This Five-Day Southern Wyoming Road Trip Explores New Frontiers of Flavor

After touching down at Casper–Natrona County International Airport, it’s a 15-minute drive into Casper, Wyoming’s second-largest city. There’s much to do in The Oil City, and a visit to the Nicolaysen Art Museum will offer full immersion into Casper’s more contemporary culture.

Afterward, seek out the excellent chicken-fried steak at Eggington’s, a friendly diner just around the corner, then pay a visit to the nine-story Lou Taubert’s Ranch Outfitter, where locals have been stocking up on Western wear since 1919. From there, drive three miles north to the free, non-profit National Historic Trails Interpretive Center for interactive exhibits on Native American and colonial histories out west. You can join Historic Trails West for a two-hour trek, departing from the Center’s parking lot, over the Oregon Trail or along the Pony Express via horse or covered wagon. Having worked up an appetite, order a bison ribeye at FireRock Steakhouse, then turn in for the night at Best Western Downtown Casper Hotel.

It’s a 2.5-hour drive to the southeast side of the state and if you happen to be traveling in July, you may be in luck. Spread over 10 days, Cheyenne Frontier Days is the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and a celebration of all things Western that includes free pancake breakfasts alongside the competitions, concerts, and art shows that transform the city, plus a VIP-only Chuckwagon Cookoff.

Even outside of July, a simple stroll through downtown Cheyenne offers much to do and see in Wyoming’s largest city. Alongside Cheyenne Depot Plaza, a National Historic Landmark that plays host to myriad concerts and fairs, stop by The Albany, a restaurant and bottle shop dating to 1905. Heading 15 minutes south of the city, Terry Bison Ranch Resort features fishing, steak fry, horseback rides, and a chance to see their namesake bison up close by way of custom-built train tours.

If you stay in the city, snag a table at The Metropolitan Downtown for live music, cocktails, and a quality cut of aged beef. Once you’ve had your fill, walk a few blocks east to Nagle Warren Mansion for a chance to spend the night in an authentic Victorian-era palace.

Driving an hour west from Cheyenne puts you in Laramie, home to the University of Wyoming and a legacy of outlaws and renegades. To kick off the day, grab a house-roasted brew and a home-baked bagel at Coal Creek Coffeehouse, then visit Williams Conservatory for a free glimpse at the University of Wyoming’s expansive botanical display. Thirty minutes further west, the Deerwood Wild Horse EcoSanctuary offers tours of the country’s first refuge of its kind at the foot of Sheep Mountain.

Once you’re back in Laramie, visit Sweet Melissa for a filling vegetarian lunch, then take an historic architectural tour downtown, where you can also shop for antiques and crafts. For dinner, it’s hard to top Cavalryman Steakhouse for Wyoming-raised prime rib in an elegant setting. Altitude Chophouse & Brewery is a more casual, lively spot for quality burgers and in-house beers. Alternatively, out near Sheep Mountain, Vee Bar Guest Ranch offers buffet dinner, dancing, and rustic, well-appointed accommodations on their 19th-century property.

Laramie’s history is complex, and a visit to the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site, the site of the first state penitentiary, brings some of those important details to light in an unforgettable setting. Nearby, the Laramie Mural Project brings together some of the best street art in the city, while the free-to-visit University of Wyoming’s Art Museum delves deeper into that legacy of local and international artistry within a strikingly modern building.

After, drop by J’s Prairie Rose for a hearty bowl of chili, then head south to the Ames Monument, a remote roadside attraction that marks the high point of the country’s first intercontinental railroad in the form of a pyramid. Pointing west to the other side of Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, you’ll then check in at Brush Creek Ranch for an unforgettable dose of farm-to-fork dining and five-star accommodations beyond compare.

After breakfast in bed, take a 20-minute drive to the charming town of Saratoga, where you’ll find an informative museum detailing what life was like for pioneers who settled in the region. Nearby at Hobo Hot Springs, treat yourself to a dip in the healing open-air waters, free and open to the public all year long.

Heading back to the ranch, you’ll have all kinds of activities to choose from, whether it’s river fishing, forest bathing, or a full menu of spa treatments. The ranch also offers seasonal epicurean retreats and cooking classes (think pasta and burrata making) throughout the year, thanks to its on-site distillery, the lone Grade A goat dairy in the state, a subterranean wine tunnel featuring more than 30,000 bottles, plus much more to learn and taste. Once you’ve had your fill, head back to Laramie to catch your flight home.