Located between the majestic Rocky Mountains and Colorado's plains is a small town with easy access to outdoor recreation and nearby cities. Coming in third on Safewise's list of Safest Colorado Cities in 2025, the serene town of Windsor offers a safe, suburban area right in the middle of Greeley, Loveland, and the less-touristy but still great outdoor paradise of Fort Collins, about an hour (60 miles) drive north from Denver International Airport, via the E-470 and the I-25.
Although incorporated
in 1890, Windsor's history begins long before, with archaeological evidence placing humans in the area as far back as 800 BC. The modern town began growing in the 1870s with the arrival of the Great Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad between Fort Collins and Greeley, and it now sits comfortably at a population of around 45,000. Even so, Windsor retains its small-town charm, with family-owned businesses and public parks dotted around town. Eastman Park, for example, is a long, winding trail of white stone lanes interspersed with trees, shrubs, and carefully placed decorative stones. The park contains a play area for kids, and fun for grown-ups too, with the gentle currents of the Cache la Poudre River producing great conditions for tubing or swimming. The small Windsor Lake and the larger Boyd Lake State Park just outside town are also popular recreation spots.
If you're heading to Windsor at the end of summer, though, you're really in for a treat. The Windsor town council organizes fun community events and festivals between August and September to bring the town together and highlight local talent.
Read more: The 5 Best Parks Where You Can See Bison Roam (Other Than Yellowstone), According To Visitors
Experience Windsor's Community Spirit Through Its Local Festivals
Every year, Windsor hosts two local festivals that offer everything from live music to parades to local competitions. The first — typically held around Labor Day weekend — is the Windsor Harvest Festival, a celebration of local farmers and restaurants. The Harvest Festival features a network of vendors selling food and souvenirs at Windsor's Main Park and fun activities like a pie-eating contest and hot air balloon rides. You can also buy beautiful, hand-carved wooden decor at Rugged Skies Woodworks' stall or admire vintage cars at the Windsor Cruise In.
The second, usually held at the end of September, is the Hoedown Hill Music Festival. Hoedown Hill is a ski resort with fun winter activities like skiing and tubing on gentle, beginner-friendly slopes. In the summer, the resort plans other activities like outdoor movies, volleyball games, and dance parties. The festival is one of their end-of-summer activities, in which they invite underrated and well-known musicians for a series of live performances.
The event is split into two weekends: one for rock and one for country. Headliners for the 2025 event include Cold War Kids and Third Eye Blind on September 19 and 20 for the rock concerts, and Chris Lane and Randy Houser on September 26 and 27 for the country concerts.
Windsor Is An Outdoor Adventure Paradise
Windsor is located close to the Rocky Mountains, making it easy to plan a mountaineering adventure nearby. Located less than 50 miles west is Estes Park, a storybook Colorado escape with stunning mountain views. A quick drive from there will bring you to the sparkling waters of Emerald Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park. Even closer to Windsor are two lakeside destinations: Windsor Lake within town and the Boyd Lake State Park just outside town.
Windsor Lake features a small swim beach, where kids can play in the sand and swim in shallow waters. For pet parents, another section of the lake has a designated dog park where even dogs can go swimming. As one person told The Greeley Tribune, "[the lake] serves two purposes: a destination and a water source."
The real treat is 11.8 miles away in Loveland, where the sparkling blue waters of Boyd Lake meet its sandy shores. This particular swim beach is a favorite among people in the nearby towns for its calm, clean waters and family-friendly fun. You can go fishing, jet skiing, and paddleboarding on the lake. The beach also has sandy shores right by the lake, perfect for building sand castles and letting kids roll in the mud. Just past the sand, the shoreline turns into grass-covered flats, making it a great place for sunbathing and picnicking. As one man told the Denver7 team, "The sand beach is the best part, for kids [and] families to hang out."
Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets.
Read the original article on Islands.
