The Friendship Tour:

Tour Description

Northern Colorado is a community known for always having something to do. Whether it’s sampling treats from local chocolateries or enjoying the fresh air on our miles of trails, you don’t need to do it alone. For this curated tour, gather your pals and hit the town (or the couch) for quality time on Galentine’s Day.

Galentine’s Day originated in the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation.” This unofficial holiday falls on February 13^th and celebrates all things friendship.

Location: Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area — Fort Collins, Timnath, Windsor, Greeley

Best for: those looking for ways to celebrate friendship, foodies, outdoor recreators, and anyone looking for a way to spend a relaxing day around town.

Coffee and Brunch

Caffeine and food—what could be a better way to celebrate friendship? Countless brunch spots exist across the heritage area, each offering a unique vibe and menu. Whether you’re in the mood for a stack of pancakes and eggs or craving a giant cinnamon roll, there’s something for everyone. Imagine sitting at a cozy café, laughter mingling with the aroma of coffee, as you recount stories and create new memories.

Vern’s Place

A Laporte staple since 1946, Vern’s Place is legendary for its old-fashioned hospitality and comfort food. Local favorites include fried chicken, cinnamon rolls, and a weekend brunch.

Location: Laporte

Bread Fellow

Bread Fellow is a charming café off Linden that focuses on good bread, delicious brunch, custom coffee drinks, and evening cocktails. For your gluten-free friends, they offer housemade focaccia so good you’ll want two sandwiches.

Location: Fort Collins

Shine Cafe

Designed with community in mind, Shine Café pairs a cozy setting with healthy, high-quality food and drinks. Linger with your friends over craft coffee, avocado toast, and pastries.

Location: Windsor

Lafayette’s Creperie 

Located in the historic Currier Inn, Lafayette’s offers both sweet and savory crepes with the freshest ingredients. Perfect for the friends who can’t decide between their sweet tooth or salty craving!

Location: Greeley

Ice Skating

Brave the cold and go skating! Bundle up in your warmest attire and cherish the winter moments. There’s something special about hitting the ice, snow sparkling in the air, and creating memories that will warm your heart long after the ice has melted.

Sheldon Lake at City Park

Ice skating is permitted when the ice thickness stays above 6″ and weather conditions support it.

Location: Fort Collins

Edora Pool Ice Center (EPIC)

Location: Fort Collins

Greeley Ice Haus

Location: Greeley

Drinks at a Local Brewery

Warm up from your ice-skating adventure by grabbing drinks at a local brewery, where you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, catch up on each other’s lives, share laughter, and even play a game or two. Sample a variety of craft beers and try the unique seasonal brews, each with their own story and flavor profile.

Salt Road Brewing

Named after the ancient network of trade routes or “salt roads” that were used to move goods throughout Europe and Asia, Salt Road Brewing offers quality ingredients in a laid-back atmosphere.

Location: Fort Collins

High Hops Brewing

Located in the same space as The Windsor Gardener, High Hops offers a wide selection of beers with a mix of both creative and classic flavors. Wander the attached nursery for garden inspiration before or after you’ve had your brew.

Location: Windsor

Zwei Brewing

Home of traditional Germany-Style Lagers, Weissbier, and craft brews, Zwei Brewing has been a NoCo community favorite for almost a decade.

Location: Fort Collins

If you’re exploring zero-proof instead, check out our Dry January Curated Tour.

Build a Charcuterie

Cheese and chocolate are the perfect accompaniment to any adventure with your friends. Build a charcuterie while exploring NoCo’s culinary scene. You may find a new favorite flavor!

The Welsh Rabbit

Situated in Old Town Fort Collins, this cheese shop offers a wide variety of local and imported cheeses. Have their expert “cheese mongers” prepare a custom charcuterie board for you and have fun creating your own.

Location: Fort Collins

MouCo Cheese

A fixture at local farmers’ markets, MouCo crafts wheels of soft ripened cheese. Choose from classic camembert, ripened ColoRouge, ash cured Ashley, and seasonal flavors. Can’t make it to the farmers’ market? You can find them at Whole Foods and King Soopers.

Nuance Chocolate

With a focus on ethically sourced single-origin dark chocolate bars, Nuance is a chocoholic’s dream destination. Sip on an artisan hot chocolate while browsing their selection of bars and hand-rolled truffles.

Location: Fort Collins

High Desert Chocolate

“Be Kind…Eat Chocolate” is the motto of this Windsor chocolatier. Check out their newly opened shop on Main Street for a delectable variety of truffles, hand-painted chocolates, and sweet treats.

Location: Windsor

Bake Sweet Treats

Stay snug and warm indoors while baking some sweet treats with your friends. Galentine’s Day brings together a sense of magic and togetherness and there’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked cookies to enhance that feeling.

• Chocolate Cake
• Peanut Butter Sweethearts
• White Chocolate Red Velvet

More options: 36 Valentine’s Day Dessert Recipes – Sally’s Baking Addiction

Movie Night

End the day with a cozy evening on your couch watching romantic comedies and munching on the charcuterie you created earlier. Grab your favorite blanket, gather your friends, and check out movies from Rotten Tomatoes list of 50 Best New Rom-Coms and Romance Movies. Below are a few suggestions:

• The Fall Guy
• Lisa Frankenstein
• The Idea of You
• Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy
• La Dolce Villa

Rom-Coms not your style? Check out this river-related documentary: Watering The West: – A Water Western Film Trilogy