3 Best Sights in Cheyenne, Cheyenne, Laramie, and Southern Wyoming

The gardens' greenhouse conservatory—several stories high—looks like a cathedral of plants and feels like a tropical oasis. It makes for an especially wonderful escape on winter days. The lush banana plants are the big star here; also look for cacti, bonsai, and perennial and annual plants. Kiddos will enjoy seeing the city through the periscope located at the top of the building (only open certain days), as well as exploring the whimsy of the Paul Smith Children's Village across the parking lot from the conservatory. The grounds are open daily from dusk to dawn.

This spacious museum within Frontier Park houses some 400,000 artifacts related to rodeos, ranching, and the city's blockbuster of an annual event, Cheyenne Frontier Days. The museum's "rolling collection" of more than 160 carriages is the largest fleet of horse-drawn vehicles in the world (with many that still go on parade). In July, the carriages are swapped out for the Frontier Days Western Art Show & Sale, with works by top Western wildlife and landscape artists from across the country. Every spring, the Western Spirit Art Show & Sale features pieces that celebrate the heritage and heart of the American West. For young visitors, there's a children's room with hands-on exhibits open year-round, plus camps in the summer.

You can fish, boat, hike, and picnic at this park named for Wyoming's most famous sportscaster, who got his start at local radio stations in the 1940s. The park, which is 24 miles west of the city, is especially popular with mountain bikers. There are more than 43 miles of hiking and biking trails, including an International Mountain Bicycling Association EPIC trail—a designation given to some of the most challenging and beautiful single-track trails in the country.