things to do around FT. Collins and CO Springs?

[Eric.MN]

Hello fellow OYOA fiends, My wife and I are planning a week trip to Colorado next week. It's a dream of ours to live out there some day, hopefully sooner then later so we thought we would have a road trip and get a feel for the area of Ft Collins and Colorado Springs. I have a few places in mind to check out from a easy interweb search. So to those who live around or know about the Colorado Springs area or Fort Collins area, any must sees or fun things to do with two adults and 1-1/2 year old? Any tips, advise, does or donts will be of help.

Thanks.
Eric

 

[HighDesertSage]

I lived in a town just a few minutes N of the Springs. Best decision we ever made was to leave that rat race and move to the West side of the state. If you are already coming all this way, I would drive straight though that whole I-25 debacle and check out the western slope. Craig, Meeker, Grand Junction, Montrose, and Gunnison are all awesome.

I'm not trying to be a downer and dissuade you from your vacation plans, just sharing my experience. If you like big cities w/ great outdoor rec close you (and the other millions of people)you may love the front range. I'm just trying to make sure you know what you are heading into.

If your set on those areas, check out Mt.Herman. It's a beautiful hike close to town. Also, Garden of the Gods is cool. Mueller State Park is a great place to spend an afternoon.

Can't help you with the Fort Collins area. I have only driven through. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[JohnCushman]

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Springs is pretty awesome, especially with a kid in tow.

 

[SFC B]

I have lived in the Springs for 8 years now and it is great living. Comparatively low cost of living, good infrastructure, good schools and a good job market. I live on the North side of town west of I 25 and my neighborhood is awesome. I would say that the zoo (as Cush mentioned), Helen Hunt or 7 Falls, Garden of the Gods, the Air Force Academy, Pikes Peak and maybe the Olympic Training Center in town are unique (on top of tons of great city parks and trails). You can go 30-40 minutes up the pass on US24 and be in Woodland Park (about 2500 feet higher) which is more of a small mountain town while still having most amenities. Mueller State Park is on past that and well worth seeing. I have a buddy in Ft Collins and spend some time there....still good but not my choice. I will be gone next week or would offer to buy you a cold one at one of the GREAT breweries we have in town. Good luck and let me know if you have in "Springs" specific questions

 

[publichunter1]

I've been in Fort Collins since August and have loved the place. Its the biggest place I've lived but still has that smaller place feel. Our favorite things to do is fishing the Poudre, going up Poudre Canyon (the river is high right now), going to Estes Park (Rocky Mountain National Park), and Lory State Park. Besides that I love spending time around Walden fishing and hiking.

 

[Zach]

Water and Sunscreen if you're going to be doing outside stuff.

In the Springs, my recommendation is Cheyenne Zoo as Cushman said. Smaller zoo, but much more enjoyable than a large zoo with the crowds.
Focus on the Family, great place to take kids. They have the Adventures in Odyssey downstairs that is totally kid driven.
The Broadmoor Hotel/7 falls. Even if you just walk around the hotel it is pretty cool.
Manitou Incline if you're up for a hike and have a backpack to put the kiddo in.
Breckenridge isn't to far of a drive, fun town to visit and the drive up from CO Springs on 24 is good scenery.

Don't get up to FoCo much.

Some will tell you Springs is a big city, while it's grown, it's far from a big city. I live about 45 min east of downtown. Don't get down there to often, mainly because I don't have to.

 

[JohnCushman]

A half hour south of Springs is Pueblo with a huge lake and state park.

 

[Lonesome_God_outdoors]

Horsetooth reservoir is just west of Fort Collins. It's a cool place to hike around

 

[LopeHunter]

I was in Springs last month for a graduation at the Academy. The main north/south road through the Springs is like a rollercoaster at overpasses. Almost Duke's of Hazard "jump the creek" sort of roadway. I would put my hands up as if cresting the top on a rollercoaster....weeeeeeeee.

Garden of the Gods is nice for a hike. Found a couple of nice art galleries in Colorado City segment of the Springs. I stopped in Cabela's just north of the Springs to check out the mounts and fish.

 

[ddavis83864]

Near Colorado Springs is a place named "Garden of the Gods" great place to get out and walk around. They have places for the kids to climb on the rocks and the scenery is really great. There is also Pikes Peak, you can take the cog train to the top if you want to enjoy the views from 14K feet.

 

[JohnCushman]

There's a nice Bass Pro Shop off of the Northgate Blvd exit just north of Springs.

 

[wytex]

Why not venture a little farther north and see some of Wyoming. Laramie is a small town with great scenery. Go up to Vedauwoo and hike around, come see the University and the museums, drive over the Snowy Range and loop over to Saratoga then back down by Walden and Poudre Canyon. Less people with school out and tourist season just starting.

 

[Eric.MN]

Thanks for the all the responses guys! The many suggestions provided will help us make best of our time out there. Never being to Colorado I didn't want to miss the cool places not on the tourist list.

 

[JohnCushman]

Weed is legal too

 

[jlmatthew]

Weed is legal too

I was waiting for someone to say that!

 

[whiskeydog]

When you are going through Denver on the drive from Ft Collins to Co Springs, two great places to take a kid are the Butterfly Pavilion and the Aquarium. Also, for you and the wife, there are a TON of great breweries around Ft Collins.

 

[JohnCushman]

I was waiting for someone to say that!

Glad I didn't disappoint

 

[Zach]

A half hour south of Springs is Pueblo with a huge lake and state park.

Also down that way https://royalgorgeroute.com/

If you're so inclined, check out http://www.navigators.org/Home too.



Lopehunter, you must live somewhere flat.

 

[JohnCushman]

Pikes Peak is under a crapton of snow right now

 

[COEngineer]

I used to take my kids to the zoo, but then I started thinking about why I love hunting and the outdoors (seeing wild animals in wild places) and contrasting that with the zoo (wild animals in cages). I can't stomach the zoo anymore.

I would recommend Royal Gorge if that's not too far south. The drive up Hwy 14 along the Cache La Poudre river west from Fort Collins is very scenic, but very curvy, slow driving depending on how much time you have to kill and how much of your time you want to spend in the car. Garden of the Gods in CO Springs is great.

Oh, and if you are in really good shape and/or like to torture yourselves, you can do the Manitou Incline (take the free shuttle from Manitou Springs.