Colorado State University Parent and Family Guide
Welcome to Fort Collins!
Why visit Fort Collins?
Close proximity to the majestic Rocky Mountains, a vibrant downtown, a thriving arts and culture scene and progressive sustainability practices are just some of the reasons that boost Fort Collins to the top of many “best of” lists. The minute you set foot in this college town of 140,000 people, you’ll know you’re in one of the best-kept secrets in America.
While you’re here, take a plunge in the only nationally designated “Wild & Scenic” river; the Cache la Poudre. Class II, III, and IV rapids will greet you from May thru August. If you miss that window of opportunity, there is a lot more to do and see in Fort Collins.
Hop on a cruiser bicycle rented free of charge from the Fort Collins Bike Library and explore the miles and miles of bike lanes and trails in this gold level bicycle community. Stay atop your cruiser and make your way around town to the nine microbreweries that have put Fort Collins on the map as Colorado’s brewing capital.
If that isn’t enough, you’ll find art and culture at every turn, literally, in Fort Collins. The newly renovated Lincoln Center welcomes high caliber performances as well as housing local theater and dance productions. Stroll down the tree lined streets of Old Town and take in the facades that inspired Disneyland’s Main Street USA.
You don’t have to take our word for how great Fort Collins is. These are just a few of the honors/recognition received in 2011:
- One of America’s 20 Most Economically Vibrant College Towns: TheAtlanticCities.com - September 2011
- Ranked First, Safest Drivers in America: Allstate Insurance Company - 2011
- Ranked 3rd on the Best Bicycle Cities list: League of American Bicyclists and TheStreet.com - August 2011
- One of the top 15 Best Places for triathletes to live and train: Triathlete Magazine - August 2011
- Ranked 5th Best Places for Business and Careers: Forbes - June 2011
- Fort Collins, One of the Top 10 Cities Adopting Smart Grid Technology: U.S.News and World Report - May 2011
- Top Colorado City for Job Growth, Fort Collins-Loveland: 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth, newgeography.com - May 2011
- Third Happiest Metro Region, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO: Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index - 2011
- One of the Top Ten Places to Retire in the Nation: Charles Schwab’s On Investing - Spring 2011
- 2011 Governor’s Arts Award: Colorado Creative Industries and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade - March 2011
- One of the Top 10 Best American cities to invest your real estate dollars in 2011
