National parks, like Yellowstone National Park, are a hidden treasure we have access to here in the U.S. Our family trip (my parents, sisters, and their significant others) recently visited Yellowstone National Park, in addition to visiting Montana. What’s incredible about this national park is the size of the park. You truly can’t comprehend the vastness of this park until you drive around inside the park.
We actually visited another park, Grand Canyon National Park on a previous family trip. That trip also included a stop in Sedona, Arizona. Our first family trip was a fun experience in Lake Tahoe, Nevada + Napa Valley, California. You can’t go wrong visiting any of these destinations!
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Best Credit Cards for Yellowstone National Park
Amex Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Capital One Venture X are cards to consider bringing with you. You earn 4X points at restaurants and U.S. grocery stores with the Amex Gold Card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2X points on travel and 3x points on dining. The Capital One Venture X earns 2X points on all purchases.
The food options are fairly limited while inside the park. We brought lunch with us and had a relaxing picnic overlooking Yellowstone Lake. However, there is a gift shop with food, drinks, and souvenirs. We buy a Christmas ornament from all of the places we visit. Capital One Venture X is the card to use for purchases at gift shops that are unlikely to be part of a bonus-earning category.
What is the best month to visit Yellowstone National Park?
July, August, and September are peak travel months to visit the park for a reason. The highs average in the low 60s to 70s and the lows average high 20s to mid-30s. Outside of these months, you can expect chilly conditions.
We visited in late June through early July. The weather was outstanding! It was in the mid-70s during our drive throughout the park. We entered the park around 930 am and left around 430 pm. The national park weather gods were on our side for our visit.
How to Fly to Yellowstone National Park
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) is the airport we flew into. You can also book season flights into Yellowstone Airport (WYS). Bozeman offers more flights across the U.S. compared to Yellowstone Airport. However, Yellowstone Airport is much closer than Bozeman Airport to the West Entrance.
Examples of nonstop flights on major US airlines to these airports include:
- Bozeman <>Los Angeles, Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma – Alaska Airlines
- Bozeman <> Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix/Mesa – Allegiant Air
- Bozeman <> Dallas/Fort Worth – American Airlines
- Bozeman <> Atlanta, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City – Delta Air Lines
- Bozeman <> Denver, Las Vegas – Southwest Airlines
- Bozeman <> Chicago–O’Hare, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco – United Airlines
- Yellowstone <> Salt Lake City – Delta Air Lines
- Yellowstone <> Denver – United Airlines
Best Places to Stay in Yellowstone National Park
SpringHill Suites Island Park Yellowstone (Marriott) and Holiday Inn West Yellowstone (IHG) are the closest points hotels to the park. Each of these hotels is located close to the West Entrance.
If you have a large group like us (8 people), an Airbnb can make a ton of sense. We stayed at Wesley’s Yellowstone & Montana Family Getaway in Emigrant, Montana. Not only was this Airbnb outstanding, but the Airbnb was only ~30 minutes from a normally open North Entrance.
Best Restaurants in Yellowstone National Park
It’s slim pickings when you’re talking about solid restaurants near the park. We ate breakfast at our Airbnb, brought lunch with us to eat in the park, and had dinner in Emigrant, Montana after leaving the park. So, our food recommendations near Yellowstone are non-existent.
If you find yourself in Bozeman, check out Wild Crumb and Treeline Coffee Roasters. Gil’s Goods and Murray Bar in Livingston, Sage Lodge in Pray, The Old Saloon, Follow Yer’ Nose BBQ, and Wild Flour Bakery & Cafe in Emigrant are all solid spots.
Here Are the 2022 James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists [Updated] is a resource we utilized when looking for places to eat and drink. In addition, a friend of mine, who travels to this area regularly, provided most of the outstanding recommendations listed above.
Best Places to Visit in Yellowstone National Park
Day 1 of Yellowstone National Park
We started at the West Entrance because of historic flooding at the Yellowstone National Park North Entrance. Our first stop was Fountain Paint Pot followed by Old Faithful (this is one and done for us). After seeing both of these geysers, it was time for lunch overlooking Yellowstone Lake between West Thumb Geyser Basin and Bridge Bay. Canyon Village is your next stop to see the Upper and Lower Falls. Bison, elk, wolves (fingers crossed), and bears will hopefully grace you with their presence during your drive.
Day 2 of Yellowstone National Park
If you’re looking for more action in the park, the northern loop (we took the southern loop) has plenty of activities to offer. Mammoth Hot Springs, West Thumb and Grant Village, Fishing Bridge, Lake Village and Bridge Bay are spots we plan to check out when we revisit.
Yellowstone National Park FAQs
Why is Yellowstone park closed?
Per the National Park Service, the North & South Loops are open. However, the North and Northeast entrances remain closed.
How many days do you need in Yellowstone National Park?
We had a blast spending the day in the park but per this article, consider spending three to four days in the park.
How much does it cost to visit Yellowstone National Park?
For private, non-commercial vehicles, a 7-day pass costs $35/vehicle and does not include entrance into nearby Grand Teton National Park. Grand Teton also charges $35/vehicle for entrance. This article has additional details.
How long does it take to drive the loop in Yellowstone?
Per this article, during the summer season, the Grand Loop (southern + northern loops) takes between 4 to 7 hours to drive in full. We drove the southern loop in roughly 4-5 hours.
Conclusion on Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is incredible! When we think about travel, our minds tend to go towards international. Mine certainly does! However, a trip to the U.S. national parks provides the outdoor experience we can all benefit from. We enjoyed Grand Canyon National Park a few years ago and this trip exceeded our experience at Grand Canyon National Park.
What do you think about this national park? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.
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