Vacation to Jackson Hole, Wyoming: 4 Amazing, Fun Filled Days

Drew and I just got back from an amazing 4 day trip to Jackson, Wyoming. It was a trip that was canceled twice, but we finally decided it was time to go out west to visit my mom and spend time in one of the most beautiful places in the United States.

Our original plans were set for the end of March 2020 to go spring skiing (literally the week after Covid swept the nation). Then we planned for all four of us to travel out west in September, but got cold feet about flying with toddlers during Covid. After debating and deliberating SO much (seriously, way too much!), we decided to fly out in October just Drew and me. Both sets of our parents agreed to watch the kids, which was AMAZING and allowed the boys to have special time with their grandparents.

Drew and I arrived to Jackson on Saturday morning. Mom greeted us with big hugs and we set off to Dornan’s for a bite to eat with an amazing view of the Snake River. Following lunch, we ventured all over Teton National Park. It was a beautiful day with the highs in the 70’s. Following our drive around the park, we settled into my mom’s house before walking downtown. My mom lives within walking distance to downtown and many hiking trails, it seriously is the perfect location!

We made a few stops and mom showed us a lot of cool things along the way, it was a wonderful start to our trip. On Sunday, we woke up to SNOW!! It was so pretty to see fresh snow on the ground and hard to believe that hours before it was in the 70’s. We took advantage of the beautiful day to trek around Yellowstone. Driving up to Yellowstone was like driving through a winter wonderland. We stopped to see the hotspots and even saw a family of Elk sunbathing a few yards away from a walking path!

On the drive back from Yellowstone, we saw a herd of bison on the side of the road. It was probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen! We also saw a moose right outside of town. It was probably the most impressive morning ever. After the ride back into town, we stopped at StillWest for a burger and beer before heading back to mom’s. I went on a quick jog around town while Drew took a nap–the glorious benefits of a child-free vacation.

Monday morning, we woke up to a very cold and dreary day. We made the most of the day by going on a 6 mile hike on the Cache Creek trail near my mom’s house. Following our hike, Drew and I hit the town for a little shopping and brewery hopping. We went to Snake River Brewery, which has an amazing ambiance and great beer selection. Following a little bit of shopping, we stopped at Copper River which has Drew’s favorite beer. It was a great afternoon, despite the lack-luster weather. That evening, we went to dinner at the Gun Barrel where they have a selection of unique game meat. Drew and I both had bison while mom ordered elk. It was fun and delicious to try new food 🙂

Tuesday was another not-so great weather day, but we made the most of it. Drew, mom and I went on another 6 mile hike near Cache Creek. With bear spray in hand, we ventured to a higher point on the trail. Honestly, I was scared that a moose or bear would come by–but thankfully, we were safe! Following our hike, Drew went to shoot guns with one of mom’s friends while mom and I had some girl time. We did a little shopping and a lot of talking. I haven’t seen my mom in 10 months and it was amazing to catch up in person! We stopped at Creekside Deli for a sandwich, before meeting up with Drew.

Tuesday evening, we met up with my cousin, who is in town for a couple of months, at StillWest Brewery (by far my favorite spot: it has a huge front porch that overlooks Snow King Mountain). Following dinner, we went to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar for some live music before walking home.

Wednesday morning, Drew rented a bike through Jackson’s bike program, START, and I borrowed mom’s bike. We rode about 8 miles through town seeing different sights and exploring the town by bike. It was a gorgeous day and so fun to get outside before our flight home. Following our bike ride, mom took us up a mountain by the Elk Refuge. Honestly, we got a little lost and ended up a very steep mountain with the most incredible view I have ever seen. It was absolutely breathtaking and well worth the sketchy journey up the mountain 🙂

We had a few minutes before our plane was set to depart, so we hopped into a couple of shops and grabbed a coffee before heading to the airport. It was a fantastic trip and a time for Drew and I to recharge our batteries. I HIGHLY recommend Jackson Hole as a must-go place to visit. It is seriously one of the most beautiful places on earth and there is so much to do, even during the off season. I cannot wait to plan our next trip out west and hopefully it will include skiing or all four of us traveling out there or both!