Vintage Aero Flying Museum
Vintage Aero Flying Museum (VAFM), formally LaFayette Escadrille Flying Museum, is Colorado's international aviation museum at Platte Valley Airpark, 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Hudson, Colorado and 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Denver, Colorado. Its history begins in 1997. For a second stop, Dick's Sporting Goods Park is 23 mi away.
A museum, 6 mi west of Hudson
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 16°, with about 35" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Fort Lupton is the nearest base
Fort Lupton is 6 miles west, with 5 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May and Sep
May and September are the mild months, with highs of 72–80°. When to go ↓
Established in 1997
Vintage Aero Flying Museum dates from 1997. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather through the year
Pick a month for Vintage Aero Flying Museum from the weather below.
Vintage Aero Flying Museum
Vintage Aero Flying Museum (VAFM), formally LaFayette Escadrille Flying Museum, is Colorado's international aviation museum at Platte Valley Airpark, 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Hudson, Colorado and 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Denver, Colorado.
Andy Parks, son of the last World War I Lafayette Escadrille member who 'flew west', James Parks, maintains the legacy and history of the LaFayette Escadrille pilots. The collection of each of these pilots' original uniforms and memorabilia is on display in custom cabinets in a secured hangar of World War I aircraft. There is no other collection of this magnitude in the world today. The Parks have created a museum in a rural setting, much like a French rural World War I air field.
- Type
- Museum
- Established
- 1997
Overnight near Vintage Aero Flying Museum
To stay close, try Denver (258) and Brighton (11).
Denver
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
740,613 people
26 mi south of Vintage Aero Flying Museum
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Vintage Aero Flying Museum | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 26 mi south | 40 min | 258 213 hotels · 19 motels · 9 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 5 hostels · 7 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 740,613 | $616K | D− |
| Brighton | 11 mi southwest | 15 min | 11 9 hotels · 1 motel · 1 RV park | 45,395 | $500K | D |
| Fort Lupton | 6 mi west | 10 min | 5 4 motels · 1 campground | 10,402 | $416K | C |
| Aurora | 27 mi south | 40 min | 64 48 hotels · 8 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 410,053 | $469K | D− |
| Firestone | 14 mi west | 20 min | 10 6 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 20,129 | $560K | B |
| Thornton | 18 mi southwest | 25 min | 17 14 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 147,766 | $518K | C− |
| Greeley | 22 mi north | 35 min | 24 14 hotels · 6 motels · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 115,073 | $403K | D |
| Longmont | 22 mi west | 35 min | 19 11 hotels · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 100,109 | $573K | — |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Combine it with these
More places people know lie within 55 miles.
Big draw40 mi TheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre
Big draw30 mi Stadium & arenaEmpower Field at Mile High
129 mi Stadium & arenaBall Arena
229 mi Stadium & arenaCoors Field
323 mi Stadium & arenaDick's Sporting Goods Park
55 mi National ParkRocky Mountain National Park4.2M visitors a year
429 mi Theme parkElitch Gardens Theme Park
31 mi Stadium & arenaFolsom FieldPhoto credits
Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Empower Field at Mile High: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ball Arena: KM Newnham, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Coors Field: Matt Kozlowski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dick's Sporting Goods Park: Tom Pratt, CC BY 2.0 · Rocky Mountain National Park: Charles M. Sauer -- Charlessauer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Elitch Gardens Theme Park: USGS, Public domain · Folsom Field: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 4.0
Questions about Vintage Aero Flying Museum
What town is Vintage Aero Flying Museum near?
Hudson, CO, about 6 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Vintage Aero Flying Museum?
May and September, with highs of 72–80°.
How far is Vintage Aero Flying Museum from Colorado Springs?
About 85 miles south of Colorado Springs, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Vintage Aero Flying Museum?
Denver (DEN), about 17 miles away.
Where should I stay near Vintage Aero Flying Museum?
Denver (26 mi, 258 places to stay), Brighton (11 mi, 11 places to stay) and Fort Lupton (6 mi, 5 places to stay).
Notes from people in Hudson
People in Hudson have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.