Casper, Wyoming is an intriguing Wyoming town. Wyoming as a whole can seem like a lot of nothing for endless miles, yet Casper offers a mid-state stopping point for road trippers and locals. As one of the biggest in the state, and the city boasts some impressive features for visitors.
I have spent a lot of time in Casper since I was a little kid. My Great Aunt Jayne, has lived there for the better part of three decades, and is passionate about her Western home (she is originally from the Twin Cities, Minnesota).
In the last four years my parents have decided to move there for jobs, and to be close to the family ranch in North Eastern Wyoming. Thus, this means that a lot of road trips are planned between the two cities.
Most recently I took my stepdaughter, Lily, to visit my mom and middle sibling for a week and a half. As my dad was in Florida with my sister, it meant Lily got a week and a half of girl time. For me, well I had a brief stop in Casper before returning to Colorado.
What always surprises me with Casper is how self-sustaining the city is as far as activities and community events. Their library system offers endless fun for kids of all ages. Their city makes great attempts to have rodeos, festivals, food truck days, and just overall fun for the community. While it may not have the staples of bigger western towns like Denver, it does have quite a bit to offer.
As a teen I worked my first job in Casper, (at IHOP, it was terrible, don’t ask) and during that summer I found a lot to spend leisurely time. There was some decent shopping, the local playhouse put on events, the variety of food choices was ample, and I never ran out of books and CDs to grab from the library.
In ten years the city has greatly improved and while I was there for a half weekend I noticed there was something going on every single day, if not multiple events. On the solstice they had a witchy celebration on the mountain. On Friday they had a food truck rally, on Saturday and Sunday they had a solar energy fest, and I am sure more was scheduled beyond the weekend. While some of the events were not glamorous, many of them brought out community members and offer a chance for something new.
My personal favorite, this time to Casper, was hiking in their Rotary Park on Casper Mountain. Which provided for some great views, beautiful nature, and fantastic exercise. The trails could use some more maintenance, but overall it was a great experience.
If you plan on stopping in Casper, Wyoming on your next trip to this part of the world, their VisitCasper website offers endless resources.
Happy Travels!
A few weeks ago I wrote about the fantastic meal I had at the Arepa Barn in Casper, Wyoming. I am sad to report that the are no longer open as stop-in restaurant and they are only delivering or doing take-out. 🙁 However, they are looking for a better permanent home. Follow the story on their Facebook Page.
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