10 Incredible Places to Visit out West the Whole Family Will Love
Cowboys, ten-gallon hats, and the wild, wild west. You want to plan a family trip to explore the great American frontier, but where should you go?
The American West is huge, full of vast open spaces, national parks, and unique traditions and culture.
Fascinating attractions wait to be discovered, such as gold mines, wild west saloons, parks, and even hot springs.
Read on to learn the best places to visit out west, perfect if you’re trying to plan a family trip but aren’t sure where to start.
1. Tombstone – One of the Best Places to Visit out West
For a true Wild West experience, look no further than the infamous town of Tombstone, Arizona. Home to the O.K. Corral, the site of many famous shoot-outs, both in the movies and in real life.
A former silver mining site, it later became a bustling town of America’s frontier days, and it’s now a great place to visit. Explore the main drag of town and it’s easy to step back in time.
There’s a lot of history here, and a lot of fun to be had. You can also enjoy walking through the swinging doors of Wyatt Earp’s Saloon or touring the underground Goodenough Mine.
2. San Antonio
Yee-haw! It’s hard to find a more cowboy town than San Antonio, Texas. Learn all about Texas history at the Alamo, the site of a famous battle in the Texas Revolution and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a site of former Spanish religious missions.
There’s also plenty of fun for families along the San Antonio River Walk. It’s full of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Six Flags Fiesta Texas and the San Antonio Zoo are also big hits with the little ones.
Ready to start packing? Click here to learn more about all the cowboy essentials.
3. Zion National Park
If you’re looking for jaw-dropping natural beauty, Zion National Park, in Utah, should be on the list for any trip out west.
Full of red rock canyons, jagged mountains, and spectacular scenery, Zion is a top choice for families looking to unplug and get away to nature for a while. Enjoy easy hikes through the park or just enjoy the solitude.
Highlights of the park include The Narrows, a scenic part of Zion Canyon, Angels Landing, a landmark rock formation, and the beautiful waterfall of Emerald Pools Trail.
4. Lake Tahoe
One of the most spectacularly beautiful places to see in the west, Lake Tahoe is a sparkling emerald freshwater lake on the border of California and Nevada. It’s equally amazing in both winter and summer. Winter brings huge snowfalls that make this destination great for skiing, snowshoeing, or sledding around ski resorts such as Heavenly and Squaw Valley.
In summer, enjoy hiking and boating on the lake. There’s so much to see and do around Lake Tahoe, it’s truly a natural playground.
5. Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular landmarks in all of the US, for good reason. Thought to be between five and six million years old, the Grand Canyon is one mile deep and is 277 river miles long, and up to 18 miles in width, hard to imagine.
There are many ways to view and appreciate the Grand Canyon, including viewpoints along both the South and North Rims, or backpack or ride a mule down into the Inner Canyon.
No vacations out west would be complete without a stop at the Grand Canyon.
6. Jackson Hole
Another classic western town is Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Although many people visit in winter for the thrill of its challenging ski slopes, there is plenty more to do in town besides the snow.
Families love experiencing the incredible wildlife at the National Elk Refuge and the Teton Raptor Center. It’s also relaxing to soak your worries away in the thermal pools of the Granite Hot Springs.
Jackson Hole is also close to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, so it makes a great stopping-off point if you’re heading that way.
7. Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas is a great town to visit for a real western experience. One of the highlights is the Fort Worth Stockyards, where you can watch a real-life cattle drive, catch some great country tunes at the Cowtown Opry, and sample a wide range of western food and entertainment.
In addition, Fort Worth, sometimes missed out for the more well-known city of Dallas, has a lot to offer. This includes the Fort Worth Zoo, the Texas Civil War Museum, and the Fort Worth Water Gardens.
8. Yosemite National Park
Set in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, Yosemite is one of the most beautiful national parks in the west, if not the whole country.
Escape to nature and enjoy some of the highlights of the park, including Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Yosemite Valley.
9. Virginia City
Virginia City is a true cowboy town in Nevada, not far from Reno. Built turning the gold rush of the 19th century, this town has everything you’d want to find in a Wild West town- saloons with swinging doors, gold panning, quirky shops, and even a few ghost stories.
10. Deadwood
Deadwood, South Dakota, is another great Wild West town, created during the gold rush. At its heyday, infamous figures such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane roamed the town.
Visit for the town’s great museums, full of fascinating artifacts. Enjoy a vintage train ride, visit the Broken Boot Gold Mine, or come along for the 1876 Mystery Dinner Theatre.
Set within the Black Hills National Forest, it’s also a scenic area, perfect for mountain biking or hikes.
Let’s Head West
Ready to go exploring? Now that you know the best places to visit out west, you can get started with planning your trip to the best places to visit out west. With so much to see, there’s plenty to take the whole family occupied.
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