1. Grab a craft beer at the Jessup Farm Barrel House

     

 

 

Fort Collins is one hell of a cool city. There are so many things to do there, it's almost overwhelming. The college brings the town a cool, young vibe. And with that comes a plethora of bars and breweries. Most Fort Collins residence know of, and have probably been to, the more popular breweries such as New Belgium and Odell. But less are aware of Jessup Farm Barrel House. Housed in a 133-year old barn, this brewery focuses on the art of craft brewing, using beer blending and barrel aging techniques. It is located in an artisan village with other shops and eateries just off of Prospect and Timberline. They even have an outdoor beer garden with seating and cornhole. And their beer is absolutely delicious! I personally tried the Coco-Barbarosa, which is a rum barrel-aged coconut infused red ale. YUM. If you are a beer lover and enjoy playing outdoor games in a beer garden, this is definitely your new spot!

Address: 1921 Jessup Dr, Fort Collins, CO 80525
Hours: 11am-9pm Sunday-Thursday and 11am-11pm Friday/Saturday
Website: Jessup Farm Barrel House Website

2. Catch a movie at the Holiday Twin Drive-In Theater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you looking for a cute date night idea or a twist on girls night out? The Holiday Twin Drive-In Theater is the perfect spot! This adorable drive-in theater is only $7.00/person to see two movies that are in theaters (That's a steal!). All you have to do is bring your car, friends, blankets, and tune into the local radio station to watch the movie! They have a concession stand stocked with hot dogs, popcorn, and other sweet treats. It is honestly the perfect thing to do on a warm summer night but the show goes on rain or shine! This theater has been owed by Wes Webb since 1979 and has since become an icon in Fort Collins. They currently have a kick starter going on to update the theater's building, electricity, and sewer to preserve the theater for years to come. You can help out by clicking here: Holiday Twin Drive-In Theater Kickstarter. And go check out showtimes by visiting their website below!

Address: 2206 South Overland Trail, Fort Collins, CO
Hours: Box Office opens 7pm Sunday - Thursday and 6pm Friday/Saturday
Website: Holiday Twin Drive-In Theater Website

3. Snack on a delicious homemade popsicle at Revolution Artisan Pops

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This place is honestly the best. Their popsicles flavors are amazing and they are made with 100% fresh, local ingredients. Revolution's pops are sold in various places around Fort Collins, but they also have their own modest shop, wedged between Ncompass and Stuft Burger Bar. Their menu consists of fruity flavors, such as: fresh strawberry and raspberry lemonade, and creamy flavors, such as: coconut cream (a dream!), coffee with sweet cream (also a dream!), and dark chocolate. They also typically carry seasonal, specialty pops. While we were there, they had a beat lavender pop on their specialty menu which was pretty dang delicious. If you have a pup, they also have a treat for them called the "pupsicle". How. stinking. cute. They recently started a delivery service, as well, so you can get one of these pops dropped off at your front door! If you're in the mood for a treat, head over to Revolution. You won't be disappointed.

Address: 208 South College, Fort Collins, CO 80524
Hours: 1pm-8pm Sunday-Thursday, 1pm-10pm Friday, and 12pm-10pm Saturday
Website: Revolution Artisan Pops Website

4. Spend a day at Horsetooth Reservoir

    

 

 

 

 

 

Horsetooth Reservoir is one of the better known spots in Fort Collins but I had to include it because it is also one of the very best. The drive is beautiful and the views are incredible. On a sunny day, this is the best place to have a picnic and enjoy the beauty of this town. There is so much to do on this 6 1/2 mile lake: fishing, boating, camping, swimming, rock climbing, and even scuba diving! This is what living in Colorado is all about people. There are some general regulations so make sure you check those out before heading up. Day passes are required to park and there are quiet hours from 10pm-6am. If you wanted to get a full experience of the lake, rent a paddle board, canoe, or boat at the Inlet Bay Marina. Canoe rentals are just $10/hour! Check out their website for more info below. There are also lots of cute Airbnbs near Horsetooth and if you sign up here, you'll get $40 off your first stay! If you are wanting to camp, I have included the website to reserve your spot at below as well. Happy camping!

Inlet Bay Marina:
Address: 4314 South Shoreline Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80526
Hours: Typically 9am-3:30pm daily but make sure to reserve your time slot online
Website: Inlet Bay Marina Website
To reserve a camp spot: Reserve America Website
To book an Airbnb: Airbnb Website - Get $40 off your first stay!

5. Make your own essential oil-infused bath salts at EsScentuals

      

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little French-inspire boutique is so charming and is located right in Old Town. When you step inside you get hit with the smell of romantic essential oils and it's heavenly. The shop itself has so many cute knick knacks, adorable wall art, bath and body products, candles, and so much more. If you walk to the back of the shop, you will find a shelf of oils, varying between perfume and essential. On the perfume side you will find scents like french vanilla, rose, and coconut. On the essential oils side are scents like lavender, peppermint, and tea tree. They all smell so delicious, it's hard to decipher which will be the best to infuse your bath salts with! Once you've picked your scent, you'll need to choose which type of bath salt you would like. You can choose from epsom, dead sea, or Himalayan (which we went with!), each with their own benefits. You then choose the weight or number of salt rocks you'd like to purchase. The staff are super helpful in weighing the salts and infusing them with your oil of choice. Both my sister and I chose coconut (can you tell we are obsessed with coconut at this point?) and they are absolutely amazing. You will be SO excited to get home and draw a bath with a glass of wine in hand and your bath salts infusing the air with their deliciousness. All you need to do at that point is lay back and let the salts heal your soul. Well, body too, but mainly soul.

Address: 142 South College Ave, Fort Collins, 80524
Hours: 10am-6pm Monday-Saturday and 12pm-5pm on Sunday
Website: EsScentuals Facebook Page

6. Shop around the Nepal Tibet Shop

          

This store is my number one place to go to in Fort Collins! It is owned by a couple and there are actually two locations, one in South College, run by the husband and the other in Old Town, run by the wife. They are the sweetest business owners and love to show you around the store. Both shops are filled with Tibetan merchandise, much of which is Buddhist-themed, but for those that are not Buddhist (myself included), there are still tons of cute things hidden throughout. From silver rings, to tapestries, to scarves, to these adorable bamboo shoots, this store has it all. They also have these fun elephant pants that I almost purchased. These bamboo shoots pictured here were only $3/$4 and we have them sitting on our kitchen windowsill. They make the room a little brighter and we love them. So whether you're looking for a piece of wall decor, a new scarf, or a cute little plant, you have to check out of theses shops!

Address: 129 S College Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80524
Hours: 10am-7pm Monday- Saturday, 12pm-4pm Sunday
Website: Nepal Tibet Imports Website

7. Visit the Annual Flower Trial Garden

     

This gorgeous display of flower varieties is located on the Colorado State University campus, next to the Center for the Arts and the School of Music. In 1992, Dr. James E. Klett became the facility coordinator for the trail program and began cultivating this beautiful garden. Today, you can spot the annuals from late May to early October. It is open to the public daily and is free of charge. There are so many beautifully colored rows of flowers, each labeled with the varieties' name. There are three different types of flowers: annuals, cool seasons, and perennials. Each are voted on and the top are awarded prizes each year. Many people come here to take professional pictures. There was a group taking family pictures when we visited, as well as college students taking senior photos. Make sure when you visit to respect the garden and to not pull any flowers, as much as you may want to!

Address: 1401 Remington Street, Fort Collins, CO 80523
Hours: Open all hours to the public
Website: Annual Flower Trial Garden Website

8. Sip on a craft cocktail at Social

  

Much like Horsetooth, this prohibition-era themed cocktail bar is fairly well known around Fort Collins. Although, it tends to be the older crowd you'll see sipping on a craft cocktail here. This could be due to the fact that Social's libations can be a little on the pricier side, or that their list of spirits can be quite daunting. But don't fear! Social has a pretty amazing happy hour between 4-6pm everyday consisting of both food and drink specials. You can also split a drink, which is what my sister and I did; pictured above. We tried their lemon lavender egg white cocktail, which was absolutely delectable and only $3.50 each! They will also give you a complimentary "thank you" drink if you sit down with them before 8pm! And if you have no idea what to order off the menu, simply tell the bartender what type of spirit and flavors you typically like and they will be happy to craft something up for you. The great service, mixed with the romantic ambiance makes this one of the best places to go on a date or visit with friends in Fort Collins!

Address: 1 Old Town Sq #7, Fort Collins, CO 80524
Hours: 4pm-12am Sunday-Wednesday, 4pm-1am Thursday-Saturday
Website: Social's Website

Thank you!

Thanks for taking the time to ready my first blog post! This was honestly so fun to explore the city with my sister and put this post together. We joked that we had the cutest sister day when we were adventuring around. But seriously, I have the most fun when I am spending time with my favorite people exploring new places so I think I'll be doing this again! I hope you enjoyed this post and please comment or email me if you want to chat! Email is: Heythere@wildandfreebre.com. Have a wonderful day!