Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sights & Activities
Like many Front Range bergs, Fort Collins' activities demand working up a sweat. Prox-
imity to Horsetooth Mountain Park and Reservoir attracts mountain bikers, campers,
hikers and cross-country skiers, while the stone's-throw distance to the Poudre River and
Rocky Mountains make it a good jumping- off point for white-water and wilderness ex-
cursions. If you're staying in this college town, there are only two absolute musts: the free
tour of the New Belgium Brewery (which requires advance reservations) and a cruise
around town on one of the ubiquitous bicycles - free to check out from the Bike Library
and many of the hotels. The city's extensive network of bicycling paths ranks among the
best in the US and provides a pleasant way to see the town.
Swetsville Zoo
( 970-484-9509; 4801 E Harmony Rd; entry by donation; daylight hours; )
Bill Swets, a former
farmer, volunteer firefighter and insomniac, created a scrap-metal menagerie during his
restless nights, a whimsical roadside curiosity. Swets' creations are a coy lesson in creat-
ive recycling - from the grinning spider made from a VW bug, to the heavy metal carica-
ture of Monica Lewinsky.
ZOO
Avery House Museum
HISTORIC BUILDING
(
www.poudrelandmarks.com
; 328 W Mountain Ave; 1-4pm Sat & Sun; )
This 1879 home be-
longed to Franklin Avery, the city surveyor of Fort Collins. Avery's foresight is evident in
the tree-lined, wide boulevards that grace the city centre. The Avery House is a stop along
the self-guided historic walking tour available from the Fort Collins Convention & Visit-
ors Bureau, with free guided tours that take you through the historic building.
It's truly one of the best introductions to local history you can find.
Fort Collins Museum &
Discovery Science Center
MUSEUM
( 970-221-6738;
www.fcmdsc.org
; 200 Mathews St; adult/senior over 60yr & child 3-12yr $4/3; 10am-5pm
Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; )
The hands-on science exhibits focusing on electricity, physics
and dinosaurs are designed for children, leaving adults some space to soak up the historic-
