The Thrifty Traveler: Cheyenne charms on the cheap

Located at the crossroads of Interstates 80 and 25, the small city of Cheyenne, Wyo. offers a welcome stopping point to travelers making their way through this part of the country. From supercomputers and a surprising food scene to outdoor adventure and dinosaur discoveries, there’s more to Cheyenne than first meets the eye.

Freebies: The city offers a number of free experiences for visitors, which add significantly to the value of an extended visit. Cost-free downtown carriage rides are offered seasonally, along with free Friday summer concerts and a complimentary block-sized public parking garage for exploring the historic downtown area.

A great year-round venue is Cheyenne’s state museum, which houses educational displays of the area’s dinosaur fossils, authentic tribal artifacts and the occasional student art exhibit. It’s a great way to kill an hour or two and gain insight to the state’s overall heritage at no charge.

Perhaps the most impressive freebie the city has to offer is the visitor center at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Home to one of the world’s largest supercomputers and established to study weather and climate phenomena, the facility boasts an impressive free visitors center with three floors of exhibits, an interpretive trail and the chance to view the supercomputer through a glass wall as it does its work.

While access to the fiber optic network running along I-80 certainly played a role in the facility’s decision to locate in Cheyenne, the altitude and dry climate were strategic as well, drastically reducing the cooling costs for the hardware. The National Center for Atmospheric Research isn’t the only one to take note of this unique situation. Microsoft has moved in with a data storage facility as well, placing the city’s tech scene firmly on the geek map.

Food: Ruby Juice offers affordable health food and blended beverages for those interested in a lighter lunch they can grab on the go. Fresh carrot juice and berry smoothies are available for less than the price of a typical gourmet coffee, and their $1.95 wellness shots of celery, ginger, lemon and lime are an easy pick-me-up for travelers on a tight schedule. They also offer hummus and veggie wraps along with black bean chipotle sandwiches if meatless is your main dining choice.

Similarly, the Paramount Cafe offers multiple vegan coffee creamers for their java selections, along with flavored teas and a number of tasty baked goods. Average coffee prices are $4, providing an affordable break in an authentic retro atmosphere with soft seating availability and occasional live piano players.

A sophisticated splurge is available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the Morris House Bistro. Offering stylish Southern fare along with other chic selections, the ambiance is casually opulent with gilded frames, smooth jazz and a smattering of sport coats sprinkled throughout the dining area. Meatless menu favorites include the $19 peppered tofu on wild rice, and the $18 low country shrimp and grits. Prices for most entrees cap out at less than 30 bucks, providing affordable decadence for a special evening out on the town.

Fun: Medicine Bow National Forest is an easy drive out of town and provides a variety of experiences to suit every sort of adventurous spirit. From scenic strolls with your pooch and horseback riding to primitive camping and serious rock-climbing opportunities, it’s a gorgeous piece of federal land that’s preserved for your enjoyment. Of note is the Vedauwoo Road area, which winds past unique rock formations, vast open overlooks and picturesque footpaths for those who want to pop out of the vehicle for light recreation or a picnic. While nominal camping fees do apply, annual national park passes are accepted in lieu of day-use passes for those areas of the forest that require one.

Curt Gowdy State Park is also in the same general area, and offers travelers a chance to experience bird watching, wildlife viewing and mountain biking at their own speed. Entrance fees are $6 for out-of-state residents, and $17 campsites are available here as well. Camping prices include the daily use fee.

On your way out or back from your visit with Mother Nature, be sure to stop at the Bunkhouse Bar and Grille, which has been serving up cold suds to locals for years. Don’t be surprised if you see a cowboy hitching their horse to an outside post before heading inside for a beer. People arrive by animal here as often as they do by vehicle.

Trolley tour tickets can be purchased for $10 at the local visitor’s center in Cheyenne’s historic train depot, providing a 90-minute guided experience past many of the city’s more historic buildings and locations. For $7 more, you can score an expanded trolley pass that allows holders to hop off at several museums and gain access by showing their ticket. The trolley will pick you up 90 minutes later as it makes its way back around the circuit, allowing you to hop back on at exactly the same point in the guided tour. Spending less than $20 for a full day’s worth of entertainment is a great deal in anyone’s travel book.

If you’re traveling with a dog, Red Ruff Inn offers $14 day care services from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Our Labrador enjoyed two full days there while we explored venues where her presence would have been problematic. For example, a visit to the Freedom’s Edge Brewing Company to enjoy $6 tasting flights of flavors such as high noon chili and dark sky black ale allowed us to relax after a fast-paced day of sightseeing and pick up a couple of growlers to enjoy during our extended stay in Cheyenne.

From there, we hit a takeout restaurant and picked up our pooch to enjoy dinner in the room as a family. She felt included, and we got to relax with some local brew and feel like we were able to extend our tourist experience with canine in tow. If you’re interested in a night on the town however, Wyoming’s Rib and Chop House offers a chic alternative with pescatarian options.

Finds: A unique and unexpected accommodation venue is available at the Nagle Warren Mansion, which serves as a bed and breakfast with stylish suites, an intimate backyard garden, private hot tub area enclosed for year-round enjoyment and opulent common area furnishings adjacent to a formal dining area. Room rates start at $163 and come with a decadent sit-down breakfast. The venue also offers a formal afternoon tea experience complete with costumed servers for just $12.95 plus the cost of tax and tip. Reservations are required.

Souvenir shoppers looking for the ultimate memento from The Cowboy State should saunter over to The Wrangler. Located next to the train depot plaza, this giant red and white building with a vintage feel showcases an impressive array of cowboy boots, Stetson hats and other Western wares at prices to suit any budget. While you can expect to throw down serious cash for quality footwear, hats can be had for an affordable starting price point, and a number of quality jewelry and accessory items are available for less than $50.

My husband and I walked out with his and her cowboy hats for a combined price of roughly $70. We were thrilled with our finds, and chose styles that will transition well to other parts of the country as we continue to travel. Other girl goodies can be found at Just Dandy, which offers general fashion items with elegant Western wear worked into the mix. Because we are traveling indefinitely, I opted to replace my cut-for-curves cargo pants. However, I saw a number of tribal-themed beaded bracelet cuffs for less than $20 that would look great with rolled-up jean jacket sleeves and a flirty ikat skirt.

While it’s true you’ll find cowboy culture integrated throughout the entire town, Cheyenne’s tourist scene offers an additional layer of sophistication to those who are willing to dig a little deeper. Vegetarian food selections, vegan coffee options and a blossoming tech scene are only a few of the unexpected items you’ll find on a visit to this historic destination. The vast open spaces, abundant antelope and nearby dark sky viewing opportunities are just gravy on the travel plate.

(Myscha Theriault is a best-selling author and avid traveler. She is currently traveling through North America with her husband and Labrador retriever. Readers can follow their adventures on trekhound.com and on Twitter at @MyschaTheriault.)

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