This post was updated October 18, 2017 to include current information and recommendations.
Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or you’re just looking to spice up your Friday and Saturday nights, there’s never a shortage of things to do in Fort Collins. To help narrow it down (and spice up your love life) we’ve gathered a list of date night ideas to entertain any fun and adventurous couple hoping for an evening to remember. Below, you’ll find a few of our favorites; then, you can help spread the love by sharing your ideas in the comments at the bottom of this post!
For even more date ideas, check out the Best Date Night Restaurants in Fort Collins, 15 Winter Date Ideas in Fort Collins and Summer Date Ideas in Fort Collins!
1. #OptOutside
Camping, hiking, swimming, kayaking, snow-shoeing, backpacking, soaking in hot springs — these are the ways to a person’s heart. Well, it’s likely to help as long as you’re dating a stereotypical Coloradan.
For a few ideas and plenty of adventure inspiration, check out 9 Things to Do in Northern Colorado for Outdoor Enthusiasts, The Ultimate Guide to Kayaking in Northern Colorado, 12 of Colorado’s Best Swimming Holes, 18 Colorado Hot Springs You Need to Visit This Year, The Procrastinator’s Guide to Camping in Colorado, A Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking in Northern Colorado, Things to Do in the Fort Collins Area this Winter, and, the most romantic, Colorado’s 8 Best Waterfall Hikes to Try this Fall.
2. Escape From a Locked Room
Being trapped in a room with eight other people, no belongings, and only 60 minutes to reason your way out sounds like a scene straight out of SAW, right? Well, local Fort Collins company, Enigma, is making the thrilling experience a reality by offering live-action escape rooms — with safety and fun in mind of course!
So thrill-seekers and puzzle-lovers rejoice! You’ll have one hour to search for hidden clues and uncover the mystery of the room so you can unlock the door and escape. Prove to your date you can work as a team, check out both Enigma rooms and purchase your tickets here.
If you’ve already escaped Enigma, we suggest checking out Somewhere Secret, Fort Collins Escape Room, ConTRAPtions and the themed options at Escape Room The Game — all located in FoCo as well!
3. Go on a Haunted Tour
Give your date a haunted twist any time of year with the help of Fort Collins Tours! They offer a variety of options, including the Late Night Ghost Walk, a Horse & Buggy Ghost Tour, the Haunted Pub Tour and the Ghosts & Goodies Tour which combines the Ghost Tour and the Dessert Tour — yum! Check out all the available tours here and get ready for an evening of local legends, hauntings, ghostly sightings and strange happenings through (and under) the streets of Downtown FoCo.
4. Try Your Hand at Archery
Channel your inner Katniss during a one-hour archery lesson at Jax Mercantile. The Fort Collins store offers an indoor archery range complete with a 20-yard range that can hold up to 12 archers at a time. So why not make it a group date?! No matter your skillset, Jax’ experienced instructors are there to teach you the ropes!
The range is open during store hours but is closed to the public on Saturday morning. For just $12/hour, you can rent equipment from Genesis Compound Bows and Re-Curve Bows or pay just $6/hour to use your own. May the odds be ever in your favor!
5. Biking and Beer-ing
If you’ve been in Fort Collins long, you know craft beer and biking are the keys to winning over a local’s heart. Fort Collins’ own Beer & Bike Tours combines both for days of fun through the city, the mountains or other Colorado (and even international!) destinations.
Also, free New Belgium Brewery Tours run daily, giving you plenty of time to taste a few of your favorites on tap. Time slots do fill up fast though so choose your day ahead of time by making a reservation online.
Take it up a notch by renting a tandem bike from Recycled Cycles and checking out all of the city’s craft breweries. Our blog post, The Ultimate Guide to Fort Collins Craft Breweries, includes an interactive map so you’ll know exactly where you’re going the whole time!
You can take it up another notch and throw in a little philanthropy with the Fort Collins Ale Trail app. Check out Everything You Need to Know About the Fort Collins Ale Trail and you’ll be set on dates for weeks!
6. Act Like a Kid Again at Fort Fun
Find out who’s more competitive by spending an afternoon at Fort Fun! For $20 or $30 per person, you can get an all-day fun pass that includes laser tag, mini-golf, bumper cars, paddle boats, go-carting and other activities that are sure to bring out the kid in both of you.
The best part is you can enjoy these activities all year! Just swap out paddle boats for ice skating and set a course for romance.
7. Take a Cooking Class Together
A couple that cooks together, stays together. And what better way to improve your culinary skills than by taking a cooking class? The Cooking Studio offers a wide range of classes, so you’ll find something to satisfy your appetite whether you’re a novice or an old pro in the kitchen! Make a meal in The Cooking Studio kitchen then take those new skills home so you can share Italian classics, Spanish tapas or Thai favorites all year long.
8. Get Your Skate On
Head over to Rollerland Skate Center for a night of nostalgic fun for under $10! It’ll feel like your first love all over again as you skate the night away under the neon lights. Pair your skates with your favorite 80s attire and you’ll be the best-dressed couple on wheels!
9. Enjoy Dinner and a Show
“I’ve seen all the movie stars in their fancy cars and their limousines. Been high in the Rockies under the evergreens. I know what I’m needin’ and I don’t want to waste more time. I’m in a New York state of mind.” Okay, so we’re not in New York, but Candlelight Dinner Playhouse has found a way to bring Broadway to our backyard!
Located just south of Loveland, this dinner theater is turning dinner and a show on its head. With rotating shows — including The Music Man, Beauty and the Beast and more — you’re sure to find something that sparks your interest and inspires romance! Come for dinner, stay for the show and enjoy a night of fun the minute the curtain rises.
10. Paint the Night Away
For the creative couple, Pinot’s Palette offers painting classes where you can test your skills in style while sipping on beer and wine. With an instructor walking you through each step, you’ll go home with two masterpieces and an evening of memories. Pick a night with a featured painting that speaks to you and get ready to get crafty!
Share your go-to date destinations
In the comments below, let us know where you love to go to celebrate love!
For even more date ideas, check out the Best Date Night Restaurants in Fort Collins, 15 Winter Date Ideas in Fort Collins and Summer Date Ideas in Fort Collins!
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