My husband and I fell in love with the National Parks on our trip to Yosemite National Park in 2016 and from there, we decided we would make it a tradition to travel to a National Park every year! This year, we visited Acadia National Park in June as our "mini-moon" and from there booked a 9 day trip to visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks for our actual honeymoon later in the year. We just got back, had an absolute blast, and I have decided to share our itinerary for inspiration to others for either their own honeymoon, or a vacation to these beautiful two parks! Let me know about your trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone in the comments, I would love to hear about it!
Time of year we traveled - early September. Temperatures were around 45F in morning and up to 86F during the day (Tetons) and 35F in the mornings in Yellowstone. Benefits of early September: park not as crowded (busiest months June - mid August) and you can experience Teton Village and Jackson, WY during their off season.
Day 2 - Death Canyon, Phelps Lake - Wake up early and pack up. Head straight to Jenny Lake to grab a campsite, these spots fill up quick! Usually before 9am. Either cook breakfast at your new campsite or pull over at a beautiful picnic area to have a breakfast with a view! After breakfast head to the Grand Teton Visitors Center, watch the park video. Head to Death Canyon Trailhead. Drive to the end of the dirt road or if you do not have 4 wheel drive then park before (1 mile to trailhead). Hike the 1 mile to Phelps Lake overlook. If you are feeling up to it, hike down to the bottom of Phelps Lake to eat your lunch. Make your way back up and head back to camp for a dip in Jenny Lake before dinner. Visit Jenny Lake store to restock on ice or other necessities.
Day 3 - Jenny Lake - wake up early, eat breakfast and pack up, drive your car over to the Jenny Lake parking lot since you won't be back in time for check out (11am). Take a boat across Jenny Lake (rumor is if you take the first boat across, 7am, it is only 5$ cash). Hike to Hidden Falls, Lower Inspiration Point, and Inspiration Point. Head back over the lake. Head towards Colter Bay and stop at a picnic sight for lunch. Grab a campsite at Colter Bay (usually fills up between 12-3). Set up camp and take a dip in the gorgeous Jackson Lake. Colter Bay also has showers, laundry, grocery store, gas station, and restaurant.
Day 4 - Old Faithful - Wake up, eat breakfast, pack up, and head to Yellowstone National Park! Stop at Grant Village Visitors Center to check what time Old Faithful will erupt next and watch the park videos. Head over to Old Faithful, if you have time, hike the overlook, much less crowded and in my opinion, a better view! Take your time around the boardwalks in Old Faithful. Head back in the car and make sure to stop at Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin, and Grand Prismatic (my favorite!). The hike to the Grand Prismatic overlook is so worth it! Head West towards West Yellowstone, MT and stay at the 320 Guest Ranch in Gallatin Gateway, MT. About 1 hour away from the park, this ranch was an absolute dream after three nights of camping. Make a reservation at their steakhouse (alone maybe one of the most memorable parts of our honeymoon with their 24oz bone in ribeye that was the absolute best steak we ever had in our whole lives!), take a dip in the jacuzzi, shower, and sleep beautifully in a bed!
Day 5 - Norris, Mammoth, Grand Canyon - Wake up early and eat a quick breakfast at the ranch. On your way back to the West Entrance of Yellowstone, stop in West Yellowstone to stock up on groceries. Make your first stop on the park loop at Norris Geyser Basin. Get back on the road and head North to Mammoth Hot Springs. Eat lunch in the grass across from Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Spend some time checking out Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. Head back on the road through Tower-Roosevelt to Canyon Village. Right after Canyon Village you will see an entrance for the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Pull in and trust me, the hike down to the overlook is so worth it! If you are lucky, grab a camping site at Canyon Village. If they are full, head south to Bridge Bay to camp the night. While driving in the Hayden Valley area this day we saw a massive bison herd!
Day 6 - Mt. Washburn - Fishing Bridge -West Thumb - If you wake up early enough, hike Mt. Washburn in the morning after you eat breakfast and pack up. Head south to Fishing Bridge and check out the Lake Butte Overlook. Head back on the loop and make one last stop in Yellowstone at West Thumb Geyser Basin. Head back through Grand Teton, stopping somewhere pretty for lunch like Jackson Lake (picnic at Colter Bay). Take the park loop towards Moran Junction and south on 89/191 along the Snake River to see the other side of the Grand Teton Park Loop. End your drive at Snake River Resort and Spa and enjoy the rest of your day relaxing in the pools, hot tubs, and saunas. Treat yo self and book a massage for the next day. For dinner, take the gondola up the mountain and have a drink and appetizers at Piste. Come back down the gondola and have dinner in Teton Village.
Day 7 - Spa Day - Jackson, WY - Grab breakfast at the hotel and enjoy the spa one last day. Each locker room has a large jacuzzi, sauna, eucalyptus steam room, and rain showers. After all the hiking and camping, you totally deserve this. After your spa day, have a small lunch and head to Jackson to check into your next hotel. We stayed at the Modern Mountain Hotel, walking distance to everything and an adorable modern design. Walk around and explore downtown Jackson. Grab a brew at Snake River Brewery and don't miss the infamous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, a popular stop during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in mid-August. Have dinner downstairs at the Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse first, then head upstairs for live music in the bar. Jackson is also the home to multiple Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives joints, so if meat isn't your thing, there are so many good food choices.
Day 8 -Salt Lake City - Wake up and grab breakfast in Jackson. We had a lovely organic breakfast at Lotus on N Cache Street (also featured on DDD), my first matcha all week! Head back to Salt Lake City for the rest of the day and evening, we stayed at the Homewood Suites Salt Lake City Downtown. Being foodies, we ate dinner at Maxwell's East Coast Eatery, where their 10oz meatball and chicken parm has been featured on DDD. Holy moly this was the best italian food I have had since I lived in Italy 7 years ago! Great place to grab a drink and watch a football game if I may add!
Day 9 - Big Cottonwood Canyon - Temple Square - Travel Day - Our last day of our honeymoon we booked a red eye so we could use one last full day to explore. We ate breakfast at another DDD spot, Ruth's Diner on Emigration Canyon Road and drove through SLC to explore. Don't miss driving through the University of Utah campus and having a view of the Rice-Eccles Stadium, Go Utes! Head towards Solitude Mountain Resort for a stunning drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon in Wasatch National Forest. We stopped at the resort, during its off season, and got to take the chairlift up the mountain for free! Another cool spot in SLC is Temple Square, especially if you are into architecture. Before we headed to the airport, we stopped at Vive Juicery Downtown and got some Immunity shots and green juice!
I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into our magical honeymoon and feel inspired to travel to a National Park yourself! Feel free to follow this itinerary as much as you would like, all the hikes were moderate and we are newbie campers so this trip is perfect for all skill levels! Thanks so much for reading! -Amanda
Day 9 - Big Cottonwood Canyon - Temple Square - Travel Day - Our last day of our honeymoon we booked a red eye so we could use one last full day to explore. We ate breakfast at another DDD spot, Ruth's Diner on Emigration Canyon Road and drove through SLC to explore. Don't miss driving through the University of Utah campus and having a view of the Rice-Eccles Stadium, Go Utes! Head towards Solitude Mountain Resort for a stunning drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon in Wasatch National Forest. We stopped at the resort, during its off season, and got to take the chairlift up the mountain for free! Another cool spot in SLC is Temple Square, especially if you are into architecture. Before we headed to the airport, we stopped at Vive Juicery Downtown and got some Immunity shots and green juice!
I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into our magical honeymoon and feel inspired to travel to a National Park yourself! Feel free to follow this itinerary as much as you would like, all the hikes were moderate and we are newbie campers so this trip is perfect for all skill levels! Thanks so much for reading! -Amanda
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