The Cowboy Trend Is Coming for Travel—Here Are the Best Places to Experience It

Text by Sophie-Claire Hoeller

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.

Continue Reading on Vogue