The Best Yellowstone Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
In this comprehensive travel guide, we’ll delve into the must-see attractions, activities, accommodations, tours and everything else that will await for you in Yellowstone National Park!
Where to stay
If you’re like me, someone who loves to stay in Airbnb’s to save money, then Yellowstone is going to be a little difficult. However we were able to find a terrific Airbnb about 10 minutes from the Northern Entrance of the Park.
We stayed in a quaint little town called Gardiner. Pulling up the small Airbnb we were surrounded by Elk, which was very cool to see, just minding their own business with not a care in the world. There was a beautiful little coffee shop called “Tumbleweed Bookstore and Cafe” where we started most of our mornings.
The town was built right next to the Yellowstone river where there is gorgeous scenery and lots of activities. They have a grocery store, white water rafting, bar and grills you name it. We really lucked out on the Airbnb being in such an amazing little town. This is the perfect place to start out your trip if you’re flying into Bozeman.
To save money, I HIGHLY recommend looking for an Airbnb in Gardiner, MT, it is a short drive into the park and you will save a lot of money this way as well.
Finally as we drove about the park we stayed just outside of the West Yellowstone park entrance. Keep in mind that this park is HUGE, to drive from the top to the bottom will take you about 3-4 hours if you drive straight through, but of course you will want to stop for photo ops. We stayed at another gorgeous Airbnb in Island Park, Idaho. Pristine mountains and lakes all around you as you stepped out of the home.
Again, if you’re looking to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars this is the route to go. It will entail more driving of course, but if you are ok with that, then I recommend these options.
There are no Airbnb’s inside the park, so as I mentioned we did have to stay a night in Grant Village. If you’re looking for other options inside the park, here is a list:
- Old Faithful Inn: We went inside the Old Faithful Inn and it really is beautiful. The lobby and architecture of the place really does capture what Yellowstone is all about. There is a dining hall on site and it’s in a prime location in the middle of the park. Staying here however will run you at least $300 a night
- Lake Yellowstone Hotel: Another beautiful hotel, you will not regret staying here at all. We visited this hotel on a tour we did and it feels like something out of a movie. If you’re wondering about the price tag however, it is going to be very expensive of course. At least $399 per night.
- Canyon Lodge and Cabins: Canyon Lodge, located iN Canyon village is nice and will be a cheaper option. Can find rooms here between $150- $200 with more expensive prices during peak times of course.
- Grant Village: Located towards the south end of the park, I believe we spent about $250 for the night on the room here. A nice village with tour pickups. Rooms were very cozy but nothing special.
- They have an on-site restaurant which was nice nice, however You NEED a reservation as they will fill up very quickly and you will have to wait.
- The restaurant overlooks the Yellowstone lake so you can step out onto the deck to take it all in. The staff was very friendly and the meal was delicious.
We also booked a “Circle of Fire” tour here. We always love to do at least one bus tour to give us a break from driving, and it’s fun to learn about the park from the terrific guides and be with like-minded people as well. We stop along the way for photo ops, lunch, hikes and seeing the places that need to be seen in Yellowstone!
Check out the “Circle of Fire” Tour here from West Yellowstone
If you’re staying in Jackson Hole, then this is the tour for you here
Places to see
Mammoth Hot Springs
When we started our trip we were in the North / North East part of the park. The big destination here is Mammoth Hot Springs. As soon as we pulled up we were amazed to see dozens of bison just sitting around the area with their babies. We got out to take a picture here:
Don’t be that person that gets up close to the bison and they charge towards you. No one likes those people.
This was only about a 20 minute drive from our Airbnb in Gardiner as well.
Driving up through Yellowstone to the hot springs is a joy in itself admiring the mountains, rivers, lakes, wildlife etc. You will see a ton of bison along the way and may even have to stop for a “Bison Crossing” which was so cool to witness.
From there we drove up East through Lamar Valley for a scenic drive and to go hike to Trout Lake. The valley is a very popular place to spot wildlife as it’s a wide open field with streams running through it. If you’re patient enough you may spot a bear fishing in the streams or wolves in the distance!
We hiked the short two mile trail to Trout Lake where there is another popular wildlife spot of course for Bears! We did see a wolf as we were hiking which scared me and almost made me want to turn back, but we kept trucking through and the wolf ended up leaving us alone thankfully!
Keep in mind a lot of time is spent driving through the park to different destinations. There are tons of pull outs that you can stop at along the way to catch a waterfall, and overlook or hike a short trail through the woods, but always keep on the watch for Bears.
Norris Geyser Basin
Tucked away in the heart of Yellowstone National Park, you’ll find Norris Geyser Basin, a place of extraordinary beauty and natural energy. With bubbling hot springs, roaring steam vents, and stunning terraced landscapes.
You can expect to spend a couple hours here walking on the boardwalks visiting the different hot springs and taking in the natural beauty. One of the coolest things to see is Steamboat Geyser, which is the tallest geyser in the world!
Sometimes it sprays water really high up into the sky! You can also explore Porcelain Basin and Back Basin, where there are more bubbling hot springs and colorful pools
Another awesome place to see is the Grand Prismatic Spring! It’s like a giant rainbow puddle of water. It really gives you a whole new perspective on things.
The colors are beautiful , and they come from tiny living things called thermophiles that live in the hot water. You can see the Grand Prismatic Spring from a special boardwalk that goes around it. It’s really cool to walk there and see the steam coming off the water.
If you want to see some of the coolest things nature has to offer, you have to stop by Norris Geyser Basin and the Grand Prismatic Spring.
There is a little bit of walking involved if you’re wondering. More so at Norris Geyser Basin than the Grand Prismatic Spring, but still be expecting to walk a couple miles at least.
Again these are the big places to see, if you’re more of a hiker, you can absolutely find a lot of trails scattered throughout the park that keep you away from the crowds and so it’s just you and nature.
One of the best books you can buy if you’re traveling to Yellowstone right here
Tells you all the hikes to do, how far everything is, when to go etc.
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful will get its own section. We stopped here as part of our tour where they let us out for about two hours to walk around the natural hot springs and of course see Old Faithful, one of the most famous geysers in the entire world! It erupts approximately every 90 minutes and you can always check online as well to see when it last erupted so you can make sure you don’t miss it.
While we had time to kill we walked to Morning Glory Pool which was a geothermal hot spring, and walked around the boardwalk seeing all the natural hot springs around the area.
There was a hell of a lot more walking than I had originally thought there would be here. Walking all the way around the Old Faithful area was about three miles. However we got to see more Bison standing on the hot ground, as we found out the hotness doesn’t burn their feet as they have adapted to it. While it would burn us, the Bison are able to walk freely on the ground!
The eruption of Old Faithful lasted about five minutes. There’s plenty of seating available and you can go inside the inns to the gift shops and cafes as well
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is one of the most iconic features of Yellowstone National Park. Spanning over 136 square miles!
You are able to take a sunset cruise along the lake, go kayaking, do a boat tour and several other excursions that take off from the Lake Yellowstone Hotel.
Want to do a 5-star Kayaking guided tour? Click the link here
We stopped and admired the beauty of it several times and were able to walk along side it as well. While we were never able to go on the water, it is beautiful to admire and one of the staples of Yellowstone.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Now for my favorite part of the Yellowstone! The Grand Canyon! Of Yellowstone. We were able to visit this on our “Circle of Fire tour” for those interested. We first stopped at the “Lower Falls” this was a stopping area where you could get out, walk around, take some pictures etc.
We then hopped on the bus and drove over to the “Upper Falls” This is where the canyon is much larger and the waterfall is bigger as well. This was incredible see. The true natural beauty of the falls and the canyon was mesmerizing.
The crowds on the other hand were not very fun. You do have to be patient when trying to get a good picture of the falls as there are lots of people in a small viewing area.
Artist Point, one of the most iconic viewpoints in the park, provides a panoramic vista of the canyon and Lower Falls, framed by towering cliffs and verdant forests.
For a closer look at the waterfalls, visitors can hike down to viewpoints such as Uncle Tom’s Trail or take in the sights from overlooks along the North Rim and South Rim drives.
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone guided hiking tour
These are the main locations for visiting Yellowstone that you should absolutely hit when you go. There are multiple smaller hiking trails, and waterfalls at pull outs that you can stop at to admire and take a quick picture as well.
Along with all that, lets hop into some of the things you can do in the park.
Tips for Yellowstone
Just to quickly touch on a few tips. There is a good amount of walking involved. Carry a backpack or fanny pack with some snacks and water in it to keep our going throughout the day. Try to get an early start as crowds do form to the popular spots and you want to pack in as much as you can during the day.
- Dress for every kind of weather.
- I recommend comfy walking shoes as a lot of walking is on a boardwalk, unless you plan on going off trail. Comfy hiking pants, a long sleeve t-shirt and a warm jacket that you can take off is usually perfect, depending as well on when you go. (Check out my Travel Resources Page, for links and lists of things to get)
- Don’t go visiting Yellowstone without your very own Cowboy hat! Definitely regret not getting one, but buying one ahead of time is going to be much cheaper than getting one there.
- Be on the lookout for wildlife!
- Bison are all over the park and they’re awesome to see! We had on walking on the shoulder of the road right next to our car at one point. They will not be aggressive as long as you keep your distance. Do NOT try to get close to them, especially if they’re with their babies or else they will charge. You can admire them from afar.
- Be on the lookout for Bears:
- While Bears are awesome to see from afar, you need to be careful when on the trails.
- Bears recognize human voices and if they know you’re coming, they will be tamed or usually walk away. If you scare them or startle them, that is when they can get aggressive.
- Hike in groups, always be talking and carry bear spray if you’re hiking. Or you can opt for an Bear Air Horn to scare them away as well
- As I mentioned before. If you wish to save money, look for Airbnb’s that are just outside the park by the entrances, in Gardiner, Island Park or Silver Gate. The hotels inside the park are very cool, but they are also VERY expensive. If you want to make the most of your trip, then by all means splurge for a nice hotel, but just know that there are cheaper options out there.
- Check out my article on where to stay in Yellowstone here!
- Don’t rush.
- Take your time, admire and truly take in your surroundings. Yellowstone is one of the most popular National Parks in the world! People come from all over the world to see it, do not take your time there for granted and feel like you’re always rushing.
- Plan for at least 3-4 days in the park so you can hit every aspect of the park and the main spots.
- Book a tour!
- I love taking bus tours. They usually take you to a lot of the most popular places in the park, the guides are very knowledgeable, you don’t have to drive so you can look out the windows and relax. I think they’re very worth the money as well.
- I highly recommend trying to take at least one bus tour to hit all the good places and learn a different side of the park.
Check out the link here for an incredible full 12 hour day-trip in Yellowstone with a special discount offer as well!
Full-Day Guided Yellowstone Tour
Food / Dining Options
The first place we stopped at was Yellowstone Valley Lodge & Grille – If you’re driving down from Bozeman and you have a big appetite on your way down to the park. this is a great place to stop. A small little lodge and grille area right along the Yellowstone River where you can grab a bite to eat and sit around a fire outside while watching the sunset is a great way to start off your trip, and that’s exactly what we did.
Grant Village – If you do stay here, make sure you book a reservation before hand. Even if you’re not staying in Grant, the restaurant and the scenery was awesome. The staff was super friendly as they are all seasonal workers. Enjoy a nice meal and then step onto the deck outside to admire the moonlight shimmering over Yellowstone Lake.
Here are a few more favorites that you should try while you’re in Yellowstone and some of the best places to eat while you’re inside the park.
- Bison Burger: The Old Faithful Inn Dining Room and Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room are excellent options for savoring this iconic dish while enjoying stunning views of the park’s natural wonders. One of my favorite dishes in Yellowstone.
- Huckleberry Treats: Find these as huckleberry ice cream, pie, or jam. These wild berries grow abundantly in the region and are celebrated for their unique flavor. Look for them at gift shops, cafes, and snack bars throughout the park.
- Dutch Oven Dinner: Many lodges and campgrounds offer guided cookout experiences where you can enjoy this delicious frontier fare under the stars.
- Local Craft Beer: I always try to get local beer from every place I travel to. Montana brews their own local beer in Billings and they were very refreshing.
Most restaurants in the park are located at the lodges. There are plenty of places to go in Gardiner as well, and a great breakfast spot we ate at just outside of West Yellowstone was called the Running Bear Pancake House. Some of the best pancakes I’ve had if I’m being honest. A very popular spot, and busy, but well worth it when just beginning your day if you’re staying in West Yellowstone.
If you’re spending the night in Bozeman before a flight out there are plenty of options to eat downtown. We took a drive around the city where we ate at Ted’s Montana Grill for one last Bison Burger and another round of local brews. But there are tons of options for great food here.
Check out the link here for an incredible full 12 hour day-trip in Yellowstone with a special discount offer as well!
Skip the driving, the hiking, not knowing where to go or what to see, they will take care of all of that on the tour!