By Guest Author, Dee Andrews of Sieze el Diá.  Dee travels with her family near and far.  They moved from Colorado to Spain a year ago and recently traveled to Morocco.   You can read about their experiences and challenges living abroad at www.siezeeldia.com.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Grand Parade

Frontier Park, Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Ticket Office:  (800) 227-6336. http://www.cfdrodeo.com/

Rodeo tickets $12-26.  Family Rodeo Promotion: Buy an Adult rodeo ticket at full price, and the accompanying C Stand Kids tickets are free or ½ price in B Stand. Public parking is provided at Frontier Park, $10.00 per vehicle.  Restrooms outside the Exhibit Hall on the east side include family access as well as baby changing stations. This annual event starts July 14, 2009 this year.  For hotel accommodations, consider The Plains Hotel in downtown Cheyenne.  http://www.theplainshotel.com/ Classic Double Queen room, sleeping 2 adults, 2 children for $129.

One of my family’s favorite summer road trips was to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  A three-hour drive from our home in Colorado, the rodeo, Indian Village and old-fashioned midway carnival was a great change of pace and an entertaining event for our 2- and 5-year-old daughters.

We bought tickets to the rodeo, watching the cowboys bounce along on the backs of the bulls and broncos.  This world-class rodeo is considered the Daddy of ‘em All, and we were amazed at the skill and heroics of the riders.  Our daughters enjoyed the barrel men, who distracted the bulls away from the bucked off cowboys by encouraging the bulls to chase them!

Cheyenne Frontier Days Wild West Characters

There were plenty of offerings free to the public too.  The Indian Village was our favorite, where we watched American Indians dancing and singing.  My daughters loved the beaded dresses, animal headdresses and sounds of the beating drums.  Right around the corner was an old west town, Wild Horse Gulch.  It was like taking a step back in time to the Wild West!  The girls got to see Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp.  Not that they knew who they were, but they did like their hats!

We stayed in downtown Cheyenne for one night at the historic Plains Hotel.  It was built in 1911 and catered to cattle barons, oil tycoons, and travelers on their way to Yellowstone.  Our choice proved perfect the next morning when we discovered one of the Grand Parades of Frontier Days was happening right across the street.  We enjoyed the floats, marching bands, Frontier Days Princesses, and a free pancake breakfast.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Midway Carnival

If you’re planning a road trip across the west or live near Cheyenne, stop and enjoy the old-fashioned, Wild West fun.

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