Discover Downtown

On-street parking is easy or choose among three convenient parking garages where parking is just $1 per hour and the first hour is free! Download the ParkMobile app to your smart phone or use the kiosks in the garages to pay for parking. The Remington St. Garage is located directly across from the visitor center, where we can answer any questions you have or help you find fun places to go.

SOAK IT UP! Friendly faces, bursts of flowers, splash parks, painted pianos, holiday lights, inviting alleyways and the hub itself—Old Town Square. Fort Collins has one of the most walkable downtown areas in America. It’s so charming that it inspired Disneyland’s MainStreet USA. We even have a trolley (celebrating over 100 years of service) that will take you from Old Town to City Park and back during the summer months.

Old Town (locals’ name for the downtown area) is more than just a collection of great shops and eateries, or openair concert venues and plaza spaces, or charming flowers, tree-lined streets and amazing public art all around. It’s a place that contains all of these traits that somehow add up to a feeling that you can’t put your finger on, but it has something to do with the cheerful people who live in and visit Fort Collins.

Lodging in Old Town

Choose from the 4-star Elizabeth Hotel in the heart of Old Town, the newly renovated historic Armstrong Hotel, the Edward’s House B&B, or Remington Flats—to name a few.

Public spaces

Old Town, the city’s historic center, is bursting with public spaces to people (and dog) watch. In Old Town Square, get into the action at a creative play area or tickle some ivories at one of the many painted

Pianos About Town. Nearby, on Oak Street Plaza, public art doubles as fountains and shade trees provide a spot to sip coffee or enjoy lunch It’s no wonder this is a state designated Creative District.

Shopping paradise

If you’re a shopper, you’ve arrived in a kind of paradise… boutiques, one-of-kind shops, foodie stuff, souvenirs and on and on. Want to sample 50 kinds of olive oil? Got it. Try on some boutique fashions? Check. Unique outdoor gear? Yep. Colorado mountain souvenirs? Endless. Lavender soaps and creams? Yummy. And most of these shops are locally owned, so you just might be chatting with the proprietor at any time.

Downtown offers several lively options for kids, teens, and families. Choose your own adventure and discover a new favorite.

1. Old Town Square Splash Pad: This sprayground is sure to delight all ages on a hot day.

2. Fort Collins Museum of Discovery: Science, music and amazement keep hands and minds busy.

3. Lee Martinez Farm: A city farm that offers PONY RIDES! Get ready to “git along,” and welcome to the wild west lil’ pardner.

4. Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys: A true neighborhood toy store with a kids clothing shop and the Urban Blossom tween boutique.

5. Pinball Jones: An underground arcade with craft beer on tap and a gazillion games to play.

Fresh air

We love to linger outside on patios and rooftops. Check out The Exchange, a great family gathering place for all ages with a common area to enjoy tacos, ice cream, refreshing drinks and more. Relax a moment with the wide-open views on Illegal Pete’s rooftop, or the iconic fountain patio at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, locally known as The Rio. Or chill on Old Town Square with an ice cream cone or sundae from Ben & Jerry’s or stop in at one of the many other spots on the plaza.

Winter warm-ups

Winter brings Santa’s Workshop, a pop-up ice skating rink and a cozy fire pit to Old Town Square. The surrounding downtown transforms into a wonderland. Picture yourself strolling through a twinkling world of lighted trees with inviting shop windows and cozy restaurants.

The shops downtown have extended retail hours through the holiday season and the hot sipping chocolate at Nuance Chocolate is a perfect way to enjoy the seasonally dipping temperatures and beauty of winter in Fort Collins.

Elegant dining, musical performances, theatrical events, foodie and art walks keep Fort Collins bustling even in chilly weather.

Patio culture in Fort Collins isn’t just for your two-legged friends. Some businesses welcome well-behaved dog guests with a bowl of water.

After sundown

A vibrant energy buzzes here in the evening as bon vivants head out to see what the night might hold. The variety might amaze you. Wander through Old Town and down the bright and artsy alleyways to discover your next favorite place. You’ll love the tree lights in winter.

Grab a beer and sidle up to pinball machine or arcade game underground at Pin Ball Jones or settle in for an evening of music at the innovative, Magic Rat, in the luxurious Elizabeth Hotel where you can also take in the panoramic view at the roof-top Sunset Lounge.

Grab a bite from an assortment of shipping-container eateries at The Exchange and mingle in the common area.

Sit a moment in Old Town Square as you plan your next stop…maybe a patio like Coopersmiths or Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant or a cocktail lounge like Persimmon or Ace Gilletts, which features live jazz.

Whatever you do, don’t miss an evening in Downtown.

1. Catch a festival // Come on down and see what the buzz is all about. Many downtown festivals feature beer, bikes and bands.

2. Chill in Old Town Square // Hang out in the sun all year round at this central gathering place with a winter skate rink and summer splash park..

3. Check the haunts// Sign up for the ghost and history tour in and around Downtown Fort Collins.

4. Shop ‘til you drop // Discover a scintillating mix of one-of-a-kind shops and welcoming cafes.

5. Book a room // Settle into a boutique hotel or B&B right down where the action is.

For ideas, visit www.visitftcollins.com, and search downtown.