People told me for years that Jackson Hole WY was the best mountain town in the United States. Let me tell you, this picture-perfect summer destination lives up to the hype. If you like your five-star restaurants with a side of cowboy culture and awe-inspiring nature, you need this Jackson Hole WY travel guide for an immediate summer vacation. I’ll give you the low-down on where to stay, where to eat, and all of the wonderful things to do in downtown and Grand Teton National Park.
Truthfully, I’ve had Jackson Hole WY on my travel bucket list for a hot minute. Between the travel to get there and the cost of hotel prices, I procrastinated booking our trip. Remember this episode of the Healthier Together Podcast where we learned the seven causes of procrastination? Good times, friends. Well, it helped me finally overcome mine, and I am SO glad that Zack and I got to experience Jackson Hole together this summer. If you can swing it, you have to go. It’s truly the best US summer vacation idea.
What’s a healthy travel guide?
I call my itineraries “healthy travel guides” because in every place that I visit, I seek out wellness and relaxation activities, note-worthy restaurants with nourishing foods (for the body AND the soul), and overall things to do that contribute to a happier, healthier life! And if you’re traveling with a partner, these healthy travel guides are guaranteed to make you feel healthier together.
If you have more recommendations on the best restaurants, bars, hotels, and things to do in Jackson Hole WY, share them in the comments! We can’t wait to go back.
Best restaurants in Jackson WY
- Persephone Bakery: the most recommended place to eat and with good reason. This café is a James Beard semi-finalist (casual) that uses old world fermentation techniques, traditional processes and high quality ingredients in their breads and pastries, which we loved both of. We also were big fans of their breakfast burrito.
- Picnic: If you’re looking for the perfect picnic lunch to take to the park and enjoy, pick up lunch at Persephone Bakery’s sister restaurant!
- Rations: this local’s spot is located in a gas station just outside of town, but worth it for the drive. It has the best bbq AND alcoholic slushies! You need this combo, especially after a big hike in the park.
- Coelette: this gorgeous restaurant had the best dinner and atmosphere of our whole trip in Jackson Hole. If you’re looking for one fancy night out, this is it. Their concept is “alpine food”, which translates to “creative dishes inspired by high mountain regions all over the world”. This restaurant is an absolute must if you’re seeking an elevated dinner experience.
- FIGS: this is the spot for award-winning Mediterranean and Lebanese food in downtown Jackson Hole. Their spices were incredible, and the hummus was heavenly (pictured below).
- Glorietta: this Italian restaurant serves up amazingly fun vibes (not your grandfather’s classic Italian) with delicious handmade pasta, creatively cooked vegetables, and entrees from their wood-fired oven.
- Healthy Being Organic Cafe and Juicery: the healthiest-ever menu of breakfast foods to ever grace my palate. They’ve got it all: the best green smoothies in town (with homemade nut milks), cold-pressed juices, acai bowls, breakfast toasts, buddha bowls, and wraps with cashew cheese. My personal favorite was the Mint Chip Green Smoothie, which I had basically every morning of our trip.
Things to Do in Jackson Hole WY
Ride bikes to Grand Teton National Park: one of the best parts about vacationing in Jackson is that the famous Grand Teton National Park is just a 10 minute drive from downtown. We recommend renting bikes in town and riding them into the park and back!
Hike the Tetons: If we had to choose, we’d say the two best hikes in Grand Teton (and the ones most recommended by the locals we met) were Delta Lake (hard, but gorgeous) and Cascade Canyon. Cascade Canyon is easy, but it is long—the good news, though, is that if a 10-mile hike isn’t your vibe, you can at least take the boat across Jenny Lake (pictured above) to the Cascade Canyon trailhead and walk a mile or two into the canyon. The views are very much worth it, and you can go as far as you want before turning back (I’d say as soon as you get to the river with canyon on both sides, you’ve seent eh best stuff)! (Zack in the canyon, pictured below)
Million Dollar Cowboy Bar: one of the most iconic bars in Jackson, and for good reason. There are tons of pool tables for playing, cowboy hats everywhere, and live music with country western dancing almost every night.
Stroll around town: downtown Jackson is straight out of a western film and surrounded by gorgeous mountains. Strut the boardwalks to shop the western boutiques or catch a ride on a horse and carriage!
Granite Hot Springs: while this hot springs is a bit of a drive from town, the Hidden Valley views are stunning the whole time. The pool itself is lovely and a great way to meet locals! Bring cash, and be sure to wander down the road to see the waterfall.
Take pictures at Mormon Row: This is an iconic photo spot with a old barns that provide a perfect foreground for views of the Tetons. Go at sunset or sunrise for the best shots.
Best hotels in Jackson Hole WY
Unless you’re skiing, I highly recommend staying in town, not Teton Village—you’ll be walking distance from all of the cute shops and restaurants and even closer to the national park. My two favorite hotels were Hotel Jackson and The Cloudveil.
The Cloudveil: This hotel blew me away. It has a gorgeous pool area (which is rare for an in-town Jackson property!!), and the chicest lobby I’ve ever seen (pictured above). They also have great sustainable touches throughout the hotel—for instance, they leave a metal water bottle in your room and have filtered water fill up stations on every floor to cut down on plastic use, which was SO nice (and the water tastes way better too). They also have snack stations with granola and other healthy treats on each floor, which I thought was such a nice touch. There’s often live music in the lobby and they have other fun events like Sunday rooftop yoga with the best studio in town. The location can’t be beat (it’s basically ON the main town square, so you can walk anywhere in town), and we also loved loved their restaurant, The Bistro, for breakfast and dinner.
Hotel Jackson: This was such a sweet property—it’s family-owned and has western mountain vibes with a super modern and elegant twist. The rooms have incredibly comfortable beds with the BEST bathtubs I’ve seen in a long time (including complimentary bath salts!) and beautiful balconies that overlook the mountains. It’s the type of hotel where the staff are SO kind and everyone knows your name, and the location is wonderful for walking around Jackson. Be sure to eat at least one dinner at FIGS, the Lebanese restaurant in the lobby, which has some of the best Middle Eastern fare I’ve tried.
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