The post Saddle Up to visit the Best ‘Wild West’ Destinations appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

Representative Image

The American West has long been a beacon for travellers seeking adventure, history, and the allure of vast, rugged landscapes.  But new trends with cowboy and western influences are driving a surge in interest for the Wild West.

This travel trend shows no sign of slowing down either, search queries for ‘cowboy core’ have increased 19 percent in the past quarter. This trend reflects a deepening desire to connect with nature and experience the Great West.

For those seeking a deeper connection with nature and history, the Wild West provides a perfect blend of adventure and nostalgia. With increasing interest in history-rich destinations, it’s clear that the Wild West holds an enduring appeal for modern travellers. With this in mind, travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip is providing destination inspiration by ranking the best destinations to visit for Wild West enthusiasts.

To accomplish this, they used a list of 50 western towns in areas that were part of the Wild West and standardized the latest available data for each town in categories such as average cost of ranch-style accommodation, number of hotels with horseback riding, and the number of nature and wildlife parks.

The data is standardized using min-max normalization. The min-max normalization value is multiplied by 10 to create a score (between 0-10). In this case, a score of 10 is the best result, while a score of 0 is the worst.

Colorado is a clear winner for Wild West fans, as the top three destinations are all towns located in the Mountain West.

Steamboat Springs, CO, scored the top spot in the study, with an overall score of 7.2/10.  Steamboat Springs was the highest rated in the study for the number of hotels offering horseback riding. With 142 hotels available, wild-west enthusiasts have an abundance of choice.  With 19 nature and wildlife parks, this town is among the highest rated in the study.

The town’s unique blend of ranch-style accommodations (with a stellar average rating of 9.2) adds to its appeal. However, Steamboat Springs is among the most expensive in the study. The average cost of ranch-style accommodation is $579. Its historic Old Town district, featuring Western-style architecture, further deepens the area’s Wild West ambiance.

With a pro rodeo series and Cowboys’ Roundup Days celebrating Western fashion, there’s no shortage of fun, Western-inspired activities to enjoy in Steamboat Springs.

Durango, in southwest Colorado is in the second spot for the best destination to visit as a Wild West enthusiast. The town scored 7.1 overall.

It scored highly for ‘number of hotels with horseback riding (101), average temperature (67.3 °F), and average cost of ranch-style accommodation ($227). The town is among the most affordable for accommodation, with an average cost of $220, nearly $150 cheaper than the average cost of accommodation in the study ($368). Known for its Victorian-era architecture and the scenic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango offers an immersive Western experience.

Durango is also renowned for its role as a backdrop in more than 145 Western films, including classics such as The Revenant, The Mask of Zorro, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. While it lacks in wildlife parks (just 3), its cinematic history and rustic charm more than make up for it.

Estes Park, also in Colorado, is the third-best city to visit as a Wild West enthusiast, scoring 6.3/10 overall. It scored highly because of its average rating of ranch-style accommodation (9.5), affordable accommodation ($298), and number of nature and wildlife parks (10).

However, its limited number of hotels that offer horse riding (58) contributed to its slightly lower score.

Rounding up the top five is Colorado Springs in fourth position and West Yellowstone in Montana in fifth position. Both destinations have an overall score of 6.1. Colorado Springs boasts one of the highest ratings for its ranch-style accommodation in the whole study with a rating of 9.7 out of 10 and West Yellowstone has an ideal summer temperature for horseback activities with at 58.8 °F.

Sara Boisvert, Director of Marketing at InsureMyTrip commented:  With more travellers looking to tap into their inner cowboy and explore the Great West, we wanted to make it easier to find the best spots for a true Wild West experience. These destinations offer something special for anyone chasing that frontier feeling: horseback riding, ranch stays, or just soaking in the scenery.”

The post Saddle Up to visit the Best ‘Wild West’ Destinations appeared first on Travel Daily Media.