The elk refuge is also right near the town in the winter. They actually have thousands of elk that come down from the mountains in search of food when it snows. They feed the elk and provide sleigh rides where you can go out in the pasture and see the elk up close. There is also a museum you go through and see a video before you get on the sleigh. This is inexpensive and very interesting.

The town square in Jackson Hole is full of neat shops and restaurants. The four corners of the town square have elk-shed archways with Christmas lights. It looks really neat and there are some great places to take pictures. The parking can be difficult at times, though. The airport that serves the area is small but does allow commercial jets. You do not have the luxury of getting on and off the plane in a covered area, though, and there are delays at times due to wildlife being on the runway.

This is a really neat town and area. I hope to visit it again in the near future.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Once arriving, we received our keys and directions to our condo from the front desk, since we did arrive during the day. They were very nice and friendly and told us how to get to our condo.

We were in a one-bedroom, one-bath condo on the ground floor. Our condo had a bedroom that was fair-sized but not real big. It had a queen-size bed, nightstands, and a closet that had shelves. Our bedroom was the first door in the entranceway. Then there was the bathroom with a nice-sized vanity with drawers and cabinets for storage, a tub-shower unit, and washer and dryer. The washer and dryer were small, but it was wonderful to have them in a ski town. We used the washer and dryer several times since it snowed a lot and our clothes would get wet at times. The bathroom was also furnished with towels, wash clothes, soap, and shampoo. The next room was the kitchen. It was narrow but had plenty of room for us. It was equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, stove, and oven. It also had a coffeepot and all the dishes. Off to the side of it was a set of bunk beds. Next was the dining and living room. The dining was between the kitchen and living area in an open space. The living room had a sleeper sofa, television, chair, and fireplace, and then the windows actually were set up with a mattress, so it was like another bunk area. This would be a cheap way to sleep a large family.

The condos were not old, but they were also not new. I would say they have like a 10-year look. A quick walk from the condo was the clubhouse area that had a full gym and hot tubs. They offered indoor and outdoor hot tubs. I love to sit in an outdoor hot tub and watch the snow.

We also had a problem while there: locking our key in the condo. The door stayed locked unless you unlocked it. We did this early one morning before a snowmobile trip and before the office opened. We were afraid that we would miss our trip. We walked to the office to the emergency phone and they quickly sent someone to unlock our door. We made the trip fine.

I would stay in this condo again.

This was a very nice hotel located in the town of Jackson. It is not located downtown, though, so you still have to drive to most things. It was 8 miles from the Jackson Hole airport. The hotel has a western look it is in logs and has bear statures all around the outside. The lobby area is really nice warm and inviting and the staff was very nice and friendly. The hotel room was roomy, with a sitting area. We got a room with two beds, a sitting area with a TV and then a bathroom. The room had more space than the normal hotel. They bathroom was also nice sized and they provided robes for everyone to use while in the hotel. The towels were very nice, thick and soft unlike some hotel towels. They had a turndown service every night and they also provided mints when they turned down the beds. They also did a good job of cleaning our room daily. Our room also had a coffee maker and microwave.

The hotel had a bar area that also had nightly appetizers so you could unwind after a long day of skiing. The appetizers were free to the guests and varied each night. We really enjoyed sitting in this area and having a drink and a snack while visiting with the bar tender or other guests. They had a very nice and friendly bar tender that got everyone talking and having a good time. This same bar area was the breakfast area in the morning. They have a complimentary breakfast daily that included scrambled eggs with ham and sausage, hash browns, cereal, bagels, toast, juice, and coffee. You also got a complimentary newspaper. There was an indoor and outdoor heated pool, hot tubs, and steam room. They had an exercise room and video arcade. There was a laundry room.

The hotel did not actually have a restaurant but there was one right across the parking lot called the Gun Barrel Steakhouse. We walked and ate there one night and it was really good. This was better than any other Best Western I have stayed in. The hotel was in good condition and was not rundown at all. I would defiantly stay in this hotel during a future trip to Jackson Hole.

The restaurant is located in the ski area and is within walking distance for the ski lifts. The menu has some really good options of American food and seafood. Most of my group ordered a steak, but I ordered the Alaskan king crab legs. We all had a great meal. The staff was all friendly and the service was good and quick. This is a nice place I would love to try again soon.

This is a very nice restaurant in a basement area. The floor you enter on is a large bar with pool tables and televisions. The bar stools are actually old horse saddles. It is a really neat-looking place. Then you take a set of stairs down to the actual restaurant. There was no noise heard from the bar above, and it was really a fancy, romantic place.

The food and service were both very good. I would recommend it and return again. The staff was very friendly and fast. The tables were very nice, with nice dinnerware and cloth napkins. The staff would quickly remove the plates after you finished an item, so there was never a clutter on your table. They were also very good to refill your drinks quickly.

This would be a great place for a romantic dinner. I wanted to visit this restaurant during my honeymoon, but they were closed during this part of December, as it was between their busy seasons.

We were staying in the Best Western Lodge and this restaurant was located just across the parking lot, so it was very convenient and we walked. The restaurant is just about a mile from the Jackson town square.

The restaurant is in a former taxidermy museum and has a Western log look. It is full of many game trophies and different items. All the tables and chairs are in an old wood look and there is plenty you can see on the walls from any table in the room. The restaurant has a full bar.

During our trip to the restaurant, we were seated and given our menus quickly. The menu has starters that include: Venison Bratwurst, Fried Green Tomatoes, Bison Carpaccio, Snake River Potato Boats, Firebrand Shrimp Skewer, and Grilled Caribou Wrap. They also have salads and soups that include: French Onion Soup, Field Greens, Fresh Spinach Leaf Salad, Caesar Salad, Chicken Caesar Salad, and Salmon Salad.

The dinners are served with vegetables and a choice of garlic mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, or wild rice. The entrees include: Rib eye, elk, Tenderloin, Prime Rib, Classic Strip, Elk Chop, Buffalo Ribs, Buffalo Sirloin, T-Bone, Mixed Game Grill, Baby Back Ribs, Roast Pork Medallion, Trout, Mesquite Chicken, and Salmon. They also serve the following dessert choices: Fruit Cobbler, Apple Pie, Bread Pudding, Chocolate Cake, Cheesecake, and Crème Brulee.

We all ordered something different and everyone’s meal was really good. The service was also good and the staff was friendly. I would visit this restaurant again on a future trip. It is definitely an interesting place with good food.

Our trip started out by them picking us up at our condo and taking us to a restaurant where we were offered a breakfast buffet that was already included in the price of the trip. Next we were fitted with our outerwear clothing and boots. Then we got back on the bus and they took us up to the entrance of the park. At this time we were given the option of going in for a bathroom break and then got on our snowmobiles and started the tour. It was a guided tour, and we had a very good guide who worked well with everyone and was very knowledgeable about the park.

During our trip, we made several stops seeing different things. We saw lakes, waterfalls, wild life, geysers, and Old Faithful. The views were the ones that will always be stuck in your head. We also saw where the fire had come though the park, and vegetation was growing back. We got to walk on trails to see sights up closer and take pictures. We were not rushed and had a wonderful experience.

We ate a packed lunch at Old Faithful and then went back seeing more sights. It was a day trip and wonderful. I was worried about getting cold, but they gave you warm outer suites, helmets, boots, and gloves that keep you very warm. I prefer riding alone, but you also have the option of riding doubles. It is cheaper to ride doubles but harder to steer the machine, and it can be pretty rough at times for the back person. The trail we were on was actually the road during the summer, so it was a nice wide trail, but got rough toward the end of the day because of all the snowmobile traffic. You also were given lessons on driving the machines and hand signals for stopping, slowing down, and turning. You do have to be a licensed driver to be allowed to drive. The machines are very easy to drive.

This is a trip I hope to be able to make again one day!

The Jackson Hole Ski area is located about 8 miles from the town. It does have a lot of things built around it, though. There are lots of condos and restaurants in the ski area or close by. The area has a Western or cowboy theme in the buildings. The area is not the largest I have been to, but also not the smallest. It is a nice medium size. The lifts all seem nice and the lines are usually pretty short. They have good instructions and offer lessons. I took an intermediate group lesson during one day of my trip and felt it was really worth it. They worked well with the entire group and my skiing had improved when the day was finished. They also offer dining choices on the mountain and at the base.