Penguin Trampoline

Most lists of Yellowstone things to do include hikes, and this is usually our go-to. However, this time, we had to adjust our itinerary around boardwalks, overlooks, and short walks, as we were traveling with family.

This guide covers what we did and how hard each stop is, based on our two visits (one camping years ago, and another one in September 2026). For a day-to-day plan, see our Grand Teton and Yellowstone Itinerary for Non-Hikers.

The best Grand Teton hotels depend on which end of the park you want to wake up in. Grand Teton (USA), is a narrow park with a long road through it, and the gate towns are at very different spots along that road. Jackson is at the south end. Moran and Jackson Lake are at the north end. And on the far side of the mountains, in Idaho, Driggs and Victor sit a mountain pass away. Where you sleep decides how much of your trip you spend driving.

We visited Grand Teton as one full day on a highlights trip with Jake's parents, from a home exchange in North Driggs, Idaho.

This guide to hotels near the Grand Tetons in Wyoming goes around the park area by area, starting with a short note on lodging inside it. If you haven't planned your route yet, our Grand Teton and Yellowstone Itinerary for Non-Hikers shows how we fit both parks into a week.

The first thing to know about hotels by Yellowstone Park, USA, is that the park has no center, and is massive. It has five entrances, gateway towns in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, and a Grand Loop Road of about 142 miles. So, where you sleep decides how much of your trip you spend in the car.

We visited Yellowstone twice: on a camping trip, and as a highlights itinerary with Jake's parents, staying off the beaten path in Ennis, Montana.

This guide goes around the park entrance by entrance, starting with a short note on lodging inside it. If you haven’t planned your route yet, our Grand Teton and Yellowstone Itinerary for Non-Hikers shows how we linked both parks in a week.

We are big hikers and love to go off the beaten path… which is exactly why this itinerary has almost no hiking in it, and stays very much on the beaten track!

We spent a week between Yellowstone and Grand Teton, USA, traveling with Jake's parents, so our usual plan changed: no long trails, no climbing, nothing that needed boots. So we went for a route built from boardwalks, drive-up overlooks, and a couple of walks short and flat enough for almost anyone. It works for small children, older travelers, and most mobility needs, and where it doesn't, we say so.

Many Yellowstone and Grand Teton itineraries assume you will spend your days on trails (and I did go camping in Yellowstone many years ago). This one is based on car access and comfort. Here’s the full week, flying in and out of Bozeman, with two bases for the parks.