COME TO LIFE / Bikes, Art & Beer @City of Greeley 4 5 DAY 2 Point yourself a half-hour’s drive south to Loveland , a community committed to the arts. Spend time at Benson Sculpture Garden (5) , featuring 158 sculptures (and counting!). Go to cityofloveland. org/bsgtour for an audio tour of this special site. Head downtown, where charm-ing blocks showcase historic buildings, shops and restaurants, and the beautiful art the city is known for. Check out The Found-ry , a new downtown destination packed with shopping, a movie theater, hotel, restaurants and events. Or, stop by the Loveland Visitor Center for information on the Loveland Ale Trail , which will lead you to the Sweetheart City’s breweries. Hikers should seek out The Key-hole rock formation at the Devil’s Backbone Open Space (6) , one of the area’s most impressive and visible geologic landmarks. Boaters, fishers, paddleboarders and other water lovers will find plenty to do in the area with Car-ter Lake , a picturesque lake set in the foothills with mountainous views, as well as Lake Loveland , Boyd Lake State Park , Lou Hagler Reservoir and others. For those who’ve worked up an appetite: Door 222 Food & Drink pairs delicious tapas with local draft beers. Or head to Taste Local for scratch-made all-day breakfast (we like Marino’s blueberry flapjacks and The Devil’s Backbone panini). Another option is Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch ’s dinner horseback rides (or anytime rides), which come with a trek to beautiful Eagle Ridge. For dessert: Sweet Heart Winery has opened in west Loveland — the perfect stop for a sip if you’re making the 35-minute drive between Loveland and Rocky Mountain National Park . The wine tasting room is open to the public seven days a week. and Southern wooden caboose available for examining both inside and out. Or take a swing along the Poudre River Trail , with beautiful views, easy hiking trails and access to the Cache la Poudre River, catch-and-release fishing and wildlife viewing. The Poudre Learning Center has a system of barrier-free, wheelchair-accessible pathways and learning areas. Throughout your visit, you’ll find more than 50 pieces of public art sprinkled around Greeley, as well as lovely parks that feature lakes, small streams, bridges, waterfalls and islands. Homestead Park and Open Space has walking paths, a playground and public art. Every summer Friday brings live music on the 9th Street Plaza for Friday Fest , with street performers, fire spinners, face painting, balloon artistry, sidewalk chalk and more. DAY 3 Like any good college town, Greeley has a colorful selection of coffee shops, serving residents and University of Northern Colorado students. Hit the streets where, as part of Historic Preservation Commission walking tours and History Brown Bag events, you’ll learn about the city’s neighborhoods, historic sites and architecture. Stop by the Colorado Model Railroad Museum (4) , which features more than 600 railroad-related artifacts ranging from a Virginia and Truckee Railroad switch key to a full-size Colorado STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Bellvue , Fort Collins (page 197), Greeley (page 199), Loveland (page 201), Johnstown (page 200), Platteville , Red Feather Lakes , Windsor 6 154 / 1-800-COLORADO CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: DEVIL’S BACKBONE OPEN SPACE, CITY OF LOVELAND; CENTENNIAL VILLAGE; COLORADO MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM, FLICKR/CITY OF GREELEY; BENSON SCULPTURE GARDEN, CITY OF LOVELAND.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2019: Page 154
