A wonderful city for meetings, recreation and arts education, Cheyenne is known for its beautiful landscape and Western charm, right down to the eight-foot-tall cowboy boot sculptures placed in and around the downtown area.
Named for the Native Americans who once roamed the region, Cheyenne bloomed in the mid-1800s when men and their families moved here to work on the Union Pacific Railroad. Many chose to settle in Cheyenne rather than move westward along with the railroad. Today, the capital city is a major center of economic prosperity, rich in history and regional arts.
Among Cheyenne's many attractions celebrating the city's heritage is the Wyoming State Museum, which explores the human and natural history of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West. Established in 1895, the museum's exhibits explore such topics as regional wildlife, natural resources, fossil discoveries and Native American artwork. Cheyenne's Nelson Museum of the West is dedicated to the preservation of fine cowboy and Native-American objects, as well as fine Western art, rodeo and cowboy artifacts. Visitors to Cheyenne can take a step back in time by boarding the fully-narrated, historic Cheyenne Street Railway Tours. The trolley stops at such highlights as the Nelson Museum of the West, Cheyenne Depot, Wyoming State Museum, Wyoming State Capitol Building, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.
Many of Cheyenne's attractions celebrate its natural beauty and Western life. Set on 30,000 acres of rolling countryside just seven miles south of Cheyenne, the Terry Bison Ranch is a Western adventure and entertainment venue that allows visitors to get up close and personal with the Western lifestyle. The ranch is home to more than 3,200 bison, horses and cattle, as well as llamas, ostrich and camels. Ranch activities include trout fishing, horseback rides and train and bison tours. For a look Cheyenne's commitment to sustainability, visitors tour the beautiful Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. Located within Lions Park, the site is home to nine acres of landscapes and such garden features as a Children's Village, garden labyrinth, rock garden and sensory garden. The botanic gardens also feature a sprawling solar conservatory that serves as a model for sustainability.
Cheyenne's dining scene pays homage to the city's Western location, as it's dotted with steakhouses and other eateries specializing in big, bold flavors. A city favorite for more than 28 years, Poor Richard's Restaurant is known for its steaks and seafood served in a cozy, warm wood decor complete with white linens. Housed in a 1900 building directly across the historic Union Pacific train station, The Albany is a family-owned restaurant with a casual tavern atmosphere; operating since 1942, it features such comfort food selections as prime rib, chicken-fried steak and fried catfish. Senator's Steakhouse serves up Western favorites at the Terry Bison Ranch, while The Little Bear Inn serves steakhouse classics in an old gambling hall and saloon.
With its location as the northern anchor of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Cheyenne is within a day's drive from such spectacular natural sites as Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
