Welcome to Jackson! Home to an array of wildlife and the center of outdoor adventures, explore Jackson on your own before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers for a dinner. Excitement builds as your Travel Director outlines the sites to come in your exploration of US national parks.
Spend the morning connecting with the dazzling natural scenery of Grand Teton National Park. Marvel at the summit peaks of the Teton mountain range and take in the awe-inspiring Jenny Lake. This afternoon, choose to sail into the sky on an aerial tram ride to the peak of Rendezvous Mountain offering 360-degree views of the Tetons, Jackson Hole, the Snake River Valley, and Grand Teton National Park. This evening, opt for a western hoedown featuring a Dutch-oven style dinner with Bar-T 5.
This morning, you may take an optional float trip down Snake River. Sit back and relax as your expert guide points out the sites and wildlife which may include beaver, cutthroat trout, cliff swallows, pelicans, osprey, and bald eagles. No matter what critters come into view, you’ll surely enjoy the mountain views. We continue our exploration of the great American West as we head to the world's first National Park, Yellowstone. Your encounter with its geothermal wonders will leave you in awe. We stay amidst the colorful pools of hot springs, mud pots and geysers tonight at one of the park’s signature lodges.
Venture into the wild beauty of Yellowstone National Park and start your day with a visit to Norris Geyser Basin. Set on the rim of the Yellowstone volcano, this is the Park’s hottest and most dynamic thermal area. Wander boardwalk trails past steaming vents and colorful springs as your Travel Director shares the stories and science behind this powerful landscape. Continue your journey through Hayden Valley, watching for bison, grizzlies and elk along the way. At Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, the rusting canyon walls frame the waterfall cascades below. End your day at the famed Old Faithful and witness its iconic eruption.
Head to the infamous town of Cody, named after the iconic William "Buffalo Bill" Cody. Gain insights into the history of the American West at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and delve into the history of the cowboy, the role of the firearm in the early days, and the culture of the Plains Indians. This evening, enjoy a Be My Guest experience as you dine at the historic Billings Depot, featuring a hyper-local pairing of food and mixed cocktails. Meet Allen Hodges, owner and founder of Undammed Distilling Co. for a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.
Head through the windswept prairies of the American frontier starting with a visit to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument before continuing into the Black Hills of South Dakota. You'll admire the looming fortress of Devils Tower, a geological monolith that seems to rise upright out of the prairie and learn why it's considered sacred to local Native American tribes. Afterwards journey to Rapid City, where you'll have your overnight stay.
Today is your first full day in Rapid City to do as you please. Relax at your hotel or opt for one of our exciting Optional Experiences. Choose to visit Badlands National Park with your Travel Director exploring some of the 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires amongst the largest protected mixed grass prairie in America. You’ll even make a stop at the famous Wall Drug Store, one of the top roadside attractions in the country. Later, you may opt to see a different side of Mount Rushmore and enjoy a ranger talk at an outdoor amphitheater for a moving patriotic program and sculpture lighting ceremony as the evening culminates in the slow exposure of light until the monument is fully illuminated (seasonal).
Travel through the Black Hills to pay tribute to Crazy Horse, the largest mountain carving in the world, peering at the immortalized face of the famed war chief of the Lakota people etched from the granite rock of the Black Hills. We continue to Mount Rushmore featuring the enormous carvings of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln dramatically etched into the granite rock face. On tonight’s MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, meet with cultural ambassador Stephen Yellowhawk for dinner over stories about the history of his tribe and how he came to learn the traditional dances.
After breakfast, bid farewell to your traveling companions and transfer to Rapid City Regional Airport at your leisure. Or, extend your stay in Rapid City.
