Things to Do in Cheyenne, Wyoming (+ What to Skip)

I’ll be honest. I was more impressed with things to do in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that were outside of the city limits. We spent a full month in Cheyenne to explore this corner of the state and definitely had our fill of the town.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t fun things to do in Cheyenne if you’re there for the weekend.

I just wouldn’t recommend this one for much longer than that, despite its proximity to Colorado and towns like Fort Collins, a new love affair of mine.

As you’ll see in this monster of a guide, we gave this one a fair shake. I’ll include everything we did during our month in Cheyenne, including the best parts and places you may as well skip.

Quick Tips for Your Cheyenne Visit

Your Flight: Cheyenne is serviced by Cheyenne Regional Airport. You’re more likely to find budget flights out of Denver International Airport, which can take anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours of driving time.

If you’re on a longer road trip, Salt Lake City is a more affordable option for flights. Use Skyscanner to watch airfare. Love deals? Subscribe to Going.

Your Accommodations: We hated the apartment we stayed at, so you won’t see it here. Browse Booking.com or Hotels.com for your options. Vrbo is my Airbnb alternative.

Your Ride: You’ll need a car to get to and around Cheyenne. Book a rental car ahead of time. Public transportation is limited and operates in an on-demand fashion.

Top Spots: See the Wyoming State Capitol, enjoy an outdoor adventure Curt Gowdy State Park, and eat the buns at Destination Taiwan.

Disclosure: Travel on the Reg uses affiliate links to keep things running around here. At no additional cost to you, I earn a lil’ commission if you make a purchase. Any income earned supports the upkeep of this site. I appreciate you!

Is Cheyenne worth visiting?

Cheyenne is worth a visit if you’re passing through on a quick visit, collecting state capitols, or using it as a base to visit Curt Gowdy State Park or towns like Fort Collins.

While there are a few notes of interest here, Cheyenne itself doesn’t require a ton of your time. I wouldn’t go out of my way to make this one happen on a trip to Wyoming.

A welcome sign for Cheyenne

What Is Cheyenne best known for?

Cheyenne is best known for being the capital of Wyoming, its annual Cheyenne Frontier Days festival, and its cowboy culture. At one time it was also a major thoroughfare for westward expansion. 

Today, it has a very local vibe that isn’t always as welcoming as it could be to visitors. Brian and I spent a full month in the city and we didn’t love it. Honestly, we didn’t even like it all that much, and I’m not sure it’s ideal for solo female travelers.

I’ve never been somewhere with more emboldened men in my life. In one afternoon, I had to deal with three different hollering men wanting to know my name or where I came from, or just tossing out “compliments” from their motorized wheelchairs. 

The vibes weren’t great. 

That said, we tried to find the bright spots in Cheyenne as we tend to do in our travels. I’ll get into all of those positives if you make it out this way for whatever reason.

I’ll include the best spots to grab a bite, too, as there are a few diamonds in the rough.

Best Things to Do in Cheyenne

We spent a full month in Cheyenne, so I feel like we know the place pretty well from a tourism perspective. I’ll include both what’s expected of you here and our personal favorites with notes about each. 

Visit the Wyoming State Capitol.

The Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne

See an impressive dome and one of the most attractive parts of the city at the Wyoming State Capitol. Construction on the historic building started in 1986, finishing four years later. The site was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987.

You can tour the Wyoming State Capitol on a self-guided tour Monday-Friday. 

Fun fact: Cheyenne was initially only given temporary capital city status when newly-formed Wyoming needed to name one as such. 

A clause from the legislature at the time left it up to statewide election if there was ever a challenger for the title. There was such an event in 1904 when the towns of Casper, Rock Springs, and Lander wanted to make a switch. Cheyenne remained victorious.

Tour the Wyoming Governor’s Mansion.

A view of the governor's mansion in Cheyenne

This is more officially known as the Wyoming Historic Governor’s Mansion, but you can’t miss it either way. Its two-and-a-half stories are held up by two sets of Corinthian columns that add some intrigue to the neighborhood. Visits are free.

They were closed on Sundays-Tuesdays during our time in Cheyenne. Check hours of operation if you’re interested in checking out the ​​first residence used by Wyoming governors and their families.

Don’t miss the statue of Nellie Tayloe Ross, the first female governor of the state, right out front.

Go on a downtown art walk.

"You are beautiful" art in Cheyenne

You’ll definitely find yourself downtown no matter how much time you have in Cheyenne. Pay attention to all of the unique bronze sculptures all around town as you ponder what to do in Cheyenne while you’re there. 

Find your favorite based on what speaks to you. Is it the little boy on a tricycle? A baby deer? Whatever you decide, you are beautiful.

Don’t miss Native Girl by artist George Lundeen. She’s at the corner of Capitol Avenue and West 22nd Street holding a large American flag.

The inscription underneath reads: “Dedicated to all the Native People who cared for this land before it was Wyoming.”

"Native Girl" in Cheyenne

It’s a nice sentiment, but the flag is a bit much considering the plague of missing Indigenous women in the state and the history of forced assimilation across the country. I like to keep it real around here.  

Stop by the Wyoming Supreme Court.

The outside of the Wyoming Supreme Court in Cheyenne

You’ll find two more of the city’s bronze sculptures outside the Wyoming Supreme Court.

One is Justice Willis Van Devanter, the only person in Wyoming history to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. The other is Esther Hobart Morris, the first woman in the country to hold any judicial office. 

Wyoming was also the first to pass the first women’s suffrage law in the country on December 10, 1869. If you have time for a side trip Laramie, you can learn all about that at the Wyoming Women’s History House while you’re there.

Reasons for women’s suffrage kicking off in Wyoming varied at the time. Some of the men wanted to entice more women to come to the territory and boost the population. Others thought it was just the right thing to do.

I’ll give the state this one no matter the reasons.

Learn something new at the Wyoming State Museum.

The Wyoming State Museum has two floors of exhibits that give a history of not only Cheyenne but also the state of Wyoming.

My favorite part was the section dedicated to Wyoming’s national parks and a traveling exhibit from contemporary Native American artists. It’s one of the more unique things to do in Cheyenne.

Unfortunately, the art show was on its way out within days of our visit to the museum, but that only means you can expect something a little different on every trip there.

Oh, it’s all free, too. If you’re looking for cheap things to do here, it doesn’t get better than free.

Gaze up at the Cathedral of St. Mary.

A large church in Cheyenne

Brush up on your 10 commandments or just admire the architecture of the imposing Cathedral of St. Mary.

As a born-and-raised Catholic with loads of stories, I’m always a little overwhelmed by buildings associated with the archdiocese, but I can’t pretend they’re not impressive.

Construction broke ground on the eventual 135-foot cathedral in 1906. This Gothic Revival beauty has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974. If you visit inside, don’t miss the stained glass windows and the intricate organ loft.

Find all of the big boots.

Once you get downtown, you’ll start finding the eight-foot-tall painted cowboy boots that add a little whimsy to these parts.

The Cheyenne Big Boots have all been painted by local artists, and muses vary from card-playing deer and antelope to homages for women’s suffrage.

You’ll find a few examples just by wandering downtown Cheyenne or picking up boot maps at the Cheyenne Depot if you don’t want to miss any.

Find your own boots at The Wrangler.

A boot stands outside The Wrangler in Cheyenne.

You’ll find several of the Cheyenne Big Boots near The Wrangler, a three-story retail shop that does, in fact, sell cowboy boots large and small. You’ll have all of your Western wear needs met in this place, actually. This is quintessential shopping in Cheyenne.

Hats, jeans, jackets, jean jackets…it’s all there. If you need to replace your Wranglers, you’ll obviously be able to do so at The Wrangler. Prices vary depending on whether you’d like something diamond-studded or more worthy of work on the farm.

Check out the model trains at the Cheyenne Depot Museum.

The outside of the Cheyenne Depot Museum

The old guy at the front desk was pretty cranky. I think it was because we arrived an hour before closing and that wasn’t long enough to appreciate this place.

Well, we were done in about 45 minutes, but not to serve him right. The Cheyenne Depot Museum is just not that big.

There’s a lot here about Cheyenne’s railroad connections, but the exhibits downstairs are pretty dry. The real goods are up on the second floor. That’s where you’ll find the little model trains and miniature depots and teeny tiny people doing teeny tiny things. 

It’s all very cute.

Note: If you don’t have time to pop into the museum, it’s worth a visit just to check out the exterior. The 1880s depot is a National Historic Landmark built by the Union Pacific Railroad. It’s also surrounded by several of those giant boots.

See the historic homes of Cattle Baron Row.

A historic Victorian mansion in Cheyenne

Cheyenne’s Rainsford Historic District was once home to several wealthy cattle barons in the area, hence the name “Cattle Baron Row.” You’ll find a variety of styles here, but I’m a sucker for old Victorian homes.

The Nagle Warren Mansion at the west end of the row was the most impressive Victorian on our self-guided tour of the area. 

It’s a bed and breakfast today and has rebranded itself as “The Duchess of Cheyenne,” but at one point the parlor at this place hosted guests like Buffalo Bill Cody and President William Taft.  

Take a stroll around Holliday Park.

Holliday Park and its charming gazebo in Cheyenne

This public park is one of Cheyenne’s best green spaces. Smooch your honey in a gazebo, chase some geese, or have that picnic bloggers love to tell you to have in parks like this one.

Brian and I alternated trips to this park during our stay on walks and jogging around our neighborhood. It was just under a mile to the park’s edge from where we were staying.

The allure wore off a little bit when a young woman swerved her bike at me during a jog on purpose just for kicks. I swear I nearly tackled her due to the Chicago within me. I guess I’m more “flight” vs. “flight.”

Meet Big Boy Steam Engine 4004.

Big Boy Steam Engine 4004 in Cheyenne

You’re already in Holliday Park, so you’ll see the mighty Boy Boy anyway. This is the world’s largest steam locomotive, just hanging out in the middle of the park. He’s one of just eight left in the United States, so spend some time taking it all in. 

These steam engines were designed to handle the steep grades between here and Ogden, Utah, while pulling up to 3,600 tons of freight. 

READ MORE: Ogden is a great sidequest from Salt Lake City if that’s in your plans. Check out more about that in my day trip guide!

Wander the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens.

The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens are the loveliest spot in Cheyenne. It’s all free and the outdoor portion is dog-friendly, something you don’t usually see in a botanic garden.

Start at the indoor greenhouse. You can climb the stairs for a bird’s eye view of the modest space.

The outdoor portion is great, too. If you visit in the spring, expect lots of floral blooms. If you have some anger issues, there’s a labyrinth walk here for you amongst those blooms. Unless I’m on the Oregon coast, I don’t usually have the patience for such things.

Take a walk along Sloan Lake in Lions Park.

A peaceful park in Cheyenne

You’ll already be here if you’re visiting the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, which I’d highly recommend on even the most brief visit to Cheyenne. The gardens run right alongside the lake.

Expect to find men fishing and people watching the ducks. It’s all quite nice and peaceful.

Bring the kids to the Paul Smith Children’s Village.

A park with a large boot out front in Cheyenne

This one is connected to the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, so if you’re already here and visiting with little ones, you may as well pop inside. 

You’ll find various interactive features here, including a children’s garden and pond. It’s a fun place for kids to learn about their natural environment and play while they’re at it. I hear any learning is more likely to sink in when it’s fun. (I did teach for eight years.)

See the carriages at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.

Old carriages at a Cheyenne museum

If you’re not here for Cheyenne Frontier Days, the most popular local event for kids and adults, you can learn about its history at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.

I didn’t spend a ton of time inside because it’s just not that big. They have a few exhibits around local bull riders, including a bull rider of color, and a big space featuring old carriages that were neat to see. 

You can also walk around the grounds and see where the festival is held every year. The grandstand is in full view from here, so you can just imagine the vastness of this event here in Cheyenne.

Hit some balls at The Office Bar and Grill.

A man plays on a golf simulator in Cheyenne.

They have a decent food menu here of salads (gasp!), wraps, and pub-style eats, but we were here for their special room in the back.

If you’ve been sitting inside due to a deluge of rain as we were, you can call this place to reserve their golf simulator. Yes, it resembles someone’s garage. Yes, it’s also way cheaper than similar experiences in bigger cities. I call that a win.

Hit some balls at the Airport Golf Club.

A golf tee at the Airport Golf Club in Cheyenne

Brian handled the description on this one, as he found himself out on this course a few times during our stay in Cheyenne.

If the weather’s right, the Airport Golf Club is a short but challenging 18-hole course that will test the skills of a variety of golfers. It’s adjacent to, predictably, the Cheyenne Regional Airport, with a tree-lined front nine and a more open back nine. 

It’s only 6,100 yards from the blue tees and relatively flat making for an easy walk if you want some exercise. 

The course is in great shape for the amount of play it receives and is very easy on the budget, especially if you go without a cart. Tee times are available online up to seven days in advance. Be on the lookout for Cessnas flying over your head while you play. 

READ MORE: Love to golf? Brian has a review for RainDance National, a course over the border in Colorado.

Tour the Quebec 01 Missile Alert Facility State Historic Site.

You’ll need to drive about 30 minutes north of downtown Cheyenne to check this out, but I’d recommend it as something you definitely don’t see every day. It’s one of those weird things to do in Cheyenne with historical value.

Also known as Quebec-01, this is the only remaining Peacekeeper Missile Alert Facility left. You can go down into the bunker areas to learn more about the crews who worked here day in and day out during its years of operation.

Guided tours down below don’t cost any extra than regular admission and run every half hour. We had no trouble walking in and getting on a tour that included me, Brian, and our knowledgeable guide.

We learned about the stress of working 24-hour shifts as missileers, the work of personnel on the topside, and facts about the Cold War’s impacts on missile systems.

While they never had to launch anything from below, just the idea of bearing the weight of that responsibility was a lot to imagine. Outside of the basement area, there’s a modest museum up top that’s worth some of your time.

Get some fresh air at Curt Gowdy State Park.

You’ll need to get out of the city center for scenic places near Cheyenne. Curt Gowdy State Park is the most impressive option, especially if you have an itch to hike. For the scenic route, take Happy Jack Road, the most scenic route in these parts.

Our hiking pick was the Crow Creek Trail to Hidden Falls. The falls are a little disappointing if you’re expecting the gushers of Yosemite, but the hike itself is fantastic

You’ll get great scenery the whole way there, particularly as you walk along the shoreline of the Granite Springs Reservoir.

If you’re hungry after hikes at Curt Gowdy State Park, you’ll pass by the Bunkhouse Bar & Grill on the way back into Cheyenne. 

The food is fine — the fries were soggy as heck but the onion rings were on point — and the service was meh, but it’s a decent place to experience whatever “real” Wyoming is.

Fun fact: I heard this place recommended a few times as a quintessential Wyoming experience. If that means men in leather jackets that read “Zero F*cks Given” peeling out of gravel parking lots or walking into the place with giant knives in their holsters, then I guess it wins.

You can skip the Terry Bison Ranch Resort.

This is one of the most popular attractions in Cheyenne, so I felt like we had to make it happen. Meeting bison up close and personal on their bison train tours is a pretty fun experience. Was it my favorite thing to do in Cheyenne? Nope.

Let’s get into a few logistics first.

There are no advance reservations. Unfortunately, the ride we wanted was sold out about 20 minutes prior to the tour’s start time. We then had two hours to kill on the ranch, which gave us plenty of time to meet the other animals.

There are goats, an ostrich, chickens, donkeys, turkeys, and lots of horses for the dude ranch portion. That was all fine in theory but a bummer in practice due to the small enclosures for some of the animals. 

A man looks at a sad horse at a ranch.

We saw foals laying in their own feces in a small fenced-off area in one area and donkeys standing in the corner of their pen and staring off into the distance. In another pen, a single ostrich fluffing its feathers in the mud.

From there, there’s not much else to do if there aren’t activities happening at the ranch.

You can pay extra for a trail ride or eat bison burgers at the restaurant, but only if you’re there during operating hours. The cafe that was supposed to run the morning breakfast was closed during our stay.

Still, we waited. We really wanted to ride that train and see the bison. We got our bag of feed — it was an extra $5 for us to buy bison treats at the ticket counter — and it was eventually our time to ride.

Things started off a little weird when two women from Colorado asked if it was permitted to carry guns on your hip in Wyoming, as our guide did indeed have just that. I thought it was to protect us from bison, but he went for a different response. 

“We’re a constitutional carry state,” he said. “All you need is a driver’s license proving you’re 18.”

It all felt awkward and unnecessary and got our experience off on the wrong foot. 

Note: Yes, we know this is Wyoming. I stand by the fact that guns around don’t make me feel any safer, much likehats in the gift shop proclaiming beliefs about not treading on snakes or whatever that is. 

The ladies had some bluster. Their response was that they wouldn’t want to live in Wyoming in that case. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything back.

Once the train ride got going, there were some decent jokes, but some landed with a touch of misogyny. (Women aren’t the only ones staying home with the kids, dude.) The train we were on also wasn’t the one in all of the promotional images online.

This one had broken windows that people on your tour will inevitably try to open anyway when it’s time to meet the bison, frames collapsing on their heads.

We sat by an open window, so we had to deal with people from broken window seats leaning over ours to feed the bison. I thought the whole experience was overpriced, especially if you want to buy treats for the bison.

Would I do it again knowing all that I know now? Nope.

Best Restaurants in Cheyenne

The best restaurants in Cheyenne are the city’s Asian restaurants. If I didn’t sell you on the Bunkhouse Bar & Grill yet, Cheyenne does have some options that are decent, but Cheyenne’s Asian food scene is where it’s really at. Let’s get into it.

Start with a solid Cheyenne breakfast.

You have some options if you’re into the diner scene, but you also have options for less greasy morning starts, too. My favorite breakfast spot in Cheyenne is the Central Cafe. They have a drive-through window if you’re feeling lazy but a cute inside space, too.

I liked their breakfast sandwiches, but they have some light lunch options if it’s later in the day. Their tropical green iced tea hits nice, too.

Here are a few more ideas for where to eat breakfast in Cheyenne: 

  • Delectable Donuts & Hi Sushi: We didn’t try the sushi, but the donuts were decent. No, they don’t serve both from the same counter. We went for blueberry cake. They weren’t as good as some of our faves in spots like Salt Lake City, but they did the job.
  • Mort’s Bagels: Satiate your bagel cravings at this coffee and sandwich shop. I’m not even going to involve myself in debates about their legitimacy on a New York level, but their New Yawker is a lox and cream cheese-filled delight.
  • R&B Breakfast Club: Save room for the best breakfast burrito in town at this Elvis-themed establishment. If you happen to be here on a Monday, they have chorizo breakfast tacos for you to add to your order.

Eat all the buns at Destination Taiwan.

It’s a small hut on the side of the road churning out some of the most delicious Taiwanese food this side of…Taiwan? We got one of every bun and their pork rice, a special only available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The owners are super nice and will bring your food out to your car, even in the rain. We got a free hardboiled egg, an extra barbecue bun, and a cinnamon pancake because they were so impressed by our appetite. This was the right place for us.

The pancake turned out to be one of our favorite things. This one is cash only so bring that cheddar. If you’re worried about missing it based on my description, the address is 2634 Dell Range Blvd.

Get the lunch special at Durbar Nepalese and Indian Bistro.

A delicious Indian lunch in Cheyenne

Dinner at this casual strip mall eatery is great, but the lunch deal comes with a nice helping of Indian favorites, rice, two pieces of naan, a veggie pakora, and a sweet treat. It was a lot and yet we devoured it all.

Service is super friendly and quick, and it’s a great takeout spot if you don’t want to dine in. Reservations are available online if you’re here on a weekend night and want to make sure you get a table.

If you’re traveling over the border into Colorado, they have a few more locations there with what I assume to be the same high-quality eats.

Taste-test the rest of Cheyenne’s Asian cuisine.

The food scene in Cheyenne is at its best when you’re patronizing the city’s Asian food. I’ve already gotten into our favorites, but there were a few more standouts during our trip:

  • Anong’s Thai Cuisine: There are three locations of this popular Thai eatery in Wyoming, but we’re here to talk about Cheyenne. Order any of their curries for a flavorful meal. The salmon curry special was our favorite.
  • Korean House Restaurant: This place is run by two friendly Korean ladies who sadly got our takeout order all wrong. They served me beef over tofu, so I couldn’t try what I really wanted. What I did have was great, though. This one is cash only.
  • Nipa Hut: I grew up eating homemade Filipino food so my standards are pretty high. The food here is budget-friendly and fresh if perhaps not as flavorful as what I’m used to. The lumpia was the best part of our lunch combos.

Grab a slice at Cheyenne’s best pizza spots.

A man eats pizza in Cheyenne.

Our pick for pizza in Cheyenne was Bella Fuoco Wood-Fired Pizza, which seems to be the best of the best in town. We shared a lasagna pizza and the pasta of the month for lunch one day.

Do I dream about this pizza? No. Was it fine? Sure. It was a little floppy and the flavors were basic, but I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. The best food in town is Cheyenne’s Asian scene. 

If you want to try another favorite, we heard good things about Hambones Pizza. That one has a second location in Laramie.   

Try out the rest of Cheyenne’s passable dining scene.

Outside of what I’ve already mentioned, Cheyenne has a few more options that I’ll call “perfectly fine.” Our favorite of these was Pour Decisions Bar & Grill with its standard pub and grub fare. 

There are quite a few of these in town, but this place comes with a scoop of ice cream with every entree. See? I’m not that hard to please. 

Here are a few others that should do in a pinch:

  • 2 Doors Down: The claim to fame at this one is their bottomless fries. If that’s exactly what you’re after, you’ll be pleased here. They have a long list of burgers for you to choose from to go with your taters.
  • Sanford’s Grub & Pub: This one was recommended to us by our guide at the Terry Bison Ranch Resort, but we never made it in. His general taste in everything didn’t bode well for us. Still, it’s popular with locals despite the meh online ratings.
  • Wyoming’s Rib & Chop House: This one is a regional chain, but it’s super popular in the area for its classic steak and seafood platters. The prices seemed a little high for Cheyenne, especially if you’re here for a Wyoming steak.

Visit Cheyenne’s best breweries.

A man at a brewery in Cheyenne

Cheyenne has a decent brewery scene for the craft beer folks out there.

Our favorite was Blue Raven Brewery, a dog-friendly spot with a great outdoor space that includes bags (or cornhole for some people) and swinging benches. Their Golden Eagle was a consensus favorite.

Want to taste-test? Here are a few more that you may want to try during your stay:

  • Accomplice Beer Company: If you’re already at the Cheyenne Depot Plaza, this one is an easy stop. It’s next door to the museum. Enjoy spiced winter ales in May and a full food menu at this one. 
  • Black Tooth Brewing Company: There are a few of these throughout Wyoming, and Cheyenne was their second location. For something a bit more interesting than the usual lager, taste the Copper Mule, a ginger lime cream ale.
  • Freedom’s Edge Brewing Co.: This one felt like a place that has loyal regulars, and I mean that in the best way. While they were big on spicy beers during our visit, their tap menu is diverse enough to please any palate. 

Grab a cocktail at the Paramount Ballroom.

If you’re not all that into beer, the Paramount Ballroom is a very cute cocktail bar that’s an easy pop-in while you’re exploring Cheyenne’s downtown. For those seeking romantic things to do while you’re here, this is about as good as it’s going to get.

Love all things vodka as I do? Order their Bohemian Girl with its notes of citrus and fig. They have a limited menu of small vegetarian bites if you’re feeling like a nosh, too.

Yes, I said vegetarian. You don’t need to eat cowboy steaks while you’re in Wyoming and exploring Cheyenne nightlife.

More Places to Visit in Cheyenne

We were in Cheyenne for a full month and didn’t see everything there was to see here. Some of that was our choice, and some of it was timing. Here’s some more stuff to do in Cheyenne, including more on the town’s biggest festival:

  • Visit the free Cowgirls of the West Museum. This one was closed at the start of our trip, and we just didn’t make it out when it reopened.
  • See the city do it up at Cheyenne Frontier Days. This is the largest outdoor rodeo anywhere, so I’m curious to see how the city changes for the festival.
  • Check out a show at the Cheyenne Civic Center. Outside of Cheyenne Frontier Days, this is one of the most popular spots for live Wyoming events.
  • Get tipsy at Chronicles Distilling. Between the beer and the cocktails and our regular trips down into Colorado, we just ran out of time for this one.
  • Take a tour on the Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley. The tour company offers 90-minute Wild West History Tours to learn more in a fun, educational way.
  • Visit the Nelson Museum of the West to learn about the “cowboy code.” The photos online are all heads of animals on walls and old-timey weaponry.

When to Visit Cheyenne

The weather in Cheyenne can be quite variable throughout the year. The summers are your best bet for warm, clear days. Winters are long, cold, windy, and snowy.

We visited for most of the month of May and into the start of June and experienced horrible weather for the vast majority of our stay. We had four hailstorms, a tornado within a few miles of the city, and rain almost daily. I was told by locals this was unusual.

Where to Stay in Cheyenne

We spent a full month in Cheyenne at a short-term rental on our most recent trip, but as I wouldn’t recommend it, I won’t list it here.

For starters, it was in a building that didn’t give us keys to lock the front and back doors. We basically had to hope for the best as we’d listened to the latest police-involved incident on the street outside.

It was a lot.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have recommendations for you. You’ll find all of the major hotel chains in Cheyenne, and these seem to be your best bet for a higher-quality stay.

Cheyenne isn’t as cheap as you might expect, by the way. A lack of too much competition allows for a higher nightly cost.

Use the map below to browse Cheyenne hotels and apartment-style stays:

Cheyenne is best in small doses.

Visit Cheyenne to see the state capitol building and hike in Curt Gowdy State Park. From there, the towns within a short drive of Cheyenne like Fort Collins are much more interesting and tourist-friendly.

Some of my favorite things to do during our own stay were outside of the city, but I still don’t regret our trip to Cheyenne. I can’t form opinions without that personal experience, after all.

Traveling elsewhere in the region? Check these out:

Visiting Colorado while you’re here? Read these, too:

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Agnes Groonwald

Agnes Groonwald is the creator of Travel on the Reg, a travel/humor blog for regular people who travel in a regular fashion. She has been to 50/50 U.S. states and explored 30+ countries, most often as a digital nomad. She's all about sharing the honest truth about travel, real experiences, and all the quirky stuff about her favorite (and not so favorite) places.