24 Hours in Fort Collins

A little over two weeks ago, my roommate and I headed down to Fort Collins for a weekend of fun before finals.

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Snag an Airbnb
We spent a combined $110 on two nights in Fort Collins. (Which is hella cheap!) We had a phenomenal host, Diane, who had an adorable cat and dog. :) Diane was extremely helpful, especially when it came to recommending places to eat and explore.

Our planning was pretty last minute for this trip. We opted for a private room, which had better availability and inevitably was much cheaper. I would definitely stay with Diane again! 

 Sunrise/Sunset:
Horsetooth Reservoir
Check out Horsetooth for a place to run off energy and good views. You can hike, picnic, or campout if you'd like. We spent $7 on a one day vehicle pass, so we milked all its worth and went for both sunrise and sunset. Keep in mind, the weather might not cooperate so be prepared.
 
One morning we got up at 5am to catch the sunrise and it ended up being overcast. But ya know what? We were so hyped to see water and tiny mountains that we didn't care. We captured perfect lighting for photos. E.Beth also managed to find herself ten feet from a pretty little deer. 

Breakfast:
I got two options for ya. 
#1 Lucile's
Want to try something different for breakfast? Check out Lucile's for New Orleans style food. This place was packed, an hour after it opened. If there's a wait, wait, it's worth it.
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I ordered Eggs Eisenhower and E.Beth ordered the French Toast. Try to find something that comes with a biscuit, they're huge, crumbly, and amazing. Also, don't be afraid to try the jams on the table, the berry one was my fav! I spent a little under $20 here, including the tip.
*400 S Meldrum Street

#2 Cafe Bluebird
Want a place that's classy and quiet to dine for breakfast? Try Cafe Bluebird. They have a giant menu with every combination you can think of. I liked their hazelnut coffee and their home fries were the bomb. I ordered the breakfast croissant with ham and bacon, which as it looks, was delicious. Items on their breakfast menu ranged from eight to fourteen dollars.
*524 W Laurel Street

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Lunch:
The Colorado Room
This is by far the cheapest place we found to eat in Old Town. The menu is a little daunting when you walk in, but a guy immediately explained how it worked when we said it was our first time. My meal, on the left, was only $7.50 with a salad and drink. I ordered the cheese-steak slider and E.Beth got the southwest chicken sliders. 
*642 S College Ave

Explore:
Walk around Old Town and pop into some fun shops, museums, and galleries. Ragstock was our favorite clothing shop, which is where I bought a crop top and a floral dress. Everything was reasonably priced and there was plenty of stuff under ten dollars. They even had a section in the back that sold 90's Nike jackets!

Coffee:
Throughout the trip, we tried a fair amount of coffee places. Surprisingly, we weren't that impressed. We opted to grab coffee at a Shell gas station over any coffee shop we found. Email me if you're serious about your coffee and want to avoid these places in Ft. Collins. 

Snack stop:
Good Times
After shopping around, take a break to grab something sweet. Go to Good Times and try the frozen custard. It was SO freakin' good. I got the Salted Caramel Truffle Spoon Bender and it was under five dollars.

Dinner:
Italian or Mexican, take your pick.
#1 Twisted Noodle
I want to apologize in advance for the crummy photo of the Twisted Noodle. I kid you not there was a Starbucks next door and five sorority girls outside staring at me as I took it. I ordered the Shrimp Scampi and it tasted lighter than I expected. It was a little oily for my liking, but still had great flavor. My meal was a little over ten dollars. 
*1335 W. Elizabeth St. Suite 135

#2 Pueblo Viejo
Do you ever roll into town and just crave chicken enchiladas? We do. Our first night in Fort Collins we stopped at Pueblo Viejo. I spent around thirteen dollars, including the tip, so the amount of food for price ratio was pretty reasonable. Their refried beans were my favorite and they brought out free chips and salsa! 
*185 N College Ave # 102

Extra time to spare?
Walk around CSU's campus and pretend you go there. Lol, not really. It's fun to drive through and explore when you have a few extra minutes.

For more photos, check out E.Beth's photography blog @ https://candidlye.wordpress.com/
Do you have a different fav hiking place in Fort Collins?
What is your favorite place to eat in Old Town?
Know any other place to catch a good sunrise?