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Ultimate Guide to Planning a Yellowstone Family Vacation

Writer's picture: Samantha BrizgisSamantha Brizgis

Updated: Oct 3, 2024


We had our trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons planned for over a year.  Every time we mentioned it to someone, the typical response was “Tetons are amazing, Yellowstone is OK.”


Needless to say, I went into Yellowstone with pretty low expectations.  But it absolutely blew me away.  I don’t know if I could say it’s my favorite… I think Glacier still holds the top spot, but it is definitely a close #2.





Most people are intimidated by Yellowstone due to its size. It is MASSIVE.  Our guide told us that if you drove every road in Yellowstone (this includes the gravel offshoots to trailheads etc.) you would only see 8% of the park.  It’s a lot to tackle.


The park itself is laid out like a figure eight, referred to as the North Loop and the South Loop. 



Overview of Yellowstone National Park
Map of Yellowstone


We stayed at Fishing Bridge Campground which is the only campground that fits big rigs.  It is centrally located within the park which helps reduce the amount of drive time required each day. All of the Villages have campgrounds for tents/RVs, but Fishing Bridge is the only one that will fit RVs over 40ft and your RV must be hard-sided to stay here (no pop-ups/ hybrids).


Where to Stay in Yellowstone Should I stay inside or outside of Yellowstone?


I would strongly advise staying IN the park if you are planning on more than one day in Yellowstone.  If you just want to do one day and see the main sights fine. But if you’re really looking to get into it, you want to stay in the park so you can spend more time adventuring and less time driving.


#1 Recommendation - Canyon Lodge


As you can see from the map above, Canyon Village is the most centrally located area of Yellowstone. Each "village" has facilities including lodgings, restaurants, groceries, and fuel. This would be my first recommendation. Canyon Lodge is the newest lodge, has excellent proximity to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and offers casual dining options making it a great choice for families.


#2 Recommendation - Lake Yellowstone


Lake Yellowstone area offers Lake Yellowstone Hotel, a stunning historical property for those looking for an elevated experience, as well as the Lake Lodge and Cabins for those looking for a more rustic vibe.


There are a few additional options as well spread out throughout the park. The Old Faithful Inn is a historic masterpiece and a top choice for most visitors due to its proximity to Old Faithful geyser.



Things To Do



How to plan your Yellowstone Vacation


I recommend visiting a "section" of Yellowstone per day. This will help you organize your activities and reduce driving time.


Day 1:  Canyon Village - Wildlife & Mud Volcanoes


I'm not sure there is anything that says "Yellowstone" more than wildlife & Mud Volcanoes. 


We kicked off Yellowstone, the same way as Tetons with an evening wildlife drive.  We drove north from Fishing Bridge through Hayden Valley (a hotspot for wildlife).  We pulled off at the Mud Volcanoes and did the short little hike along the boardwalk here.  The kids (and me) were absolutely fascinated by these gurgling smelly pits.  It’s other worldly and so cool.  


Fun fact:  There are only a handful of places in the world that have hydro-thermal features (geysers, hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles) and Yellowstone has more than all those other places combined.


We continued on our drive and saw tons of bison (they are kind of everywhere), elk, and a BEAR off in the distance along the tree line.  What an exciting first night!!


Day 2:  Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic Springs


Wake up relatively early, pack snacks and head out for OId Faithful. 


Old Faithful goes off about every 2 hours, and the park has estimated times on its website to help you plan your day.  We lucked out and just happened to show up 5 minutes before it went off, but I would recommend checking the website before you leave your lodging for the day.  After that, head to the Visitor Center to look around and watch the movie (we all love the movies that play in the Visitor Centers at NPs.  They are SO interesting).


After Old Faithful, drive north towards Grand Prismatic Springs.  There are two options to view the springs and I strongly recommend the view from above, but both are cool. The Grand Prismatic Springs trailhead has a boardwalk that wraps around the springs and the Fairy Falls trailhead is where you should park for the 1 mile hike to view the springs from above. If you don't want to do both, I would go with Fairy Falls. You can see the colors so much better from above. Continue along Fairy Falls to view the waterfall and additional geysers.


View overlooking Grand Prismatic Springs
Grand Prismatic Springs

At this point you are near the West Yellowstone entrance which is a great place for shopping and lunch.  West Yellowstone is as touristy as you’d imagine, but we did actually find a REALLY cool t-shirt store.  They have all varieties of t-shirts, sweatshirts (long sleeve, short sleeve, v-neck, quarter zip, full zip, crew neck, hoody, etc) in every color you can imagine.  All the shirts are blank, and then along the wall they have 100’s of designs that you can choose from to make your own custom shirt.  Once you pick what you want, it just takes about 2 minute for them to use a heat press to make your shirt.  Audrey and I both had a shirt made and it was SO fun. They have premade ones to choose from if that’s not your thing, but we really enjoyed it.  Yellowstone T-Shirt Co. 20 N Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT 59758


After lunch head back towards home for some afternoon relaxation or choose from some additional hikes in the Old Faithful Area. If you want to do a longer hike, do that first and then view Old Faithful / Grand Prismatic Springs in the afternoon.








Day 3:  Private Wildlife Tour - Lamar Valley


We booked a private tour with Yellowstone Guidelines. I chose them based on the combination of price and reviews. There were other companies that were much more expensive, and I’m not sure what that would have gotten us because our tour was incredible.  It was about 7-8 hours in length and we saw INCREDIBLE sights. 


Family viewing of grizzlies and wolves in Yellowstone National Park
Wildlife Tour

We kicked it off with a grizzly / wolf sighting.  She knew about a bison that had died in a fight recently and took us near it.  As hoped, the wolves and bears were feasting.  For about an hour we stood and watched bears/wolves through the provided scopes and binoculars. She even had a little stool so that Henry was tall enough to look in the scope.  We continued on through Lamar Valley and saw mountain goats, bison, osprey, elk, deer.  It was an amazing day and the highlight of the trip for sure. 


10/10 recommend!!

Grizzly Bear feasting on bison carcass
Grizzly Bear

Wolf in Yellowstone National Park
Wolf in Yellowstone


Sleep in :) Day 3 likely started very early (5AM) and you are on vacation after all.  Check out the Upper Falls, Lower Falls and Canyon Village Visitor Center. We went to three separate view points for the falls and it was hard to pick a favorite. Brink of the Lower Falls Trail (short but STEEP)  Artist Point (this was my favorite!!)

Lookout Point


Make reservations at Lake Yellowstone Hotel for dinner (advance planning strongly encouraged).  This is a splurge but totally worth it.  Both Old Faithful and Lake Yellowstone require dining reservations for dinner. If you are staying at the property you can book 60 days in advance, if you are staying at other Yellowstone properties (including campgrounds) you can book 30 days in advance. Non-lodge guests visit the host stand for same-day availability.


After dinner we drive on the East Entrance Road to Lake Butte Overlook. It is a quiet spot overlooking Lake Yellowstone.  We actually thought it was more beautiful than Inspiration Point in Tetons.


Kids overlooking Upper Falls from Artist Point
Artist Point

View from Artist Point


Day 5:  Mammoth Springs / Roosevelt


Depending on where you are staying it could be a 2 hour drive to Mammoth Hot Springs, so plan accordingly. Mammoth Hot Springs is unique because it’s the historic Fort Yellowstone. The Albright Visitor Center has a great history of how the park came to be.


Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces - walk along the boardwalk and look down upon the hydrothermal features and the travertine terraces. You've not seen anything like this before, I promise you.


Have lunch and Tour Fort Yellowstone and vist the Albright Visitor Center (will be a favorite with young kids!)


Additional hiking options:




On the way back to your lodging take a detour on one of the scenic drives in the area - sure to spot wildlife - Old Gardiner Road, Upper Terrace Drive, and Blacktail Plateau Drive.


If you have more time to spend in Yellowstone opt for horseback riding, chuck wagon dinner, or a guided fishing tour on Lake Yellowstone.


The kids asked me at lunch on our last day “I know Yellowstone is America’s first National Park, but is it the world’s first National Park?”  


“Probably not, I’m guessing we got the idea for National Parks from other countries.”


WRONG - Yellowstone was the first national park in the world and inspired other countries to protect and preserve their natural lands as well.  I now understand why it has inspired the world. It is incredible.





What to Bring


Obviously this depends on what you plan on doing... but here are my recommendations


Binoculars - you don't need a pair for each person in your group, but if you are a family of 4-5 I would have 2-3 pairs. Buy the best you can afford and shoot for atleast 12x.


Hiking Boots - my husband and I tried on a ton, and we both chose the Merrell Moab 3. If you are only doing short hikes, a good pair of trail running shoes would work too.


Water bottle - leak proof 40 oz. You can not have too much water.


Day Pack - lightweight bag for carrying snacks, water, suncreen, bear spray


Bear Spray - purchase upon arrival (if flying) and hope you never have to use it.


Backpack for Kids - I love these for my kids. They are in charge of packing and carrying their own snacks each day which takes a lot of weight off the parents back.


We loved each area of the park and they truly are all unique and different.  Honestly, unpopular opinion - I think Old Faithful was our least favorite part of Yellowstone (but you still have to do it if you go haha).


Couple standing in Hayden Valley
Hayden Valley

Let's start planning your Yellowstone Vacation!! Lodging inside Yellowstone fills up quickly. I would recommend booking as far out as you are able. If you want help planning, complete this questionnaire. Where to next?!

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