This vibrant Wyoming city offers Western hospitality at its best for groups of all sizes. Feast while surrounded by 3,000 bison; enjoy several museums celebrating the area's history; or experience Cheyenne Frontier Days, the world's largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration. Be sure to see Cheyenne's newest attraction Cheyenne Depot Square which features the beautifully restored depot, a new railroad museum and a plaza featuring seasonal concerts as well as trolley and horse drawn carriage rides.

Surrounded by natural beauty and historic attractions, Cheyenne is also the perfect hub for visits to Ft. Laramie National Historic Site, the Oregon Trail Ruts and Rocky Mountain National Park.

ATTRACTIONS

Bit-O-Wyo Ranch Horse Barn Dinner Show is a great way for groups to get a taste of Cheyenne. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with an introduction of the horses and a cowboy comedian. Steak dinner is served in the evening and, after an hour of live entertainment from the Blue Water Buckaroos, a western cowboy band and comedy group perform. They are open Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley offers fully narrated historic tours of the city, helping groups get acquainted with its western style. The tours run daily from May to September. Seasonal tours are also available. They host a Ghost Tour in October and a Holiday Lights Tour in December.

Cheyenne Gunslingers perform gunfights, Western skits, and other Wild West activities from June to July. This family-oriented show is loosely based on some of Cheyenne’s Western history. During the week, the Gunslingers perform at 6 p.m. and on Saturday at high noon in the Old Town Square.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum helps the Old West come alive. This premier historic and cultural center features programs, exhibits and activities of America's pioneering past. The Old West Museum has the largest collection of horse-drawn carriages, wagons, art exhibitions and unique histories of pioneers. This year-round museum gives its testimony to life in the West and all the historic turns it has taken.

Wyoming State Capitol is one of the most important buildings in the state. This 3.5-story structure is among some of the largest buildings in Cheyenne's skyline. Built in 1887 as a large military and civic symbol of Cheyenne's history, the capitol also houses the Wyoming State Museum, http://wyomuseum.state.wy.us/ which houses a unique collection of artifacts reflecting the human and natural history of Wyoming and the West Rocky Mountains. The museum includes collections of Wyoming’s history, vintage clothing, toys, a dinosaur and much more.

Cheyenne Depot Square is a historic landmark noting Cheyenne's growth at the beginning of mass transit and communications during the Civil War. The Depot was used to link the West Coast to the rail networks of the East, making Cheyenne the main link uniting Omaha and Sacramento. This formed a strategic point along the Union Pacific Railroad, the United States' first transcontinental rail line. Your groups can peruse the Depot's artifacts or participate in the many activities or events in the lobby. Also, outside the Depot's plaza is home to local and regional bands who play every Friday from 5-7:30 p.m.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Cheyenne Frontier Days is one of the largest activities in Wyoming. This 10-day event is host to a Western cultural celebration and the world's largest outdoor rodeo since 1897. They have nine daily rodeo competitions featuring more than 40 bulls and 70 broncos in Frontier Park.

The Cheyenne Frontier Days festival also hosts the Western Art Show and Sale, featuring the works of the country's top contemporary Western and wildlife artists. Everything is for sale, from paintings and sculptures to wood and alabaster carvings and Navajo weaving. All art remains on display until the end of the festival and proceeds benefit the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.

The Indian Village, a permanent campground of local Native Americans is located on the southeast corner of the park. A unique part of Western culture, the Native American village offers their experience and traditions to the public. They have exhibit booths and food vendors, educational talks, Pow Wows, dances and other various art performances. They are open everyday of the Frontier Day Festival and are an important addition to the history of the area.

The Cheyenne Cowboy Symposium is an annual celebration of the Cowboy life. This four-day festival gathers cowboys from around the nation around Labor Day weekend. The symposium features storytellers, musicians, poets, round-table discussions and much more. They aim to promote the Western heritage and history within cowboy culture through various arts to preserve its values.

The Cheyenne Christmas Parade/Craft Show/Concert is one of the unique weekends in November. The parade begins on Saturday, marching through the main streets of town with more than 140 floats, horse-drawn wagons, bands and antique autos. This 90-minute display of Cheyenne's spirit and culture is considered one of the finest Christmas parades in the Rocky Mountain area. For more activities in the holiday spirit, The Concert features holiday music in various styles by different performers. The Craft Show features thousands of handmade gifts and crafts for both Friday and Saturday that would be ideal for gatherings.

ARTS AND CULTURE

English High Tea is a tradition carried on from English pioneers that still exists in Cheyenne. Every Friday and Saturday in the historic Nagle Warren Mansion in downtown Cheyenne, the staff dons the period costume and continues this ritual. They serve different teas each season with unique pastries.

The Nelson Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Cowboy and Native American objects. They feature more than 5,000 artifacts and 20 exhibits from Indian sites, cowboy trappings, 19th century weapons and outlaw memorabilia. The museum is open May through October.

The Cowgirls of the West Museum highlights the contributions that Cowgirls have made to Western history. Outfits, trick riding, saddles and selected women are featured through various items and paintings. The museum is open from April to September and is free to the public.

SENSE OF ADVENTURE

Vedauwoo Recreation Area is known for its unique granite rock formations and eye-pleasing scenery. Located in the Medicine Bow National forest, the Vedauwoo Recreation area is one of Cheyenne's best kept secret for those who like to hike, mountain bike, picnic or just take in the scenery. Vedauwoo is 25 miles west of Cheyenne and open to the public year-round, giving visitor's new visions of Wyoming landscapes with the changing of the seasons.

Bit-O-Wyo Ranch Horseback Riding For scheduled tours of the valleys, creeks, Aspen Groves and much more, the Bit-O-Wyo Ranch offers scenic horseback trail rides. These mountainous journeys through various terrains overlook Wyoming's expansive landscape. The Ranch schedules rides Thursdays through Mondays and allow one- to three-hour rides.

If you want a dining experience that is unique to many other major cities, make sure you stop by the Blue Adobe Santa Fe Grille, Bill Johnson's Big Apple Restaurant, or the award-winning Tia Rosas.

CULINARY SCENE

All-American dishes can be found in Cheyenne. Steak and potatoes are Cheyenne's specialty and you can get them prepared any way that you like or groups can try their unique regional cuisine of grilled Bison. Cheyenne also features more than a hundred classic American restaurants that add a Western overtone to their dishes, bringing the exotic to ordinary cuisine.

GROUP HOTEL ROOMS

Getting an illustration of the historic West isn't hard in Cheyenne. Cheyenne has more than 2,300 rooms and 36 hotel properties with several more under development, furnished with the flavor of the Rocky Mountain region. Cheyenne also features its Western culture in its historically decorated Bed and Breakfasts and those who like to 'rough it' can stay at one of many local RV and camping sites. Cheyenne also has retreats for families, churches and special gatherings in selected ranches, cabins, lodges and inn's. The CVB can help coordinate your trip and can offer other amenities when requested.

Fast Facts:

Cheyenne is easily accessible by air and automobile. Cheyenne Regional Airport offers daily transit flights to the Denver International Airport. The Denver International Airport is only a 90-minute drive south to Cheyenne. shuttle service, the Shamrock Express, is offered from Denver International Airport to Cheyenne. Automobile rentals are available within all major airports. Cheyenne also offers intercity bus transportation by Cheyenne transit and Americoach.

Population: 53,847
Land Area: 57.9 km² (21.2 sq mi)
Agriculture: Cattle, sugar beets, sheep, hay, wheat
Industry: Mining, chemical products, lumber and wood products, printing and publishing, machinery, tourism
Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time

Average Temperatures:
Winter: 37^o - 46^o
Spring: 46^o - 75^o
Summer: 70^o - 82^o
Fall: 38^o - 70^o

DON'T LEAVE CHEYENNE WITHOUT: visiting The Terry Bison Ranch. The ranch has 30,000 acres and is one of the largest homes for Bison. Tours are available of the bison herd, as well as bison drives and various activities depending on the time of the year.