I fell in love with Laramie pretty quickly after I moved here for college. It’s so easy to do, as there’s a lot in this little town that I can’t find anywhere else. It’s easily overlooked as a small town without substance, or just a college town where students run wild and the bars are the only source of fun. For me, Laramie is not even about the bars at all, but the culture, local businesses, food, music, art and coffee. Here are my favorite parts of Laramie in case you’re having trouble finding its hidden gems.
Local Businesses:
No, Laramie doesn’t have a Target, but it does have some great local businesses to visit if you ever want to shop around. My all-time favorite is Nu 2 U, a thrift store off of 4th Street with so many unique clothing pieces that are one of a kind to you. I love thrifting as it is, but Nu 2 U has a large selection of items in a wide variety of styles, so it’s always fun to go in, step outside of your comfort zone and find some unique pieces to spice up your closet. I never leave this store empty handed and I’m thankful for the effect it has had on my style.
Along with Nu 2 U, I love Bart’s Flea Market outside of town by 287. It’s a huge store with so many unique things that it takes at least an hour to go through majority of the place to see everything. I love its vintage feel and wide selection, even when I’m not looking for anything. It’s a great place to spend a Saturday flipping through old records, looking for a new cactus for your apartment or just enjoying the surprises it has each time you go inside.
Food:
My absolute favorite restaurant in Laramie is The Crowbar & Grill, hands down. If you love pizza, hamburgers, fries or all of the above like me, this is the place for you. I’m here at least once a week, usually eating a slice of pizza or pad thai fries and it never gets old. The food is amazing, it’s unique and fun and the atmosphere of the restaurant is even better. Their pad thai fries are the best thing on the menu and it’s difficult to share the entire platter with anyone else.
There are plenty of other amazing places to eat aside from the Crowbar, such as Lovejoy’s, which has anything you could think of, Sweet Melissa’s, which is a vegetarian restaurant and Prairie Rose, which has amazing breakfast burritos. And– the best place for a little dessert after your meal is Big Dipper Ice Cream on Ivinson. It’s absolutely amazing and the shop is so cute, so be sure to go there too!
Music:
The Laramie music scene is one of the best parts of this town and there are tons of talented bands and musicians. My all-time favorite local band is The Woodpile, which is an alternative folk band. They have an EP out called “Hunting Hearts” on Spotify, iTunes and Bandcamp. They are so talented and hardworking, I absolutely love their shows, their sound and who they are as people.
Another favorite band of mine is Elk Tongue, who are a psychedelic desert rock band. They have a really cool sound, are super talented and have amazing energy at their live shows. They have their album, “Salmon Palace” on Spotify and iTunes as well. I highly recommend their music, as it’s so unique.
I could go on all day about the music scene here in Laramie, but some other bands to check out are Wynona, Hoi Ann, 10¢ Stranger and Sorry, No Sympathy. These bands cover a range of genres and are all so talented. The best thing about the music scene is there is so much support from the community and the music is so diverse.
Art:
Whether you’ve noticed it or not, there are a lot of different murals in downtown Laramie. I love them all, but my favorite is the fish mural behind Coal Creek across from the bridge. There are tons of different fish made up of different colors and they all have their own personality. A friend of mine painted two of the fish on the extension of the mural so it makes it that much more exciting to see when I walk by. I love the fish mural; so many talents in Laramie came together to make it happen. If you haven’t taken the time to look at it closely or even at all, definitely check it out.
Coffee:
Last but not least, coffee is extremely important to my daily life and Laramie thankfully has one of the best coffee shops I’ve ever been to. Coal Creek is the go-to place for coffee, whether it’s just drip or a latte and their bags of coffee are just as amazing, if not better because you can take it home! Not only is the coffee to die for, but the atmosphere of their downtown location is so cozy and fun, making it the perfect study space. Coal Creek is where I’m found most often, so it’s definitely my number one favorite place in the entire town.
If you don’t like Laramie now, hopefully these aspects of this place will make it more fun for you. If not, you’re just missing out and I have no idea what to tell you. I appreciate Laramie and its little quirks and I couldn’t imagine calling any other place home at this point in my life.