Wild West towns: A travel guide

Though chronically over-romanticized in literature and on film, there's still no more compelling period in American history than that of the Wild West, replete with its colorful cohort of fabulously lucky prospectors, crafty cardsharps, dastardly outlaws, steel-nerved lawmen, and hard-nosed but lovely "soiled doves." You may not want to have lived back then, but to visit -- and especially spend the night in -- a restored boomtown is a sensual and educational treat for any 21st century adventure-seeker.

To be sure, there's generally no escaping the gamut of hokey tourist dross -- staged gunfights, wax museums, ghost tours, and the obligatory Boot Hill cemetery. But neither is there any denying the emotional appeal of clomping down raised boardwalks, busting through swinging saloon doors, and turning your imagination loose as you fall asleep in authentic, if modernized, period digs. And the kids will love all the action, costumed pageantry and hands-on experiences.

So, should you happen to be traveling out West this summer, here are profiles of six of the 19th century's most iconic and best-preserved boomtowns, each worth a detour.