Off Like a Herd of Turtles: Family Travel Blog

This. This was what our trip was about. I've been so lucky to get out to Yellowstone numerous times in my life in summer, winter and spring and the Tetons were always added on as an afterthought. But the Tetons. The Tetons deserve their own time and that's what we set out to do in 2020. This year we spent just two days near Yellowstone then we headed for 5 glorious nights in Grand Teton National Park. It was perfect for any year and absolutely perfect for COVID. Our focus in the Tetons this year was two fold- bike and paddle. We brought 6 bikes and 2 boats all the way from Illinois and we intended to use them. And we did. So much activity in the outdoors requires prep work. Loading bikes, unloading bikes. Loading boats, unloading boats. Packing accoutrement for biking and paddling. Training kids to stay safely entertained during the loading, unloading. Training kids to put on the aforementioned accoutrement:) But it is SO SO worth it. The first couple nights we stayed at Headw...

The Tetons are stunning. They deserve many many visits in their own right but because Yellowstone is such a big draw, it's hard to not visit both parks together. Here are suggestions to fill a few days exploring Grand Teton National Park. 1. Stay at and fully explore around Jackson Lake Lodge. Hiking trail at Jackson Lake Lodge The Jackson Lake Lodge is a gem of a national park lodge with something for everyone. There are lodge rooms, cabins. There is a casual dining on an incredible porch with wildlife viewing opportunities even while having a cocktail. There are hikes on the grounds. There are often moose wandering through the grounds. There is an outdoor pool. ENJOY IT ALL. Steps from our cabin at Jackson Lake Lodge View from our porch at Jackson Lake Lodge 2. Visit Colter Bay Colter Bay Colter Bay includes a lodging complex, a store, motorless boat rentals and many family friendly hikes. We spent half a day wandering down hiking trail...

I have been lucky enough to travel extensively throughout the United States. I had been to 48 states by young adulthood, 49 states by my 30s and will be visiting my final state- Alaska- in 2020. I have been to Asia, Africa, S. America and New Zealand. But of all the places I've traveled, my absolute favorite place in the world is Yellowstone National Park. This. Place. Is. Magical. Because of my deep love for this place, I have been there 7 times, twice in the winter, once as a kid and once WITH my kid. And I will be going again this year with both kiddos in tow (can't wait!!). This series of posts will focus on the visit with my then 3 year old daughter, but this overview applies to anyone who wants to see this incredible, incredible place. This is a broad overview for those getting a lay of the land who need to build a framework for a family trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons. I will write more detailed posts about each area over the next few months. In the spring you...