Where Every Nature Lover Should Visit Once in Their Lifetime

Our first-ever guest guide, the only Sephora sale rec I have, and the best adult-only summer camps.

Apr 16, 2026

A warm welcome to new faces here, courtesy of Chelsea Fagan; thank you for being here! Departure is the weekly travel newsletter focused on slow travel, quiet travel, and travel for women.

As part of my community-based ethos, I shared earlier this year that we’d launch guest guides. These enable me to spotlight other women travelers from around the globe—some are reporting on places I’ve never seen before, while others share their favorites from popular tourist destinations. Every guest who writes a guide is compensated for their time, made up in part by our paid subscribers. It’s a community I’m very proud of—the gift that keeps on giving within this beautiful ecosystem.

For our first-ever guest guide, I’m thrilled to share Erica Aarons; I don’t know when we first got in touch, but we’ve been longtime online friends, and she’s an incredible writer, skier, and marketing expert. The destination she chose—Jackson Hole, WY—is one I’ve only tangentially touched by way of Bozeman, MT and Yellowstone, but after seeing the resources she so thoughtfully put together (and to be honest, the photos she shared), it’s moved to the top of my list.

Before getting into her full guide below, I asked why this destination matters so much to her, and why it might be a good fit for Departure, and I really loved her answer:

“My first visit to Jackson was in 2014 on a ski trip. By the next summer, I had moved there for a summer job, and then a “gap-winter” to ski bum and work. I landed back in the Tetons permanently after my final year of Undergrad thinking I’d take a year or two to “get it out of my system,” but never left.

When you think of Jackson Hole, you probably think of billionaires, cowboys, or both. The great news for Departure readers is that Jackson is great for both the budget and the luxury traveler. The Four Seasons will run you over $2,000/night during the summer high season; however, there are also affordable campgrounds or even free dispersed campsites that give you unobstructed Teton views.”

Setting the Stage

97% of all land in Teton County, Wyoming is public and owned by the federal government, meaning it’s restricted from development. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—which includes Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole area—is one of the largest ecosystems in the world. This is what makes the area so special—it’s home to wildlife, thousands of miles of trails, biodiversity, and so much more.

But wait, what’s the difference between Jackson Hole and Jackson? Jackson Hole refers to the entire area, encompassing Grand Teton National Park, the town of Jackson, and the other small towns in valley (including Teton Village, Wilson, and Hoback). Jackson is where you’ll find most of the lodging, shops, and restaurants.

I recommend visiting Jackson during the summer/early fall (mid-June through September), or winter (late December through March). The remaining months (April, May, October, November) are what we call “mud season.” You can score some great deals on lodging, but many of the activities that you’d like to do while you’re here are inaccessible due to snow (but not enough snow to do winter activities), and weather is inconsistent.

Where to Stay

Remember how I said 97% of all land is public? With nowhere in proximity to expand, real estate in Teton County is extremely expensive. To keep housing available for residents and local workers, there are restrictions on short-term rentals—meaning you won’t find many options on Airbnb.

The town of Jackson is pretty small; there are dozens of options that you can’t go wrong with. In the summer, you’ll be looking at ($400–$800+/night) on average in town. During the winter, the same spot will run you ($200–$400+/night) on average.

If you come to ski, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is about 12 miles north of Jackson in Teton Village. There are only a handful of options—including the Four Seasons and Caldera House if you’re looking to splurge. You can’t beat being ski-in and ski-out in the winter, and it’s a quiet, mountainside retreat in the summertime. There are fewer restaurants in Teton Village, so keep that in mind if you choose to stay here, but the town of Jackson is only a 12-mile drive away!

Lastly, if you’re adventurous, camping in the summertime is an amazing way to take in the Tetons in their entirety. There are hundreds of options so I won’t get into them here, but I’ll leave you with a sunset view from camp one summer…

Where to Eat & Drink

For being such a small town, there are so many dining options, and surprisingly a lot of variety!

Bin22 is a great dinner spot for wine lovers and tapas enthusiasts. There are plenty of vegetarian options as well, including my favorite—the Wild Mushroom Mozzarella. With an extensive attached bottle shop, enjoy a bottle with dinner (and no corkage fee).
For coffee and a pastry or quick lunch, don’t skip Persephone Bakery. Next door, Healthy Being Cafe has fresh juices, salads, and smoothie bowls.
Ride the gondola at Snow King Mountain from town and enjoy a one-of-a-kind summit dining experience with Teton Views at Aurora.
Sushi? In Wyoming? Hear me out—fresh fish is flown in daily. I recommend King Sushi and Kampai (Kampai’s Executive Chef landed here by way of Nobu).
Also file under cuisine you don’t expect to be good in Wyoming: I love Thai Plate and Teton Thai Teton Village.
For a more traditional “Wyoming” dinner, both Local and Snake River Grill are great options.
And lastly, rapid fire of a few other spots I love as this list could go on forever! Hand Fire Pizza, Nora’s (for breakfast), Glorietta’s (Italian), The Bird (burgers), Creekside (made-to-order deli sandwiches perfect for a picnic).

What to Do

If you were to google “what to do in Jackson Hole,” you’d get a long list of thrill-seeking activities like whitewater rafting, skiing/snowboarding, horseback riding, snowmobiling, dog sledding, paragliding, via ferratas, mountain biking—the list goes on. Here are some quieter ways to enjoy the Tetons, perfect for slow travel.

A Morning in Grand Teton

During the summer, Grand Teton National Park can get busy during the day. Beat the crowds by starting early! Catch the sunrise (it’s eaaaarlly in the summer but so so worth it); I recommend posting up at Schwabacher Landing, Snake River Overlook, or Moulton Barn.

After sunrise, you’ll head into the heart of the park. For some activity, the hike to Phelps Lake is mostly flat and about two miles round trip from Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve Trailhead as an out and back route. You can make it longer by walking along the lake, and turning around when you’re ready to head back. I recommend the North Side of the lake!

If you’re not up for a hike, head to String Lake. You’ll be early enough to get a parking spot 50 steps from the water to enjoy the views, read on a picnic blanket, or even take a dip in the chilly alpine lake. There are also some mellow hiking trails if you’d like to walk around a bit. As the crowds roll in, you can head back into town or explore more of the park by car.

Art & Culture

There are over 25 art galleries in Jackson, plenty to spend an afternoon walking around town taking it all in. You can find a gallery guide here. Just a couple of miles north of Jackson is the National Museum of Wildlife Art: “Featuring work by prominent artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Robert Kuhn, John James Audubon, and Carl Rungius, the Museum’s unsurpassed permanent collection chronicles much of the history of wildlife in art from 2500 B.C.E. to the present.” Plus, their outdoor sculpture trail is open to the public and great for kids.

Throughout the summer, there are Farmer’s Markets every week featuring local farmers, food vendors, artists and more. Several pop-up art fairs take over greenspaces in town throughout the summer, so keep an eye out for what’s going on while you’re in town!

The coolest concert venue you’ve never heard of sits atop Snow King Mountain and requires a gondola ride to reach the summit. For summer 2026, musical guests include The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, Greggory Alan Isakov, and many more.

Slow Adventure

A few additional ways to enjoy the scenery, Departure-style.

Reserve a soak at Astoria Hot Springs Park
Ride the Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Take a sleigh ride on the National Elk Refuge (winter only)
Rent a bike from Hoback Sports and ride hundreds of miles of pathways (I recommend riding north from town for Teton Views!)
Take a wildlife tour to explore Grand Teton National Park. I’ve taken one with Eco Tours, but there are many great companies to choose from.
Take a daytrip into Yellowstone National Park. It’s too big to cover the entire park in a day, but you can visit the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Old Faithful Geyser, and Grand Prismatic on the south end of the park in a day. Plus whatever bonus wildlife sightings accompany your trip!

Final Notes

Check the weather! If you’re visiting in the summer, evenings still get very cool, so a jacket or sweater is recommended when the sun goes down.
There are buses between the town of Jackson and Teton Village, as well as Ubers and Taxis. Uber isn’t the most reliable option for things like an early morning airport ride, but it’s definitely improving. If you’re looking to explore Grand Teton National Park, visit Yellowstone, or pretty much anything outside of the Town of Jackson, I strongly encourage you to rent a car.
Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone require a National Parks Pass. It’s about $35/day or $80 for a year-long unlimited “America The Beautiful” pass. If you’re planning on visiting more national parks, or both Yellowstone and Grand Teton over multiple days I recommend the “America The Beautiful” pass. You can purchase these when you enter the park.

Have questions or other recommendations? Erica will be coming back in the next few weeks to answer any comments, or you can message her privately on Substack. Erica, thank you so much again for your time and effort here—as an indoor cat, even I am inspired to visit Jackson Hole in the coming months. 💌

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