A trip to Jackson Hole


Ty started a new job last week (a new super awesome job). And as he was so blessed to make his own schedule at his last job and got 6 weeks paid vacation(!), we thought we should take one last family holiday before he started his new way-less-flexible-and-vacation-friendly job. Ty found a decent hotel deal at The Lexington in Jackson, WY. And since I had never been (which is practically a sin in our group of friends), and we have some amazing friends who we wanted to visit there anyway, we thought we should take advantage.

We weren't there long enough to make a "What to do in Jackson and the Tetons" list, but I will tell you 10 things that I learned in our weekend there.

1. I am positive that the Tetons were the inspiration for the phrases "purple mountains majesty" and "jaw dropping," as well as the words the words "grandeur" and "magnificent."

2. Liberty Burger on Cache is delicious AND affordable -- a knockout combo for Jackson.

3. Jackson is a small town, and common crimes include the stealing of rental cars and bikes and driving/riding them across town simply because you didn't want to walk. The police reports specified almost 100% of the cars stolen had the doors unlocked and the keys in the ignition.

4. On the first day of "on season" the Fjallraven store (among others) is not open even if their website states they are.

5. But...even though many stores are not open, the first weekend of the on season is most definitely the time to go to Jackson because you practically have the town and the Tetons to yourself - heaven.

6. In Jackson Hole, "The Grand" does not mean "The Grand Canyon" or "The river running through the Grand Canyon."

7. If you let your baby eat grass in the Teton valley you will find grass in his diaper the next day.

8. If you try to buy a t-shirt from a t-shirt store in town, you may be the only customer and spend 5 minutes yelling "hello? HELLO?" from the cashier-less counter only to, in the end, just take the tag off the shirt and leave it on the register counter along with enough cash to cover the cost.

9. You may also see a garage sale sign and make your husband drive in circles for 10 minutes around the supposed address only to realize the date on the flyer was for the day before.

10. Lava Hot Springs is conveniently located exactly half way between Jackson and Provo and stopping for a dip on the drive home is the perfect little respite when traveling with a 6-month old who doesn't love long stints in his car seat.