Getting There
By Car -- Coming from south or north, take I-25 to exit 269 (Mulberry St., for downtown Fort Collins), exit 268 (Prospect Rd., for Colorado State University), or exit 265 (Harmony Rd., for south Fort Collins). From Rocky Mountain National Park's Estes Park entrances, follow U.S. 34 to Loveland, then turn north on U.S. 287. The drive takes about 1 1/4 hours from Denver or Estes Park and about 40 minutes from Cheyenne, Wyoming.
By Plane -- Many visitors to Fort Collins fly into Denver International Airport. The Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (tel. 970/962-2852; www.fcgov.com/airport), off I-25 exit 259, 7 miles northeast of downtown Loveland, has charter service.
Shamrock Airport Express (tel. 970/482-0505; www.rideshamrock.com) provides daily shuttle services between Denver and Fort Collins (one-way rates: $32 adults, $10 children under 13, free for children who sit on a parent's lap). Car rentals in Fort Collins are provided by Advantage (tel. 970/224-2211) and Enterprise (tel. 970/224-2592).
Visitor Information
The Fort Collins Convention and Visitors Bureau operates a visitor information center at 19 Old Town Sq., Ste. 137, Fort Collins, CO 80524 (tel. 800/274-3678 or 970/232-3840; http://visit.ftcollins.com). The state operates a Colorado Welcome Center, just east of I-25 at Prospect Road (exit 268); the angular, two-story building's unique architecture makes it hard to miss. Both are open daily from 8am to 6pm Memorial Day to Labor Day, and from 8am to 5pm the rest of the year.
Getting Around
Fort Collins is located on the Cache la Poudre River, 4 miles west of I-25. College Avenue (U.S. 287) is the main north-south artery and the city's primary commercial strip; Mulberry Street (Colo. 14) is the main east-west thoroughfare. Downtown Fort Collins extends north of Mulberry Street on College Avenue to Jefferson Street; Old Town is a triangle east of and bounded by College Avenue, 4 blocks north of Mulberry. The main Colorado State University campus covers a square mile on the west side of College Avenue 2 blocks south of Mulberry.
The city bus system, known as Transfort (tel. 970/221-6620; www.fcgov.com/transfort), operates more than a dozen routes throughout Fort Collins Monday through Saturday, except major holidays. Its sister system, Fox Trot, connects with Loveland's bus system. Most routes run from 6:30am to 6:30pm, and additional runs are made when CSU is in session. All buses have bike racks. Fares are $1.25 for adults, 60ยข for seniors 60 and older and those with disabilities; youths under 18 ride free. Exact change is required. A 10-ride ticket costs $9.
Taxi service is provided 24 hours a day by Shamrock Yellow Cab (tel. 970/224-2222).
Bicycling is a popular and viable means of transportation in Fort Collins. Just about the only place you can't ride is College Avenue.
Fast Facts
The Poudre Valley Hospital is at 1024 S. Lemay Ave. (tel. 800/252-5784 or 970/495-7000; www.pvhs.org), between Prospect Road and Riverside Avenue just east of downtown. The main post office is located at 301 S. Howes St. Contact the U.S. Postal Service (tel. 800/275-8777; www.usps.com) for hours and other post office locations.
Special Events -- Gem & Mineral Show, late March; Cinco de Mayo in Old Town, first weekend in May; Colorado Brewers' Festival in Old Town Square, last full weekend in June; Fabric of Legacies Quilt Show, mid-August; NewWestFest in Old Town and Library Park, mid-August; and Oktoberfest in Old Town, mid-October.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
