After spending the last year or so working on a beautiful cabin project in Wilson, Wyoming for a dear client who has become friend and family I have been eager to visit Jackson Hole. To experience the natural beauty as well as the incredible design community found here, I knew would leave me inspired. My opportunity to explore the area came along with a wedding invitation to celebrate this same friend. Sharing all of my recommendations with you, including family friendly insights vetted by this mom of four (IYKYK).
A great trip centers on your home base. A bad stay can ruin even the best laid plans. The CloudVeil is modern mountain vibes with great design central to all of my favorite activities, a great balance of the Western ruggedness you will appreciate out West. I especially loved the super cute yet highly functional corner banquette in our room. While the hotel’s location is central to shopping and dining, I highly recommend renting a car so you can easily explore the beauty of the surrounding area. So much of the adventure is simply having the freedom to explore and you’ll certainly find yourself appreciating the flexibility to pop into a cute storefront unexpectedly or being able to pull off to walk down a enchanting trail to see what beautiful vistas await.
It’s not a true getaway without a little shopping and Jackson Hole did not disappoint. From the recently opened Lela Rose flagship that reflects the natural beauty of the area to Mountain Dandy that has a great curation of vintage furniture, accessories and tabletop. Kemo Sabe is a must for custom hats, boots with the option to add branding, and a bar to enjoy a cocktail while you shop! Altitude has a funky selection of gifts and clothing for women, Stio has all your ski clothing, and Belle Shops has multiple locations downtown featuring women’s clothing, jewelry and home goods.
There is no shortage of watering holes in town! While you could find yourself enjoying a cocktail just about anywhere, a stop at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar (where saddles take the place of bar stools!) is an absolute must. We also loved the rooftop at Cloud Veil and The Silver Dollar Bar. And of course, you won’t find yourself hungry with all of the fabulous dining options, we loved our lunch at The Bistro and dinner at Glorietta as well as the Snake River Grill (known for their steak tartare pizza for the meat lovers out there!).
Visiting this area during different seasons would certainly result in a unique itinerary and experience depending on the time of year. Traveling during early fall granted us a great preview of leaves changing and a comfortable climate for exploring the outdoors. My favorite hike of this trip was a 4.9 mile out and back trek around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls in Grand Teton National Park. It’s an easy hike to acclimate to the altitude change before diving into a more challenging hike. This trail has a wide path and limited elevation change; a great option for kids. We also hiked Lake of the Crags, a little hard to find and a bit challenging, but shorter duration, and Taggart Lake Loop (add the extra path to Bradley Lake for more booty burning). It’s worth noting that a stop at Teton BackCountry Rentals for bear spray could pay dividends.
On your way back, consider taking the scenic Moose Wilson Road to Teton Village where a great lunch awaits – either Teton Thai or The Handle Bar Restaurant at Four Seasons Resort are great options. This a great time to snag gifts for the little ones you may have left behind at Teton Toys. Close by in Teton Village is a wonderful bakery, Persephone where we enjoyed lunch one afternoon. They also make cute and smartly packaged treats that are the perfect souvenir.
In the mix of all of our exploring, it was wedding time! The celebrations started with a lively welcome party on Friday evening at The Mangy Moose, fun and iconic spot in Teton Village. The night was filled with great music from a fantastic country band that got everyone on their feet.
The next day, the main event took place at a private ranch in Wilson, which served as the perfect setting for a beautiful outdoor ceremony. With the mountains as a stunning backdrop, every detail of the wedding felt thoughtfully curated and left me so inspired. Afterward, guests moved into a clear tent for the reception, which was beautifully decorated and had a magical feel. The florals definitely deserve a shout-out from the gorgeous hanging installations over the dance floor to the lush arrangements centerstage and sprinkled throughout the guest tables, every floral touch was spot-on. Combined with string lights and twinkling tea lights, the ambiance became even more moody and intimate as the sun set. It was such a fun night!
This quick weekend getaway left me only wanting more but was the perfect transition as Summer lingers on the East Coast but Fall is in full swing. I cannot wait to return next year as our project comes to completion, stay tuned for more from this beautiful area.
