jackson hole recs — sofie lovett

lodging

in town (jackson)

year-round

cozy and central with a really cool indoor/outdoor pool. if you want to be at a proper hotel this is the place. super centrally located — town square is close and they offer a free shuttle.

rustic inn

warmer months

log cabin vibes, beautiful riverfront, fire pits. best in the warmer months for the full experience. so tranquil. right on the outskirts of town and close to town square.

bentwood inn

year-round

cozy lodge, outdoor space, intimate b&b setting. 15 minutes from the airport. great location outside of town. (and yes — this is where we're having a lot of our wedding events!)

diamond cross ranch

ranch experience

literal ranch. bougie cowboy. this is where celebs go. about 45 minutes outside of jackson proper but if you want the authentic ranch experience, this is it. incredible teton views. horses. a very good time.

honorable mentions (if you're bougie)

ultra luxe

four seasons teton village · amangani

haven't personally stayed at either but if you have the $ you won't be disappointed.

food & drink

dinner

million dollar cowboy steakhouse

year-round

classic jackson, touristy in the best way. do dinner here and then go to the bar upstairs afterwards.

steadfire chophouse

four seasons

upscale, great for groups. the wagyu cart is absolutely incredible — heavily, heavily recommend. great last night dinner to celebrate the trip. it's in the four seasons at teton village.

aurora

snow king

nice dinner, more modern. on top of snow king mountain so you take the gondola up (show your reservation). great for sunsets. if you get lucky you can see the aurora from here.

kampai

sushi

i know what you're thinking my fellow bay residents — but they have some interesting stuff. chef is from the bay and was a pro snowboarder. interior is gorgeous. rooftop in the summer.

casual / lunch

big hole bbq

casual

i have to go every single time i come. it's damn good bbq. being from texas, i know good bbq.

hand fire pizza

mid-upscale

really cool restaurant interior. my favorite pizzas in jackson. can get busy but well worth it.

pinky g's pizza

casual

by the slice. great quick option, very tasty standard greasy pizza.

persephone bakery

breakfast

more of a breakfast spot but an honorable mention.

mangy moose

teton village

they took all my favorites off the menu which i'm a little bitter about. has become a little more… mangy in recent years but still worth checking out when in the village.

bars & nightlife

cowboy bar

downtown

the classic — always a good time.

mangy moose

teton village

best for après ski.

stagecoach bar

wilson

dive bar, sunday night institution. about 15–20 minutes from downtown jackson.

winter activities

december – april

skiing / snowboarding — jackson hole mountain resort is incredible but the terrain is very challenging. not the place if you're just learning or like easy blues. snow king & grand targhee are also nearby.
snow tubing at snow king — great quick activity, then grab lunch at aurora on top of the mountain.
snowmobiling to granite hot springs — teton tour co. is my absolute favorite. ask for beau as your guide. the granite hot springs tour is truly life changing — easily top 3 experiences of my entire life. you snowmobile ~45 min to hot springs then take a dip. go between january–early march for the best conditions.
snowmobiling yellowstone — big bucket list one. save this for after you've snowmobiled before — these are longer tours (covering ~90 miles, all day).
dog sled tours — the guy who runs them treats his dogs incredibly well. will kind of transport you to alaska.
snowshoeing at taggart lake + morton barn — rent gear from teton mountaineering. if you go early season (nov–dec) you may not even need the snowshoes.
note: after ~nov 15th a big chunk of access to the lakes and yellowstone gets cut off. plan accordingly.

summer activities

june – september

yellowstone — of course!! can do in one day but two is better. thermal pools are always the standout — gotta see old faithful and grand prismatic. wake up early and get there as the sun is just starting to rise. you will thank me.
mormon row — the barns you always see in photos of the tetons. super cool historic spot, incredible mountain views.
elk preserve — right outside of town. so many elk it's incredible. horse tours go through here too.
hiking in grand teton national park — jenny lake is particularly beautiful. you can easily spend a whole day here.
atv/utv rentals — many options, you can't go wrong.
white water rafting on the snake river
horseback riding — many ranches & trails to choose from.
chuckwagon dinner — bar t 5 does a chuckwagon dinner where you ride in an oregon trail style cart then get dinner and a show. really fun if you're looking for an experience.
shopping on the town square — lots of touristy stuff but really fun. cool galleries. honorable mentions: spirits & spice, new west knifeworks, kemo sabe, pearls by shari, jackson hole jewelry co.
jackson hole rodeo
kelly warm springs — kind of ugly, don't swim in it, but it's a sentimental spot for me. continue down the road and you'll find the wedding tree. this is where our ceremony will be. :)

other tips

there is a whole foods and albertsons in town.

uber is very reliable in jackson and for getting between jackson and teton village.

you do in fact need to get / rent bear spray if you're going hiking.

don't be afraid to just drive around and see what you see.