Are You Looking for Fun Things to do in Loveland, Colorado?
Hi- I’m Rose Merkey with ReMax Alliance, and I’ve lived, worked, and played in Northern Colorado since 1980. Our family loves to be outside in the great Colorado outdoors throughout the year, especially in Rocky Mountain National Park. We drive through Loveland on our way to and from RMNP, and we would stop back in town for some food on our way home. It seemed that each time we went to the downtown area, we’d ‘find’ more good places to eat, which led to taking a look around at what else was going on, and it soon became a “Friday night hangout” as well.
So, here’s a little history of the town of Loveland, what it was, what it is, and what it has become – An Amazingly Eclectic City in Northern Colorado!
Loveland was founded in 1877 along the newly constructed Colorado Central Railroad, and with all the fertile ground near the Big Thompson River began as an agricultural community- Sugar Beets and Sour Cherry orchards were King for the first half of the 20th century. The Great Western Sugar Company built a factory in 1901 and remained viable until closing it’s doors in 1985. The Spring Glade Cherry Orchard was the largest of it’s kind west of the Mississippi from 1920 to the late 1950’s!
Loveland’s economy diversified in the 70’s with the arrival of the Hach, Teledyne, and Hewlett-Packard manufacturing companies. Today, the largest employers in Loveland are Lutheran and Poudre Valley Health Care Systems, Walmart, Thompson School District, Hach Chemical Company, The Good Samaritan Society, Aligant, and The Group Publishing Company.
Loveland is known as “The Sweetheart City” – Since 1947- the Loveland Chamber, the post office, and at least 60 volunteer stampers have been bringing love, hope, and sentiments to people in all 50 states and more than 110 countries throughout the world with a special cachet stamp and message through the program. More than 160,000 valentines get mailed each year. Some of the most heartfelt valentines that have come through Loveland are the ones sending messages of hope and love to our troops overseas, to children battling life-threatening illnesses and to those who are overcoming tragedy and need an extra note of encouragement. What an Awesome service to others!
Another nickname for Loveland is “the Sculpture Capitol of the West” – take a look at The Art-Lover’s Itinerary site and head on over to Benson Sculpture Park. This is an Absolute “must see” the next time you are in Loveland!
Here are my next 3 favorite things to do in Loveland- I had my husband Tom create a short video about each on of them – Enjoy!
The Rialto Theatre– Next to Red Rocks, this is our favorite live performance venue. Be sure to read the history of the Rialto on the website- when you walk into the theatre, you absolutely step back in time!
Whenever we go to see a show at the Rialto, we have dinner and drinks at the Pourhouse Bar and Grill. One block west of the Rialto, the Pourhouse has at least 70 different beers on tap, and the menu is excellent from top to bottom. Tom orders something different every time we eat there, and it is always fresh and tasty. The sweet potatoes are the best I’ve ever eaten!
Devils Backbone Open Space– This trail is 12 miles of my favorite geological formations in Larimer County. Whether on my bicycle, or hiking, this trail is a great way to spend the day with friends and family!
Loveland has many other fun opportunities for young and old alike- it is a great community to raise a family or retire to and spoil your grandchildren. If you have any questions about the Loveland area, or are thinking about relocating here, I am happy to visit with you in more detail. You can reach me at rosemerkey@gmail.com or call me at 970-219-4859
