Cheyenne, Wyoming is just 45 minutes away. So, when I was invited to experience a night at Little America, Tim McGraw, and the rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days, the small-town gal in me got very excited. Fun fact: I grew up in a town of 5,000 and listened to quite a bit of nineties country music. I wrangled my friend Karen into going (it wasn’t hard), and a lot of fun was had—a lot.
First, we drove the short distance to Little America Cheyenne. It wasn’t my first time staying here, in fact, I’ve stayed a handful of times. Ryan and I once took an affordable little weekend away to Little America for Valentine’s Day in 2021. A little bit of a throwback, it features comfy rooms, a pool, a golf course, a boutique, a gas station, and a restaurant and bar. It’s the kind of place I can imagine seeing a star of Gunsmoke or Bonanza.
Cheyenne has interesting venues like the botanic garden, a favorite of mine in the west, many wonderful museums, an excellent historical trolly tour, and more. Still, this trip was all about Cheyenne Frontier Days.
So, You Think You Know Cheyenne, Wyoming?
We hit the rodeo first, and I had never gotten such sweet rodeo seats.
The action here is nonstop, and if you’ve never seen a rodeo, or if you go every summer, it’s a treat. I’ve been to quite a few and I will say that this one felt especially grand. There’s always something happening.
The rodeo was more fun than we’d planned—a nice surprise.
After the rodeo, we drove back to Little America (about seven minutes). Then, we took a Lyft downtown. Dinner was scheduled at The Metropolitan, a restaurant I hadn’t been to before. It’s one of those spots that’s somewhat surprising because we think of Cheyenne as an old west town, but this place is chic.
Back at Cheyenne Frontier Days, we enjoyed the carnival for a bit, even going on a ride where we were the oldest riders by many decades. I’d forgotten how bright, colorful, and loud it can be at the carnival. There were squealing children, laughing adults, spinning rides, and radiantly, striped tents. A carnival is a cornucopia for the senses.
After a dizzying walk through the carnival, we headed to the concert venue. By the way, CFD, as the locals call Cheyenne Frontier Days, has a huge schedule. While the huge musical acts draw in the crowds, a lot of other things take place so I’d encourage you to check out the Events & Schedule for Cheyenne Frontier Days.
While that night, we were there for Tim McGraw, this summer, at the 128th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days, concert enthusiasts will enjoy Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Machine Gun Kelly, and more.
Country music isn’t my jam these days, however, I love Alan Jackson, The Judds, Randy Travis, and Tim McGraw, so the concert was excellent. I didn’t know some of McGraw’s newer tunes, but songs like “I Like It, I Love It” and “Just To See You Smile” put an old-school smile on my face. I got nothing but blurry shots of Tim McGraw, but believe me, he still looks real good.
Back at Little America, the Hathaway Lounge was rockin’ with a live country western band playing to a flock of dancers two-stepping around the dance floor. We may or may not have danced, but what happens late at night at the Hathaway Lounge during Cheyenne Frontier Days, stays at the Hathaway Lounge. Let’s just say, fun was had.
I highly recommend having fun at CFD this summer and staying at Little America. You will make great memories!
Cheyenne Frontier Days runs July 19 through 28, 2024. Little America is always open.
My stay at Little America & experience at Cheyenne Frontier Days was hosted.
