Fort Collins. Fort Collins, in addition to appearing on many “Best Places to Live in America” lists, has some great places to check out in the summertime.If you’re into camping, there are plenty of wonderful camping sites. One especially affordable breathtaking spot is the Poudre Canyon. The Poudre Canyon is surrounded by Roosevelt National Forest, which has 13 different camp sites. You can tent in the Canyon for free, or for a very low cost, depending on where you set up camp. Numerous trails pass through the Canyon area, for both the experienced hiker and the novice. If you want some extra comfort, there are a few rental cabins available at reasonable rates. Further down the Canyon, you can find some excellent spots for fly fishing. What better way to save money than to catch your dinner! Similarly, if you’d like to camp somewhere a little closer to town, there’s Horsetooth Reservoir. The Reservoir offers lots of fun water activities for a body of water in a land-locked state. You can rent a boat, fish, swim, or camp. You can even take scuba lessons!
If you’re interested in some more indoorsy activities, there’s nothing to worry about. One thing that Fort Collins is known for is its many breweries. Some local breweries include New Belgium (most commonly known as the makers of Fat Tire), O’Dell’s, the Fort Collins Brewery, Coopersmiths, and a few others. The majority of the breweries offer free tours, including samples of the beer and make a few free drink tokens for their tasting rooms. If you have even the slightest interest in craft brewing, check these out. Not only are they informative, but you can get some free beer out of it!
In Old Town Fort Collins, you’ll find plenty of affordable local restaurants and several art galleries and boutiques to peruse. Old Town is also home to several music venues, including the Aggie Theatre and Hodi’s Half Note. Some big names come through town, so you might catch a cool show! Also, Fort Collins has a few big festivals to check out, like Taste of Fort Collins, the Colorado Brewer’s Festival, and New West Fest. A really neat, funky place to see is the Swetsville Zoo in neighboring Timnath, Colorado. Not a zoo in a traditional sense, the Swetsville Zoo contains over a hundred metal sculptures made out of old car parts. This may sound kitschy, but it has to be seen to be believed. It is a really cool place, and it is free of cost (although the park will gladly accept donations).
Fort Collins is an area built on the idea of community, so there are so many options for cheap or free entertainment. You and your family are sure to have a blast for only a few dollars. And you might even see Chris “Big Black” Boykin from Rob & Big fame wandering the grocery store aisle as he and his wife have made their home in the Fort.
Photo via Kables
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