Cheyenne will give you a warm country welcome any time of the year. Named for the Great Plains tribe of Native American Cheyenne people, Wyoming’s state capital was founded in 1867 on the site where the transcontinental railroad crossed the meandering Crow Creek. A town popped up almost overnight Cheyenne has been a hive of activity ever since.
Soak up Wyoming sunshine in the large Botanic Gardens in Lions Park, open daily with no admission fee. Bring a picnic and wander around Sloan Lake to glimpse diverse wildlife of the high plains. Stop by the Children’s Village for a family adventure in an exciting park filled with interactive landscapes, puppet theatre and sculptures. The village can be enjoyed for free from Tuesday through Sunday.
Explore the Old West Museum to learn about Cheyenne’s pioneering heritage and see fun-filled displays any day of the year. Visit Nagle Warren Mansion and then top off your afternoon with English High Tea, served on Fridays and Saturdays in full Victorian-period costume.
Go on a scavenger hunt to find all of Cheyenne’s famous Big Boots. Cheyenne’s history is depicted on the towering 8-foot (2-metre) cowboy boots, painted by local artists and scattered all over town.
Cheyenne keeps its gun-slinging, whip-cracking past alive with the annual Cheyenne Frontier Days festival, a 10-day Wild West celebration that started as a cowboy roundup in 1897. Kick up the dust with locals at the “Daddy of ‘em All” in the last week of July, and enjoy concerts, rodeo, country-style pancake breakfasts, a parade and plenty of family fun.
On the crossroads of two interstate highways, Cheyenne is easily reachable by car. Denver International Airport, a 90-minute drive away, is served by a wide range of airlines. Cheyenne’s downtown has a convenient local bus system. The area has warm summers and year-round attractions, but be prepared for a cold, arid winter and late snowfall in March and April.
Cheyenne invites you to “live the legend.” Come explore its colourful past and enjoy its enthusiastic modern hospitality.
