You may have noticed a proliferation of cowboy boots and bolo ties lately (and bootcut jeans, thanks Kendrick!), but the Wild West vibes are not just for your closets. While 2024 was dubbed the “Year of Yeehaw,” it seems we haven’t reached peak cowboy yet. Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album, the pervasive popularity of Western melodrama Yellowstone, and the virality of Netflix’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders docuseries, among many other recent pop culture cornerstones, have led not only to a (repeated) renaissance of Western fashion but also a new travel trend.

Dubbed cowboy-core, an increasing number of travelers are saddling up to visit destinations where 10-gallon hats are as common as caps and where ranches and rodeos reign. According to a recent Skyscanner report, “44% of American travelers are fans of Cowboy Core, rising to 63% among 18 to 24 year olds.” (Skyscanner even recently added a “horse riding filter” to its search engine.) Meanwhile, the travel experience marketplace Tripaneer saw interest in horse trail riding up 94% and interest in U.S. ranch stays up 42% over the past year.

Compared to many other recent travel trends, cowboy-core makes a lot of sense. Increasingly, travelers are looking to unplug and move at a slower pace. They want to see wildlife and reconnect with nature. And with over-tourism top of mind, more and more are looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations. Cowboy-cations combine all of that and then some.

Looking to trade sandals for spurs? From glamping in Utah to customizing cowboy hats in Colorado, here are the best ways to indulge in your wildest Wild West fantasies.

Ride a Horse-Drawn Sleigh to a Cowboy-Approved Dinner in Montana

Hop on a horse-drawn sleigh under the stars and wind through a snow-blanketed forest as a real-life cowboy takes the reins. Arriving at a rustic log cabin, you’ll be greeted by a shot of moonshine dispensed by another cowboy, while a third strums his guitar and croons songs about life on the open range. Warmed by a fire, more moonshine, and the glow of candles and gas lamps, you’ll then dig into a cowboy-approved dinner of prime rib slow-cooked in a cast-iron pan over a century-old railroad stove, followed by “cowboy coffee” (coarse grounds brewed over an open flame).

Stay here: Lone Mountain Ranch is equal parts rustic and chic. Spread across 150 scenic acres, the all-inclusive dude ranch consists of 25 restored historical cabins. While these range in size from one to six bedrooms, they all have a wood stove or original stone fireplace, clawfoot tubs, and a record player, vinyls, and lovingly dog-eared books. The highlight for many is the James Beard-nominated Horn and Cantle Saloon, which features cowboy-themed art, Native American textiles, and a giant bison head that oversees the farm-to-table meals (their elk meatballs and cedar plank smoked mushrooms with local goat cheese are a must).

Customize the Cowboy Hat of Your Dreams in Colorado

Cowboy lore abounds in Telluride, Colorado, a former mining town where Butch Cassidy once robbed a bank. Whether you have a heist planned or not, head to Crossbow Leather and Hats, where you'll find upscale Western wear, from fringe to flannel, as well as handmade leather goods and custom belts that you can personalize on-site. The best part of this local-founded, women-run shop is no doubt the custom cowboy hats. Choose from a range of shapes, sizes, materials, and colors, as well as countless pins, hat bands, and designs you can have branded into them.

Stay here: Dunton Townhouse, run by the same people behind the famous Dunton Hot Springs, is a snug five-room bed and breakfast (yes, inside a townhouse) in the heart of Telluride. Inspired by the many immigrants who left Tyrol and found work in Colorado’s mines in the 1880s, as well as the owner’s heritage, it has a cozy but minimalist alpine aesthetic, with Tyrolean antiques, imported Tyrolean fabrics, and a family-style breakfast table bedecked with Austria’s famous Gmundner homeware.

Two-Step at One of the Country’s Oldest Saloons in Wyoming

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is the epitome of a Wild West watering hole. After you’ve taken photos of its iconic neon cowboy sign, sidle up to the bar and hop onto a saddle-turned-stool under the watchful eyes of a range of taxidermied creatures (don’t worry, they’ve seen it all—the bar opened in 1937 and boasts the first liquor license after Prohibition) to knock back one of over 30 whiskeys on the menu. When you’ve imbibed enough liquid courage, give two-steppin’ a whirl on the dance floor—live country music acts take place almost nightly.

Stay here: From its collection of Western art and library stacked with Western novels and worn leather boots to its antler décor, cowboy-shaped bedside lamps, and Western-themed turndown poems, the family-owned and operated Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa is a beloved local gem (it’s also won a slew of awards). It recently reopened after a devastating fire, and now features a world-class spa, 40 modern rooms, and an on-site restaurant with a chef who trained at il Buco.

Experience the Birthplace of Cowboy Core in Texas

Some say the Fort Worth Stockyards are the birthplace of Cowboy Core. Once known as “the Wall Street of the West,” they were established in 1849 as the last “civilized” outpost for cowboys driving cattle to market along the famous Chisholm Trail livestock route. Business boomed, and it became the largest livestock-trading center in the Southwest. Today, after a full reno, it heaves with cowboy swagger once more. It’s now home to the world’s only year-round rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum, which is where the world’s first indoor rodeo took place in 1918; Billy Bob’s Texas, allegedly the world’s largest honky tonk; and twice-daily cattle drives. There’s also the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum, inventive restaurants, luxury hotels, and one-of-a-kind boutiques (design a custom pair of boots at the first Lucchese Custom Collection store).

Stay here: Named after the cowboys who once roamed the Texas plains, Hotel Drover oozes Western flair: Aside from its eye-catching neon cowboy sign, it’s home to the above-mentioned Lucchese boutique, an on-site leather branding station, and 97 West Kitchen & Bar, a restaurant that serves elevated ranch favorites like chicken fried oysters and wood-grilled bison. Accommodations are “rustic-luxe” and include spacious suites and modern bunkhouse rooms.

Sleep Under the Stars in Utah

Cowboying is arguably a lonely life, marked by days and weeks spent alone in the saddle, sleeping in the wild. But the romance of nights spent under the stars and sunrise greeted with a coffee brewed over a fire persists. Much like sailors, cowboys used stars to guide them across vast open spaces. The chuckwagon cook’s last task of the day was to locate the north star and point his wagon towards it: that way everyone knew which way to head in the morning.

Have your own celestial adventure in Utah, home to the world’s highest concentration of Dark Sky International-certified locations (locales dedicated to preserving night sky darkness—a.k.a. with unrivaled stargazing thanks to a lack of light pollution). At Bryce Canyon National Park, for example, you can go on a ranger-led full-moon hike or visit an astronomy festival in June.

Stay here: Part of Amangiri in Utah, Camp Sarika might offer the country’s most luxurious glamping. Ten tented pavilions that each boast a plunge pool are perched above endless views of dramatic red sandstone formations and desert. A resident astronomy expert can lead guests on a 90-minute tour of the stars. Alternatively, they can enjoy the almost year-round clear skies from their private patio: Amangiri was designed to minimize artificial lighting while maximizing a feeling of remoteness and tranquility.

Learn About Paniolo Culture in Hawaii

Venture even further west for a different take on cowboys. While better known for hula-dancing and surfing, Hawaii has a legacy of ranching that dates back to 1793, when a herd of longhorn was gifted to its king by a British captain. When the herd grew unmanageable, Mexican-Spanish vaqueros (cowboys) were brought in from California to teach locals how to rope and herd cattle. They were named “Paniolo”—believed to come from the word “Español.” To this day, Paniolo practices—a blend of Western cowboy culture with Hawaiian traditions—remains strong. Across the islands, find working ranches, horseback riding tours, and rodeos, like the Makawao Rodeo, Hawaii’s largest. It’s held annually over the Fourth of July weekend in Makawao, a historic Paniolo town filled with cowboy-themed shops and galleries. In Waimea, the Parker Ranch Rodeo and Paniolo Preservation Society works to protect Paniolo culture with rodeos and races on one of the largest and oldest ranches in the U.S. (over 130,000 acres, founded in 1847).

Stay here: Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort hosts an ongoing Paniolo Night, a culinary event that celebrates Hawaii’s ranching heritage with live music and Kiawe (similar to mesquite) wood-fired dishes like prime rib in a Kona coffee rub and Huli Huli chicken. The resort itself is a restored fishing village on 81 acres along the Big Island shoreline, with 150 hale, or bungalows, scattered throughout. Guests can bike to the beach, restaurants, bars, pools, and spa.

Become a Bonafide Cowgirl in Montana

The uber-luxe Paws Up Montana ranch has an annual “Cowgirl University” of sorts—and this year, the all-inclusive three-day event is happening April 24 to 27. Take the reins to learn horsewomanship and ranch skills such as roping and cattle driving on scenic trail rides and in workshops. At night, relive the day’s adventures around a campfire accompanied by gourmet meals before retreating to your luxury cabin.

Stay here: Paws Up Montana is a dreamy 37,000-acre ranch alongside the Blackfoot River that has an endless list of activities befitting of cowboys and girls. Guests can join seasoned ranch hands in driving 800-pound Corriente cows into picturesque pastures; learn the art of horse whispering at the equestrian center; enjoy 100 miles of designated horseback riding trails; or participate in wilderness workshops to learn fire making, shelter building, animal tracking, and more. Afterwards, they can unwind in their private cabins or glamping tents or enjoy the on-site spa, fitness center, and many restaurants—including one helmed by a James Beard-nominated chef.

See Real-Life Cowboys at the World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo in Wyoming

With a tagline of “Kickin’ up dust since 1897!” you know you’re in for a wild ride. Like a state fair with an Old West theme, the multi-day, mid-July Cheyenne Frontier Days features a professional rodeo with events like bull riding, barrel racing, and bronc riding, as well as chuckwagon cookoffs, carnival rides, and live music (last year’s lineup included Shaboozey, T-Pain, Ludacris, and Lainey Wilson). Aside from “The Daddy of ’Em All” rodeo, Cheyenne, the capital of the Cowboy State, is an up-and-coming destination for Wild West-loving travelers, often dubbed “the Nashville of the West” thanks to its vibrant music scene, innovative breweries, and many Instagram-worthy photo-ops.

Stay here: Sprawled across 80 acres of Wyoming prairie and with an outdoor pool, a nine-hole golf course, and two on-site restaurants, Little America Cheyenne, a local icon since opening in 1952, might be the most luxurious game in town.