LOVE LIVING IN LOVELAND

Life is good living in Loveland, CO. With fun community events, unique local businesses and endless activities and opportunities throughout the year, you can’t help but love living and visiting here.

February epitomizes the season of love with Valentine’s Day and it doesn’t get much sweeter than the annual Loveland Sweetheart Festival. But the affection doesn’t end there for our region that is full of heart.

The sweetness keeps flowing all year long, with great places to shop, dine, play and even a few charitable opportunities to let your tenderness overflow while living in Loveland.

Be Mine in Loveland, Colorado

Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, Loveland is world-renowned for its Valentine’s Day celebrations. The pinnacle of these celebrations is the Loveland Sweetheart Festival. For 74 years, the community has gathered in the heart of Loveland to embrace sweethearts near and far.

Lovers from around the globe gather in downtown Loveland to celebrate the season with fun for the entire family. From the Little Miss Valentine and Little Mr. Cupid contest to the Loveland Valentine craft beer, there’s something for everyone to soak in the sweetness.

Want to make memories with a special someone? Check out The Love Lock Sculpture. This one-of-a-kind art installation is the largest Love Lock Sculpture of its kind in the nation. Stop by the Visitors Center to buy a lock, engrave it with your significant other and then add your lock to the grid for all to see all year long.

If you are looking for a fun date with a special someone, make sure to check out the Chapungu Sculpture Park located at the Promenade Shops at Centerra in Loveland. This unique outdoor exhibit showcases 82 monumental stone sculptures from Zimbabwean artists.

Enjoy a romantic walk through this outdoor art gallery with your loved one, family or fur baby. Open year-round from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., the 26-acre park portrays the traditional African perspective of family, something that hits home here in Loveland. The unique name is African for eagle, which possesses great presence and exceptional power in African culture.

Sweet Spots in Loveland, Colorado

As sweet as living in Loveland is, some of its small businesses serve up some even sweeter treats. Their close proximity to The Lakes also helps sweeten the deal.

Check out Mary’s Mountain Cookies for an array of baked goods that are sure to blow your mind, from savory cookies to succulent brownies.

Mary’s Mountain Cookies has been a staple business serving Northern Colorado’s sweet tooth since 1986. Mary’s story dates back to her days as a cook on a dude ranch. As a savvy female entrepreneur, Mary made her cookies into an empire and bakes up batches daily for visitors to The Promenade Shops at Centerra and now downtown Loveland as well.

Why stop at cookies – Centerra is also home to must-taste gelato. Paciugo Gelato Caffé is a sweet spot when it comes to the tasty Italian treat. Ugo Ginatta, co-founder and CEO, is from Turin, Italy and wanted to share his love of gelato with the world. In 1999 he brought his secret family recipe to America and the rest is history. Fortunately for the Loveland community, scoops of the sweet treat are served up daily at the caffé in The Promenade Shops at Centerra.

Some prefer to express affection over a nice glass of wine. Bentley’s Liquor, located in The Marketplace at Centerra, can accommodate any taste with a fine selection of wine, beer and spirits. Opened by two childhood friends in 2004, the shop is named after the owner’s English bulldog who has been known to welcome customers at the door.

Big Hearts in Loveland, Colorado

Loveland residents have big hearts, and fortunately, there are plenty of charitable opportunities for the generous.

A great one to check out is House of Neighborly Services (HNS). The organization provides shelter for the homeless during inclement weather. HNS assists and advocates for people challenged by the effects of poverty or situational crisis. In addition, HNS offers the tools and resources to individuals and families as they transition out of crisis and back into self-reliance.

HNS relies on financial, material and volunteer contributions from the community. To get involved check out honservice.org.

Another great charity is Food Bank for Larimer County. The private non-profit believes that no one should be hungry. Each year the organization provides services to an estimated 37,500 people in need throughout the region with partnerships and hunger-relief programs.

There are a variety of ways to help out the Food Bank. From one-time group volunteers to regularly weekly individual volunteers, there are lots of great opportunities to pitch in and help feed the community.

Does living in Loveland appeal to you? There are new homes being built in Loveland at The Lakes at Centerra, one of the best neighborhoods in Colorado. Check it out and join this amazing quality of life in Loveland, CO.