Buffalo Bill Recommends... Cody, Wyoming Just two hours from B

The past is always present in Cody Country. This part of Wyoming represents the last of the true West.

Cody is what America was, a place where the cowboy culture thrives and where the new west begins.

The vistas are spectacular, the land is wild, the people are genuinely friendly and the opportunities for outdoor adventure, recreation, education and entertainment are as large and varied as the Wyoming skies.

Cody Country has a well developed hospitality industry with varied lodging opportunities, fine dining, world class museums and western activities. Cody is the only gateway community with two entrances to Yellowstone National Park and Cody is the hub for several loop tour drives that access five different Scenic Byways.

For exceptional Yellowstone Country travel information, including an on-line trip planner visit the Buffalo Bill’s Yellowstone Country website at www.yellowstonecountry.org.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center Wins National Tour Association Award

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center has been honored as one of America’s “favorite museums for group travelers” by the National Tour Association (NTA). The Center won the NTA’s Bronze Award in the category, tied with New York’s American Museum of Natural History. Other winners include the Gold Award presented to the Smithsonian Institution and the Silver Award to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

“We definitely have cause to celebrate at being included in the distinguished company of the Smithsonian, MOMA, and the American Museum of Natural History,” said Bruce Eldredge, the center’s executive director and CEO. “Our numbers of group tours have increased significantly in the last few years, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this prestigious award from NTA. This honor acknowledges how engaging our group travelers find our galleries and is sure to draw even more attention and visitors to the center and to Cody.”

Last August, NTA tour operators completed a survey in which they named their favorite NTA supplier partners or destinations in 12 different categories. In the January 2012 edition of Courier, the organization’s member magazine, NTA introduces its “Distinguished Dozen” winners in a feature that celebrates these member favorites. Award winners were officially acknowledged at NTA’s Annual Convention on Thursday, December 8, in Las Vegas.

“We’ve created a number of programs to enhance the group tour experience,” added Debra Elwood, group sales coordinator. “This award tells us our efforts are paying off.”

Other recent accolades for the historical center include a listing in Cowgirl Magazine’s 2012 Ten Favorite Western Art Museums, and a No. 2 ranking by the travel Web site Go Nomad.com in its list of The Ten Best Family Destinations for Learning Vacations.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center is located at 720 Sheridan Avenue in Cody, Wyoming. For the winter season, the center, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday (closed Monday through Wednesday). For general information, visit www.bbhc.org, or call 307-587-4771.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center Winter Hours Posted

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, WY has posted its winter schedule. For the month of November, the center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. December 1 to February 28, 2012, the winter schedule is in effect, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, closed Monday through Wednesday.

The center is closed New Year’s Day, but is open the full week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, daily December 21–31. Admission is charged.

Find information at www.bbhc.org or call 307-587-4771.