Old Town Fort Collins has been a hub of community activity for well over a century, with dozens of major festivals and celebrations each year and thousands of smaller events. Many people don’t venture out to the edges of Old Town, however, missing out on a plethora of fantastic local shops, restaurants, parks, and cultural experiences, including the Cohere Coworking Space.
Learn more about Fort Collins from the locals. Book a tour of Cohere Coworking today!
As edge dwellers ourselves, we thought an introduction might be in order.
Westward Bound
Venturing west from Old Town leads to a blend of residential homes, scattered small businesses, and community centers.
Toward the south side of this area, you’ll find the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, a premier location for performing and visual arts in Northern Colorado since 1978, and the Mulberry Pool, a popular city run recreation facility.
Farther north, past a cathedral or two and stately court and civil buildings, is Washington Park, a lovely spot of green to relax at. Across the street from Washington Park is the non-profit community fixture, FoCo Café, and the community gardens, a shared gardening and learning space.
Popular food stops in this area include:
- Lucille’s Creole Café—A long-time favorite brunch spot among locals. Filling southern comfort food that is exquisitely prepared.
- 400 Meldrum
- Restaurant 415—Modern American cuisine, light but satisfying food characterized by fresh ingredients and a thoughtful menu.
- 415 S Mason
- FoCo Café—A nonprofit, pay-what-you-can café open from 11 am to 2 pm every day except Sunday.
- 225 Maple Street
Heading North
Just North of the main strip you’ll find the Exchange, a bustling entertainment area, with several food stops, a miniature golf course, and other local businesses. The Exchange is a great place to meet friends or family and relax after a long day, and one or two of the restaurants always seem to offer a treat or two on the third Friday Foodie Walks.
A block or two further and you’ll continue to find a very similar vibe to the main strip, though perhaps at a slower pace. Long-time local businesses like Ginger & Baker and Wolverine Farm Public House sit on either side of Willow Street, interspersed with newer small businesses like Hello Beer, a woman-operated brewery near the crossroads of Linden and Willow.
Tucked away spots in this area include:
- Petrichor Collective—A comfortable, inclusive space for creative work.
- 131 E Lincoln
- Bas Bleu Theater Company—A charming theater company nestled in the historic Giddings Building
- 401 Pine
- Wolverine Farm Letterpress & Publick House—This bookstore, café, and creative community hub frequently hosts groups, art exhibitions, and creative readings, and has a delicious Madame Grey.
- 316 Willow
In an Easterly Direction
Heading East from Old Town will lead you to an area steeped in knowledge, creativity, and history.
You’ll see several churches as you explore the corridor between Remington and Peterson—though typically less ambitious in construction than the cathedrals on the other side of Old Town—a few scattered but delightful shops and food stops, such as the locally-owned Gearage Outdoor Store and Equinox Brewing, and several historic buildings, including the site of the first Fort Collins Schoolhouse, established in 1870.
This is also where you will find the Old Town Library and the Center for Creativity. The Old Town Library on Matthews Street opened to the public for the first time on July 1, 1904, and was only the sixth public library established in Colorado. The Center for Creativity is housed in the former Carnegie Library, and frequently hosts art events, workshops, and creative performances.
Old Town Library and the Center for Creativity are surrounded by Library Park, a beautiful spot to sit and read, draw, or just take in the scenery. The small playground, located near the Joseph Antoine Janis and Franz-Smith historic cabins, are a great place to explore history and give the kids (or kids at heart) an opportunity to blow off steam.
A few other notable historic buildings east of Old Town:
- Mchugh-Andrews Mayor’s House—Designed and built by well-known architect Montezuma Fuller in 1885, and owned by multiple mayors throughout Fort Collins history, now a fly-fishing shop.
- 202 Remington Street
- The Mosman House—Another Montezuma Fuller house, built in the 1890s, and known as one of the best preserved Victorian homes in Fort Collins
- 324 East Oak Street
- The McIntyre House—Built in 1881 for Josiah and Lucy McIntyre. Josiah McIntyre was blinded during his military service, and is noted as the first blind person in the United States to earn a law degree.
- 137 Mathews Street
Southern Comforts
The area south of Old Town blends the historic feel of Old Town with the vibrant energy of the nearby campus. There’s a hub of sandwich shops, Mexican restaurants, and other college friendly eats near College and Laurel, including local favorites like Fat Shack, Big City Burrito, and DP Dough. Smoke shops, tattoo parlors, and nightlife venues also line this area, increasing the college town feel of the area.
A little farther north there are a couple of grocery stores, Lucky’s, a Colorado based grocer that carries a large amount of locally sourced products, and a Target, before venturing into Old Town itself. Cohere Coworking is located near the southwestern edge, along with several other coworking spaces, including Kiln, DMC, and Cahoots. These spaces have become an unofficial coworking district in Fort Collins, offering spaces for remote workers, creatives, and entrepreneurs to find their communities.
Food you’ll only find here:
- The Colorado Room—A local favorite with a delicious selection of sliders and pountine and both indoor and outdoor seating.
- 642 College
- Alley Cat Café—A long-time late night spot for coffee and company
- 120 1/2 W Laurel St
- DGT Tacos (Authentic American Tacos)—A tasty spot with creative taco and burrito options. A favorite at Cohere.
- 120 W Laurel
Old Town is a delightful place to spend an afternoon, or an entire weekend, but it’s even better when you take time to explore the edges. Stop on by, we’ll show you around.
Cohere is a friendship-based coworking space, dedicated to leveraging friendship and community to wildly supercharge your productivity.
Want to see if Cohere fits your work style? Schedule a tour today.
Learn more about Old Town Fort Collins from previous guides:
- Ice Cream Shops in Old Town
- 7 Superb Ways to Escape the Heat in Fort Collins
- Winter events in Fort Collins
Penny Leigh Sebring is a Cohere member, experienced freelance writer, neophyte speculative fiction author, and gatherer of information and imaginary friends.