Jaunted

In the center of town stands a vintage hotel. There is nothing super flashy about it, but it makes you feel like you've walked onto a John Wayne movie set. The Irma Hotel is as much a landmark as it is a fully-functional hotel, complete with vintage rooms and ghost stories, a saloon, restaurant and gift shop. But what happens on the street in front is the true attraction. Each night over summer, a wild west shoot-out re-enactment puts on a show for passing spectators.

There is plenty of places to eat around town, but we would recommend the local flavor of buffalo. The meat comes in the form of roasts, steaks and—most popularly—burgers. While many places offer the carnivorous delight on their menus, we found that the Proud Cut Saloon makes the tastiest buffalo burger and the biggest effort to have its guests feel like cowboys. If you just feel the need to bring some meat home, there are plenty of take-home shops that offer vacuum-sealed buffalo, elk and antelope.

Cody is small, we're talking just under 10,000 inhabitants, but they sure come out to play during the summer months with a nightly rodeo at Stampede Park. From June 1st through August 31st, the rodeo ground come alive with bucking broncos, thoroughbreds and rodeo clowns to delight tourists' western adventure spirit. It's not all fun-and-games since this is a real rodeo with real prize money for the best riders and ropers.

Not super wild but always Western, Cody is off the beaten path and provides memories for anyone looking for a unique experience. While it's simple to caught up in things to do in this town, make sure you take some time to soak up the beautiful scenery that surrounds.

[Photo: Rayme Gorniak/Jaunted]