Best Things to do in Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone

Living in Jackson Hole, I get request after request from people that are traveling here to see the Tetons and Yellowstone National Park and want the insider tips. As much as I would love to give everyone their own special itinerary, that would turn me into a daily travel agent with no income, haha;)

But, not to worry! I’ve found a better way to give out my “best of Jackson Hole” list based on all the questions people ask almost every time they’re coming - and that is what you’re reading right now! Let’s jump right in.

Where to Stay

There is absolutely no shortage of lodging here and many things to consider when choosing your perfect spot. Your options for a home base are the town of Jackson, Teton Park, or Yellowstone. What I would do is stay in a hotel in Jackson for say 4 days and then go up to Yellowstone and camp for maybe 2 days. Jackson is only 15 minutes from Teton Park but it’s about 3 hours from Jackson to Y-stone so it makes quite a day if you drive there and back in a day.

The hotels I like in Jackson are the Anvil & Mountain Modern for trendy vibes, Hotel Jackson for gorgeous, luxury, and the Rustic Inn for a Western feel. There are lots of campgrounds in the parks, but do your own research to see which one makes sense for you (I like Colter a lot - on the lake with great views.)

Best Spots to Grab Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Eating. The absolute joy of every vacation, am I right?! For breakfast, get your booty to Persephone if you wanna feel bougie and french, Cultivate Cafe if you want all the western vibes + healthy bites, or Hatch if you want some bigger portions with a Mexican flair. Cafe Genevieve’s down-home cooking is my runner-up (get the bloody.) If you just wanna grab a delish coffee, stop by Snake River Roasters and see if they’re serving the coffee that I designed the label for!

During lunch, you’ll probably be on the go and I would recommend packing a lunch if you’re going into the parks! Get a sandwich from Picnic, a breakfast burrito to-go from DOG, or my personal fave - stop in the tiny town of Kelly for a sandwich and an amazing iced americano!

Dinner, whoa, too many places to name, so I’ll just tell you the ones I keep going back to. If you’re someone that likes to sit at the bar, go to the Bistro, Local, or Snake River Grill for the best scene. For a more tradish sit-down meal, I like Teton Tiger (Thai/Indian), Glorietta (Italian), and Roadhouse Brewery (tapas.) Having a date night? Try Bin22 (wine bar) or Colette (French.)

After dinner drinks - hit up the Wort (I had my wedding reception here!) and then the Cowboy Bar

Shops to Browse

If you have an off day from nature and want to browse around town, go to town square (where the antler arches are.) After you get a pic under the arches, you can stop in MADE, ROAM, Penny Lane for boutiquey items. Or, if you’re feeling artsy, every other shop around town square is a gallery, so just pick your fave!

Events to Catch

During the summer there are a variety of events that happen each year - look up the Jackson Hole Chamber’s website to get all the deets of regularly scheduled things. Besides that, each Wednesday and Saturday there is a rodeo at the Fairgrounds, and its a must! The Hootenanny on Mondays out in Teton Park is also a unique event to catch if you’re already out there. Typically, there is live music in Teton Village on Sunday afternoons, and that’s always super fun to hang out on the lawn and listen to.

Amazing Hikes

I made a separate blog talking all about 5 top hikes so definitely go HERE if hiking is your jam. Teton Park is your best bet if you’re a hiker. Yellowstone is more of a drive, stop, look, drive, park, look, type of place so don’t plan on being a hiker there if you want to see all the sites. In general, the hike around Jenny Lake in Teton Park is a great choice if you want to get the most bang for your (viewing) buck in a short hike. There’s even a ferry if you wanna pretend you like hiking, but don’t really;)

Hopefully, this gives you a great start to an awesome vacation here in Wyoming! Let me know if I missed anything and feel free to ask questions in the comments so I can answer for everyone!