Jackson Hole

I absolutely love Jackson. It sits at the foot of the valley known as Jackson Hole formed by the Tetons and the Gros Ventre Mountain range. It is a year round destination; skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports during the winter and a great base for hiking, horse riding, fishing, rafting, kayaking, mountain biking and other outdoor activity in the summer. Jackson is definitely a tourist town and it is easy to sneer at the kitsch and the commercialism but I love the vibrancy of the town and the setting as well as the fabulous access to the great outdoors. I am especially fond of the great outdoors when you can end your day with a tasty meal and a very comfy bed and this is what Jackson offers.

View of Jackson from Snow King

Jackson is the nearest settlement to the South Entrance and a great place to start your holiday. You can spend a few days enjoying Jackson, exploring the fabulous Grand Teton National Park whilst getting over your jet lag, and acclimatizing to the increase in altitude. There is a huge range of accommodation in Jackson itself or at the Snow King Resort which is an easy walk into the centre of Jackson. Teton Village is a short drive away from Jackson and has a range of accommodation and there are several campsites and many ranches in the area. Jackson Hole is not the best location from which to do day trips into Yellowstone as it takes more than an hour to drive to the South Entrance and then the additional time to get to whatever attraction you are interested in seeing.

Our top hotel picks – We recommend…

1) In downtown Jackson, the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa> has lovely, individual rooms with fabulously comfy beds, L’Occitane toiletries and free Wi-Fi.

2) The Wort Hotel is a lovely boutique hotel, also well located. It has spacious, comfortable rooms and a fabulous bar.

3) The  Inn on the Creek is fabulous B&B, that manages to be tranquil and secluded but within an easy walk of all the amenity of downtown Jackson. The rooms are large and comfortable, the garden and patio are great places to sit and relax and the breakfast is awesome.

4) The Grand Victorian Lodge is another great B&B choice, well located with comfortable rooms. The deluxe suites are particularly nice if you can stretch to one.

5) The Cowboy Village Resort is also in a great location close to downtown and this is an especially good option for families as it offers large cabins with kitchenettes. There are onsite barbeques for guests use, a swimming pool, laundry facilities and free Wi-Fi.

6) Finally, if you fancy a blow out, take a look at the Amangani. This is some way outside Jackson so is no good for wandering into town for a meal but it is an absolutely fantastic hotel and would be a great antidote to a back country hiking trip.

If you are travelling in a group or staying a while it is also worth checking out condo rental. We like HomeAway who have a great choice of accommodation in Jackson, from studios to 5 bedroom mansions.

Jackson Rodeo

In terms of amenity, Jackson has a wide range of restaurants, bars, shops, galleries, banks, a post office etc. It is a good place to shop for outdoor clothing and other gear with a couple of outfitters in town. Every summer evening at 6pm there is a live shootout in the town square, which I for one find highly entertaining. Even more so if I’ve managed to get a ringside seat on the balcony of the bar. There is a rodeo every Wednesday and Saturday night which is also a good evening out. If you are lucky enough to be in town for the Teton County Fair there will be a range of events at the fairground (where the rodeo is held), one of my favourites being pig wrestling which does have to be seen to be believed.

In the event of inclement weather, Jackson has a couple of cinemas and theatres as well as a live music scene. For listings try

http://www.jacksonholenet.com/entertainment/theatre_music.php