So much to do here but we know your time is limited. Let us help you make the most of the time with a few recommendations and suggestions. We love this place and love helping others fall in love also. Click the links below for more info on: (also, feel free to share this link…we love helping folks enjoy the area)

Yellowstone National Park

  • TOP TIP! Buy the app called GuideAlong (previously GyPsy Guide) for iPhone/Android and download the Yellowstone and/or the Grand Teton guide(s).  Note that both the app and park guides have to be downloaded by wifi.  The app is free but you have to purchase each park guide at roughly $10 each.  The guides are easily worth 10 times the price in our opinion..  The app will watch your progress on the roads of the parks and provides extremely helpful information and suggestions exactly when you need them.  It is like having a Park Ranger riding in the car along with you.  So helpful!

  • Go early.  The drive from Jackson through Grand Teton to the grand loop in Yellowstone is always beautiful, but you will see more animals and less tourists by starting early.  You will likely be driving back late for another great chance to see animals as they tend to be out most often in the early morning and early evening hours. 

  • Old Faithful is the first thing you will arrive at when you drive up from Jackson.  It is also the most crowded.  Pick a spot upwind so you can see the geyser -- not just a cloud of mist;)   If you are hungry, you likely don't want to wait in line for the restaurant at Old Faithful Lodge as it is usually a very long wait.  Instead head to the general store which has packaged sandwiches and snack bar stuff.  There are other snack bars in the area, but the general store is overlooked and not crowded as often.

  • If you are up for a hike, take the Angel Falls trail to a lookout point above Grand Prismatic springs - great views.  Remember that you are at 8,000 feet elevation so the altitude will be an issue.  Take it slow, drink water often, etc.  

  • Here is a rough order with the best stops for a drive through Yellowstone from Jackson Hole: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Springs, Porcelain Basin, Dragon's Mouth, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (Artist's Point).  There are thousands of geothermal features and you can't stop at all of them, but the ones mentioned above are pretty special.

  • Further off of the Grand Loop drive is Lamar Valley which promises lots and lots of wildlife sightings.  Mammoth Springs is also a very cool sight, but a bit more of a drive.

Grand Teton National Park

  • If you plan to hike at all, add the AllTrails app to your phone.  It offers a pretty good search filter for trails in GTNP based on length, climb, difficulty, scenery, etc.  Actually, this app works just about anywhere in the U.S. --- mostly likely has some suggested hikes around your house as well ;)  I would suggest hikes here, but I can’t really improve on http://www.tetonhikingtrails.com/grand-teton-hikes.htm 

  • Jenny Lake is one of the iconic sites in GTNP.  You can take a shuttle across the lake to Cascade Canyon trailhead which can be found on the west side of the lake where a good number of trails start.  

  • There are two different ways to take in the sites of Jenny more completely - a one hour cruise on the lake or the roughly 6.5 mile hike around the parameter.  Both are pretty good, but you could opt for the cruise and spend your hiking time elsewhere.  

  • If you truly want a challenge, you can climb Grand Teton!  Unless you are highly skilled and don’t need to be reading my recommendations letter because you already are an expert, you will need a guide.  This is a climb, not a walk --- it gets technical towards the top.  Somewhat skilled climbers that are in great shape can get guided to take you up in a day.  Lower skill, less acclimated climbers can opt for 2,3, or even 4 day climbs with guides.  

  • GTNP is the headwaters for the Snake river and there are lots of guides that will lead a wonderful river float down the Snake.

Activities Around Jackson

  • Check out the Galleries!!! You love nature and wildlife (otherwise you would not be here). There are a number of galleries around the square —- and don’t miss the Mangelsen gallery.

  • Pop into the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar….I mean you just have to if you are over 21. The burled wood inside is fascinating. The drinks are mediocre and the food aspires to be. This is a trip mostly for sightseeing.  Grab a drink and enjoy the environment, then leave before you get too hungry and are tempted to order food there.  Pretty much every place is better.

  • Safari:  Eco Tour Adventures offers wildlife safaris.  The guides are pretty great and will really educate you about life and conditions in the area.  They offer lots of different types of excursions.  On the low side, they will put your group in a 4x4 and take you on the back roads of GTNP to watch for Elk, Moose, Bear, Eagles, Wolves, etc.  This is Jackson --- you will see something!  In fact, you may well see something as you drive to Jackson from the airport --- its that kind of place.  The guides communicate all day with each other and know where to go and what to look for.  BTW, I don’t get paid for this endorsement ;)  I’ve been out with these guys a few times.  There are lots of guides in Jackson that do the same thing, and they may be great, but I have no experience with them. If you don’t want to pay a guide, check out my recommendations for where/how/when to find the animals.

  • On the high end, you can take Wolf safaris with them that usually start at like 3:00 am or so -- I’ve not done this yet, but it is on my short list.  You can see wolves without a guide in the area, but you have to be lucky.

  • If you are visiting in the winter and want to take a break from skiing, check out the National Elk Refuge. You likely saw thousands of Elk there already. Taking a sled ride through the refuge will get you up close to these magnificent animals. Caution, however cold you think it might be, it is much colder. The wind sweeps through the valley and is biting.

  • Still need something for winter, hard to beat snowmobiling into Yellowstone to see old faithful. Lots of outfitters do the trip, but they book very early.

  • Mountain Biking!!  It is really fun.  You can rent bikes there.  Go up in the gondola, down on the trails!

  • Paraglide off the mountain!  You may want some help with that: https://www.jacksonhole.com/summer-paragliding.html

  • Hiking, Hiking, Hiking —- everywhere there is hiking.  Check the alltrails app or drop into High Country Outfitters on Jackson square. They maintain boards of the latest and greatest info on area hikes and snowshoe trail conditions.

Wildlife

Just a quick note. The wildlife is very much wild. You may well see a Moose sitting in the backyard while here. It may look sedate, but do NOT approach. Some days you may encounter a Moose or bear while walking to your car —- just keep that in mind when sending little Johnny out to get something from the car. See our driving guide to finding wildlife in the area.

Grizzlies - yep, they are here.   You may well see one in Yellowstone.  Unlike Black bears, Grizzlies are not overly fearful of humans (they see a lot of them), though their preference is to avoid us.

  • Hike in groups of 3 or more people if possible.

  • Stay alert

  • Make noise in areas with low visibility

  • Bears use their nose as much or more than any other sense, if you are walking into the wind it may mean that bears ahead of you won’t smell you first.  In such a case, whistling or talking as you walk is a good strategy.

  • Carry bear spray, and know how to use it.  Bear spray is not like mosquito spray.  You spray bears with it, not yourself --- you would not care much for the result (yes, it happens).  

  • Don’t run during a bear encounter

Restaurants

I am tempted not to attempt this. They change quickly here and there are lot of new ones. Nevertheless, there are a couple of notables.

  • Snake River Grill. Expensive but good. If you want to splurge, this is a good place to do it.

  • Gun Barrel. This is an iconic steak and wild game place with a decor that places it firmly in Jackson (see background picture here). The Snake River Grill could be transplanted to a lot of different cities without losing its touch —- the Gun Barrel belongs in Jackson.

  • Merry little piglets — great tacos! (we have a place in Austin, so we know tacos!)

  • Calico — just a couple of miles from the condo. Great Italian and pizza place with a huge lawn for kids to play in the summer.

  • Hatch — again, great tacos!

  • Annies’ Thai — hard to beat their curry.