Free & Cheap Things to Do in Fort Collins

Arts & Culture

Fort Collins' stunning historic downtown district — the real-life inspiration for Disneyland's Main Street USA — is free to explore and one of the liveliest pedestrian districts in Colorado. Old Town Square and the surrounding Victorian-era brick streets are lined with locally-owned boutiques, craft breweries, galleries, and restaurants. Free outdoor concerts fill Old Town Square on summer evenings, and the weekly farmers market (May through October) draws hundreds of vendors. Simply wandering the 15-block historic district costs nothing and rewards with excellent architecture, street art, and atmosphere.

Address: Old Town Square, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tip: Fort Collins has more breweries per capita than almost anywhere in Colorado — many offer free tours or $5 taster flights. For the Museum of Discovery, borrow a free Curiosity Pass from the Poudre River Library to skip the $15.50 admission. Check the Old Town Square events calendar for free summer concerts.

Outdoors

A completely free 22-mile paved trail following the Cache la Poudre River through Fort Collins and into the surrounding natural areas. The trail connects city parks, wildlife areas, and riverside habitats — popular for biking, running, birdwatching, and family walks year-round. The urban section passes through Salyer Natural Area and links Fort Collins neighborhoods from the foothills toward Windsor. Dozens of easy access points let you hop on for a quick stroll or a full-day ride. Great blue herons, osprey, and bald eagles are regular sightings along the river corridor.

Address: 408 Mason Ct, Fort Collins, CO 80524 (Museum of Discovery access point)

Tip: The stretch from the Museum of Discovery west toward Prospect Ponds Natural Area is the best for birdwatching. Fully paved and suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. Connects easily to Old Town via the trail's urban section. Bike rentals available at several shops near Old Town.

Outdoors

A stunning 6.5-mile reservoir nestled in the foothills just west of Fort Collins, with swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, and rock climbing backdropped by the iconic split-rock silhouette of Horsetooth Rock high on the ridge above. Larimer County day passes are $10 per vehicle — one of the most affordable outdoor recreation spots on the Colorado Front Range. The 29-mile trail system ranges from easy lakeside walks to the challenging Horsetooth Rock summit trail (3.5 miles round trip, 1,200 feet of gain) with panoramic views over Fort Collins and the plains.

Address: 4200 W County Rd 38E, Fort Collins, CO 80526

Tip: South Bay is the best swimming spot and less crowded than the main beach. The Horsetooth Rock Trail offers the best views — summit panoramas over Fort Collins and the plains are outstanding. Arrive before 9am on summer weekends to secure parking. Also one of Colorado's top windsurfing destinations.

Parks & Nature

A free university trial garden on the south end of Colorado State University's campus where 1,000+ flower varieties from major seed companies compete each summer to find which cultivars thrive at Fort Collins's 5,000-foot altitude. The peak-bloom block, mid-July through August, is one of the most photographed spots in town.

Address: 1401 Remington Street, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Tip: Open daily, dawn to dusk, year-round. Free street parking on Remington and Lake Street. Peak: mid-July to August. Picnics welcome; dogs welcome on leash.

Markets & Food

A free 45-minute walking tour of New Belgium Brewing's Fort Collins headquarters — birthplace of Fat Tire Amber Ale — with stops in the brewhouse, packaging line, and barrel-aging cellar. Adults 21+ get beer samples along the way; younger guests can join with closed-toe shoes. New Belgium pioneered employee-ownership and 100% wind-powered brewing.

Address: 500 Linden Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tip: Book up to two months in advance — popular slots fill fast. Walk-in availability rarely. Closed-toe shoes required. Same-day availability: call 888-NBB-4044.

Markets & Food

Free 30-minute guided tours at the Odell Brewing flagship in downtown Fort Collins, run four times daily at 12, 1, 2, and 3pm. Tours cover the malt mill, hot side, and packaging hall, with 21+ guests getting samples in the taproom afterward. Odell — founded 1989 — was Colorado's second-oldest microbrewery.

Address: 800 E. Lincoln Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tip: Tours run daily at 12, 1, 2, 3pm. Reserve up to 24 hours in advance at odellbrewing.com or call (970) 498-9070. Arrive 20 minutes early. Ages 12+ welcome; samples for 21+.

Parks & Nature

A 2,500-acre state park on the west side of Horsetooth Reservoir with 26 miles of trails through ponderosa pine forest, grasslands, and the granite-slabbed Arthur's Rock summit — a 3.4-mile out-and-back to 6,780 feet with panoramic views back toward Fort Collins. Mountain biking, horseback riding, and family-friendly Well Gulch Nature Trail round out the options.

Address: 708 Lodgepole Drive, Bellvue, CO 80512

Tip: Vehicle pass varies by season — buy at the entrance or online. America the Beautiful pass NOT accepted. Best wildflowers May–June. Pair with Horsetooth Reservoir directly across the road.

Arts & Culture

A hybrid science-and-history museum at the east end of Old Town, with hands-on exhibits on Colorado pioneer life, Cache la Poudre River ecology, sound and music technology (paired with a recording booth), and a Digital Dome planetarium. Permanent galleries cover the Cheyenne and Arapaho, the 1864 Camp Collins military post, and modern Front Range wildlife.

Address: 408 Mason Court, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tip: Open Tue–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 12–5pm; closed Mondays. Free parking in the museum lot. Discovery for All program offers $1 admission for those receiving food assistance.

Parks & Nature

Fort Collins' 12-acre botanic garden grows a butterfly house, themed children's garden, rock and prairie gardens, and one of northern Colorado's best plant-collection walks along the Spring Creek Trail. Summer brings an outdoor concert series on the Great Lawn with the foothills behind the stage.

Address: 2145 Centre Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80526

Tip: SNAP/EBT cardholders pay $1 at the door. The butterfly house closes briefly between residents, so check before a special trip. Arrive by bike on the Spring Creek Trail and skip parking entirely.

Quirky Landmarks

A restored 1919 Birney streetcar — one of the last in America still running on its original line — clatters down Mountain Avenue's grassy median between City Park and Old Town on summer weekends. Volunteers rebuilt the car and track, and the fare is still pocket change: $2 for adults, $1 for kids.

Address: Boards at City Park, W Mountain Ave & Roosevelt Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521

Tip: Runs Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays noon–5pm, May through September, every 30 minutes — cash for fares. Ride one way and stroll back down Mountain Avenue's craftsman-house blocks. Rail fans should chat up the volunteer motormen.

Family Fun

A working city farm on the Poudre River where kids meet 40–60 animals — horses, cows, goats, chickens — at a barnyard that's been a Fort Collins family tradition since 1985. Weekend pony rides run April through October, and the silo and red barns make it feel a world away from town.

Address: 600 N Sherwood St, Fort Collins, CO 80521

Tip: The Farm doesn't post admission online — it's a few dollars at the door; call (970) 221-6665 to confirm. Pony rides (ages 2+, weekends in season) are the splurge. The Poudre Trail runs past the gate for a free before-or-after walk.