Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Longmont, CO

  • Published 2023/03/24

Longmont is the state of Colorado’s 13th most populated city, yet it’s a world separate from the central city to the south in many ways.

It has a population of 98,711 as of the 2020 U.S. Census; it is located around one hour north of the city of Denver.

The revitalized downtown core now has museums, restaurants, and beautiful public parks.

Longmont provides diverse experiences for the entire family, from its strong agricultural heritage and rich history to outdoor pursuits, cultural attractions, and a craft-eating scene.

Below are the best things to do in Longmont, Colorado.

Join Programs and Events at the Longmont Museum

Exterior of Longmont Museum

Erik MasonErik Mason, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Through active programs, exhibits, and events, the Longmont Museum is a cultural hub in Northern Colorado where people of all backgrounds learn history, appreciate art, and make discoveries.

The museum has become a part of the City of Longmont since 1970, presenting a diverse range of exhibits and objects relating to the St. Vrain Valley’s history.

Bicycle exhibit in Longmont Museum

Don’t B. Silly, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The museum highlights up to eight short rotating exhibits from its collection of over 10,000 images and 17,000 items every year.

The museum also hosts indoor and outdoor concerts and plays, film series, talks, and a gift store with local history textbooks, handicrafts, and exhibit-related materials.

Don’t miss the Longmont Museum, which has both revolving exhibitions and a long-term display of the region’s history and culture.

Bikes displayed in Longmont Museum

Don’t B. Silly, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

See Picturesque Views at Sandstone Ranch Park

Sandstone Ranch Park is a 126.6-hectare park with various recreational, cultural, and historical features.

Athletic fields, a skate park, an outdoor playground, a large picnic shelter, and the Visitor’s Center are all on the park’s eastern side.

The park’s Visitor and Learning Center gives tourists of all ages hands-on cultural and environmental displays and an entire program of nature and art-focused seminars and special programs throughout the year.

From the Visitor Center, a nature trail leads to the area’s stunning sandstone cliffs, picturesque views, and various historical structures.

The park also links to the St. Vrain Greenway, which provides access to Golden Ponds Park.

Visit this vibrant community park and environmental area in Longmont, which is available to the public all year and offers a range of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Explore Tree Forts at the Sunflower Farm

Scenic view of Sunflower Farm

John De Bord / Shutterstock.com

Sunflower Farm, a small rural sanctuary in Longmont, Colorado, was certified as an Educational Demonstration Farm on May 24, 2018, marking 15 years of societal relevance.

Sunflower Farm has given high-quality farm-based early childhood education for about seventeen years.

This 55-acre working farm comes equipped with tools to promote profound learning and inspire and capture children’s hearts.

Bounce from different hay bales, feed sheep and goats, play in the corn house, explore the tree forts, balance on the slackline, and look through the aircraft throughout your stay at the Sunflower Farm.

Moreover, you can join water play on warmer days, and you may purchase marshmallows to burn over the bonfire on colder days.

Enjoy, explore, imagine, and play with your family as you take in the tranquility of nature, animals, and farm life.

Try Specialty Coffee at Dutch Bros. Coffee

Dane and Travis Boersma started Dutch Bros. Coffee as a street cart beside the train lines in central Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1992.

They abandoned the dairy industry to serve espresso, listen to music, and build relationships with their neighbors.

With more than 290 stores and 7,500 workers across seven states, Dutch Bros Coffee is the country’s biggest privately-owned drive-thru coffee company.

To help them make a significant impact, one cup at a time, Dutch Bros takes concrete and quantifiable action in charity, sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

They are dedicated to improving the welfare of workers, customers, and neighborhoods.

Specialty coffee, smoothies, frozen drinks, teas, energy drinks, and cold brew coffee are available at Dutch Bros.

Try out their drinks made just for you!

Visit Roosevelt Park

Aerial view of Roosevelt Park

Alvaro Camilo Pineda / Shutterstock.com

Roosevelt Park is among the first urban parks involved in creating the Chicago-Colorado Colony.

This park got its name from President Theodore Roosevelt, who visited the Longmont region in 1900.

The St. Vrain Memorial Center includes an open auditorium, a gym, and a multi-use pavilion that you can book for exclusive special events.

It is now located in the park, too.

The park also houses the Longmont Senior Center and a seasonal ice skating arena available to the public throughout the winter months.

A year-round pool, a fitness center facility, and quick access to onsite retail, restaurants, and salons give the community a chic vibe.

There is no shortage of things to do and sights to see across the road from Roosevelt Park in the center of Downtown Longmont.

Schedule a visit and discover why Roosevelt Park is the ideal location for you.

Enjoy an Elegant Dinner at Martini’s Bistro

Martini’s Bistro is a prominent fine dining establishment in Longmont, offering elegant dining experiences Monday through Saturday.

It is a stylish, cozy restaurant that serves premium, diverse, and appealing cuisine. ​

The restaurant’s scallop risotto, Filet mignon, grilled Irish salmon, and spicy fettuccine with chicken breast or grilled shrimp take full advantage of fresh ingredients.

On the loveliest patio in Longmont or inside its beautiful Victorian home, you will experience prompt service, good food, and great refreshments.

A well-equipped bar serves a range of local beers, California wines, premium liquors, and several distinctive specialty cocktails.

Martinis Bistro will surpass your expectations whether you’re planning a romantic dinner date, a business dinner, a family gathering, or just a round of drinks and snacks with friends.

Hike the Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain

Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain preserves 2,871 acres on Rabbit Mountain in Colorado, developed centuries ago, including much of the Rocky Mountain range as sea levels in the Colorado area receded.

The simple 2.2-mile Indian Mesa Trail, the gorgeous 1.5-mile Little Thompson Trail, and the medium 2.5-mile Eagle Wind Trail are among the hiking paths available throughout the preserve.

As of 1984, Boulder County has safeguarded the area, including its grassland, shrubland, and woodland regions on the eastern hillsides.

Don’t miss this lovely tourist destination in Longmont, Colorado, where you may observe various animals and vegetation.

Buy Local Products at the Boulder County Farmers Market

Daytime at Boulder County Farmers Market

Sherie Croft / Shutterstock.com

The Boulder County Farmers Market has worked to grow the popularity of local food from the bottom up since 1987.

You may feel like an authentic locavore with farmers and members who sell food and items entirely produced, reared, and owned in Colorado.

The Longmont Farmers Market has farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, wine, etc.

Pie vendor at Boulder County Farmers Market

Red Herring / Shutterstock.com

The Boulder County Fairgrounds hosts the market every Saturday during the season.

You may eat local snacks, peruse local artisan products, listen to live music, and take in all of the season’s offers in addition to the fresh vegetables!

It is the ideal Saturday morning!

Baked goods vendor at Boulder County Farmers Market

Red Herring / Shutterstock.com

Discover History in the Agricultural Heritage Center

The Agricultural Heritage Museum in Longmont is a community interpretive center dedicated to the agricultural history of Boulder County and the Rocky Mountain area.

It concentrates on pioneer and rural life from the mid-19th to the early 20th centuries.

The facility is located on 19th-century pioneer George McIntosh’s property, used as a farmhouse and ranched by the Lohr family for most of the 20th century.

Between April and October, interactive exhibitions showcase aspects of farm life in the early 20th century, including farm animals on site.

Enjoy the beautiful scenery while learning about Boulder County’s agricultural heritage.

Play Golf at Sunset Golf Course

The Sunset Golf Course, located at 1900 Longs Peak Avenue, is one of Colorado’s gorgeous nine-hole courses, nestled in historic downtown Longmont.

It is well-known for its excellent condition, tree-lined fairways, and breathtaking overlooks of Longs Peak.

Sunset Golf Course’s par-34 course occupies 2,492.5 square meters from the farthest tees, and the landscape is steep with narrow tree-lined fairways.

Although it may not be challenging enough for experienced players, the course is a fantastic place to perfect any short game.

It is undoubtedly among the most majestic courses in the area, with stunning vistas of Long’s Peak.

Play a round or two at Sunset Golf Course in Longmont, one of Colorado’s earliest golf courses.

Attend Yearly Special Events at the Firehouse Art Center

Exterior of Firehouse Art Center

Thcipriani, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Arts Studio, Inc. has been one of Longmont’s finest cultural institutions since 1986, and the Firehouse Art Center is its public gallery location.

Since 1987, the organization has presented up to 12 yearly solo and group exhibitions from artists working in several conventional and modern art forms inside the city’s historic landmark central firehouse.

The center’s Main and South Galleries are accessible to the public during the afternoon hours, every Wednesday through Sunday, presenting exhibits by local, regional, and national artisans.

The Longmont community connects with artists and art forms through special public events and the facility’s Firehouse Films series, poetry evenings, and regular Second Fridays art stroll activities.

A Catrina Ball in honor of the Mexican Dia de Los Muertos and a Canvas Carnival with professional artists, food vendors, craft brews, and family-friendly games are two other yearly special events.

Get a Beer at Wibby Brewing

Wibby Brewing produces delicious lagers that incorporate multiple German brewing methods alongside American-influenced craft breweries procedures.

Ryan Wibby, the co-founder, head brewer, and proud Colorado native, studied the science of beer creation at Ithaca College in New York City while studying chemistry.

This discovery was his “aha” moment; he loved the complexities of brewing right away and decided his life’s calling was to open his brewery.

The brewery produces innovative formulations by combining German malts, American hops, and Rocky Mountain water.

Their final products are bright, balanced, and tasty.

They have a snappy, clean finish, resulting in an excellent assortment of elegant modern craft beers, thanks to cold fermentation procedures and increased conditioning methodology.

Prepare for an Adventure at Mile-Hi Skydiving Center

The plane for Mile-Hi Skydiving Center

M. Douglas Wray, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mile-Hi Skydiving Center, a skydiving facility for people of all levels of expertise, is at 8700 St Vrain Rd in Longmont, Colorado.

It has provided Colorado with excellent skydiving protective equipment, aircraft, and service quality for over 25 years.

Only qualified, experienced, and nationally-licensed skydiving instructors are employed by this distinguished member of the United States Parachute Association.

If you are a first-time skydiver, go for a tandem skydiving experience with supervision from the instructors.

Then, you can also apply for a skydiving license through them.

In either case, they have a fantastic crew ready to take you up in their twin-engine planes for the ride of your life!

Drop by the Taproom of St. Vrain Cidery

Cindy and Dean Landi, together with cider master Dan Daugherty, launched St. Vrain Cidery in 2015 to share their passion for making alcoholic ciders with the Longmont neighborhood.

The business has made dry American-style ciders in a range of distinctive fruit tastes since October 2016, ranging from typical apple ciders to uncommon varieties.

The cidery’s general public taproom is open during the afternoon hours and serves the company’s year-round and seasonal ciders and a wide range of craft ciders.

They want you to experience a wide range of flavors and varieties of cider and get a sneak peek into what the Colorado cider business has to give.

You’ll undoubtedly find something you enjoy here, and they’ll be happy to assist you in making the best choice.

Host an Event at the D-Barn Reception Hall

The historic Dickens-Lashley Barn, built in 1916 by Colorado Senator Theodore Lashley, is home to D’Barn Reception Hall, a one-of-a-kind event venue.

For most of the 20th century, it was a dairy barn.

The barn was relocated in 1996 and extensively refurbished for use as a private event space following community preservation efforts.

D-Barn is Longmont’s most popular rustic wedding venue.

You can hold weddings, receptions, business parties, Christmas parties, and other private special events at the Boulder County-designated historic site, accommodating 200 guests.

The barn’s kitchen, custom-designed wood toilets, and huge outside terrace are included in all rentals.

If you’re searching for a fantastic venue to celebrate, this is the place to go!

Go Ice Skating at Longmont Recreation Ice Rink

If you happen to come by Longmont during the winter season, you’ll want to visit Longmont Recreation Ice Rink.

This outdoor skating rink comes with full-service facilities and a variety of programs.

Whether you’re new to ice skating and hockey or want to drop by for some practice sessions, this facility is your best bet.

The rink also offers skating lessons for both youth and adults.

And if you want to rent the whole place out for a huge party with loved ones and friends, you may do so.

Longmont Recreation Ice Rink is within Roosevelt Park on 8th Avenue.

Immerse Yourself in Japanese Culture at Kanemoto Neighborhood Park

At seven acres, Kanemoto Neighborhood Park is your ideal recreational and cultural getaway.

Donated in 1966, this park got its name from Goroku Kanemoto and the Kanemoto family who once owned the place.

The stand-out feature of this park is the Tower of Compassion, which resembles the original five-story building common in Japan.

The levels of the structure correspond to positive traits, including Love, Empathy, Understanding, and more.

Among the amenities you can anticipate seeing at this park include a pagoda, playgrounds, and paved trails.

Bring the whole family over for a promise of afternoon fun at this all-around neighborhood park.

Kanemoto Neighborhood Park is on South Pratt Parkway.

Enjoy the Waterfront Scenery at Union Reservoir Nature Area

Tired of the same on-land trips?

Why not go on a water-based excursion at Union Reservoir Nature Area?

This nature area houses the 736-acre reservoir which is only one of only a few natural lakes within the Colorado area.

It’s also open to a variety of recreational opportunities.

From boating to camping, this nature area offers a home for many outdoor explorers.

Windsurfing is also one of the cool and unique activities most visitors do when visiting the reservoir.

Union Reservoir Nature Area also hosts annual events you should at least attend only one.

You can find this nature area on County Road 26.

Relax in Nature at Jim Hamm Nature Area

When it comes to nature preserves, Jim Hamm Nature Area is one of the well-known sites within Longmont.

Comprising 24 acres of wildlife habitats and a 14-acre pond, this site offers you the best of nature within the community.

The nature area has been serving the people since 1974 when the Hamm family donated the area as a tribute to USAF Captain Jim Hamm.

The park is also popular for being the sanctuary of many waterfowl.

In fact, the Audubon Society records as many as 80 different bird species.

If you visit with a large group, rent one of the two shelters within the park for your intimate gatherings.

Jim Hamm Nature Area—and its paved trails and grill areas—is on East County Line Road.

Push Your Body to the Limits at Longmont Climbing Collective

If you’re more of an indoor adventurer, Longmont Climbing Collective might be the place for you.

This bouldering gym is not your usual gym facility.

It features artificial rock formations and structures you can climb without any harnesses.

With 7,000-square-foot bouldering walls, the facility builds a new challenge for many athletes and gym-goers.

Tie your climbing shoes and get ready for a fun time at Longmont Climbing Collective on South Pratt Parkway.

Final Thoughts

Longmont has a vibrant arts and entertainment sector, with galleries, educational facilities, performance venues, and theaters.

Its past is intertwined with agriculture, and they continue to honor its legacy via sustainable farms and an award-winning Farmers Market.

Several breweries, distilleries, and a cidery with multiple sites offer tours, tastings, and unique events.

Longmont, Colorado, is unquestionably a town with diverse attractions.

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