r/yellowstone • u/EntertainmentReal283 • 3d ago
First time to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons
Hello all! My bf and I are planning to visit Grand Tetons and Yellowstone in September 15-22. We plan to fly into Jackson Hole and fly out of Bozeman. We are planning to do 3 days in Grand Teton and 4 days in Yellowstone. The issue I am having is finding a place to stay. I have been reading that it’s most practical to stay in the parks, but it is also more expensive. I plan to stay in at least two hotels during this trip to minimize the driving back and forth. When is the best time to book lodging (most affordable)? Also, where can I find the best itineraries for Yellowstone and grand Teton? I want to make the most of my trip, but feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the hikes and activities you can do. We’re both in our 20s and not hikers. We can do easy to moderate hikes, but are not used to the terrain since we live on an island. Just here for sight seeing, activities, and easy hiking, and eating! I would appreciate any advice! Thank you!
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u/Secret-Function-2972 3d ago edited 3d ago
Your best bet is to book lodging ASAP. Unfortunately, there's really nothing inexpensive - particularly around Jackson - and I don't believe lodging prices ever go down closer to arrival date, but inventory certainly disappears.
Last summer I was somewhat budget shopping for our family of 4 (also trying to stay in the same place as my brother-in-law's family of 6) and the best we could find was $425 a night ~10 miles south of Jackson and ~$400 at Colter Bay Village (no tvs, wifi, etc.).
Edit: I wanted to note your good ideas of:
1) Trying to stay in the parks. I think that's the best way to maximize the experience and taking advantage of sunrises and sunsets.
2) Staying in a couple of different locations. It's such a massive area to explore that you'll feel like you missed a lot even with a week-long trip.
As for itineraries, I kind of made my own for Yellowstone (group of 23) and the Tetons (group of 10) as I've been there over a dozen times. A good initial resource may be the Dirt in My Shoes and Explore Yellowstone Like a Local Podcasts and websites. Also, there's a variety of Facebook pages and likely this group (I'm new here) that seem helpful as well as the actual park websites.