Fairplay between Open-Air Museum, History and Fishing Area

Fairplay combines mining history, local traditions and a public fishing area to offer a range of travel experiences. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Fairplay, you can plan your stay according to your preferred pace: one day can take you into the town’s history, another to the river or to the unique traditions of Burro Days. The sights and activities show which priorities may play a role when choosing your accommodation.

History to See and Discover

The South Park City Museum is an intact open-air museum dating from the mid-20th century. It interprets a mining pioneer community, bringing an important part of the region’s past to life. For families who want to discover history together, it offers a cultural focus for their trip. The portrayal of an entire community provides different impressions than a visit to a single historic building.

Fairplay’s buildings also tell the story of different periods in the town’s history. Fairplay School, now Edith Teter Elementary, is one of the oldest surviving schools in Colorado. Park County Courthouse was built in 1874 in the Italianate style from locally sourced red sandstone. The Fairplay Hotel was built in 1923 after a fire in 1921 destroyed the 1873 hotel building that stood on this site. Sheldon Jackson Memorial Chapel was built in the year after the fire, during Fairplay’s reconstruction. Together, these examples create a varied picture of historical development without requiring you to limit yourself to a single museum.

River, Fishing and a Different Daily Rhythm

A section of the river above and below the Fairplay Beach Recreation Area is a very popular public fishing area. Visitors who want to include quieter, nature-oriented hours in their stay can take this focus into account when planning their trip. This information is particularly relevant to visitors who want to combine cultural exploration with time by the water.

At the Fairplay Beach Recreation Area, campsites are allocated without reservations on a first-come, first-served basis; the fee is paid at the beach. This specific rule is relevant when planning a stay in this area. When looking for a holiday apartment in Fairplay, however, the key consideration remains which focus you want for your days: museum visits, local history, fishing or a mix of several interests.

Burro Days and the Unique Tradition of Donkey Races

Burro Days began in 1949 as a race in which participants ran together with a donkey from Leadville to Fairplay. Burro Days includes donkey races. The history of this event highlights a local tradition that clearly differs from the historic buildings and the museum visit. If you want to get to know Fairplay through its customs, this is one of the distinctive points of reference when planning your trip.

Fairplay as a Starting Point for Planning Your Trip

Fairplay’s historic camp was located in a scenic spot near the confluence of Beaver Creek and the South Platte River. This historical context complements today’s themes of the museum, fishing area and local history with a look at the landscape in which Fairplay developed. This allows you to combine different ways of exploring: historic sites, individual buildings, an open-air museum and time by the water.

When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home in Fairplay, you should therefore base your decision primarily on your preferred travel style. Those who want to discover many stories and buildings will plan differently from someone who wants to make fishing and peaceful hours by the river the focus. Families can also consider which topics might interest children of different ages without limiting their stay to a single experience. If you would also like to compare another place, you can find the page about Jefferson here.

For the overarching travel overview: Park County.