Cheyenne didn’t slowly grow into a city.
It arrived.
In 1867, as the Union Pacific Railroad pushed west across the plains, Cheyenne sprang up almost overnight. Workers, soldiers, merchants, gamblers, cowboys, travelers, and fortune-seekers poured into the new town.
Buildings went up. Businesses opened. Streets filled.
Cheyenne grew so quickly that it earned a nickname that has stuck for more than 150 years:
The Magic City of the Plains
And from the very beginning, much of that magic revolved around three things:
Eating. Drinking. Playing.
That is where Eat Drink Play Cheyenne comes from.
EAT
A City Built on Hospitality
A booming railroad town needed to feed a lot of people, quickly.
Restaurants, hotel dining rooms, bakeries, cafés, boarding houses, and other food businesses became part of the young city's rhythm almost immediately.
Food wasn't just fuel. It was where travelers stopped, workers gathered, deals were discussed, and newcomers found a little comfort on the frontier.
That tradition never really disappeared.
Today, Cheyenne's food scene ranges from longtime local favorites and food trucks to steakhouses, cafés, bakeries, international restaurants, and places still putting their own spin on the West.
Different century. Same idea: pull up a chair.
DRINK
The Original Social Network
In early Cheyenne, saloons and gathering places were more than somewhere to get a drink.
They were places to meet people, hear news, make deals, celebrate, argue, tell stories, and become part of a rapidly growing community.
They helped provide the social heartbeat of a city that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
Today the setting has changed, but the role hasn't entirely.
Breweries, bars, coffee shops, taprooms, cocktail spots, and neighborhood hangouts are still places where Cheyenne comes together.
The drinks may have changed. The gathering hasn't.
PLAY
Cheyenne Has Always Known How to Have a Good Time
The new railroad town didn't just work hard.
It played hard too.
Entertainment became part of Cheyenne's identity early on, with theaters, music, social halls, celebrations, sporting events, and a nightlife that drew people from around the region.
That appetite for a good time grew with the city.
Eventually, it helped produce traditions such as Cheyenne Frontier Days, while the modern city added live music, festivals, outdoor recreation, trails, public art, museums, local events, shopping, and countless other ways to get out and experience Cheyenne.
Today, "Play" can mean almost anything.
- •Ride the Greenway.
- •Hunt for the Big Boots.
- •Catch a show.
- •Explore downtown.
- •Find a garage sale.
- •Try somewhere you've never been.
- •Or just let Spin the Spur decide where the day takes you.
The Magic Is Still Here
Cheyenne isn’t the same city it was in 1867.
It shouldn’t be.
But the energy behind the nickname still feels familiar.
People are still arriving.
People are still opening businesses.
People are still gathering around food and drinks.
People are still looking for something fun to do.
And sometimes the best parts of Cheyenne are the places you didn’t know were there.
Eat. Drink. Play. Explore Cheyenne.
The Magic City is still here.
You just have to know where to look.
Start Exploring