Hi Fodorites,

My extended family always goes to the same beach every year for a summer vacation, and just started talking about the trip for 2011. We're thinking of changing it up this year to see some of Northern Wyoming and/or Southern Montana (nary a beach in sight!).

If we were just going as my compact family of four, I think I could plan something suitable.

What's throwing me is knowing that we'll have a 70 year old sight-seer, two teens who love to defy death at every opportunity, three kids from 7 to 11, and two middle-aged couples. We all agree that we'd like to see wildlife, and if we can, spend time on some water, whether we rent a boat, go canoeing, or look for white water. I would also like to take in a rodeo and a chuck wagon experience if we can. Some of us like to ride horses, too, but others don't. Same goes for fishing- we have three fishermen, but the rest of the family won't do that.

We'll need 6 BRs wherever we go, and so I thought renting a house might be best. However, if we do that, are we limiting what we can see too much? Should we try for two houses and move mid-week, perhaps one near Yellowstone and another near the Tetons? Or do you recommend we look for lots of hotel rooms?

More data: We're all from the east coast. We haven't thought about where we are flying into yet. We will definitely have to rent two cars, and we will likely want to do at least some of the cooking at home or picnic style (vs. eat out for the whole week).

So lay your wisdom on me- I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions!
Thanks,
Laura

Yellowstone and the Great Tetons come to mind. It is a little late for in park reservations for Yellowstone, but you could still try and can always make reservations outside the park and keep phoning for cancellations in park. These would provide all you could want, plenty of neat places/geologic wonders/animals to look at from the car for the hiking challenged, lots of animals with babies, rafting, hiking, white water, etc. for the adventurous.

Go to www.nps.gov and click on the areas you are interested for the activities/reservations etc.

There are lots of options for flying in (none inexpensive IMHO) but Jackson, WY would probably be the closest.

Sounds like a wonderful trip, enjoy the planning and doing.

Here is my suggestion having just done GTNP and Yellowstone:

1. fly (either United or Delta) into Yellowstone Regional Airport, Cody, WY (east entrance to Yellowstone) p/u vans & hope you can get 1 way drop off from Hertz, Avis or Dollar.
2.stay 1st night in Cody (AmericINN hotel or you can find cheaper accom, poss lease an entire B & B. See Buff Bill Museum, Cody town shoot em up in middle of teh street. Go to Wal MArt Superstore, buy cooler, ice, drinks and snacks, bug spray, fishing license etc.
3. Head west to Entrance to Yellowstone. If you can, get resv in Yellowstone cabins on the lake...if not try Old Faithful Lodge (there are no private housing arranements in the Yellowstone park...best bet for water on your trip and lake is gigantic and you can fish)
4. If can't get Yellowstone resv, head to GTNP and try park resv at Jackson Lake cabins,rooms are small but decent (beats sleeping w/bears, big lodge, big picture window lobby of Tetons, lots of wildlife in meadow below, great view of lake. You can easily do this drive in one day and from here can loop back into Yellowstone and do other loops... most of the yelowstone loops can be done in one day.
5. If you can't get resv at JAckson LAke, GTNP, pretty big lake in GTNP,drive thru to JAckson Hole, get a house on VBRO and then go back and do GTNP & Yellowstone day trips

Best scenery and wildlife and food and lodging we found in GYNP> Note that lodging in Yellowstone and GYNP are 2 different reservations sytems and they don't talk to each other...we also found alot morer to do JAckson Hole & GTNP. Yellowstone is basically drive around and hike...

Tou can also reverse this trip start at JAsckson Hole make it base camp and end up in Cody.

Would not suggest flying into Billing and driving to Cody ..very long boring 2 hour drive to Cody..unless you can not get seats on smaller jets together into JAckson or Cody.

How about flying into Jackson? That's what we did.

I assume the 70 year old sight-seer is quite mobile.

The Lake area on Yellowstone or Signal Mountain Lodge or Jenny Lake in GTNP should satisfy the water portion.

If wildlife is a priority then be prepared to get up early as much of it is around early in the day and at dusk. Not to say you won't see them all through the day.

This is just what I needed. I'll get online and start poking around. Our goal is to have some really good suggestions with dates and costs to discuss at Christmas, hopefully after the turkey has worn off
Thank you so much! If you have any other ideas, feel free to keep posting here, and I'll check back. Appreciate it!

We went to Grand Teton and Yellowstone NPs in June. If you click on my name, you can read my trip report.

One thing we really enjoyed in Grand Teton was a float trip down the Snake River with Triangle X Ranch. It was really interesting and we had a great guide.

Lee Ann