Fort Collins, aka the Choice City, FoCo, or Fort Fun, is northern Colorado’s largest city full of wonderful places for a special night out. Nestled in the foothills, it’s a city with both a charming Old Town and quick access to nature.
Maintaining the spark within a relationship doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds, but many long-time partners and even some newlyweds seem to have trouble with it. If you’re one of those couples who want to keep your relationship as strong as possible, don’t forget that dating your person is something that continues throughout life.
Dates are how your love story began and will be the primary ingredient towards keeping the story going as well. Don’t let yourself make excuses as to why you can’t go out. Get a babysitter if you have kids and throw on a little black dress or nice button-up shirt. It’s your special night together, after all, so you want to look as great as you possibly can.
Some of Fort Collins’ Best Date Ideas
While movie nights and candlelit dinners can be fun, if you want to try something new, Fort Collins is jam-packed with unique and exciting activities for you and your special someone. Whether you decide to just stroll its historic Old Town soaking in the ambiance or opt for a more engaging night out, you’ll find a lot of activities aimed at couples.
For those out-of-towners, we’ve also assembled the best hotels in Fort Collins.
Here are some date night ideas in Fort Collins, CO, you should try out, in no particular order:
1. Explore Colorado’s Lush Nature
Dates don’t always have to happen at night. If you want to bond while experiencing all the natural beauty Fort Collins has to offer, there are numerous recreational activities to choose from. From hiking and camping to extreme kayaking, you’ll be having fun in the great outdoors in no time.
One place, in particular, that’s worth visiting is the Horsetooth Reservoir which offers both camping and hiking. Make use of the multi-use lakeside trails, open to bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. The Inlet Bay Marina rents a variety of boats, including jet skis. Summer weekends usually find the reservoir at capacity for boats, so arrive early or plan a weekday visit if boating.
An excellent place for a picnic and spending quality time in nature, you could start the day in the wilderness before heading back into the city for dinner and drinks.
2. Learn How To Do At-Home Dinner Dates With A Cooking Class
The key to most people’s hearts is found in their stomachs, and while simply going to a top restaurant in Fort Collins is a great way to spend time together, cooking with one another is even better. With a few establishments in the city offering couples’ cooking classes, giggling together as you create something is a beautiful way to make a memory.
The Cooking Studio offers adult cooking classes that are perfect for date nights. Instructed by top chefs that will teach you how to make excellent dishes, you may find that cooking together is better than leaving the house. Other locations in Fort Collins include Ginger & Baker‘s teaching kitchen as well as Farm Fusion‘s cooking classes and private events.
Plus, gaining a few new recipes is something you can carry with you throughout life, and will always remind you of your special night together.
3. Excite Your Palettes At The Food Truck Rally
Eating out might not be as exciting as it used to be, especially if you’ve been together for years. However, the Food Truck Rally at City Park offers a unique and exciting dining experience. This event, held every Tuesday during the summer, is frequented by numerous food trucks, some of which travel from other states to feed your palate.
You and your significant other can pick from a nearly endless selection of great grub while listening to live music at the Food Truck Rally. It typically occurs from mid-May to late-September, 5:30 pm to dusk. Afterward, consider stopping by one of Fort Collins’ best bars to imbibe the night away.
4. Hit a Bullseye at Archery
We all know the scenario; two unaware strangers just going about their day then poof! Cupid shoots an arrow and they fall in love. While we can’t promise Cupid will be there, heading to an archery range is a great way to spend time together while being physically active. Plus, who doesn’t love a little friendly competition?
Boasting indoor and outdoor locations, a few places worth visiting are High Altitude Archery, The Fort Collins Outdoor Archery Range, and Rocky Mountain Archery. While some locations offer rental equipment, others may require your own. Locations like High Altitude Archery offer classes and events like archery tag.
No matter where you go, supporting each other while you aim for the bullseye is a great way to affirm one another. Plus, once you’ve finished, you’ll probably have worked up an appetite.
5. Share A Thrilling Night With Haunted Tours
Fort Collins Tours offers multiple themed tours that will take you around the city. While each experience is unique and fun, if your partner isn’t fond of ghosts and other things that go bump in the night, chances are they’ll going to cling to you for protection if you choose a haunted tour.
With a Lake Night Ghost Walk, Ghosts and Goodies excursion, Haunted Pub Tour, and a Street Level Tour, you might just have a spine-chilling encounter along the way. Running mostly on weekends, private group outings can also be reserved.
6. Take On The Trail With Beer & Bike Tours
One of the most amazing Fort Collins activities to partake in is a beer and bike tour. On these tours, you’ll bike around to some of Fort Collins’ best craft breweries and taste a few samples while you learn about the area. Needless to say, you’ll be getting your fill of drinks, though usually on a pay-per-drink basis.
An enjoyable activity to do on a solo bike or tandem, seeing the area from two wheels while throwing back a few beers is a great way to unwind and spend time outside. Beer & Bike Tours provides the Fort Collins Brew Cruise, a mellow ride between three of the town’s top microbreweries.
Tours last around 4 hours, covering 3 to 6 miles of riding, and include plenty of beer samples. Remember to drink in moderation, so you and you’re partner can safely make it around on your bike.
7. Test Your Synergy In Escape Rooms
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of escape rooms, think of it as one giant puzzle box. As the name suggests, your primary goal is to escape from a certain scenario before the timer runs out. There are a few Fort Collins-based establishments that offer this unique experience, including ConTRAPtions, Somewhere Secret Escape Game, and Fort Collins Escape Room.
What makes this such a great idea for date night is that it will push you and your significant other to your intellectual limits. There’s no way you’re getting out of these escape rooms without working with each other.
As stressful as it may seem, always remember that these are just games, so enjoy solving mind-boggling puzzles with your partner. It’s also a perfect opportunity to impress your lover with your puzzle-solving skills.
8. Channel Your Inner Van Gogh
Perhaps unsurprisingly, painting and alcoholic beverages go excellently together. Pinot’s Palette offers a unique experience wherein you paint to your heart’s content while sipping on wine and beer. During each session, an expert guides you through the painting process, so there’s a strong chance you’ll come out with a personal masterpiece — even if you’re bad at painting.
They host a variety of special events, so if you’re looking for something specific, be sure to check out their calendar. The best part about this date idea is that you get to bring home whatever you created on the canvass. You can also check out Painting with a Twist for a similar experience.
Thanks for checking out some of the top date ideas in Fort Collins! We hope you enjoy your day or evening out in this fun northern front range city!
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