What you can’t miss on a trip to the Tetons
Earlier this summer, I spent a week with my husband’s extended family outside of Grand Teton National Park. David’s aunt and uncle live in Teton Village, and he grew up visiting in the summers as a kid. It’d been 20 years since he’d been back, and it was my first time in Wyoming: we were super excited to catch up with family, and also to breathe in some fresh mountain air and do lots of hiking and outdoor exploring. 
I was immediately blown away by how naturally beautiful the entire area was! One of the things I strongly believe is that you don’t have to travel far to have an incredible travel experience: there is SO much I still have to explore in the United States, especially when it comes to our national parks. And even though this has inspired me to do more outdoors adventures, it’s going to be tough to beat Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons: the town was Wild West adorable, and the mountains were gorgeous, accessible and full of activities. I have to admit: I’m already trying to coordinate the next family trip back! 
To be totally honest, a huge highlight of this trip was just being able to relax in a such a gorgeous natural setting. I travel a lot for day job work and blog work, and those trips inevitably leave me feeling drained. It was nice to have a true “vacation” where I wasn’t obligated to do a ton of exploring and posting–although I was still working remotely some days, which did lead to some unnecessary stress and more laptop time than I would have preferred! It was lovely to carve out time to drink coffee and watch for deer on the back patio, read plenty of books, and do several hikes without feeling guilty. And so! Here are a few of my favorite things from the trip, and what I’m already looking forward to doing when we eventually get back to Jackson Hole, Teton Village and Grand Teton National Park.
The views from Wildflower Trail
My absolute favorite way to start the day is with a solo brisk walk, whether it’s on a beach or to the park or up a mountain. I love starting the day with a bit of exercise and a podcast: it really sets the tone for a healthy and productive day. And so I was in heaven waking up every morning in Teton Village and walking out the door and right up the mountain. Wildflower Trail was one of my favorites: there’s a pretty aggressive incline at the top, but so many of the trails intersect with each other so that you can go up one and down another. The trail lived up to its name, with switchbacks through several fields of wildflowers. It had the bonus of a very Instagrammable swing and some epic views over the valley. 
Lower Face Loop
One of the trails that intersected with the lower bit of Wildflower Trail was Lower Face Loop: if you’re looking for a pretty easy hike that still has some excellent views, this is it! One thing to remember on all trails in Jackson and surrounding areas is that they are very much still areas where wildlife thrives. Bring bear spray, make noise (consider adding a bell to your backpack) and always be very aware of your surroundings–whether it’s looking out for something potentially dangerous, like a bear or moose, or just to spot something adorable, like the doe and her two fawns that I spotted on the trail. Also highly recommend reading up on what to do when confronted with different types of wildlife before heading out! 
A sloshie at Piste
Sloshies are the summer drink of choice in Jackson Hole: the frozen boozy concoctions can be found everywhere from the local liquor store to the fanciest of restaurants. My favorite was at Piste Mountain Bistro: it was herbacious and refreshing, and went down a little toooo smoothly. I could have easily knocked back a few more–although I thik I would have been knocked out if I tried! The restaurant is perched on a mountainside, you can either hike up to it via the Wildflower Trail (after which you definitely deserve a drink!) or take the Bridger Gondola up from Teton Village (it’s free after 5pm!). My recommendation: make a reservation for just before sunset, enjoy the drinks and live music outside, and then head inside for an excellent dinner.
An early morning drive in Grand Teton National Park
One important thing to note when planning your days in Grand Teton National Park is that a lot of the main attractions have limited parking: to avoid disappointment, definitely recommend getting there early!
A hipster breakfast at Persephone
One of the things that really surprised me (even though it probably shouldn’t!) was how chic and trendy downtown Jackson Hole is–it’s obviously a popular destination for a jet-set crowd. At first glance, it seems like a Wild West town but it has a bunch of cafes and cocktail bars that would be just as at home in West Village. One of my favorites was Persephone Bakery: excellent coffees, and delectable baked goods and breakfast bowls.
A hike to Phelps Lake
There are a couple of options for Phelps Lake: there’s a pretty easy 7-mile loop trail that goes around the lake, but parking can be tricky. Luckily, our rental car had been upgraded to a Jeep–so we took advantage of having 4-wheel drive and did a little off-roading to park at Death Canyon. Instead of going to Patrol Cabin, we opted to do the switchbacks down to the lake and do an out-and-back–enjoyed some trail mix and water by the water, and then head back up. One of the highlights of the hike: we spotted a moose grazing on the hillside! It was the first time I had ever seen a moose in the wild, and I was surprised by how muscular it was.
A beer at the Mangy Moose
Mangy Moose is a total institution: the restaurant slash saloon slash live music venue has been open since 1967. It’s by no means a spot for culinary excellence, but it’s such a fun place to have a beer and dinner! It’s filled with all sorts of funky antiques and tchotchkes, which was perfect since I was sitting next to a 4-year-old: so many games of I Spy!
A boat ride across Jenny Lake
The Jenny Lake area is full of varied options for hiking, from some of the easiest (and super child-friendly!) options to more challenging hikes and spots to camp. There is a shuttle boat that goes back and forth across the lake, which makes a lot of the awesome hiking options across the lake a lot more accessible: it eliminates about a 2-mile hike back and forth to the Cascade Canyon Trailhead. And of course: it’s fun to be on a boat! 
A walk to Hidden Falls
The easiest hike right off the Jenny Lake shuttle: the walk to Hidden Falls! It’s a five-mile loop from the parking area (very limited! Go early!), but off the shuttle, it’s mayyyyyybe a mile loop? We did it with a four-year-old, and it was easy-peasy! Even if you do any other hiking from Cascade Canyon, worth it to pop off and see some nice falls! 
A more serious hike through Cascade Canyon
Cascade Canyon is a 9-mile out-and-back trail amid some serious scenery: you basically hike right through the Grand Tetons themselves. I actually think this would be an incredible place to camp for a night: something to put on the docket for our next trip!
A tram ride to the top of Rendezvous Mountain…
Unsurprisingly, I’m a big fan of trams: they’re like more useful Ferris wheels! The Jackson Hole Aerial Tram goes to the top of Rendezvous Mountain from the base of Teton Village, a casual increase of 4,149 vertical feet in 12 minutes. The views are outstanding the whole way up, and even more so at the top! That said, it is definitely A LOT colder and windier at the top than I expected: definitely wear warm clothes, even if you’re only planning on staying up there for a little bit.
…with waffles at the top
The most popular place to stop at the top of Rendezvous Mountain: waffles at Corbet’s Cabin! Even if you’re not too hungry, it’s still worth popping inside–you’ll need to warm up from the chill outside, and a hot chocolate is the best way to do it. And no matter what time of day it is, the waffles are a delicious sweet treat–I especially liked the one with lemon glaze!
A bike ride between Jackson Hole and Teton Village
Another really fun thing we did was rent bikes and ride from Teton Village into Jackson Hole: it’s about 14 miles each way, buuuuut it’s all pretty flat! There is a fairly new, recently paved and dedicated bike path next to the road that goes between the two–so it’s certainly an easy and accessible ride, even if it is long. This was my first time in a long time on a road bike, so let me just say: my bum was SORE the next day. But it’s tough not to enjoy the ride when you’re surrounded by so much gorgeous scenery! 
Acai bowls on the grass
After we biked into Jackson Hole, we wanted to stop and refuel with something healthy: we opted for acai bowls on the the front lawn at hb cafe and juicery. They have a bunch of Mexican blankets that you can grab and spread on the grass, aka easiest picnic setup ever. It was also so nice to be able to spread out and do a bit of a stretch in the shade after our bike ride!
Jackson Hole Farmers Market
Every Saturday morning, a farmers market pops up on the square in the heart of downtown Jackson. There’s plenty of fresh produce, meats, and baked goods to choose from, but my favorite by far was the elk antler dog chews. Gert was very pleased to get such a delicious souvenir to take home with her! Also just worth it to take a wander around downtown Jackson: it’s so cute!
The horses outside Teton Village
If you’re a horse fan: you gotta stop by the Teton Village sign and say hello to the horses that graze there. This was Gertie’s first time seeing a horse! And although I’m not a huge fan of riding horses, David’s sister and her husband did a horseback ride through the Wyoming back country and absolutely raved about it. If you’re into horses, definitely think it would be an amazing experience!
