10 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Trip to Jackson, Wyoming (2024)

Jackson, Wyoming is famous for being an Old West town in the Jackson Hole Valley. It’s most often visited together with Grand Teton National Park.

Don’t miss out on the best that Jackson has to offer! Here are my top ten things to do in and around Jackson, Wyoming.

1. Grand Teton National Park

By far the main attraction in the Jackson Hole Valley, Grand Teton National Park receives over 3 million visitors per year.

It’s famous for the Teton mountains which are highlighted by The Three Teton peaks. The mountain range can be seen virtually anywhere from the Jackson Hole Valley floor.

• Visiting Grand Teton and need a game plan? Check out our itinerary.

It’s open in the summer and the winter.

2. Teton Village

About 15 minutes away from Jackson, Teton Village is a famous and expensive ski resort.

But if you visit in the summer, there are so many affordable things you can do in Teton Village:

• Disc golf (free).
• Mountain bike (and even use the ski lift to carry you and your bike to the top!).
• Trampolines for the kids.
• Rock climbing wall for the kids.
• Real rock climbing (guided tours for beginners available).
• Eat or drink at the Mangy Moose or many other restaurants at the bottom of Teton Village.
• Ride the Gondola to the top (free after 5 pm) and eat at the top of the mountain.
• Stargazing tours (free and paid)
• The Grand Teton Music Festival performs classical music.

While not part of Teton Village per se, you can also Golf at nearby Shooting Star or Teton Pines.

Depending on when you’re visiting, you can check out the summer map or the winter map of Teton Village.

3. National Elk Refuge

The National Elk Refuge borders the town of Jackson and Grand Teton National Park.

Winter

This is best visited during the winter when you can take a sleigh ride to see the many elk who have gathered for the winter.

Summer

In the summer, it’s mostly birds and scenery. The best way to do it is to stop at the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center on the edge of town. You’ll get nice views of the Snake River, the valley, and the mountains. And you’ll learn a thing or two!

If you’re up for a little drive, you can visit the Historic Miller Ranch as well.

4. Town Square

Visiting the Town Square in the middle of Jackson is a MUST DO. Here are things you can do at the Town Square:

• The famous Elk Antler Arches are on all 4 corners of the town square and also serve as entrances to the park. EVERYONE gets their picture taken at the arches, which are collected by the Boy Scouts from the nearby National Elk Refuge.
• The Jackson Veterans Memorial honors everyone who served in any war from Jackson Hole.
• Plaques to George Washington and John Colter. The park is actually named the George Washington Memorial Park (although no one calls it that). John Colter was a famous mountain man and possibly the first European to see Yellowstone and the Tetons.
• Town Shootout. The free Town Shootout is performed every day but Sunday (no killin’ on Sundays!) during the summer. It’s located on the northeast corner of the Town Square; just look for the crowds gathering around 6 pm.
• Moo’s Ice Cream. Located just north of the same corner as the shootout is Moo’s Ice Cream. We knew it was good when we saw the long line.
• Million Dollar Bar. Located across the street to the west of the Town Square. See below.
• Stagecoach rides. Pay for this and board the horses on the south side of the Town Square. These are affordable carriage rides through Jackson Hole Stagecoach.

5. River Rafting

The Snake River is WORLD FAMOUS for its river rafting. There are two kinds of river rafting you can do in Jackson Hole:

Calm Floats

Some of these go through Grand Teton National Park and some of them also offer dinner.

White-Water Rafting

These trips are for those who are a little more adventurous. They go on Class 3 water rapids (on a 1-5 scale). Families can do it, but you might not want to bring the little ones.

You can book either of these or even a combination, through Jackson Hole Whitewater or many other companies in the area.

• Do you want to know more about river rafting? Read our article

6. Million Dollar Bar

One of the most iconic images of Jackson is the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, with the bucking bronco on top.

This bar has a long history of live country music. People like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings have performed here.

It was recently purchased and renovated by the Silver Dollar Bar. It’s a beautiful place to visit and you can even sit on saddles at the bar.

It’s located right next to the Town Square.

• Find out The Best Places to Eat in Jackson Hole, WY.

7. Silver Dollar Bar & Wort Hotel

Here’s another historic place to get a drink.

The Silver Dollar Bar is so named because it has over 2,000 silver dollars embedded in the bar.

It’s part of the gorgeous Wort Hotel (book here), which was built in the English Tudor Style, an interesting contrast to the Old West theming of the rest of the town.

• Read our article on lodging options in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

8. Jackson Hole Rodeo

The Jackson Hole Rodeo has been running for 120 years! We love these small-town rodeos because they usually don’t last too long and they are very informal and fun.

They usually allow the kids to come into the arena for a game during the rodeo.

I haven’t been to this rodeo yet, but it’s on my bucket list.

• Rodeos are one of the 14 Things to Know Before Visiting Wyoming!

9. National Museum of Wildlife Art

I know, I know, you came here to see real wildlife, not wildlife art. But hear me out: this is an amazing place!

The National Museum of Wildlife Art has a goal to own the largest collection of wildlife art in the world.

If you do nothing else, stop here to see the FREE Sculpture Trail outside. It offers a nice little walk through gorgeous wildlife sculptures with views of the National Elk Refuge below.

10. Granite Hot Springs

Located about an hour south of Jackson is Granite Hot Springs, which offers:

• Granite Hotel Springs Pool. You can soak here for ~$12/adult and ~$7/kids (bring cash!). There is only one changing room, so they encourage you to wear your swimsuit to the facility.
• Granite Falls. It’s a short walk to this nice little waterfall.
• Granite Creek Campground. A first-come, first-served campground is located here with 51 campsites.

Granite Hot Springs is just one of the many camping options in the Grand Teton area.

BONUS: Look for Moose!

Jackson Hole is famous for moose! These incredible animals are found all over the Jackson Hole Valley.

Jackson Hole is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). The GYE is the best place in the lower 48 states for viewing wildlife.

If you’re visiting Jackson, Grand Teton, or Yellowstone, we have a great plan for you to see more wildlife.

We’ve seen moose, bison, antelope, elk, fox, deer, and more on our many trips to Jackson, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone.

We have a detailed itinerary that gives you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to the best places at the right times!

But that’s not all! Our itinerary includes a free audio guide to listen to while driving with over 3-hours of stories about the park!