Cheyenne, Wyoming is all about grilled meat, Cowboys n Indians, and trolley car rides. Any modern flavors in this city come in franchised chain store packages, so if you are looking for something a little more local than malled America, you better pack your six-shooter. Cheyenne's focus is on the wholesome and homely.
When to Go
To really get the most our of Cheyenne, it's best to plan your trip over summer. The best kind of kitschy fun is to be during the warmer months, with horse-drawn carriage rides, fake gunfights downtown (think Ten-Gallon hats rather than gangsta-style shootouts) and the leisurely pleasures of hiking and horse-back riding in the scenic surrounds of the city.
Festivals
If you are in town a couple of weeks after the Fourth of July weekend, Frontier Days is ten days of the Old West in modern-day Cheyenne. Pancake breakfasts, rodeos, parades and live music keep the townsfolk outdoors and dancing, while the prices of beer and barbecue are low enough to keep the hungriest of visitors well-fed and well-watered for around $15 a day.
One of the highlights of this festival is the Native American Village that is built on the town's outskirts. In one of the few nods to the indigenous people that the city was named after, it is a rare chance to get an insight into how the (originally) agricultural Cheyenne changed their diet, language and way of life after the 'White Plague' arrived.
Things to See and Do
Train spotters can't miss the Big Boy Steam Engine. One of only eight of its kind still on display in the US, the Big Boy was used to pull the massive loads of wood, iron and other trains required to complete the turn-of-the-century rail revolution across the West. The coal-fired engine was powerful enough to haul a three thousand ton train over the steepest mountains and is now sedately retired at 17th St & Morrie Avenue.
The ninety-minute Trolley Car Tour is a diversionary way to get an overview of Cheyenne. At $10 for adults and $5 for children, the tour is considered a little pricey for some tastes, and is probably a little too boring for kids under 7, but it's still a pleasant way to bridge the gap between a late (barbecue) lunch and (more barbecue) dinner. If the trolley car leaves you cold, you can take the alternative tour – in a horse-drawn carriage.
Ranches
For those with a couple of days to spend in Cheyenne (and for those longing to release their inner cowboy or cowgirl), saddle up at ranches like the Bit-O-Wy. This hokey – and admittedly fun – ranch has enough ho-downs, horse-back riding trails, wranglers and banjos to satisfy any urban cowhand... And the prices aren't too bad either. 470 Happy Jack Road.
Hotels
Accommodation in Cheyenne can be divided into two main groups: Ranch-style and Chain-style (with a sprinkling of very pretty historic-building-turned-hotel). A room in a standard, Best-Western type hotel will cost around $80 per room per night, with similar prices in the more historical-style establishments, depending on the time of year.
Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
(Photo:iStockPhoto/wellesenterprises)
