This past June, my 15 year old daughter Finlay and her Brentwood bestie headed out west to spend part of their summer with the team at Wilderness Adventures Camp. I decided to head out early with them for a few days to explore Jackson Hole, a picturesque valley and wilderness recreation area in western Wyoming that borders the jagged peaks of the iconic Grand Tetons. We arrived on American Airlines newest direct route from JFK to JAC in under five hours ( the Klein’s arrived in 2 hours via LAX on United ) to an unprecedented west coast heat wave... 97 degrees, but who is counting?
Jackson is an idyllic paradise year-round, drawing more then 2.6 million visitors annually who come for the epic ski conditions in the winter and to explore glorious Mother Nature’s offerings in the summertime. It is also a gateway to many National Parks.
Over the past few years, the landscape of this Wild West town has added some modern elements and we are not mad about it. While we are big fans of Amangani and Four Seasons, some new boutique hotels have popped up such as Hotel Jackson, Caldera House and the Cloud Veil, alongside creative restaurant concepts and shops.
In true MAPPS fashion, we left no stone unturned and only recommend what we truly loved.
The details below — E
P.S. I had to be dragged home when this trip was over… I seriously could live all summer in Jackson, it was that perfect as was the time with my daughter.
STAY
Amangani is a 40 suite luxury property in the foothills of the breathtaking Grand Tetons. This beauty is located only 7 minutes from downtown Jackson and 10 minutes from the nearby snow-sports paradise of Jackson Hole Mountain by car.
Amangani looks directly out across the Grand Teton Mountains and plains of the Snake River Valley. Each suite ( 7 categories ) has either a terrace or patio, all have a fireplace and are decorated with a blend of that Amanesque minimalism that they are known for while staying true to the pioneering spirit of the Old Wild Wild West.
It is no wonder this property time and time again is one of our client’s favorite stays in the US #Amanjunkies
Mapps X Amangani: VIP priority upgrade, complimentary daily breakfast and resort credits. #MappsWasHere
EAT & DRINK
OUR HIT LIST
Downtown Jackson Area
Glorietta ( Italian )
Colette ( farm to table )
Teton Tiger ( Thai )
King ( Sushi )
Persephone Bakery ( brunch )
Bin 22 ( wine and tapas )
Local (meat )
Healthy Being Cafe & Juicery ( juice and smoothies )
Teton Village Area
RPK 3( lunch or apres ski )
SEE & DO
MAY-SEPTEMBER: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Kayaking, White Water Rafting, Fly Fishing, Rock Climbing, Horseback Riding, Hot Air Balloon Rides, Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole Rodeo, ATV and Clay Shooting.
DECEMBER-APRIL: Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, Dog Sledding, Tubing, Ice Skating, Heli and Cat Skiing and Fat Biking.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
GETTING HERE: The town of Jackson and Teton Village ( ski mountain area ) are both located roughly 20 minutes from Jackson Hole Airport ( JAC ) by car.
IDEAL GUEST: We love this for anyone who wants to get out and explore the great outdoors, especially families and multi-generational crews who want an active holiday to keep everyone busy.
MAPPS TIP: we highly recommend renting a car as there is so much ground to cover and you do not want to be at the mercy of Uber. We rented ours through Hertz at the airport and it was a seamless process.
*white water rafting photo compliments of Jackson Hole White Water and Wildlife photo compliments of Amangani.