The First Week of November Is When West Windsor Changes Seasons
October 15, 2026
October 15, 2026
On the west side of Windsor, fall doesn't end when the leaves fall. It ends in the first week of November. Two things land close together. RainDance National's off-peak green fees start Nov. 3, and Sweet Heart Wine & Cider has said it hopes to open in November in the space at 2191 Covered Bridge Parkway that has sat empty since August. The weeks before then belong to the places that never close for the season. Around RainDance and Pelican Lakes, that means two sports bars, one of them with golf simulators.
Most people who live near RainDance know the building at 2191 Covered Bridge Parkway. Here is how it changed hands, as BizWest reported:
The fifth step changes the plan. When BizWest first reported the deal, the target was a taproom by mid-October and a full restaurant by early December. The October release moved the opening to November. Sweet Heart's Windsor page still says "coming soon," says the project is being built, and lists no opening date or hours. As of mid-October, nobody has announced a firm date.
Sweet Heart has a long local history. Master winemaker David Burks started it in a Loveland garage in 2010, opened a tasting room in May 2017, and sold the business to Charles and Farah Oster in May 2024. The Loveland winery at 5500 W. U.S. Highway 34 stays open as the flagship. Wine and cider are made at The Forge campus in south Loveland.
According to the Windsor page, the RainDance location will include a full restaurant, weekend brunch, the company's flagship hard-cider taproom, live music and events. RainDance developer Martin Lind of The Water Valley Co. told BizWest the space seats about 100 to 150 people, not counting the event areas. In the BizWest report, he explained how the operator was chosen:
"We weren't looking for just another restaurant. We wanted the right concept and the right operator."
Sweet Heart is also growing elsewhere in Northern Colorado. In the same Oct. 6 release, the company announced a multi-year deal that makes it the Official Wine & Cider of the Colorado Eagles. Its wines and ciders will be sold at Blue Arena, where a Sweet Heart Lounge will open on the main concourse. The release says the partnership will carry over to the Windsor location once it opens.
When Ted's closed, its management said diners could still use their Ted's Valpak coupons at nearby spots, naming The Grainhouse and The Sand Bar, BizWest reported. Those are the two places open on the west side until Sweet Heart arrives.
The Grainhouse is at 1781-B RainDance National Drive. It serves as RainDance National's on-site restaurant and calls itself a public, family-friendly sports bar with burgers, sandwiches, shareable appetizers, beer, wine and cocktails. This fall it is running its 2026 coed sixes sand volleyball league, now in its third season. Its website is also promoting a "3rd Annual Halloween Bash." The page doesn't give a date, so call ahead before planning a costume around it.
The Sand Bar is at 1600 Pelican Lakes Point. It is part of Pelican Lakes rather than RainDance, and it says it is open to everyone. It opened over Memorial Day weekend in 2014 as a golf-themed sports bar with three indoor golf simulators. After a remodel, it reopened in February 2024. The simulators are what make it work in cold weather. A round of golf there doesn't depend on the forecast.
Here's how the west side's options compare as of mid-October:
| Venue | Address | Status | Note for the next few weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Heart Wine & Cider at RainDance | 2191 Covered Bridge Pkwy. | Coming soon | Targeted for November; no date or hours yet |
| The Grainhouse | 1781-B RainDance National Dr. | Open to the public | Halloween Bash being promoted; date not posted |
| The Sand Bar | 1600 Pelican Lakes Point | Open to everyone | Posted notice says it closes at 4 p.m. on Oct. 30 |
| RainDance National | 1775 RainDance National Dr. | Public tee times | Off-peak rates start Nov. 3 |
The Sand Bar posts hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Its site advertises Karaoke Fridays, and its event calendar has categories for Friday live music and a Prime Rib Night series. When we checked, though, the calendar showed no scheduled events. Oct. 30 falls on a Friday this year, so the 4 p.m. early close takes that week's karaoke night off the table.
RainDance National is an 18-hole public course designed by Fred Funk and Harrison Minchew. It plays 8,463 yards with 250 feet of elevation change. It doesn't list a seasonal closing. Instead, the 2026 green fees page splits the year into two pricing periods.
That puts a weekend round $40 cheaper starting the first Tuesday in November, and weekday golfers save $20. Green fees include carts and the driving range. Non-members can book tee times seven days ahead, and first responders and military get 10% off any green fee with proof of service. With the cheaper rates starting the same month Sweet Heart is targeting, a round followed by dinner around Covered Bridge Parkway could get easier to plan as November goes on, assuming the opening happens on schedule.
The RainDance River Resort at 1722 Heirloom Drive belongs on next year's calendar, not this month's. It's a 1.5-acre water park inside the 13-acre RainDance Park, with a lazy river, waterslide, lap lanes, play pool and splash pad. It isn't limited to residents. The metro district's 2026 fee schedule lists a $20 nonresident day pass and a $10 resident rate with a Recreation Pass. The 2026 season dates weren't posted in the materials we reviewed, so check with the district before counting on any warm October afternoons.
Windsor's town-wide calendar still runs through downtown and Boardwalk Community Park, a short drive east. These are the dates through December:
Details for each are on the Windsor Downtown Development Authority calendar and the Town of Windsor news page.
Whether a new neighbor across Covered Bridge Parkway affects what your home is worth is a fair question, and it's the kind we like answering. If you're near RainDance or Pelican Lakes and wondering about your home's value, The Sledge Team offers a free, no-pressure home valuation, with nothing expected afterward.
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