Way up north, this town of just over 10,000 was named after the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody, who helped found it in 1896 and for whom the tk-year-old Buffalo Bill Center of the West is named, bringing together five museums (one devoted to Buffalo and the others to the Plains Indians, Western art, natural history, and firearms. Among various other musts is exploring the Americana of the vintage downtown and the historic Western structures - including cabins and a saloon -  of the the Old Town Trail open-air museum. Plus come summer the town becomes the "rodeo capital of the world," with exciting shows nightly. And Yellowstone National Park is about an hour away.

Alex Proimos