A Guide to Jackson Hole, WY

Jackson, the town nestled in the valley of Jackson Hole, is known for skiing, cowboys, and two national parks: Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Whether you’re visiting to ski down the couloirs of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or are hoping to spot bison in the Tetons, you’ll need to eat and sleep. Here’s the best of the best in Jackson Hole.

Best bakery Jackson Hole

Persephone is a beloved Jackson bakery cafe serving up specialty coffees, baked goods, breakfast, and lunch. It’s been named the most aesthetic bakery in all of Wyoming and the pastries are out of this world. Be sure to try their rotating seasonal latte (if you manage to get the pistachio crème you won’t be disappointed) and grab some pastries to go. There’s almost always a line at the cafe in Jackson, but it moves relatively quickly, especially if you’re getting something to go. Pro tip: if you’re skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, just stop by the location in Wilson (pictured below), it’s way less busy and right on the way to the mountain.

Persephone Cafe – Jackson
145 E. Broadway Jackson, WY 83001
7am – 6pm daily

Persephone Cafe – Westbank
3445 N. Pines Way Wilson, WY 83014
7am – 3pm daily

Best pizza Jackson, WY

If you’ve ever wanted to eat wood-fired pizza inside a James Turrell inspired dining room, check out Hand Fire Pizza. Located in the historic Teton Theater, Hand Fire Pizza is hands down, the best pizza in Jackson. You can see right into the open kitchen from the entire dining room, which is bathed in a pink to purple ombré of neon light. They use locally sourced organic ingredients, and their pizza is a mix between neapolitan and New York, about 12 inches across with a bubbly charred cornicione with a sturdy-ish but slightly softer centre.

Hand Fire Pizza
120 N Cache St #1137, Jackson, WY 83001
Fri-Sun 11:30am – 9pm
Mon-Thur 5-9pm

Best bar Jackson, WY

The Million Dollar Cowboy bar is famous, and rightly so. The bright neon sign, saddle seats at the bar, and live music make it a must visit when in Jackson. Located in the town square, it’s honky tonk at its best. Live music, dancing, and drinks, you can’t go wrong. Plus, if you’re looking hungry for steak, you can head on upstairs to the Million Dollar Steakhouse for a real cowboy experience.

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
25 N Cache St, Jackson, WY 83001
11am – 1am daily

Best après Jackson Hole

If you’re doing après, that means you’re skiing, probably at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, located about 20 minutes away (with no traffic) from the town of Jackson. You should do après right and stay on the mountain. The Handle Bar, with its slope side patio is the best place to enjoy a boot – yes a boot! – of beer and snacks. Shout out to the sausage platter that comes with a pickle salad and three different sausages, house made mustard, and beer cheese. It’s perfect for sharing while you warm yourself by the outdoor fire, watching everyone as they ski down the slopes.

The Handle Bar
7680 Granite Loop Rd, Teton Village, WY 83025
11am – 8:30pm daily

Best Sushi in Jackson

Sushi?! In the mountains? Yes! Kampai, located in downtown Jackson, is a beautiful room with beautiful, fresh fish. Grab a seat at the bar where you can chat with the chef and ask what they recommend. Kampai is a true sushi bar experience, right in the middle of the mountains. The chef we had worked in Tokyo (at one of our now shuttered favorite Tokyo sushi restaurants!) and frequently goes back to stay in the sushi loop. Kampai’s shari, or sushi rice, is seasoned heavily with akazu, aka red vinegar, and is the perfect choice for the mountains.

The seasoned rice with perfectly fresh fish and creative flavor flourishes make each piece of nigiri a delight. Pro tip: Finish with a negitoro hand roll, they way they do in Japan – very finely chopped toro and chives on top of warm seasoned rice nestled in a sheet of Japanese sourced roasted nori.

Kampai
175 Center St, Jackson, WY 83001
Tues-Sat 5-9pm

Best ski resort Jackson Hole

Did you know there are two ski resorts next to the town of Jackson? The mountain that you can see when you’re in Jackson is actually Snow King Resort, not Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Don’t be fooled! Snow King is known for being steep, but if you’re in Jackson, you best be there to ski JHMR. Snow King features a smaller footprint without the variety of terrain that JHMR offers. Plus, the snow at JHMR is worlds above what the locals call Sheet of Ice King. While at JHMR be sure to take the iconic red aerial tram and get the waffles from Corbet’s Cabin!

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Teton Village, WY 83025

Best Restaurant Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

If you’re looking for a hearty delicious dinner after skiing, check out Corsa, it’s Italian trattoria style food at its best. With its warm and inviting room -there are fireplaces scattered throughout the dining room as well as a pizza bar facing a pizza oven- it’s utterly cozy and the perfect snowy vibe restaurant. The bar is beautiful and there are plenty of drinks to explore, especially now that Italian aperitifs and cocktails are trendy again. The pizza is especially good, with a gloriously charred cornicione and robust tomato sauce. It hits, especially after a long day of hitting the slopes.

Where to stay in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Jackson has what seems like a million places to stay, from the moderately priced (The Cache House)to the ultra high end (Amangani). You can even camp in the Tetons. We’ve done camping, motel-ing, and vacation home-ing, and I’m not sure which one I like best, but I would say it’s best to plan your stay on what it is you’re looking to do. If you want a pure Jackson stay, look for something in the town of Jackson. If you’re wanting to explore the national parks, book a campsite, and if you’re looking to ski, stay in Wilson, WY.

Where to stay if skiing Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

You might be tempted to stay in the town of Jackson – after all, it’s only 20 minutes away – but if you stay in Wilson, you’ll be right on the road that leads you directly to the resort. There are a ton of vacation rentals in Wilson and it’s a real town, complete with a grocery store, cafes, restaurants, and bars. Typically there isn’t traffic between Jackson and the mountain, but why risk it. After all, you’re there to ski, not sit in traffic. Check out The Aspens or even these cute geodomes. You could, of course, stay right on the mountain in Teton Village, but the flexibility of being between JHMR and the town of Jackson is infinitely more flexible.

Is skiing in Jackson Hole hard?

If you’re an intermediate skier, you’ll find Jackson Hole skiable. Would I recommend it to a beginner? Maybe no. The majority of the terrain is intermediate/advanced or higher and if you don’t like pitchy terrain you might not like JHMR. Do I think Jackson Hole deserves its reputation for being one of the most difficult mountains to ski? Maybe no. They have a couple of extreme runs but I don’t think the resort is as insane as the hype implies. They have a lot of terrain variety and they’ve done a lot in recent years to appeal to everyone. When you’re looking at the map, progressing from right to left is going from easier to more difficult.

Best runs

Obviously the most iconic JHMR run is Corbet’s Couloir (above). With its narrow opening, upside-down funnel shaped chute, 3 sides of rock faces, and mandatory cornice drop, it’s not for the faint of heart. Unfortunately for those who want to prove their mettle, Corbet’s only opens in later in the season and usually only when the snowpack is almost perfect. Is it the best run at JHMR? After the mandatory air, the run opens into an average expert run. If you have the skillz, try it!

For a less intimidating run that’s almost just as iconic, take the Rendezvous Bowl. It’s the major right off the Tram. It’s big and wide with a moderate pitch. Because it faces South, the snow can range from powder, packed, to icy-rock hard. It also can suffer from poor visibility.

That’s it! Hope you enjoy cowboys and girls!
xoxo steph