Photo courtesy of Holiday Twin Drive-in
You’re headed to Fort Collins with the kid’s in tow and worry if there will be enough to keep them entertained and still enjoy the best of FoCo Adulting. Since FoCo is consistently ranked on lists of the best places to raise a family, including The Best U.S. Cities to Raise a Family by MarketWatch the list of things to do is deep and wide with year-round, family-friendly attractions, entertainment, and community events.
While there is plenty to do in any season, the best seasons for kids is Summer (which lasts well into September and even early October). Here is our shortlist of fun…enjoy!
1. See a movie at Holiday Twin Drive-in.
We defy you to find something better to do with your kids than experiencing a soon forgotten joy of your own childhood, a night at the Drive-In. Drink the sugary soda, have the extra buttered popcorn, bring the lawn-chairs (we’ll even supply them for you). Holiday Twin Drive-in was originally built in the late 1960s and is one of Colorado’s last remaining drive-in movie theaters. Movies are shown from mid-spring through the first weekend in September. To see what’s playing, click here.
2. Ride Birney Car 21.
Since we’ve got nostalgia on the mind, Birney Car 21 is Fort Collins’ historic trolley and it turned 100 years old this year! You can visit Birney Car 21 on summer weekends and holidays for a three-mile round trip between City Park and Howes Street in Downtown Fort Collins. It’s a great way to enjoy local history and take a unique tour of our city center.
3. Spend an afternoon at Fort Fun.
Fort Fun boasts more than 10 attractions, 70 games and an on-site restaurant so guests can play all day long. Outdoor attractions like mini-golf, go-karts and the iconic giant slide are great but the kid favorite in the summer months has to be bumper boats and paddle boats on Blue Heron Lake.
4. Expand your mind at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery.
If the summer heat gets to be too much, head indoors to a world of wonder, learning, and fun. Featuring eleven experiential exhibits including a music and sound lab, animal encounters, and food forage and farm experience, this adventure is enough to keep people of all ages engaged and entertained for hours.
5. Try your hand at Paddle Boarding on Horsetooth Reservoir
Start your day with a hike around Lory State Park and reward yourself and the kids with some fun at the beaches of Horsetooth Reservoir. FoCo recreation just minutes from Remington Flats, can be found here where you can fish, swim at the public beach, and boat with your own or a rented craft through Inlet Bay Marina. The surrounding area also offer climbing, hiking, biking and even overnight camping.
Honorable Mention:
Have a picnic and pet the animals at The Farm at Lee Martinez Park.
Maintained by the City of Fort Collins and located on the grounds of one of our largest community parks, The Farm at Lee Martinez Park is a hands-on family experience. Guests can interact with animals, play games, attend events and more. For more information, click here.
Do you have a favorite?
If you and your kids have a favorite summer activity in Fort Collins let us know in the comments below!