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Cheyenne, Wyoming offers travelers a real taste of the Old West. Once a booming town built around the railway, Cheyenne stays true to its roots by maintaining much of their locomotive history and western traditions. Refer to this complete guide of what to do in Cheyenne, WY before going on your next weekend getaway to this laidback, scenic destination.
1. Get an authentic cowboy experience at the Hell on Wheels Rodeo.
Held on Fridays in the summer, Hell on Wheels Rodeo is the perfect welcome to Cheyenne, WY if you’re coming in for a weekend getaway.
Though optional, I highly recommend getting the chuckwagon dinner package offered by Hell on Wheels prior to the rodeo start. You can mingle with locals, try award-winning brisket from 3LazyR Chuck Wagon, and enjoy the western ambiance with red and white checkered tablecloths and lantern/wildflower centerpieces. Dinner includes brisket that’s slow-cooked over a fire all afternoon, beans, garlic roasted baby potatoes, and warm cobbler.
Following dinner, head over to the rodeo arena and start watching the events including steer wrestling, bareback riding, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, team roping, barrel racing, and bull riding.
Tickets are $50 for the dinner and rodeo or $25 for the rodeo. Food trucks and drinks are available for purchase at the rodeo.
Cheyenne Depot Museum
Cowgirls of the West Museum
Cowgirls of the West Museum
2. Visit one of Cheyenne's many museums.
I was surprised to realize how many museums Cheyenne has - many of which are western-related and/or free to the public. I visited the Cowgirls of the West Museum and the Cheyenne Depot Museum during our weekend getaway. Both museums are relatively small and could be experienced in approximately an hour or 2. I enjoyed visiting these museums because they helped add a lot of context to how the town was in the past and what it’s proud of today.
- Cowgirls of the West Museum: free museum of cowgirl history featuring historical artifacts, antiques, western saddles, clothing, and memorabilia, dedicated to preserving the heritage and important role women played in taming the West
- Cheyenne Depot Museum: railroad museum located in Downtown Cheyenne, inside the historic Union Pacific Railroad Depot
- Wyoming State Museum: free state museum featuring a vast collection of Wyoming art, history, and wildlife
- Nelson Museum of the West: museum featuring western history exhibits, western art, and artifacts of the Wild West and American West
- Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum: museum that houses thousands of old west artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries and one of the United States’ largest collections of horse-drawn carriages
3. Enjoy cocktails at The Paramount Ballroom.
We enjoyed a pitcher of a cocktail with pineapple and jalapeño - it was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. For nibbles, we tried the cheese board, deviled eggs, homemade hummus made of edamame, and the warm salted pretzel with smoked rosemary salt and chipotle aoli. Each dish was absolutely divine but my favorites had to be the edamame hummus and the pretzel with the chipotle dip!
Image courtesy of 101.9 King FM.
4. Delight in a dinner at The Metropolitan Downtown.
The Metropolitan Downtown has a chef-driven menu with a casual atmosphere. It’s the perfect place for a nice evening out with elevated service in a laidback, polished environment. Enjoy fine fish or steak paired with good wine. Check the events calendar for special themed evenings such as comedy night, dueling pianos, magic shows, and more.
Accomplice Beer Company
5. Try a beer flight at a local brewery.
Y’all know a love a good flight. Beer flight, wine flight, coffee flight…I love them all! If you enjoy exploring new local beers, visit some of Cheyenne’s breweries listed below.
We went to Accomplice - their beers were unique with menu items like Belgium Witbier, Ember Lager, and American Porter. I loved their kale salad and home-made kettle chips.
- Freedom's Edge Brewing Co.: oldest operating brewery in Cheyenne
- Accomplice Beer Company: self-pour brewery with unique regional craft beers
- Black Tooth Brewing Company: most highly awarded brewery in Sheridan, WY
6. Go on the Wild West Trolley Tour with Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley.
I love recommending that people go on some sort of overview tour on people’s first full day in a new destination. (If it’s a bike tour, even better!) When in Cheyenne, the Railway Trolley is the way to go. Not only will you get good guidance of the layout of the town and all its historic landmarks, but you’ll also hear interesting history facts and stories that will help you to better appreciate the destination as you explore on your own for the remainder of the trip.
We had a wonderful, knowledgeable trolley driver and guide on this trip, Sue. She shared much about the origins of Cheyenne as well as even a tale of authentic paranormal encounters (one of my favorite stories that I heard on the tour)!
Tours are 90 minutes and cost $15 per adult.
7. Find the Cheyenne Big Boots throughout downtown.
If you’d like to go on a scavenger hunt to find them all, you can pick up location maps at the centrally-located Cheyenne Depot’s Visitors Center. Cell phone audio tours are available by calling (307) 316-0067. You can hear the artists reflect on their creations by pressing the boot’s number followed by the hashtag (#) symbol on your phone call.
8. Visit some historical homes.
As expected, with a historic town founded in 1867, historic homes will follow. There are quite a few on the National Register of Historic Places. Below are a couple that were called out on our Trolley tour worth visiting. You can even stay in the Nagle Warren Mansion overnight as it’s been turned into an adults-only bed and breakfast.
- Wyoming Historic Governors' Mansion: grand Colonial-Revival style mansion built in 1904, home to 19 of Wyoming's First Families, including the First Female Governor in the United States
- Nagle Warren Mansion: Victorian-style adults-only bed and breakfast, built in 1888
9. Spot murals in Downtown Cheyenne.
There are some beautiful murals dotted around Cheyenne with bright, beautiful colors and imagery. At present Downtown Cheyenne is building a mobile app for wayfinding that will be ready in early 2023.
Once completed, download this Downtown Cheyenne Wayfinding project mobile app to access a mobile public art map. This map will pinpoint public art locations, including murals, boots, bronze statues, and kinetic art.
10. Check out the lobby in The Historic Plains Hotel.
Walking in the lobby at the Historic Plains feels like walking back in time. Much of the original design elements have been preserved to reflect the authentic Old West style. This 130-room hotel was considered the first luxury hotel in Wyoming, built in 1911.
My favorite part of the lobby, aside from the detailed black and white tilework on the floors, was the incredible ceiling comprised of stained glass planets.
11. Hike the Turtle Rock Trail at Vedauwoo.
A refreshing hike at Vedauwoo is the perfect way to wrap up a weekend getaway before heading back home. Wyoming is a beautiful state, so it’s important to get out into nature to experience it!
At an altitude of 8,000 feet, Vedauwoo is a secluded alien-like rocky oasis in southeastern Wyoming, filled with dense pine forests and aspen groves.
Its name, according to some, is a romanticized version of the Arapaho word “bito’o’wu” meaning “earth-born”. Vedauwoo is made up of 1.4 billion year old Sherman Granite. Vedauwoo is one of the oldest rock formations in Wyoming.
Image courtesy of Visit Cheyenne.
12. Feed bison at Terry Bison Ranch.
This historic ranch, located on 27,500 acres, has been in operation since the 1880s. You can stay onsite and stay at the campsite or RV park, or just visit for the day. There’s a steakhouse/saloon onsite, as well as a seasonal breakfast café and gift store selling buffalo meat. Activities (offered for a fee) include horseback and pony rides, train and ATV tours to get up close with bison and even feed them, and fishing in a private lake.
13. See Wyoming State Capitol, one of 20 state Capitol buildings designated as a National Historic Landmark.
The building was built in the Renaissance Revival style, and is recognizable by a grand golden dome. The peak of the dome is 146 feet high, and the base is 50 feet in diameter. The Wyoming State Capitol is open for self-guided tours during the week.
14. Learn about the world's largest steam locomotive, Big Boy Steam Engine.
Cheyenne started as a town centered around the locomotive industry, so visiting this steam engine is a representation of Cheyenne’s origins. Like the other Big Boys, Big Boy No. 4014 is 132 feet long and weighs 1.2 million pounds. Today, there are only 7 Big Boys still on public display out of the 25, one of which is in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
15. Participate in a 126+ year old tradition by going to Cheyenne Frontier Days.
There are plenty of activities during this event including:
PRCA rodeo and slack events
Evening music concerts
Professional Bull Rider competitions
Parades
Pancake breakfasts
Arts show
Carnival
A visit from the USAF Thunderbirds
Frontier Town with shops and vendors
Indian Village
Fashion show
The population of Cheyenne more than doubles for this event every year.
This museum houses thousands of old west artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries - things that may be found at rodeos, in saloons, on ranches, and more. It also houses one of the United States’ largest collections of horse-drawn carriages.
Image courtesy of zerowastememoirs.com.
16. Take a stroll around the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.
The gardens are made up of award-winning, curated displays of plants, shrubs, and trees from around the world. There’s a Grand Conservatory, Children’s Village, and community vegetable garden and greenhouse.
17. Catch a play at the Historic Atlas Theatre.
A National Historical Landmark, the Atlas Theatre is operated by Cheyenne Little Theatre. They host the annual Old Fashioned Melodrama every summer. It’s also available for touring acts, private events, and other theatrical productions. It’s said that the theater is home to two active ghosts.
18. Listen to music at the historic Lincoln Cheyenne.
Since 1929, the venue has hosted more than two million people, including a future President and many of Hollywood's biggest stars. Check the concert calendar for a list of current upcoming music events.
Image courtesy of Visit Cheyenne.
19. Explore nature at Curt Gowdy State Park.
It’s comprised of 7 areas of richly varied landscape, flora and fauna at the foothills of the Laramie Mountains. The entire park covers 3,395 acres in Albany and Laramie counties. It’s a spot for biking, hiking, boating, camping, and fishing.
Has this round-up helped you decide on what to do in Cheyenne, WY? If you have something to add to this “Complete Guide of What To Do in Cheyenne, WY”, please do share - I’d love to know! Drop them in the comments below.
author bio
Known as The Jet Set Blonde, Brittany Ryan inspires others to add more adventure to their childfree travel experiences. Brittany has visited 23 countries (and counting!) Connect with her to get access to detailed childfree travel itineraries, travel guides for weekend getaways, and updates on adult-only hotels, resorts, cruises, and other travel amenities.
