In This Episode
Buffalo Bill’s hometown is more than the gateway to Yellowstone. This week Heide and Nicky show you how to do Cody, Wyoming like a local, solo or with the girls. We cover where to eat, where to sleep downtown, the five-museum complex you shouldn’t rush, the nightly rodeo, the moving Heart Mountain WWII site, and the smartest, lowest-stress way to see Yellowstone. It’s a Western why-cation built around soft adventure, real history, and a town that’s glad you came.
Everywhere We Mentioned
Listed in the order they appear in the episode, with links so you can build your own trip.
Eat & Drink
Sitti’s Table
A family-run cafe and gourmet market serving Middle Eastern and Mediterranean home cooking through traditional French technique. Our surprising, like-a-local lunch pick. Downtown on 13th Street; breakfast and lunch, Tuesday through Saturday.
Web: sittistable.com
The Blanca Tatanka
Intimate, western-chic small-plate dining with signature cocktails, live regional music, and summer patios. Our day-two lunch and recharge stop.
Web: theblancatatanka.com
Cody Cattle Company
Buffalo dinner-and-a-show with a live music performance before the rodeo. Doors open early; check seasonal closed dates when you book.
Web: thecodycattlecompany.com
Pat’s Brewhouse
Pub-style food, Irish and American, with fifteen craft beers on tap. Our easy, comfortable last-night spot, and a great solo-dining bar seat.
Web: patsbrewhousewy.com
See & Do
Cody Trolley Tours
A one-hour narrated tour with historical photos and audio clips. Our arrival-day orientation move: “give us an hour, we’ll give you 100 years.”
Web: codytrolleytours.com
Buffalo Bill Center of the West
A Smithsonian Affiliate housing five museums under one roof: the Buffalo Bill Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, and Cody Firearms Museum, plus the McCracken Research Library. Admission is good for two days, so spread your visit out.
Web: centerofthewest.org
Heart Mountain WWII Interpretive Center
A National Historic Site and Smithsonian Affiliate telling the story of Japanese Americans confined here during World War II. A museum, original camp structures, a walking trail, and a military memorial. Give it a full, unhurried morning.
Tip: call ahead to confirm current seasonal programming and special events before your visit.
Web: heartmountain.org
By Western Hands
An artisan gallery and exhibit hall dedicated to preserving Western functional art and design. Quiet, beautiful, and easy to miss, which is exactly why it’s on our list.
Web: bywesternhands.org
Old Trail Town & Museum of the Old West
Twenty-eight historic buildings on the original townsite of Cody City, including Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall cabin, Rose Williams’ roadhouse, a cemetery with Jeremiah Johnson’s grave, and Mountain Men monuments. Flat, walkable, self-paced.
Web: oldtrailtown.org
Cody Nite Rodeo
A family-friendly nightly rodeo running since 1938. Come early to meet the cowboys and bullfighters, and yes, you can get your photo on Norman the Bull. Confirm this season’s run dates before you go.
Web: codystampederodeo.com
Buffalo Bill Dam & Visitor Center
At 325 feet, it was the tallest dam in the world when completed in 1910, and today it’s a National Civil Engineering Landmark with breathtaking canyon views. A quick, scenic stop about six miles west of Cody. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; American Society of Civil Engineers.)
Web: bbdvc.com
Cody Firearms Experience
An instructor-led experience covering history, safety, and optional live fire on an indoor range, with more than fifty firearms from flintlock to full-auto. Beginner-friendly and safety-first. Also offers indoor axe throwing, a wildlife exhibit, and a kids’ arcade.
Web: codyfirearmsexperience.com
Yellowstone, the Easy Way
Cody Shuttle Service & Yellowstone Tours
All-day, Park Service-certified guided tours into Yellowstone from Cody. Let someone else handle the driving, the bison jams, and the parking. The soft-adventure way to see the park, and ideal for solo travelers.
Web: codyshuttle.com
Where to Stay
Buffalo Bill Cabin Village (Buffalo Bill Village Resort)
A historic downtown landmark with 83 individual cabins, nostalgic cowboy exteriors, and modern interiors, from single king rooms to two-bedroom family suites. Walkable to dinner and the rodeo, with a complimentary summer evening guest reception. The resort also includes the Holiday Inn at the Buffalo Bill Village Resort.
Web: blairhotels.com
Plan Your Trip
Cody Yellowstone (official destination site)
The official tourism site for Cody and Park County, Wyoming. Trip planning, events, lodging, and everything we mentioned and more.
Web: codyyellowstone.org
Heide & Nicky’s Like-a-Local Tips
• Your Buffalo Bill Center admission is good for two days. Don’t burn out on five museums in one afternoon.
• Stay downtown at the Buffalo Bill Village so you can walk to dinner and the rodeo.
• Let the certified guides drive you into Yellowstone and skip the rental-car stress.
• Eat at Sitti’s Table at least once. A cowboy town can surprise you.
• Get to the rodeo early to meet the cowboys and bullfighters.
• Give Heart Mountain a full, unhurried morning. It’s the soul of the trip.
Support the show
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
