Lakeside, CO

Sitting right along Denver’s western border, Lakeside is one of the most unusual little enclaves in the metro area. Founded in 1907 by Denver brewer Adolph Zang, the town was created specifically to support Lakeside Amusement Park around Lake Rhoda. With a population of fewer than twenty residents, nearly the entire town is taken up by the amusement park grounds, the lake, and a shopping plaza along Sheridan Boulevard.

ATTRJeffrey Beall / CC BY-SA 3.0

While nobody really moves to Lakeside itself, almost everyone in the Denver area ends up visiting. The historic amusement park is a beloved summertime tradition where generations of locals have ridden the classic Cyclone wooden roller coaster, caught the miniature train around the water, and enjoyed the vintage neon lights at dusk. The town quietly runs its own municipal office and police force, preserving a charming slice of Colorado history right in the middle of the city.