Fall

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Start your day at The Garden Gate Cafe, a friendly neighborhood restaurant that specializes in fresh and delicious breakfasts.

Get your fill of all things apple at Ya-Ya Farm & Orchard, a historic, century-old farm specializing in heirloom apples. You can visit the farm stand, which has apples, apple cider donuts, apple pies, and more! There are also farm animals, including Percheron Draft Horses, chickens, turkeys and peacocks! Take a tractor-drawn hayride or self-guided tour and breathe in the crisp fall air. There is also a U-Pick section for apples, cherries, pumpkins, veggies and flowers. Reservations are required for fruit picking only.

Another great option for picking apples is Rogers Grove Park, off 220 S. Hover St. Apples are free to pick and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For lunch, try Summit Tacos. Summit Tacos serves up authentic street tacos bursting with flavor in a cozy, 100-year-old house with a spacious patio. Their motto is "Build tacos, Not Walls!"

Take a sweet tooth pitstop at Robin Chocolates to sample artisan chocolates, confections, and beautiful cakes and pastries.

Spend the afternoon taking a seasonal hike at Hall Ranch Open Space in Lyons, Colorado, just outside Longmont. With amazing vistas and mountain views, an afternoon hike will surely not disappoint! There are many trail options to choose from that are all hiking and biking-friendly. You may even spot some wildlife!

After hiking, head back into town to fuel up with dinner at Mike O’ Shays Restaurant and Alehouse for some traditional pub favorites. The restaurant has been open since 1981 and is Longmont's longest-running, independently-owned restaurant. After dinner, take some time to browse the Downtown Creative District to get a jump on some holiday shopping!

Longmont offers a variety of options for your stay. Discover accommodations to meet your needs, from pricing and amenities to convenience and location. Hospitality shines through at our many hotels, vacation rentals and campgrounds.

Start the day at Ziggi’s Coffee Shop. Choose from a wide variety of coffee and tea beverages, along with local pastries and breakfast items. The 1904 building, which was the old Longmont National Bank, is a historic landmark.

About an hour's drive east of town in Keenesburg is where you can visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is not a zoo and offers a completely different visitor experience. Their rescued animals live in large open habitats that encompass 789 acres. They have an elevated walkway that is more than 1.5 miles long and spans  numerous natural habitats, with plenty of opportunities for guests to get a closer view of the animals. Recommended time spent at the sanctuary is 2-4 hours.

After touring the Sanctuary, head back to Longmont for a late lunch at Proto's Pizza.  Proto's has been proudly serving East Coast-style pizza to the good folks of Colorado since 1999.

Next, head to the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center. Here, you can explore regional history, internationally known artists, and cultural explorations. Permanent exhibits document the 14,000 years of human history in Longmont and the people who helped to create this community. Special exhibits in the Main Gallery and Portal Gallery change frequently, so there is always something new to see.

Longmont also hosts the largest Day of the Dead celebration in Colorado, historically attracting more than 6,000 people to the exhibit, Catrina Ball, family event, and related programming. The celebration demonstrates how a diverse community can unite to share a common desire – to honor ancestors and keep their memories alive.  Enjoy the street festival, which includes music and dance performances, arts and crafts activities, cultural education, delicious food, downtown business altars, and the Gigantes Procession.

After visiting the museum, head back downtown for a rooftop patio dinner at The Roost. Whipping up delicious food with a modern twist, The Roost has something for everyone. Our recommendation: try out their Bangin' Cauliflower! Fun fact: The Roost was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives!

If you haven’t filled up on goodies at the Farmers Market, a stop at Rosalee’s Pizzeria for lunch is in order. Grab a pie and a beer and snag a seat to people-watch downtown. Their cheese is shredded and grated by hand, and their sauce is made from the highest-quality tomatoes. Their fresh ground pork sausage is a treat you don’t want to miss!

With a thriving craft beverage scene, Longmont has many breweries, distilleries, and a cidery. We are sure you will find something that caters to your palate.  Sample fall flavors with seasonal rotations like Double Dunkel at Wibby or enjoy an Oktoberfest at Left Hand Brewing's new Beer Garden. Take advantage of the local food trucks that rotate around for a bite to eat.  TIP: on Saturdays, the Brewhop Trolley has the Longmont Loop, which runs a continuous loop that stops off at 14 venues, 9 breweries, 3 distilleries, 1 cidery and 1 wine bar each hour.

On weekends throughout the month of October, Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch hosts the Fall Festival, which features carnival fun and the original Pick-a-Pumpkin Pumpkin Patch. There is no entry fee to the grounds, and parking is free. The festival caters to children and adults who still want to play and enjoy the beautiful autumn days.

A stop at Cheese Importers is a must-do! A true destination for any “foodie,” Cheese Importers is a Colorado family-owned business founded in 1976. They offer natural, organic and imported cheeses, cured meats, specialty oils, spices, olives, chocolate, and other unique specialty foods.  Their old-world retail store features Colorado's largest walk-in refrigerated cheese and cured meat market and a broad selection of European housewares and linens.

Next, test your climbing skills at the Longmont Climbing Collective, Longmont’s only indoor bouldering gym. The gym also offers fitness equipment, yoga and training in the 15,000-square-foot climbing facility. There is over 7,000 square feet of indoor bouldering space, perfect for an afternoon of climbing and activity!

For dinner, refuel at Gondlier's Italian Eatery for a memorable dining experience featuring house-made, seasonal Italian cuisine, pasta and pizza. This cozy atmosphere is the perfect setting for a fall-inspired meal!

Day 5 begins with take-out from  Babettes Artisan Bakery. They produce an array of fresh-baked bread and artisan pastries daily. Known for their dark crusts and flaky dough, pair your pastry with a hot drink from around the corner at Cavegirl Coffee to start your day right!  Then, take a walk through the area and enjoy the colorful urbanist neighborhood of Prospect.

Another excellent fall adventure is in Rocky Mountain National Park. Less than an hour from Longmont, drive up Hwy 36 through Lyons and enjoy the views and changing colors. As you head through Estes Park and into the Park, the colors get even more incredible with the climb in elevation! The Park offers 415 square miles of outdoor activities like hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, sledding and wildlife viewing. You can drive your car throughout the park and pull off at many scenic overlooks for spectacular pictures. Be looking for elk, deer, moose, marmots and more! *Timed-entry reservations are necessary until October 22 between 9 am-2 pm. 

After your fall color adventure, head down to Longmont for a nice, cozy dinner at The Passenger at the Dickens. The building was built in 1881 by William H. Dickens and has been a local landmark for just as long.   Ask about the haunted happenings in the restaurant and Opera House while you’re there…if you dare!

This rounds out your fall adventure in Longmont! We hope you enjoy your time here in town!