Authenticity, Availability and Affordability; Pro Tips for an A-Plus Family Vacation in Cody Yellowstone

CODY, Wyo., May 12, 2025 – As the school year ends, families throughout the U.S. are making plans for summer fun at places like Cody Yellowstone, which has been a classic vacation destination for generations.

Situated just outside of Yellowstone’s east and northeast gates, Cody’s attractions and adventures can add up to a vacation’s worth of great memories for visiting families.

“I can’t count how many times someone has shared that they experienced the Cody Nite Rodeo or went on their first horseback ride when they vacationed here as a kid and they’re now bringing their own kids to experience the same fun and adventures,” said Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone, the marketing arm of the region that includes the towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse, a large swath of the Shoshone National Forest and about half of Yellowstone National Park. “There is an element of sentimentality about our destination, and parents and grandparents want to make new memories with the next generation in the same place that they fondly remember from their youth.”

Authenticity, Availability and Affordability

This classic northwestern Wyoming destination is especially appealing this year because there is plenty of lodging availability, in part because of an expected decrease in international visitors. The destination is also highly affordable, with a choice of accommodations for any budget. And although Cody Yellowstone offers a vast array of experiences – including outdoor adventures and historic and cultural attractions – the one thing those experiences have in common is authenticity. Much of Cody Yellowstone is the same today as it was fifty years ago.

Authentic Attractions:

Examples include:

Cody Nite Rodeo – The Cody Nite Rodeo – the only summer-season nightly rodeo in the world – has been running for more than a century, and rodeo performers put on a family show that will have kids wearing their newly acquired cowboy hats long after the vacation has ended. Pro tip: Encourage the kids to participate in the calf scramble, one of the liveliest events of the night.

Dude and Guest Ranches – Many of the dude and guest ranches that dot the region have been around for close to a century or more. And the horse-centricity of the destination has never changed either. Pro tip: Schedule a trail ride with one of the region’s many guest ranches. No experience necessary.

Buffalo Bill Center of the West – This Smithsonian-affiliated facility features five museums: the Buffalo Bill Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Cody Firearms Museum, Draper Natural History Museum and Whitney Western Art Museum. Pro tip: Watch the Raptor Experience, a live raptor education program for an up-close view of birds of prey.

Yellowstone National Park – Yellowstone is the world’s first national park, and the first example of what writer and historian Wallace Stegner described as “…the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they (national parks) reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” Families can home base in Cody and explore Yellowstone by day. Pro tip: Leave the driving to an expert driver guide. Several tour companies in Cody offer van trips into the park. Families who prefer to self-drive should download the free TravelStorys app for a GPS-triggered audio driving tour along the scenic byways to the park.

Heart Mountain WW II Interpretive Center – Heart Mountain is as authentic as it gets. Situated on the site of a WWII Japanese-American internment camp, exhibits and experiences tell the stories of the Americans who were imprisoned there because of their heritage. This is an especially great place for kids to learn about an important moment in American history. Pro tip: Check out the exhibit of a barracks that accommodated entire families and ask the kids how they would have felt living in that space.

Affordability

From hotel rooms and RV parks to museums, experiences in Cody Yellowstone are affordably priced.

Examples of hotels that are especially affordable include: Buffalo Bill Village Cabins, The Scout Inn, Comfort Inn and AmericInn Lodge & Suites. Pro tip: Book directly with the hotel vs. a third-party booking engine for the best rates.

There are numerous free experiences in Cody Yellowstone as well. Museums and attractions with free admission include By Western Hands Museum & Gallery, Meeteetse Museums, Pahaska Tepee, Cody Country Art League, Cody Heritage Museum, Dug Up Gun Museum, Historic Cody Mural & Museum, Homesteader Museum and the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center. Other experiences like Old Trail Town & Museum of the West and Cody Trolley Tours are moderately priced. Pro tip: Book the Trifecta Ticket at the Cody Cattle Company for three experiences for one price: dinner, show and Cody Nite Rodeo.

Availability

Hotels, restaurants and museums and attractions are expecting plenty of availability this year, so even last-minute travel planners can expect to find the experiences they want. Pro tip: Book museums and attraction passes online in advance.

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Home of the Great American Adventure, Cody Yellowstone is comprised of the northwestern Wyoming towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the valley east of Yellowstone National Park. The region is known for rodeos, authentic guest and dude ranches, world-class museums and recreational adventures that reflect the adventurous spirit of the visionaries and explorers who brought the remote region to the world’s attention.

Related hashtags:

#YellowstoneCountry

#CodyWyoming

#CenteroftheWest

#BuffaloBill

#Yellowstone

Media contact:

Mesereau Travel Public Relations

720-284-1512

[email protected]