The Afternoon Drive

By Barrett Gray

For the month of February, profiling Loveland as the afternoon drive is the perfect choice. After all, the “Sweetheart City” is all about the love, and Valentine’s Day figures prominently in its history. Each year the city receives thousands of valentines, which it remails with a special “cachet,” consisting of an original verse along with a rubber-stamped image.

If you’d like to send your sweetest a valentine via Loveland, the deadline this year is Feb. 4 for foreign destinations, Feb. 9 for U.S. addresses, and Feb. 12 for addresses within Colorado.

Send your pre-addressed, stamped valentines inside a larger, first-class envelope to:

Postmaster
Attention: Valentines
446 E. 29th Street
Loveland, CO 80538-9998

While the Valentine Remailing Program is Loveland’s main claim to fame, the city boasts another mark of distinction. Loveland is a mecca for sculptors, with several sculpture parks and individual pieces scattered throughout the town. The Chupungu Sculpture Park, which features work from African sculptors, is particularly appropriate for viewing in February, as the pieces all relate to themes of love and family.

The Benson Sculpture Garden, which borders Lake Loveland, doesn’t ascribe to any particular theme. It contains hundreds of sculptures, depicting everything from cowboys to dragonflies. This August it will be the site of the 26th annual Sculpture in the Park event, which draws talented artists from around the world (www.sculptureinthepark.org).

Along with viewing the art, schedule time to hit Loveland’s historic downtown district, home to the Rialto Theater (228 E. 4th Street, 80537). One can’t live on art alone, so scarf down a burger at Carl’s Canteen, just up the street (248 E. 4th Street). Consider tacking on a visit to neighboring Fort Collins, with its excellent breweries. On the way home, stop in at Johnson’s Corner, famous for its cinnamon rolls (Exit 254, www.johnsonscorner.com).

For maps and more information on Loveland and its sculptures, visit the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, 5400 Stone Creek Circle, 80538, www.loveland.org.