Cody (pop 8800), founded by and named for legendary western icon Buffalo Bill Cody, is perched upon the transition between the rolling grassy plains of the Bighorn Basin to the east and the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the west. Cody is steeped in colorful history, making it a popular stop for tourists and has several interesting western museums to explore. Cody's historical pretext combined with its close proximity to the eastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park reinforces Cody's claim as the second busiest tourist destination town in the state of Wyoming (Jackson Hole being the first). Cody is also well known as a great place for outdoor recreation, with a variety of activities available right from town and westward through the Wapiti Valley.
Cody sits at a crossroads and can be easily accessed by automobile from multiple directions. From Montana to the north, Cody is accessed via Laurel/Belfrey or Red Lodge. Cody is located along state route 14/16/20, the favored roadway for travelers from the east between interstate I-90 and the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. For travelers with a time deficit, Cody also has a small municipal airport to which several national domestic airlines provide daily flights. Car rentals are available at the airport.
Cody's proximity to Yellowstone/Grand Teton National Parks includes it on the majority of itineraries to the area, resulting in a disporportionally large number of lodging options for a small town, and visitors will find most of the major chain motels and a few local options to choose from. Visitors will also find a good number of RV and camping parks available. Like most tourist based destinations, Cody has a reasonable number of restaurant options offering traditional Americanized road grub to fill the bellies of weary travelers.
