Columbus combines unusual architectural history with collections and activities on the Colorado River. The city offers a variety of distinct attractions that you can weigh separately as you plan your trip.

An Opera House with an Unusual Architectural History

The 1886 Stafford Opera House is the only surviving opera house in Texas with a level floor. Its original use is also notable: a bank and a dry goods store occupied the ground floor, while a theater was located upstairs. The building thus brings together two commercial uses and a theater under one roof. If you are interested in historic architecture, you will find here not only an old building but also a concrete glimpse of its original layout.

Cabin, Crafts, and Regional Furniture

The Alley Log Cabin is a two-room oak log cabin dating to 1836. The Alley Log Cabin & Antique Tool Museum displays tools used in farming, ranching, blacksmithing, and early Texas pioneer life; the collection also includes barbed wire from Colorado County. The cabin’s construction and date stand alongside a range of trades and materials. The topics range from life in a small log cabin to tools and objects from several crafts.

The furnishings at the Dilue Rose Harris House Museum include early Victorian walnut furniture and Texas pine furniture. Some pieces came from families in the area around Columbus. The different woods and the origins of individual pieces give the house museum a different focus from the tool collection. You can arrange tours through the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

Art and an Exceptional Collection

The Live Oak Art Center is housed in the historic Brunson Building in Columbus, Texas. The Santa Claus Museum offers a very different focus: it houses more than 5,000 Santa Claus figures and related collectibles from around the world. The size of the collection may change over time. Together, these places show how varied the cultural attractions in Columbus can be—from an art center in a historic building to a collection with items from around the world.

River Activities and a Break in the Park

The Colorado River flows through Columbus and offers opportunities for kayaking, tubing, and paddling. These activities give your plans a different focus from the historic homes and collections. Beason's Park adds another option, with shaded picnic tables, free parking, restrooms, and a pavilion. Its amenities are practical: you can plan a break at the picnic tables and know that the park also has restrooms and a pavilion.

Choose the Focus of Your Stay

If you are looking for a hotel in Columbus, first consider which themes you want to shape your days: architectural history and museum collections, or kayaking, tubing, and paddling on the Colorado River. Beason's Park adds a place for an outdoor break.

Discover more destinations: Weimar, Eagle Lake.

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