Wyoming is a wonderful state and we’ve spent past vacations in the wonder and solitude of the Grand Tetons and enjoying the incredible geysers and mud pots and mysterious saline shapes of Yellowstone National Park, too. Cheyenne is in the grass lands part of the state, a city surrounded by vast, stunningly empty plains. It’s the state capital of Wyoming and the state’s largest city – but with a population not much over fifty thousand, it still has a small town feel and plenty of cowboy hats to be found on its urban population.   

In the nineteenth century, Cheyenne was a busy city populated by rich cattle barons and driven by an expanding railroad industry. Business and transportation moved south to Denver, Colorado however, and Cheyenne morphed into the mellow cowboy town it is today.   

Cheyenne, Wyoming – The Warren Nagle House

We loved the Historic District located in the heart of downtown Cheyenne. While the business portion of our trip was conducted at a chain hotel just outside of town, we moved our children to the Nagle Warren Mansion, once upon a time the home of Francis Warren, a governor of Wyoming who entertained lavishly and decorated his home on an even more lavish scale. Today the Mansion is a bed and breakfast. In these elegant surroundings we were surprised to find out that both small children and pets are welcome – the pets with a security deposit, the children under twelve with the accompaniment of an adult.   

Our kids were fascinated by the stunning, original Moroccan chandelier in the front entrance. Carved leather ceilings were another interest, and the lush stained glass and crystal windows were lovely, particularly with afternoon light streaming in. The library and sitting room are something out of a Harry Potter movie – if Hogwarts was set in the old west on what was once Cattle Baron Row. Our rooms were in the Carriage House, although there are guest rooms in the main house as well, and public areas including the library and sitting room are open for all. Best of all were the commodious grounds – gardens, a fountain, and a hot tub room for chilly nights.   

The mansion serves an enormous and delicious breakfast and a high tea. The ingredients are organic, fresh, and special diets are willingly accommodated. Best of all this incredible Bed & Breakfast is reasonably priced.   

Staying here, we had very easy access to all of the historic area. We began our walking tour of this district with the Union Pacific Depot, another stunning link to the opulence of Cheyenne in the late 1800′s. Similarly, the Governor’s Mansion and the Capitol Building, with a sparkling gold domed roof that dominates the city’s skyline, also provide a look into the city’s rich past.   

We loved simply strolling the streets and taking in the well preserved historic buildings, but the Governor’s Mansion also offers a tour that’s short enough to keep the small ones interested while offering an interesting look at both the architecture of the mansion and the people who lived and worked there.   

Time for a giant chocolate chip cookie or a tasty vegetable sandwich on fresh baked bread? Check out the small but very delicious Bread Basket in the same historic downtown area.   

Just outside of Cheyenne – twenty minutes on a nicely open freeway, the kind of freeway Southern Californian’s like myself only too rarely get to drive – you’ll find the Terry Bison Ranch off Interstate 25.   

Downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming – public art

Although the ranch offers a great look at cowboy activities and culture with its old time, old West architectural facade, its not cattle that are raised here, its bison. About two thousand of them, and visitors are allowed see the herd from a tour bus that runs across the property. This was a great visit for the kids, bouncing over the open plains and straight into a group of these massive, impressive critters. Not quite exotic enough? Check out the camels that the ranch also raises.   

For dinner we liked Sanford’s in downtown Cheyenne. The kids liked the fact that the building features a car embedded in the wall, and most excellent macaroni and cheese. Family friendly and busy even though we did not dine until close to eight p.m. the hearty food more than held us until we were able to partake of the mansion’s full breakfast spread in the morning.   

Once fed, we got in a rut – a wagon wheel rut, fossilized into the ground near Guernsey State Park outside Cheyenne. The rut was a remnant of the Oregon Trail, when pioneers traversed these plains heading west. The park also offers some pleasant, easy trails of its own for small feet to enjoy. The park is about a forty-five minute drive from downtown, but again the ease of driving on and the emptiness of the interstate around Cheyenne makes the drive nearly painless.   

Back in town, we were able to see depictions of the Oregon Trail era at Cheyenne’s well laid out Old West Museum. The collection focuses on western art, and the vivid landscapes and crisp cowboys hanging on the wall made the entire Cheyenne experience really come alive for the kids. For western wear, you can check out a veritable museum of clothing at The Wrangler, where we were able to try on some of those ten gallon hats we saw around town.

A waterfall taller than Niagara Falls.

When you set out on an adventure with kids, it is often easy to leave things behind or not know what exactly you will need. This can be especially prevalent when going to National Parks. For those on a budget it is not easy to acquire those things you leave behind as everything inside the park can be of heightened cost. The other complication can be keeping kids entertained.   Lets face it, there are many natural formations that adults can marvel at while kids might find them less than thrilling.

First and foremost decide on the right family game before going to the park. Yellowstone is full of animals, different rock formations, different types of trees, hot springs and giant lakes. Devising a points game before you enter the park can help ensure you get to see the things you want to see while keeping kids looking for things to fill out their sheet. You can place point values on everything from waterfalls to paint pots to Old Faithful. Don’t forget to include high point values for hard to spot animals. A word to the wise, limit the number of Bison you can count or you will fill up an entire sheet with the 100’s of buffalo that roam the park.

Pack for all kinds of weather. Even in the summer, a snowstorm can hit in the high mountains, so it is important to carry sweatshirts, fleece, and even rain jackets. Nothing makes kids (and their parents) more miserable than not being prepared for the correct weather temperature. If you pack for a variety of weather conditions you will be good to go. Even if it never gets cold during the day, you will find it to be cold in the evenings, so by the fire most people like to have some warm options.

Proper shoes are paramount. I cannot tell you how many times I have travelled places only to find all the shoes packed by the kids were flip flops. Closed toed shoes are essencial. Shoes are quite important especially if you plan on taking in any of the sites slightly off the beaten path such as the morning glory pool. Most things in the park include a bit of walking, so prepare your children for that fact so you can limit the “pain and suffering” angle. Yellowstone actually has quite a few trails with steps. Another game for the duration of your stay is to log every stair you climb. It can be a fun way to distract the kids from how far they are walking.

A great family friendly pizza joint.

Plan some just plain runaround time. The Lake is a great place to do this because of the expansive beach. You can play tag or set up a picnic. The park can be quite overwhelming and sometimes just letting kids run loose is a nice break for them as well. This area, as it is open, makes it more doable for the kids to run off on their own. Also, West Yellowstone offers some inexpensive dining such as a cook it yourself steak house called Enos and a pizza place with arcade games, The Gusher.

There is no cable TV in the park. This is an important fact when considering your entertaining options. Even if you are staying in the local facilities such as the cabins at Canyon or the Inn at Old Faithful, you are still not going to have access to TV. Bringing a computer with DVD’s could help keep you sane when you are getting ready in the room. We did not realize how convenient a TV can be while taking turns in the shower until that option is not available. If you like to stay unplugged, pack a few board or card games that you can play in the room.

If you are brining small children, it is important to know the park is not conducive to strollers. Even the areas that have flat surfaces are made up of planks and decking making for a difficult rolling experience. It is helpful to have as sling or a backpack for kids who are not yet walking or who might tire easily. Also, with the uneven ground, some form of tether is a good idea for small children so they do not toddle into harm’s way. Many of the fascinating things to see are based on very volatile geothermal activity, making straying from the path dangerous and sometimes lethal. Keeping a tight reign on children is important.

Above all, have fun. Yellowstone is a huge place and you should take your time to explore it all.  There is more than Old Faithful and you can have a truly lengthy vacation and visit many different landscapes all in one place. From deep forest to lakes to volcanic rock to a waterfall taller than Niagara Falls, it is all packed into the country’s oldest National Park.