Fargo-Moorhead keeps things fun year-round

 

  1. Frostival: Fargo’s winter festival has fun for the whole family, including cardboard sled races, “Amazing Race”-style competitions, yoga in the snow, winter camping and more. Full schedule
  2. Tailgating: Each fall, North Dakota State University’s championship team not only has great football games fans love, it also hosts an awesome tailgate beforehand. From die-hard fans to first-time visitors, everyone is welcome to enjoy the classic food, drinks and fun you expect at a tailgate. Guide to tailgating
  3. Drekker: Housed in one of the oldest buildings in Fargo, Drekker’s Viking-themed brewery has a gorgeous interior with tall ceilings and bier hall-type tables. Drekker has tons of sour options as well as seltzers, pilsners and lagers. Learn more
  4. Woodchipper: From the infamous film “Fargo,”this iconic prop is located in the Visitor Center and makes for an awesome photo op. Check out the other movie memorabilia and even grab some one-of-a-kind movie-themed merchandise while you’re there. Learn more
  5. Bonanzaville: This pioneer village pays homage to the history of the region. Fargo’s first house, old bonanza farmhouses, a car museum and more await an up-close-and-personal tour. Learn more

Housed in one of the oldest buildings in Fargo, Drekker’s Viking-themed brewery has a gorgeous interior with tall ceilings and bier hall-type tables. Photo courtesy of Visit Fargo-Moorhead

For more information on Fargo-Moorhead, visit www.VisitFargoMoorhead.org.

Experience history and culture in Denver through rodeo, art

Denver is a great place to experience Native American history and the real Old West through attractions, restaurants and annual events. From January 8-23, 2022, the annual National Western Stock Show and Rodeo will return in-person for its 116th year. A beloved Denver tradition, NWSS is the world’s largest stock show, featuring 15,000 animals alongside an extravaganza of 30 rodeos, 11 horse shows, the Coors Western Art Exhibit and Colorado’s largest Western trade show.

Additionally, Denver Art Museum recently reopened following a $150 million renovation that includes the return of the museum’s renowned Indigenous Arts of North America and Western Art collection inside the wholly reimagined Martin Building. The collection includes more than 18,000 art objects representing the heritage of all cultures and tribes across the U.S. and Canada and spans more than 2,000 years of artistic creativity, from prehistoric times to the present. Additionally, the collection features work by Western masters George Catlin, Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, John Mix Stanley, Alfred Jacob Miller and others. The crown jewel in the collection is Charles Deas’s “Long Jakes, The Rocky Mountain Man,” considered the single most influential image in Rocky Mountain iconography.

The recently reopened Denver Art Museum features more than 18,000 art objects representing the heritage of all cultures and tribes across the U.S. and Canada from prehistoric times to the present. Courtesy of Visit Denver

For more information on the Official Gateway City of Denver, visit VisitDenver.com.

Wildlife-watchers will love a visit to Cody Yellowstone

Cody Yellowstone features some of the best wildlife-watching in the world. Yes, the world! The park’s Lamar Valley is known as “America’s Serengeti,” while Hayden Valley and the Wapiti Valley attract spotters looking to see many species of mammals and birds. The region is known for bison, elk, pronghorn, wolves, coyotes, fox, bighorn sheep, badgers, deer, bears, moose, mountain goats, eagles, ravens, osprey, pelicans, dippers and more. Extremely fortunate people will spot the occasional mountain lion or lynx.

If you really want to stretch things, look for “Snoopy the Dog” and “Laughing Pig,” two rock formations on the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway between Cody and Yellowstone’s East Gate.

All of these animals will be in high demand in 2022 when Yellowstone National Park celebrates its 150th anniversary. The world’s first national park was created on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant passed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Law.

Other noteworthy events in 2022 include 20th anniversary of the Draper Natural History Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and the 120th anniversary of the Irma Hotel, built by “Buffalo Bill” Cody and named for his youngest daughter.

Yellowstone National Park and the Cody area feature some of the best wildlife-watching in the world. Lucky visitors can spot wolves, bighorn sheep, bears, moose and much more. Photo courtesy of Cody Yellowstone Country

For more information on Cody, visit CodyYellowstone.org.

Here’s how to experience the best of Casper, Wyoming

Located in the heart of the Cowboy State, Casper is a hub of authentic Western experiences. Read on for five ways to experience the best of Casper:

  1. Experience American history. Learn about life on the trails at National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, walk alongside pioneer inscriptions at Independence Rock or ride a wagon on the Oregon Trail with Historic Trails West.
  2. Shop where the cowboys shop. For the best Western wear, head to Lou Taubert Ranch Outfitters. This 100-year-old Casper icon will fit you with everything you need for a Wyoming adventure.
  3. Get outside. You’re just minutes away from miles of mountain trails for hiking, biking, skiing and snowshoeing without big crowds. Casper is also home to the North Platte River, providing access to blue-ribbon fishing and perfect conditions for boating, kayaking or paddle boarding.
  4. Take in the sights. Take a scenic drive to Fremont Canyon and marvel at 400-foot rock walls with the winding North Platte River below.
  5. Saddle up. Every June, Casper welcomes hundreds of the best college rodeo athletes from around the  world for the College National Finals Rodeo, where they’ll go head-to-head in hopes of becoming a national champion.

Learn about life on the trails at National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, walk alongside pioneer inscriptions at Independence Rock or go on a wagon ride on the Oregon Trail with Historic Trails West. Photo courtesy of Visit Casper

For more information on Cheyenne, visit VisitCasper.com.

“Get Your West On” and explore Wyoming’s Carbon County

 

When it’s time to “Get Your West On,” it’s time to head for Wyoming’s Carbon County. Located high on the Continental Divide in southcentral Wyoming, this gem sits astride Interstate 80 for easy access from points east and west. This vast 7,964-square-mile county boasts two scenic byways, the North Platte and Little Snake River Valleys, Encampment River, Saratoga Hobo Hot Springs, national forests, wilderness areas and the Continental Divide Trail. Within its perimeters lie the towns of Rawlins, Sinclair, Hanna, Medicine Bow, Elk Mountain, Saratoga, Riverside, Encampment, Savery, Dixon and Baggs.

Our wide-open spaces coupled with a low population make for some of the best outdoor recreation opportunities around, including camping, fishing, hiking, and cold-weather favorites like cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

Nowhere else will you find such diversity of landscape and unspoiled wide-open spaces. Or you can take advantage of fascinating museums and historic sites and discover authentic Western adventure. If you’re looking for local culture, we encourage you to schedule your visit around one of our exciting annual events like the Woodchopper’s Jamboree & Rodeo, Independence Day Celebration, Summer Fest or Mountain Man Rendezvous.

Carbon County’s wide-open spaces and low population make for some of the best outdoor recreation opportunities around. Photo courtesy of Wyoming Carbon County

For more information on Carbon County, visit WyomingCarbonCounty.com.

A busy summer is planned in Cheyenne, Wyoming

 

Cheyenne has lots of activities on the docket this year; read on for five can’t-miss experiences:

  1. Cheyenne Frontier Days (July 22-31, 2022): The world’s largest outdoor rodeo and Western celebration is 10 jam-packed days of rodeo, concerts, parades, Native American dancing, pancake breakfasts and everything “Old West” you can imagine.
  2. Hell on Wheels Chuck Wagon Dinner & Rodeo (June 10 & 24, July 1 & 15, August 19 & 26, 2022): Dinner with award-winning chuck wagon competitors 3LazyR and a homegrown rodeo under a Wyoming sunset.
  3. Fridays on the Plaza (Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day): FREE concerts in the heart of downtown Cheyenne every Friday evening in the summer. Food trucks and a beer tent offer goodies available for purchase.
  4. Wyoming Brewer Festival (June 17-18, 2022): Sample the region’s best craft beers in the Depot Plaza, with proceeds supporting the preservation of the historic Union Pacific Depot Building.
  5. 4-Ever West Tattoo Fest & Paint Slingers (July 14-17, 2022): Urban art takes over downtown Cheyenne with building-sized murals painted in real time and world-class tattoo artists showing off their skills in the Depot and on the Depot Plaza all weekend long.

At the Wyoming Brewer Festival, you can sample the region’s best craft beers in Cheyenne’s historic Depot Plaza, with proceeds supporting the preservation of the historic Union Pacific Depot Building. Photo courtesy of Visit Cheyenne

For more information on Cheyenne, visit Cheyenne.org.

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