Javascript is not enabled.

Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.

Skip to content

Want the latest in health, entertainment, money and more? Get The Daily newsletter, sent weekdays.

Content starts here
CLOSE ×
Search
Popular Searches

Games

Car rental

AARP daily Crossword Puzzle

Hotels with AARP discounts

Life Insurance

AARP Dental Insurance Plans

Travel

Suggested Links
Help Show me my account info Change my Address How do I contact AARP? Where is my membership card? How do I get a digital card?
Red Membership Card

AARP MEMBERSHIP

AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products, hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. 

 

120x30-AARP-logo-red
Join
Renew
Enroll
Rejoin

AARP en Español

Join
Renew
Enroll
Rejoin
Leaving AARP.org Website

You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Continue Cancel

7 Destinations to Channel Your Inner Cowboy

Saloons, stampedes and stockyards are part of the fun here

cowhands driving cattle in fort worth texas
Real cowhands drive a herd of Longhorn cattle down East Exchange Avenue twice a day in Fort Worth, Texas.
Courtesy Visit Fort Worth
By

Gigi Ragland,

 
AARP
Published March 27, 2023

If you’ve been wondering how to make your next vacation feel like an episode of the popular show Yellowstone, you’re in luck. This lineup checks all the Western culture boxes: horseback riding, cowboy museums, Western art, country music, honky-tonk dancing and lots of rodeos. So put on your hat and boots and head to one of these towns that embrace the culture of the Wild West. ​

a man rides a horse and chases a cow at a cody wyoming rodeo
Cody hosts one of the longest-run professional rodeos in the country. 
Courtesy ANDY AUSTIN / Cody Yellowstone

Cody, Wyoming

In 1896 when Col. William F. Cody (a.k.a.  Buffalo Bill), legendary for his Wild West shows, set down roots 52 miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, he picked one of the most iconic Western frontier landscapes, a location reminiscent of the popular television show Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner. More than a century later, the town still draws large crowds ready to explore the Western heritage curated by its founder, including the Cody Stampede Rodeo, one of the longest-running professional rodeos in the country (July 1-4) as well as the outdoor Cody Nite Rodeo held every night from June through August. Horseback riding, and guest and dude ranches dot the area where most offer a day in the national park for wildlife viewing of bison, pronghorn, bears and moose. In town, art and Western heritage lovers can spend hours at the five Smithsonian-affiliated Buffalo Bill Center of the West museums, which include the Whitney Western Art Museum and the Plains Indian Museum. For a glimpse at Western functional arts like home furnishings and decor, visit the By Western Hands museum. Its Artisan Gallery sells Western accessories such as spurs and saddles  along with handwoven rugs and handcrafted jewelry.

horse and carriage outside of tombstone arizona courthouse
The town of Tombstone is alive with the spirit of the Wild West.
Courtesy Arizona Office of Tourism

Tombstone, Arizona

It might resemble a Western movie set or, to some folks, it might even seem like a theme park, but Tombstone is indeed a real living town populated with people that heartily enjoy sharing its Old West lore. It’s known for its colorful past, namely, as the site of the most famous gunfight of the West — the shoot-out at O.K. Corral. In 1881, Wyatt Earp with his two brothers and Doc Holliday engaged in a deadly shootout with a gang of notorious outlaws. Today, you can visit the real O.K. Corral and watch a reenactment of the famous gunfight offered three times a day, whet your whistle (that’s cowboy talk for “get a drink”) at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon and even tour the original silver mine under the streets of the town. There are plenty of tours and attractions to fill up a day or two. Don’t miss the original Boothill Graveyard where outlaws, cowboys and gunslingers have resided with their boots on since 1878. ​

rows of cowboy boots for sale in oklahoma city oklahoma
Find the perfect pair of cowboy boots in one of the shops on Main Street in Oklahoma City. 
Courtesy Lori Duckworth/Oklahoma Tourism

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Many a cattle drive crossed the Oklahoma prairie grasslands during the late 19th century. One of the most popular routes, the legendary Chisholm Trail, was constantly teeming with cattle herds and cowboys as they crossed from Texas through Oklahoma to Kansas. More than 3 million head of cattle moved through the route at tis peak, between 1867 and 1877. There are several attractions in Oklahoma City that offer a glimpse of the heyday of cowboy cattle drives. Head to historic Stockyards City, a cattlemen’s playground of sorts since 1910 when the livestock market originated downtown. Now, it's the largest stocker and feeder cattle market in the world where you can attend an authentic cattle auction (free), at 6:30 or 8 a.m. every Monday and Tuesday. Walk the historic Stockyards City Main Street for a taste of cowboy culture. To look the part, shop at Langston’s, a Western-wear institution since 1913, before ordering the “perfect steak” at the legendary Cattlemen's Steakhouse. Enjoy live country music at the Oklahoma Opry and visit Shorty’s Caboy Hattery to buy a cowboy hat custom-shaped by one of the only female hatters in the business. If you still have time in your schedule, add these top-rated Western museums to round out your visit: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.

people eating outside on the street in bandera texas
Bandera, Texas, the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” draws visitors with dude ranches, rodeos and cowboy culture. 
Courtesy Bandera County CVB

​Bandera, Texas

Deep down in the heart of Texas, you’ll find the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” where numerous national rodeo champions developed their skills and called home. The nickname originated in the late 1800s when Bandera became a staging area for cattle drives onthe Great Western Trail. Now there are numerous ways visitors can experience the cowboy lifestyle and heritage of the area. Nearby dude ranches offer horseback riding, plus several in-town outfitters offer rides, too. Rodeos are plentiful here — the Friday-night “Buckle” series runs throughout the summer. On Saturdays the town features Cowboys on Main, where visitors can ride in a horse-drawn wagon or sit atop a saddle-broke Texas longhorn for a photo. In the evenings, you’ll find locals at Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar and the 11th Street Cowboy Bar for music and dancing. After all, Bandera is a honky-tonk hot spot for two-steppin’ the night away.

man riding a horse and swinging a lasso at a cheyenne wyoming rodeo
Rodeos are just one of the Western-themed entertainment options in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Courtesy Visit Cheyenne

​Cheyenne, Wyoming

This historic Western town is known for two types of horses: the four-legged kind cowboys ride and the iron horse of the Union Pacific Railroad made famous by the television show Hell on Wheels. In the 1860s, Cheyenne was home to many a rowdy railroader and cowboy. Today, rodeos offer a chance to get a taste of the era, of which the town offers some of the best. Step back in time at the Hell on Wheels Rodeo and Chuck Wagon Dinner held once or twice a month from June to September. Attend the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and Western celebration at Cheyenne Frontier Days (July 21-30) that includes Country and Western concerts and other cowboy events. Practice your boot scootin’ skills and head to the Outlaw Saloon for free dancing lessons. Visit The Nelson Museum of the West and the Cowgirls of the West Museum & Emporium to see cowboy memorabilia. Train aficionados will appreciate the 1883 Cheyenne Depot Museum, chronicling the city’s Western roots. For guided scenic horseback rides in the spring and summer, check out Bit-O-Wyo Ranch; or view roaming herds of bison via the bison train tour at Terry Bison Ranch Resort. 

women riding in a rodeo in fort worth texas
The Stockyard Championship Rodeo happens once a week in Fort Worth, Texas.
Courtesy Visit Fort Worth

​Fort Worth, Texas

Only in Texas can you watch the world’s only twice-daily (11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.) cattle drive, with real cowhands driving a herd of Texas longhorns down East Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards National Historic District. It is a free Western yesteryear sight to behold. Learn about Fort Worth’s Western heritage at the Stockyards Museum, or visit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. There’s plenty of cowboy fun to find in this cowtown. Attend the Stockyards Championship Rodeo on Friday and Saturday, and kick up your boots at “The World’s Largest Honky Tonk,” Billy Bob’s Texas, where line dancing and two-stepping rule. Amble through the Stockyards’ historic brick buildings to shop for Western-wear, boots and hats. Then, fill up on Texas-style cowboy cuisine at the likes of the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. Or head to the newly renovated Mule Alley district’s urban-styled Western stores, bars and eateries where locals head to The Biscuit Bar and to Cowtown Winery and Second Rodeo Brewing for creative cocktails and craft beer.​

riding horses in a river in steamboat springs colorado
Fans of horseback riding will find plenty of opportunities in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Courtesy Noah Wetzel / Courtesy of the Steamboat Springs Chamber

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Mountains, forests, rivers and valleys surround this mountain town where Main Street was built wide enough to allow cattle drives to pass through. For more than a century, Steamboat Springs’ high-country cowboy lifestyle remains a significant part of the town’s character. Several hundred working ranches surround the area, with many managed by generational families. For fans of horseback riding, there are a few guest ranches to choose from, including the luxury all-inclusive Vista Verde Guest Ranch. The Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch also offers one-hour, two-hour, half-day and -full-day rides. Want to participate in a cattle drive? Step on up at the fourth-generation, 8,000-acre Saddleback Ranch. From May through September they offer a 3 ½  to 4-hour drives moving cattle; 1- to 2-hour horseback rides are offered all year, and horseback or horse-drawn wagon dinner rides in summer. Or you can climb aboard an ATV for a three-hour guided scenic tour of the 3,000-acre Lucky 8 Ranch, a working bison ranch. From late June through August, the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series is held every Friday and Saturday in the outdoor arena near the Yampa River. 

Gigi Ragland is a Colorado–based travel and food writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Hemispheres, Sierra, AFAR, American Cowgirl and many other publications. 

Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member?

AARP Travel Center

Or Call: 1-800-675-4318

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid departing date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid departing date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Flight 2

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 3

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 4

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 5

Enter a valid departing date

+ Add Another Flight

Enter a valid checking in date

Enter a valid checking out date

Occupants of Room 1:

Occupants of Room 2:

Occupants of Room 3:

Occupants of Room 4:

Occupants of Room 5:

Occupants of Room 6:

Occupants of Room 7:

Occupants of Room 8:

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 1:

There are children in room 1 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age for room 1

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 2:

There are children in room 2 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 2

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 3:

There are children in room 3 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 3

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 4:

There are children in room 4 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 4

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 5:

There are children in room 5 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 5

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

You have more than 6 people total

Please select a trip duration less than 28 days

There must be at least 1 traveler (age 12+) for each infant in a lap

Enter a valid start date

Please select a Pick Up Time from the list

Enter a valid drop off date

Please select Drop Off Time from the list

Select a valid to location

Select a month

Enter a valid from date

Enter a valid to date

Benefits Recommended For You

See All