Fort Collins

Fort Collins is a city of about 170,000 in north central region of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Larimer County, the city lies 59 mi north of Denver on the Cache La Poudre River at the eastern edge of the Front Range foothills. Fort Collins is the home of Colorado State University and is a major research center.

Understand
Old Town is the downtown area of the city, centered on the cross-streets of College Avenue and Mountain Avenue. It is the historical beginnings of the town, with a vast variety of older buildings and historical monuments. Those seeking to visit architecture from the early 20th century should come to Fort Collins for its prime examples.

The Colorado State University campus is right in the middle of the city, extending from Prospect Road on the South to Laurel Street on the north, and from Shields street on the west to College Avenue on the East. The university also has several other smaller campuses throughout the city. The big white "A" on the mountain west of town stands for Aggies, a relic from when CSU was Colorado Agricultural College.


 * Fort Collins municipal website

By plane

 * Denver International Airport is the closest international airport; several shuttle services to Fort Collins are available, such as Super Shuttle and Groome.
 * Domestic flights from cities such as Las Vegas are available here. The Groome DIA shuttle also makes a stop at this location.

By bus

 * Bustang is a state-wide bus service operated by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). The buses are new, clean, and punctual, offering affordable fares. Additionally, the buses are equipped with a bike rack, and passengers can bring bicycles at no extra charge. For only $10, the North Line provides a direct connection to Denver.


 * Flex is a service run by Transfort that connects to Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder. Fares are suspended as of June 2023. Buses have bike racks.
 * The Poudre Express is a bus service operated by Greeley Evans Transit (GET), which conveniently connects Fort Collins to Greeley and Windsor. This bus service boasts of its modern and well-maintained vehicles, however, the buses do not run frequently and often experience delays, particularly during rush hour. Fares are reasonably priced at $1.25 for individuals who are 19 years old and above. Free wifi and bike racks on board.
 * Greyhound Lines has connections with Denver and towards Salt Lake City, through Cheyenne. Furthermore, there is also a connection to Laramie.

By rail
The nearest train station is Denver Union Station, which can be accessed by Amtrak's California Zephyr.

Amtrak operates a throughway bus route from Denver through Fort Collins, but if you attempt to schedule this on their website, it will not allow you to do so (as of June 2023). However, there is a throughway connection to Greeley. Nevertheless, it is likely more affordable and less strict on luggage sizes to use the Bustang North Line, which has a stop at Union Station in Denver.

By public transit
Public transit is provided by Transfort. Most routes run M-Sa 5AM to 8PM hourly, although some of the more popular routes have a frequency of every 30 minutes. The MAX route runs every 20 minutes. Buses do not operate on Sundays. All Transfort services free as of June 2023.

There are four main transit hubs in Fort Collins: the Downtown Transit Center, the CSU Transit Center, the South Transit Center, and the Harmony Transfer Center. The Downtown Transit Center and the South Transit Center are connected by the MAX BRT system. The CSU Transit Center is just a short walk from a MAX stop. The Harmony Transfer Center can be reached via Route 16 from the South Transit Center. The Poudre Express is available from both the CSU Transit Center and the Harmony Transfer Center. Flex services are offered from the Downtown Transit Center and the South Transit Center. Most intercity bus services, including Bustang, make stops at the Downtown Transit Center and the Harmony Transfer Center.

There is also a free, on-demand taxi service provided by the city on routes that have been suspended. Do not count on it if you need to be anywhere quickly. Taxis are often very late.

The "FoxTrot" service between Fort Collins and Loveland has been replaced by Flex.

By bicycle
Fort Collins is renowned for being incredibly bicycle-friendly according to US standards, boasting numerous paved trails and designated bike routes. Remarkably, bike lanes are found everywhere, including on the most uncomfortable arterial roads. In fact, biking can often be faster than driving, particularly during rush hour, as bike trails often take more direct routes and are typically given priority at street crossings. To aid navigation, a bicycle map is available here.

There are many bike rental options in Fort Collins:

The Fort Collins Bike Coop is likely the most affordable choice for both parts and repairs. This nonprofit charity is operated by volunteers, enabling them to offer significantly lower prices compared to other places. The mechanics are highly experienced and provide you with the opportunity to return to the shop and learn how to fix your bike while they work on it. Additionally, they have a vast selection of used parts.
 * Recycled Cycles rents bikes for $30/day.
 * Guests at the Armstrong Hotel are provided free bikes to ride during their stay.
 * Spin ride share e-bikes and scooters can be found all over the city.
 * Many other bike shops such as The Gearage may also rent bikes.

Drink
As a college town, Fort Collins has a very active nightlife with a wide variety of options, ranging from friendly corner pubs to hip hop dance clubs. Old Town is particularly lively on weekends, but even on weeknights, there is always something happening. Additionally, Campus West, the second, smaller cluster of bars in Fort Collins, still offers a lot of entertainment options.

Free
The local ISP Front Range Internet, Inc. (FRII) has introduced a Wireless Mesh which includes most of Old Town. Users may have an unlimited number of 30-minute sessions each day, with a few ads in between sessions.


 * Mugs Coffee Lounge has two locations. The shops at College & Olive are open daily 6AM-1AM; wireless is also accessible from outdoor tables. Timberline between Harmony & Horsetooth (on E side of Timberline N of Caribou), M-Th 6AM-10PM, F-Su 6AM-6PM. The Timberline location has extremely uncomfortable seating, the others have comfy chairs.
 * McDonald's Cafe on West Elizabeth west of Shields Street.
 * Everyday Joe's Coffee House, 144 S. Mason, between Oak and Mountain. M-F 7AM-10PM, Sa 6-10PM.
 * Alley Cat Coffee House. Alley Cat is a 24-hour coffeehouse and cafe in the alley just west of College Avenue and north of Laurel.
 * Genoa's Coffee and Wine. Daily 7AM-9PM. Nice coffee house with some good snacks, a few beers, and a good selection of wines. At the corner of Drake and Timberline, near King Soopers.
 * The Bean Cycle on College has free WiFi. They are on College in the old-town area.
 * Dazbog Coffee Harmony & McMurray. Open 5:30AM to 10PM 7 days a week.
 * Fedex Kinkos 130 West Olive Street.
 * Fedex Kinko's Fort Collins Campus West 1113-1117 West Elizabeth.
 * SportsCaster Bar & Grill, 165 E Boardwalk Dr.(behind 1st National Bank).
 * The UPS Store #4655 at 1281 E Magnolia St.
 * The UPS Store #2011 at 1015 S Taft Hill Rd.
 * The UPS Store #2718 at 2601 S Lemay.
 * Fedex Kinko's 226 East Harmony Road.
 * Buffalo Wild Wings just east of College on Harmony works.
 * Panera Bread on College just south of Horsetooth has good wireless (though with a captive portal), and food and coffee beverages. Often crowded during lunch, especially on the weekends.
 * Cafe Mexicali has free WiFi.

Not free

 * McDonald's on the west side of College Ave. north of Drake offers 1 hr of free access with a purchase, or $2.95/hr otherwise.
 * Barnes & Noble 4045 S College
 * T-Mobile East Harmony Rd 238 East Harmony Rd

Go next

 * Cheyenne, capital of Wyoming, is just across the border from Fort Collins, home of the world's largest outdoor rodeo
 * The small community of Poudre Park offers some great panoramic views and mountainous quietude.