The Heartbeat of America

The small towns of the American West are where you will discover the people and places dedicated to preserving our Western heritage and way of life.

I was raised in the suburbs of one of the nation’s most Western cities, Los Angeles, but I spent my summers learning to ride on a cattle ranch outside of Prescott, Arizona. Later, I began driving cross-country for college and since then have driven over 20,000 miles across our great country, leaving the interstates behind whenever I can. As I tell my children, it’s from the smaller highways winding from town to town, many times with hundreds of miles in between, that you can see America from the ground up. We don’t have the grand cross-country trains like we once did to watch the landscape go by from a dome car, but we can actually see and stop and visit the West better than ever on its thousands of miles of scenic highways.

I am a huge fan of Western small towns and their historic districts, local diners, cozy hotels and cultural sites. One will never forget the first time driving east-to-west as the air dries up, the morning sun burns your face and the endless Eastern forests give way to an endless vista of plains and prairie that shimmer beyond the horizon. You can smell the West in the air. You know you’re home when you step out of the car and feel that Western breeze across your smiling face.

Paraphrasing the author Edward Abbey, be sure to stop your car, feel the sun on your face, set a spell, put your toes in the sand. Make unplanned stops at local historic sites and take a hike. Pull over to read the historical marker, take a chance on a small-town museum and camp in a national forest campground just outside of town. Grill your dinner on an open fire, watch the sunset and kick back while the stars and moon shine in the night sky.

Visit our 2025 Top Ten Towns this year. Make plans to explore, to relax, to immerse yourself in the history and heritage of the communities, their past and their present.

Take a deep breath. You are in the West.

 

1. Deadwood, South Dakota

Notorious from the day it was founded in 1876, Deadwood has had an international reputation as one of the Wild West’s most notorious cities. Today, after films and television have made the city even more famous, Deadwood is a year-round destination for fans of the Old West. Built during the famous Black Hills Gold Rush that sparked the Great Sioux War and the infamous Battle of Little Bighorn, Deadwood is a place where the visitor will feel enveloped in the past as they walk the streets of the city on the National Historic Register. From the Bullock Hotel to the Number 10 Saloon, from the Adams Museum to the Mt. Moriah Cemetery, where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried side-by-side, the past comes alive around every corner. The city’s visitor center will help provide directions and details on how to enjoy your stay in the town and the Black Hills—a wonderful area to visit and immerse yourself in local history for a week.

If you go in the summertime, festivals abound, from Wild Bill Days to ’76 Days, one of the top rodeo and Western parade celebrations held every July. South of Deadwood, tour the historic town of Lead, then drive farther into the hills to visit Keystone, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Rapid City’s Journey Museum and Wind Cave National Park.

Near Deadwood is the beautiful, scenic Spearfish Canyon, which is a great day trip. Keep going north to visit the nearby communities of Spearfish, Belle Fouche and Sturgis.

While in Deadwood make sure to make time to enjoy the many fine restaurants and shops, Wild West saloons, entertaining mine tours and the city’s newest museum, the Brothel Deadwood.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and make your reservations to visit Deadwood, True West’s number one True Western Town for 2025.

deadwood.com

 

2. San Angelo, Texas

Is the late-Western author Elmer Kelton responsible for making San Angelo famous worldwide? Well, maybe not completely, but he sure helped by setting many of his famous novels in his beloved, adopted West Texas town. Today, if you are a fan of the seven-time Spur Award-winning author, make sure to visit San Angelo’s Cactus Book Shop, which is not only one of the best Western history and fiction bookstores, it is the largest purveyor of Elmer Kelton in the country.

Survival on the Texas frontier depended on water, hard work and grit, and San Angelo was built next to the Concho River and Fort Concho. In 1867, the strategic U.S. Army outpost opened during the post-Civil War conflict with the Southern Plains tribes. Fort Concho served its purpose effectively until it was closed in 1889. The City of San Angelo operates the historic landmark, museum and the staffing and preservation of 23 fort buildings. Walk in the footsteps of soldiers and their families who lived at the fort and tour Officers Row and Quarters, the Enlisted Men’s Barracks, Post Headquarters, Hospital, School House and Chapel. Fort Concho is also the site of numerous annual living history events, including Buffalo Soldier Heritage Day in February and Fort Concho Frontier Day in April.

Visitors to the city of San Angelo will discover a vibrant economic center for the area’s oil and farm industries, with over 120,000 residents in the greater metro region. When visiting, take time to tour the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo State Park, San Angelo Nature Center and Angelo State University.

Since 1932, one of the biggest and most popular events of the year in the West Texas city is the San Angelo Rodeo and Stock Show, which runs February 1-16, 2025. The San Angelo Rodeo and Midway will be held at the Foster Communications Coliseum on April 4-20, with the rodeo parade on April 5.

discoversanangelo.com

 

3. Prescott, Arizona

The mile-high Arizona city is known as “everyone’s hometown,” and over the decades it has become one of the most beloved cities in the Grand Canyon State. The original territorial capital of the state is also the Yavapai County seat and is one of the best places to experience the state’s colorful history.

Start at Sharlot Hall Museum, a four-acre living history center that has one of the finest collections of territorial buildings in Arizona, including the Territorial Governor’s Mansion, the Sharlot Hall Building, the Fremont and Bashford houses and Fort Misery. Enjoy the Lawler Exhibit Center’s “Prehistory of the Central Highlands,” which provides visitors with a primer on the natural and cultural history of the region before the arrival of Europeans. Every September, the museum hosts the world-class Phoenix Indian Art Market.

 

From Sharlot Hall Museum, walk down Gurley Street to the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza and Prescott’s popular historic district. Solon Borglum’s Rough Rider statue, also known as the Buckey O’Neill monument, was dedicated in 1907 and is one of the most recognized landmarks in the city and the state.

The historic district around the plaza is a mecca of antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, historic hotels and classic historic bars, including The Birdcage, Matt’s Saloon and the Palace Restaurant and Saloon. The Palace is the oldest operating bar in the state and offers up great food and entertainment in a historic, Old West museum atmosphere.

Prescott is a great city for history lovers, and visitors should not miss Prescott’s Western Heritage Center on Whiskey Row (Montezuma Street, across from the Courthouse), the Museum of Indigenous People’s beautiful collections of Indian art and artifacts, and the Phippen Museum, which has one of the finest Western art collections in the West

If you’ve never been to Prescott and you love a great rodeo and parade, then book your hotel rooms now for the World’s Oldest Rodeo. The city’s most famous annual event, the rodeo has been held every Fourth of July since 1888. In 2025, Prescott Frontier Days will honor the women of rodeo and celebrate its 138th anniversary with eight shows, June 30 to July 6. The annual Prescott Frontier Days Parade will be held on Saturday morning, July 5.

Prescott, also known as Christmas City, hosts public festivals and parades on and around the Courthouse Plaza throughout the year including the popular annual Courthouse Lighting held the first Saturday of every December. Following the lighting ceremony, Sharlot Hall Museum hosts Frontier Christmas, where visitors can step back in time and enjoy an old-
fashioned holiday celebration. The city’s chamber also hosts a one-day Christmas Village & Christkindl Market on West  Goodwin Street on December 15. On New Year’s Eve, thousands pack Whiskey Row for the now famous annual Boot Drop countdown at 10 p.m. and midnight.

prescott.org/experienceprescott.com

 

4. Cody, Wyoming

Is there a more Western town than Cody, Wyoming? Well, it does have a lot of competition across the United States, but few towns symbolize the West as much as Cody. With William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s assistance and his name, the city was founded and built to attract the railroad to deliver tourists near the east entrance of Yellowstone.

Visitors return to Cody year after year—in all seasons—to explore the Western destination and visit Yellowstone, just as its founders envisioned.  Magnificent natural wonders, historic sites and world-class museums abound in town and in the surrounding area.

 

Looking to relax and stay a few days—or a week? Enjoy the Historic Irma Hotel founded by Buffalo Bill Cody in downtown Cody or book a long stay at a nearby guest ranch or lodge where you can enjoy world-class guided horse adventures, fly fishing, hiking and nature photography. Walk through the historic downtown district and visit the town’s interesting shops, restaurants and saloons, including the Irma Hotel’s Victorian-era bar.

If you have not been to Cody before, you will discover it is home to one of the world’s greatest museums, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.  It is not one but five museums: Buffalo Bill, Plains Indian, Cody Firearms, Draper Natural History and Whitney Western Art. Guests can also visit the McCracken Research Library, but researchers must make an appointment to do research in the archives.

Don’t miss the 1890s Old Trail Town, an outdoor park with the largest collection of frontier buildings in Wyoming. It also has 100 historic horse-drawn vehicles and a mountain man memorial.

If you love a good rodeo, the Cody Stampede Rodeo and Cody Nite Rodeo is one not to miss. The annual Stampede will celebrate its 106th anniversary July 1-4, and the 87th Night Rodeo is held every summer night, June through August.

codychamber.com

 

5. Tombstone, Arizona

Book your trip to Tombstone this year and immerse yourself in legendary Cochise County. Tombstone is an iconic Western town that should be on the bucket list of anyone who loves the Old West.

“The town too tough to die” is popular for those who want to walk where history happened. The historic district is where the Earps and Clantons fought and died for control of the mining boomtown. A trip to Tombstone would not be complete without touring the O.K. Corral, the Bird Cage Theatre, Gunfighter Hall of Fame, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, the Crystal Palace, C.S. Fly’s, Rose Tree Museum, Good Enough Mine Underground Tour, and The Tombstone Epitaph Museum.

 

Visitors have many choices for lodging when planning a visit to the historic mining camp. Popular local motels and bed and breakfasts, include the Larian Motel, The Tombstone Grand Hotel, Trail Rider’s Inn and Virgil’s Corner Bed & Breakfast. Just outside of town is the Tombstone Monument Ranch, a historic working cattle ranch where guests relax in rooms and buildings rebuilt to look like 1880s Tombstone. Guests will learn the basics of cowboying, work cattle and even take a trail ride into town.

Visitors to Tombstone should definitely consider booking a long weekend to visit all the nearby historic sites, including Fort Bowie National Monument, Willcox and Bisbee. The city is famous for its annual festivals which begin every March with the Annual Tombstone Wild West Days, followed by Wyatt Earp Days in May and Doc Holli-DAYS in August. Tombstone’s annual festivals culminate with its oldest event, Helldorado Days, which is held the third weekend of every October.

tombstonechamber.com

 

6. Sheridan, Wyoming

Situated in the Tongue River Valley of northern Wyoming just south of the Montana border and just east of the Bighorn Mountains, Sheridan was founded by John D. Loucks in 1882 and named after Army Gen. Phil Sheridan. Cattle and coal were soon being shipped to the East on the railroad, which arrived in 1892.  Entertainer and entrepreneur Buffalo Bill Cody invested in the Sheridan Inn, now a fully restored and popular historic hotel. While staying in the historic city, visitors can explore the scenic Bighorn Mountains, explore the Little Bighorn country of Montana and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

 

Sheridan’s downtown includes a vibrant entertainment, shopping and restaurant district, including the famous Mint Bar and King’s Saddlery, King’s Ropes and the Don King Museum. The Sheridan County and Bozeman Trail museums provide great introductions to local history. Schedule extra time to take a short drive to the community of Big Horn and spend time visiting the Brinton Museum and its world-class Western art exhibits.

sheridanwyoming.org

 

7. Abilene, Kansas

If you love Old West history, cowboys and cattle drives, President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the very best of small-town Midwestern America, then you will love Abilene, Kansas. The eastern Kansas town was founded in 1857, but it was the arrival of the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1867 that brought fame and fortune to the frontier burg. Soon the cattle drives from Texas transformed the newly minted railhead at the end of the Chisholm Trail, and its fame spread from coast to coast. Old Abilene Town is dedicated to promoting and preserving the heritage of the “wickedest and wildest” cowtown of the Sunflower State.

 

Visitors to Old Abilene Town will be regaled by reenactors in period costumes, gunfighter shows, stagecoach and steam engine rides. The Gunsmoke Trail city boasts other great museums not to be missed: the Dickinson County Heritage Center, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home and the Historic Seelye Mansion. While staying in town, don’t miss a chance to ride on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. Heritage rail enthusiasts will love the historic short line, which operates from the 1887 Rock Island Depot. Inside the depot is a museum to enjoy and learn about local rail history. Abilene is also famous for the World’s Largest Belt Buckle, a well-noted roadside attraction dedicated in 2022.

abilenekansas.org

 

8. Bandera, Texas

The Texas Hill Country’s self-proclaimed “Cowboy Capital of the World” is one of the nation’s best places to hang your hat, put up your boots and immerse yourself in everything Western. Visitors flock to Bandera every year for Cowboy Mardi Gras, the Fourth of July Rodeo celebration and The Bandera Pro Rodeo held Labor Day weekend. The city is home to over 30 historic sites and the local chamber can provide self-guided tour information. The Frontier Times Museum was founded by editor Marvin Hunter Sr. in 1933 and is a great place to learn about local history.

 

The downtown district is very walkable, with a vibrant entertainment, restaurant and shopping district. From June 21 to August 2, 2025, the Smithsonian Institute will present “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” a Museum on Main Street Exhibition. Local dude ranches welcome guests to learn to ride and enjoy the Western lifestyle, while local clubs and dance halls celebrate the cowboy way of life throughout the year.

banderacowboycapital.com

 

9. Dodge City, Kansas

Cattle, cowboys and railroads made Dodge City, Kansas, famous in the late 1870s. Like its sister Kansas cowtown to the east, Abilene, Dodge City earned national notoriety as a wide-open wicked cattle town beginning in 1875, when the railhead opened for Texas cattlemen’s herds to be driven up to the new “Queen of the Cowtowns.” Today, Dodge City is a name synonymous with the West, a Hollywood favorite made especially famous by CBS television’s Gunsmoke. A tour of the city should begin at the Visitor Information Center for an orientation and guide to the local sites. Take the Historic Trolley Tour (Memorial Weekend to Labor Day), pick up a map of the Dodge City Trail of Fame and visit the internationally acclaimed Boot Hill Museum.

 

Boot Hill is known for its outstanding exhibits on frontier Kansas history, firearms, gambling, buffalo hunters and the Wild West era of cattle drives. Visitors to the museum will enjoy walking amongst the historical interpreters and watching gunfight reenactments on Front Street and the Variety Show in the Boot Hill’s Long Branch Saloon. While in Dodge City, don’t miss a visit to the Gunfighters Wax Museum, and the Wild West Heritage Foundation’s Buffalo and Longhorn exhibit.

visitdodgecity.org

 

10. Grapevine, Texas

While Texas is known for its wide-open Western spaces, big modern cities and famous small towns, the suburban city of Grapevine has carved out a historic niche from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex that will surprise and gladden the hearts of Old West fans. The city has invested a great deal in its vibrant, walkable downtown, with its restaurants, shops and nighttime entertainment as well as its ever-popular Grapevine Vintage Railroad.

grapevinechamber.org

 

Top Towns to Experience Cowboy Culture

Amarillo, TX: The unofficial capital of the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo is a gateway to Palo Duro Canyon State Park and home to the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum and the Big Texan restaurant.

Casper, WY: An important crossroad on the national overland trail, Casper is home to two important museums: Fort Caspar Museum and the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. It’s also well known for hosting the College National Finals Rodeo, scheduled this year for June 9-15, 2025.

Cave Creek, AZ: World headquarters for True West magazine, Cave Creek is a city of cowboys and artists, hippies and bikers, tourists and retirees.  It’s known for its art galleries, restaurants, shops and bars. Creekers host some of the state’s favorite annual events, including Cave Creek Rodeo Days, March 22-23 and March 27-30, 2025.

Elko, NV: Home of the Western Folklife Center and the internationally acclaimed National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, January 27-February 1, 2025, Elko also offers visitors the Northeastern Nevada Museum and the California Trail Interpretive Center.

Great Falls, MT: The historic Missouri River city celebrates the life of a Western artist every day of the year at the C.M. Russell Museum.

Laramie, WY: The American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming is a mecca for Western historians. The downtown historic district is entertaining for all ages, and the nearby Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site should not be missed. Laramie Jubilee Days is one of the best rodeos in the nation, July 5-13, 2025.

Pendleton, OR: Internationally acclaimed for the Pendelton Round-Up, the city is host to Hamley’s & Co. saddlery, the Pendelton Woolen Mills, Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame Museum, Heritage Station Museum and Tamastslikt Cultural Institute.

Wickenburg, AZ: The self-
proclaimed dude ranch capital of Arizona, the welcoming, historic town of Wickenburg is home to the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, the Hassayampa River Preserve and the always popular Gold Rush Days, February 14-16, 2025.

 

Top Towns Where History is Happening Now

Andrews, TX: The West Texas town of Andrews sits just north of Midland and Odessa and southwest of Lubbock. Well known for its Fourth of July celebration, going on 54 years, Andrews is a family-friendly place to stay, relax and explore the area.

Rapid City, SD: Home to the world-class Journey Museum and Learning Center, Rapid City has a highly walkable downtown, with an excellent combination of history, culture and entertainment. The second-largest city in the state is the perfect place to make your vacation headquarters when visiting the Black Hills region.

Buffalo, WY: To experience this gateway city for Wyoming adventures, stay downtown at The Occidental Hotel, walk the historic streets, sample the local fare and entertainment and learn about local history at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum

Coffeyville, KS: An important railroad town, Coffeyville sits just north of the Oklahoma border. Its fate and fame in Old West lore begins and ends with the failed Dalton Gang Raid. Visit the Dalton Defenders and Coffeyville Museum to discover the full story.

Kernville, CA: Located along the Kern River in Kern County, Kernville is a destination for heritage travelers who love Gold Rush and Old West history, as well as river rafters and outdoor enthusiasts visiting the southern Sierra Nevada and Sequoia National Park.

Leadville, CO: At 10,152 feet, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in America. Stay and enjoy the beautiful mountain town’s historic atmosphere, clean air, local museums and ride on the Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad.

Miles City, MT: Cowboy up! Miles City celebrates its Western heritage 365 days of the year. Put on your bucket list the world-famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, May 15-18, 2025.

St. Joseph, MO: Stay in the historic downtown district and discover the city’s role in the building of a nation at the Pony Express Museum, the Pattee House Museum and the Jesse James Home Museum.

The Dalles, OR: Located on the beautiful banks of the Columbia River, the historic community of The Dalles is a wonderful town from which visitors can immerse themselves in Oregon history and explore the scenic Columbia River Gorge.

Williams, AZ: A favorite of Western travelers in the Southwest, Williams is the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon.” Stay and enjoy the historic Route 66 District’s entertainment and shopping district, and book in advance a round-trip on the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

 

Top Towns Where History Lives

Bartlesville, OK: The world-class Woolaroc Museum of Western art and history, is a must-see. Many consider it the Hearst Castle of Oklahoma.

Belle Fourche, SD: The ranching capital of western South Dakota, just north of the Black Hills, is home to the Tri-State Museum.

Bisbee, AZ: Book a weekend at the Copper Queen Hotel and relax in the history-soaked border city best known for its mining past and artist colony present.

Chino Valley, AZ: Relax in one of the oldest ranching and farm communities in Arizona and visit the Chino Valley Historical Society’s recently opened Cooper Ag Museum.

Douglas, WY: Visit the historic Oregon trail site just outside of town and tour the Pioneer Memorial Museum and Fort Fetterman State Historic Site.

Durango, CO: Book a long weekend in this beautiful, historic mountain town and take a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

El Paso, TX: The historic border city of West Texas welcomes you to stay and explore its past in its local museums and its present in its vibrant Downtown Arts District.

Fort Smith, AR: One of the great gateway cities to the West, encourages visitors to come, stay and discover its great national legacy at the U.S. Marshals National Museum and Fort Smith National Historic Monument.

Jerome, AZ: One of Arizona’s famous copper towns, the hillside town has become one of the most popular artist communities and tourist destinations in the state.

Kingman, AZ: Get your kicks on Route 66 in the northern Arizona ranching, mining and railroad town, where TW’s very own Bob Boze Bell grew up.

Lubbock, TX: Home of Buddy Holly and the Red Raiders of Texas Tech University, this vibrant West Texas city is known as “Hub City” and is famous for its museums, arts district and local wines.

Muskogee, OK: Discover Oklahoma’s rich history in the historic city once patrolled by Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves and made famous by Hall of Fame Country singer Merle Haggard.

Northfield, MN: The quiet of the town known for cows, colleges and contentment was broken by the James and Younger gang on September 7, 1876. The town still celebrates the event every year.

Placerville, CA: Visitors to this major California gold-country destination should tour the city and Hangtown’s Gold Bug Park.

Rawlins, WY: The Union Pacific Railroad town is home to the Wyoming Frontier Prison and Carbon County Museum.

Scottsbluff/Gering, NE: A must stop for travelers following the great overland trails, who should schedule time to tour nearby Scotts Bluff National Monument and the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering.

Toppenish, WA: Visitors should not miss a tour of the Yakama Nation Cultural Center and Northern Pacific Railway Museum.

Virginia City, NV: The historic Comstock Lode mining camp is a virtual Victorian-era heritage center.

Wallace, ID: Located in the richest silver district in American history, historic Wallace is in the Silver Valley of Shoshone County in Idaho’s northern panhandle.

Winnemucca, NV:  The city was a key stop on the California Trail and Transcontinental Railroad. Learn more about the city’s history at the Northern Nevada Museum.