CODY
If you're going to Yellowstone National Park by way of the east entrance, you'll pass through Cody. We suggest you pause for a while in this historic town named for the famous soldier, hunter and Wild West showman Col. William "Buffalo Bill" Cody. In addition to his many other exploits, Buffalo Bill helped found his namesake town in the 1890s and played a big role in establishing the tourism business in Wyoming.
The city's biggest attraction is the must-see Buffalo Bill Historical Center, an enormous collection of artifacts, photographs, guns, documents, memorabilia, Western art and Native American culture. There are actually four museums at the center: the Buffalo Bill Museum (dedicated to the showman's life); the Whitney Gallery of Western Art (chock-ful! of works by Remington, Russell and many others); the Cody Firearms Museum (more than 5,000 guns, some dating to the 1500s); and the Plains Indian Museum (artifacts and displays on Native American culture). Cody's boyhood home (originally located in LaClarie, Iowa) is also located on the grounds.
Buffalo Bill's legacy is also evident at the Irma Hotel, downtown, which he built in 1902 (stop in to take a look at the cherrywood bar, a gift from Queen Victoria). If you have time, check out Trail Town, just west of town, a collection of historic buildings and relics of the Wyoming frontier, including an original wagon train. And if you're in town on a summer evening, plan to attend the Cody Nite Rodeo. The Cody Stampede celebration takes place in early July and the Yellowstone Jazz Festival in mid July. Note that attractions in Cody are open mainly from spring to fall.