5 Winter Activities for Non-Skiers in Jackson, Wyoming

We've been going to Jackson, Wyoming every December for five years now. Jackson is well known for their downhill skiing but I actually do not ski! My husband loves to ski so he typically skis for a few days while I work from our cabin and explore the downtown area. One of my favorite things to do is attend classes at Pursue Movement Studio during the day. I walk there from our cabin, get my sweat on, and then move on with my day. As much as I love classes, I love to get outside in Jackson and explore the area during the winter.

Since I have so many people ask me about what to do in Jackson if they don't ski, I decided to put it all in one place right here for you!

P.S. If winter isn't really your thing we've also been to Jackson in September after hiking in Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park. You can read about it here.

5 Winter Activities for Non-Skiers in Jackson

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Snowshoeing

Each time we travel to Jackson we rent snowshoes so we can explore on foot for at least a day or two. We typically take ours up to Taggart Lake in Grand Teton National Park. It's freeing to be able to walk the trails in the snow. They take a few minutes to get used to but after that you'll be walking like normal in no time!

Snoeshoeing through Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, Wyoming

Snowmobiling

We just did this for the first time a few months ago and it was AMAZING. We don't buy each other gifts, we take trips instead so our snowmobiling trip was our Christmas and 10th-anniversary "gift" to each other. I'm having a hard time describing the trip, it was that amazing. I'm going to do a separate post on this soon but we took a full day trip from Jackson to Yellowstone National Park. The scenery was amazing and we were even able to see a bison in the snow! You can read the original post I did on this trip here.

We used Scenic Safaris.

Snowmobiling through Yellowstone National Park in Jackson, Wyoming

Snowmobiling through Yellowstone National Park in Jackson, Wyoming

Dog Sledding

Dog sledding was one of the first non-skiing winter activities we did in Jackson. It was a great experience but we probably wouldn't do it again. Honestly, after we went snowmobiling we decided that we liked that a lot more. They are two completely different experiences though so if it's on your bucket list, book it! You might just love it!

We used Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours.

Dog sledding in Jackson, Wyoming

Fat Tire Biking

We went fat tire biking at Cache Creek right outside of Jackson, Wyoming. If I remember correctly it was -13 degrees that day (yes, NEGATIVE!). It was an amazing experience and we will definitely do it again. If you are looking for a workout, this is it! 

We rented from Teton Mountain Bikes.

Fat Tire Biking in Jackson, Wyoming

Fat Tire Biking in Jackson, Wyoming

Fat Tire Biking in Jackson, Wyoming

Sleigh Rides

This is one that I don't have any pictures for because we have never done it! It looks gorgeous though, picture a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow with huge mountains in the background - doesn't get much better than that! There are a few options for sleigh rides in Jackson. One that we see each time we visit is the one in the National Elk Refuge.

Bonus: Cross Country Skiing

I didn't include this one on my list of five because it is skiing but I think it still deserves a mention. :) Cross-country skiing is a great activity if it's just the downhill part of skiing that you don't enjoy. We've been cross-country skiing to Taggart Lake and Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park and we've been to the Rendezvous Ski Trails in West Yellowstone, Montana twice. Even though I don't like downhill, I enjoy cross-country skiing. Give it a try - you might also!

We typically rent our skis from Skinny Skis.

Cross Country Skiing in West Yellowstone, Montana

Cross Country Skiing through Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, Wyoming

If you aren't into outdoor activities, there's still plenty to do. Take a stroll through the cute stores (one of our favorites is MADE) and restaurants downtown (check out Pinky G's pizza and the hot and cold bar at Jackson Whole Grocer - this one is a little bit further out of the downtown area!). Driving around and taking in the breathtaking views is another one of our favorite things to do!

I'm a little behind (like years!) on recapping our trips but you can read this one from a few years ago when we went to Jackson, Wyoming!

Ways to Save Money When You Travel

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Park ‘N Fly Airport Parking for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

We’ve shared quite a few tips and money saving ideas (here) before but for some reason forgot to mention one of the biggest money saving tips…parking offsite!

Just to recap for those of you who haven’t read some of our money saving posts yet:

• Pack your own food for the airport and plane (Yes, you can take food through security as long as it’s not liquid. Check with TSA first but we’ve NEVER had any problems!).
• Get a hotel room/house with a kitchen or at least a fridge and make your own meals at least once a day.
• Pay attention to fees when booking plane tickets. Luggage fees can add up! Pack lighter so you don’t have to check a bag or if you are traveling with others, try to fit everything into just one checked bag. If you are driving, try to carpool and take the most fuel-efficient vehicle available.
• Park offsite at Park ‘N Fly Airport Parking!

Read more tips here.

Scott and I always park offsite. It doesn’t take much longer and it’s much less expensive. Our favorite place to park our ride while we travel is the Park ‘N Fly lot. Can I just tell you a little story really quick?! In April we were supposed to fly to California for Scott’s work but there were weather delays that turned into staffing issues that caused our flight to be canceled. To make a long story short, we spent quite a bit of time driving to and from the airport, not to mention the many hours waiting at the airport. We, of course, had parked at Park ‘N Fly. It was really late at night before we returned to our car. We got our car (and free car wash!) and as we were pulling in the driveway at home we get a call from Park ‘N Fly that Scott left his wallet on the shuttle bus. Did I mention we don’t live near the airport?! Luckily, I had a friend (thanks, Kim!) that was able to retrieve the wallet for us but how amazing is it that the shuttle bus driver turned it in and the worker called us. My love of Park ‘N Fly got even better after that experience.

Did you like how I threw in the fact that we got a car wash? Cheap is good. Free is even better. We love the fact that there is a free car wash on our way out of the parking lot (at least at our location – the Atlanta airport!). Some locations also offer valet parking, oil changes, car detailing, and pet boarding…among many other things. Talk about win-win and crossing items off your never-ending to-do list when you return from your trip!

Hear from the CEO himself about what sets Park ‘N Fly apart from the rest! Watch here.

Another way we save money is by buying our Park ‘N Fly passes at Costco. Our Costco carries them and you can get six days of airport parking for $29.99 (that’s less than $5 per day!). If you don’t have a Costco nearby or can’t get to one before your next trip, don’t fret! Park ‘N Fly makes it very easy to prepay and reserve your parking spot online. This ensures that you have a space even if the lot is full plus it saves time so you can get home faster after your trip. That ride back home from the airport always seems to take sooooo long!

I seriously can’t sing their praises enough, before we collaborated with Park ‘N Fly for this post, Scott and I were talking on our way back from Arizona about how pleasant their drivers and cashiers always are. We usually try to give the shuttle driver a large tip because they are so helpful and nice. The driver picks you right up from your car and drops you off at your terminal. When you are returning from your trip, you are picked up and dropped off right at your car. Talk about easy airport parking! Another small touch that we love is the fact that they offer us water on our way out. The small things really do matter. J

Park ‘N Fly is celebrating 50 years of service! Check them out next time you are lucky enough to be flying somewhere! They also have a Frequent Parker Loyalty Program where you can earn one free day of parking for every 7 paid days. Sense the money saving theme here?!

Connect with Park ‘N Fly (#yourjourneybeginshere):

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Ways to Save Money When Traveling - At The Airport

Maybe you've heard that we are pretty frugal. ;-) We do spend money but we spend it on experiences, not things. We travel quite a bit but save a lot of money when doing so. Saving money starts before you even get to the airport (RELATED: Ways to Save Money on Flights) but resisting the urge to spend money at the airport will help keep your wallet a little fatter until you arrive at your destination.

If you are trying to save money in order to book a flight try one of our money saving challenges!

Ways to Save Money When Traveling - At The Airport

• Take Your Own Food - Not only will you save calories but you will save a ton of money! We haven't had any problems getting food through security as long as it's not liquid. I did have them toss peanut butter and Greek yogurt once but that's it! I pack up all of the remaining prepped food we have such as boiled eggs and chicken. We either eat it at the gate or on the plane. We've also stopped at Whole Foods and Chipotle before going to the airport to get food to take with us. It's about half the price and much better for you!
   
• Take an Empty Water Bottle - Have you seen the prices of water, juice, and soda at the airport lately? They range from $4-$8! We usually have a Blender Bottle with us to mix protein shakes on our trips but they also work as water bottles. There are usually places in the airport where you can fill up your water bottle.
   
• Take Your Own Books and/or Magazines - Quickly scan your home before you leave and grab the latest magazine or book that you already have or take one that you haven't read in awhile. Although the airport might not be much more expensive to buy things like magazines or books, there's no reason to spend the extra money when you probably have plenty laying around that you haven't even opened yet!
   
• Don't Forget Your "Luxuries" - Always have a master packing list that includes things like a travel pillow and earbuds. Buying these items at the airport can cost you double what you would pay outside of the airport.
   
• Skip the Souvenirs - Your entire family doesn't need knick-knacks or t-shirts from your travels and neither do you, honestly. ;-) I'm sure you took many pictures. Those pictures and your memories are plenty. Maybe this is the minimalist in me coming out but just because you are bored in the airport doesn't mean that you need to go shopping and buy things you don't need! Our consumerist society is out of control and airports are no exception. They have basically become shopping malls, enticing bored travelers.

Enjoy your trip and save your money to actually spend once you arrive at your destination!