Drive into the small city of Cody, Wyoming on July 4, and you won’t believe the traffic.  Every year, families gather here from the surrounding wide open spaces for the Cody Stampede, a celebration with parades, fireworks, and, a prerequisite for this town -- rodeos.  The aura of spectacle throughout Cody, strongest at this time of year, is a testament to its history: Wild West Show legend Buffalo Bill Cody founded the city in 1896, and ever since it has continued its cowboy charm.  During the Stampede, cars, pick-ups, and SUVs fill streets that look like they are still meant for stagecoaches and lone riders.

Nearby are both the oldest National Park (Yellowstone) and the oldest National Forest (Shoshone) in the United States, available year-round for outdoor activity.  Buffalo Bill himself helped create the first road between Cody and Yellowstone, and his hunting lodge just outside the park is still standing and open to visitors.  Cody is known today as the “Rodeo Capital of the World,” and with good reason, since the Cody Nite Rodeo runs every single evening in the summer months.  If you’re looking for the quintessential Western getaway, this is probably a good bet, especially on the way to or from Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons.

Western History 101

Besides rodeo in the summer, the centerpiece of Cody’s attractions is the Buffalo Bill Historical Center ( 307/587-4771).  Your family will want to spend at least half a day at this impressive collection of five museums, located just on the edge of downtown.  All five sections of the center, the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, the Plains Indian Museum, the Cody Firearms Museum, and the Draper Museum of Natural History, are family-friendly in their own way, but leading in this department is the Draper Museum.  Here, the natural history of the region comes to life through interpretive exhibits of flora and fauna.  The Draper Museum’s spiral design simulates a descent in elevation as visitors walk from the alpine environment of bighorn sheep and mountain goats through the forest, meadows, and down to the plains and basins.

The Draper Museum’s interactive quality is what really makes it a hit for younger children.  Upon arriving, kids can pick up an Explorer’s Guide full of activities and a passport for gathering various animal stamps.  They can stop in a “naturalist’s cabin” for a briefing before venturing out among the lands of the bear, moose, and wolf.  One of the most interesting displays allows visitors to write comments about the presence of wolves in the Yellowstone area, and a nearby bulletin board posts many different opinions from this comment box side-by-side.  Wolf reintroduction has been a heated issue, with conservationists often at odds with local ranchers, and the variety of perspectives on this animal is fascinating.

A close runner-up for kid accessibility at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center is the Plains Indian Museum.  This museum seeks to both capture the history of native tribes like the Lakota, Crow, and Cheyenne and to emphasize that they are still alive and well today.  Interactive features coexist with artifacts like ceremonial clothing, headdresses, beadwork, tools, a full-sized teepee, and a sweat lodge.

The other museums in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center are high quality as well.  The Buffalo Bill Museum provides a haven for Western history buffs, displaying paraphernalia from the life and Wild West Shows of Buffalo Bill Cody.  The Cody Firearms Museum houses the largest collection of American firearms in the world, while the Whitney Gallery of Western Art contains the likes of Frederic Remington and Charlie Russell.

Moseying Around Town

Cody is a wonderful town for walking, especially since historical fact and interpretation seem to happily coexist here.  Fun stores and restaurants will satisfy the window shopper, but make sure to plan a special stop at the Irma Hotel ( 307/587-4221) whose history is almost as old as Cody itself, since Buffalo Bill built it and named it after his youngest daughter in 1902.  It’s still a working hotel and restaurant today, but even if you don’t stay long, take a peek at the priceless cherry wood bar or browse the quirky gift shop.  In the summer, you might catch a free evening gunfight reenactment in front of the Irma.

Cody Trolley Tours ( 307/527-7043) provide another way to see and learn about the city while giving your feet a rest.  Guides use photos, pass-around objects, and audio clips to enhance the 60-minute historical tour.  Packages are available with the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Rodeo & Other Events

Rodeo may be a somewhat controversial sport but for many people it represents a way of life.  Rodeo events are based on the tasks of working cowboys and cowgirls, and nowhere are they more embraced than in Cody.  The Cody Nite Rodeo ( 307/587-5155) pretty much guarantees that you’ll have a chance to go if you visit in the summer, and includes special children’s activities like face painting and trick roping.  The Stampede, from July 1-4, is an especially lively time to participate, and if you’re not from Out West, attending a rodeo is a great people-watching opportunity.

If rodeo isn’t your family’s thing, however, other events throughout the year maintain Cody’s festive and historically conscious atmosphere.  The Buffalo Bill Historical Center hosts two other major happenings: a celebration of Cowboy Songs and Range Ballads in April, and the Plains Indian Museum Pow Wow in June.  The Cowboy Songs and Range Ballads program combines performances, discussion sessions, and workshops (which in the past have included yodeling and harmonica lessons).  The pow wow features competitive dance, drumming, and craft vendors from various Northern Plains tribes.

Laying Your Hat

When you’re finally all tuckered out, there are many lodging options in Cody, no doubt built to accommodate all those rodeo-goers.  These include both independently owned operations and well-known chains like Best Western and Holiday Inn.  Lodging ideas and other practical information are available through the Cody Chamber of Commerce ( 307/587-2777).  Notably, Cody is also the home of the Dude Ranchers’ Association ( 866/399-2339), which includes ranches from all over North America but can help you learn about what’s nearby.

A new property that has earned rave reviews from visitors so far is the Cody Legacy Inn ( 307/587-6067) on Mountain View Drive.  And there is quite a legacy to fulfill -- the co-owners of this property are Buffalo Bill’s great great granddaughter and her husband.  Lodgepole pine bedframes are one of many thoughtful rustic touches put into the Inn’s design, and guests have praised the staff’s friendliness and attention to detail.  Breakfast is included in the nightly rates (which run from $68 to $149/N), and high speed Internet, cribs, rollaways, and popular, spacious family suites with refrigerators are available.  Other room types include one king bed, double queen beds, and king bed suites.    

And don’t forget, the country’s first National Park, first National Forest, and some of the most scenic roads and outdoor recreation opportunities in the United States are a simple drive away.

Town and Cody Legacy photos courtesy of Park County Travel Council.