If you live here, you know. But it’s nice to be nationally recognized!
The town of Cody, Wyoming has been has been named one of the top summer destinations in the U.S. in a USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice contest.
Nestled outside of the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, Cody is the only destination in the Western Mountain States (Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico) to make the coveted list. The list also included destinations in California, Washington, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Wisconsin, Maryland and Florida.
As to the reason why Cody was recognized as one of the top destinations, it’s because of what the area offers — an array of summer adventures with appeal to a wide range of travelers.
Outdoor adventurers can fish in the trout-abundant rivers and streams, drive a UTV in the wide open backcountry, ride a horse at a dude or guest ranch, hike miles of trails in the Shoshone National Forest as well as inside the park, go rafting on the Shoshone River and much more.
Travelers with an interest in history can visit Heart Mountain WW II Interpretive Center – site of a Japanese-American confinement site – explore the five museums of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, see the creations of Western artists at By Western Hands and much more.
Plus, the town offers a variety of restaurants, shops, galleries, breweries, distilleries and more. And young Cody visitors might enjoy a new scavenger hunt called Bears in the Basin. The more bear statues young bear-hunters find, the more points they can earn for prizes.
“Summertime fun takes many forms here in Cody Yellowstone, and there is an adventure to appeal to every traveler’s interests and travel style,” said Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone, the marketing arm for the region that includes the towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse, a large swath of the Shoshone National Forest and about half of Yellowstone National Park. “Plus, our little town is an undeniably friendly and accommodating host, and Cody Yellowstone embraces fun all summer long.”
Cody Yellowstone has garnered numerous other awards and media accolades recently. The Cody Yellowstone Sippin’ Trail prompted USA Today to name Cody the Best Small Town Beer Scene in the U.S. recently. Cody Yellowstone was also named one of the top rafting destinations in the U.S. by Newsweek.
In April, Cody was named among the Best Small Towns in the West by USA Today. And it was recently lauded by USA Today in a list of Top Small Town Arts Scenes and a top art town by Travel + Leisure. Other recent awards include “Top Western Town” and “Best Old West Art Town by True West Magazine.
The 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award contest launches new categories every other Monday at noon, revealing each category’s 20 nominees. Nominees for all categories are chosen by a panel of relevant experts which includes a combination of editors, expert contributors and other sources. All voting is digital and the 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award contest is accessible on the 10 Best.com website.
