The family, including 3 boys (9-15yrs) are keen to see forts, ghost towns, railway museums, wild west stuff etc.
Any recommendations?
We are traveling to California, Nevada & Utah

Hi Kiwifamily,

It's not quite in the area of your planned visit, but if you want to see a rough-and-ready cowboy town then pay a brief visit to Gleeson, Arizona. It's well off the tourist trail up several miles of dirt roads. We discovered it several years ago, completely by accident. It wasn't quite a ghost town then - though it may be by now.

Much more on the tourist map is Tombstone, Arizona, of OK Corral fame.

Have a great trip!

Pete

Hope I'm not too late for your trip but if the boys would actually like to stay in some hotels said to be haunted, check out Jerome and Bisbee AZ.