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How to Enjoy the Drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone?

Chris Boothman
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98
How to Enjoy the Drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone?

Salt Lake City…The gateway to so much natural beauty in and around the state of Utah. If you love the outdoors and you are looking at the map of USA, throw a pin directly at Salt Lake City and book a flight there because you won’t be disappointed. From the Mighty 5 National Parks that cover much of Utah to the breathtaking drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone that we are going to cover in this post, this city is the perfect spot for a getaway (and that’s not even considering the beauty that lies within the city itself!)

There are a number of alternative routes you can take from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone and depending on exactly what you want to see in between and how much time you have will determine the optimal route for you.

While the focus of this post is highlighting what we consider to be the optimal route to experience the inherent natural beauty of the locations you will pass through on this journey, Salt Lake City is undoubtedly a great hub to explore a myriad of national parks and areas of the US that you will quickly fall in love with.

drive from salt lake city to yellowstone

We contemplated a couple of different routes which we will share with you later, but ultimately the stunning landscapes on offer albeit on one of the slowest routes was the deciding factor. As you will see, I think we made the right decision!

If you have more time to experience each of the various towns and attractions along this route, we also have a few recommendations on the best places to stay in each location.

Salt Lake City – Gateway to Natural Beauty

Before we look at the scenic drive we encountered between Salt Lake City and Yellowstone, let’s take a look at some of the alternative aforementioned routes you could take to support choosing Salt Lake City as the perfect hub for a fun-filled outdoors, adventure getaway.

Convinced yet that Salt Lake City is the perfect spot? Ok, well let’s head in a different direction and find out what we did during our drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone. Needless to say, you have no need to head outside of Utah for natural beauty, but given that we had already experienced 3 of Utah’s national parks we decided it was time to head north!

We arrived in Salt Lake City late in the evening and opted to stay at a hotel near the airport before waking up early and hitting the road. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express which is affordable and offers a shuttle service to and from the airport. Check out the latest prices and availability here.

Drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone

If you plan on making the drive from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone, you first need to determine which route you want to take. The most direct route is to take I-15 North via Idaho Falls and at just over 320 miles will likely take anywhere from 4 1/4 to 5 hours depending on traffic.

The more ambitious and adventurous travelers (of course we would fall into that category!) will opt for a route that takes you through Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. Here are a couple of benefits of taking this route:

  • If you have the annual National Park pass and want an impromptu visit to Grand Teton National Park, this is the perfect route.
  • If you want gorgeous scenery along the journey, this is the perfect route.
  • If you don’t mind making several stops throughout the trip (trust us, after making this trip you cannot help yourself!), this is the perfect route.

The main drawback of this route is that it is extremely time-consuming. I would also add that on a couple of occasions I was surprised by how poor some of the road conditions were, especially between Bear Lake and Montpelier. The below route on Google Maps is calculated at 326 miles with a time of just under 6 1/2 hours.

salt lake city to yellowstone scenic route

We left Salt Lake City International Airport at 7:30 AM and arrived at Yellowstone around 4:30PM…so work that one out for yourselves but we wouldn’t do it any differently if we could reenact this trip given the beauty we saw along the way. We want to share some of the key spots along this route that are worth taking some time to visit.

Bear Lake

Stereotypically known as ‘home of the raspberry shake’, Bear Lake is a great spot to take a relaxing break a couple of hours into your drive. Unfortunately, we arrived at Bear Lake a little too early as all of the restaurants and spots where you can purchase a raspberry shake were closed!

drive from salt lake city to yellowstone

Don’t worry though, even if you experience Bear Lake and fail to sample the infamous shake, the views across the lake are stunning enough to warrant spending some time here. The town is relatively small but I could image grabbing a shake and taking in the gorgeous scenery with the lake and mountains in the background.

bear lake utah

As you approach Bear Lake from the south, there is an overlook which provides a view over the town and lake before you take the winding road and drop into the town center. Again, we were not very well prepared as we drove right past this hoping for another overlook.

bear lake utah

So be warned that when you see signs for the Bear Lake Rest Area and Overlook make sure you follow them! We even captured a pretty memorable moment when we spotted a hawk taking home its prey for lunch…it’s not every day you have experiences like this, but that’s Bear Lake, Utah for you.

bear lake utah

Afton

One of the great benefits of taking a scenic road trip is that you pass through small towns that you otherwise would probably never visit. This can be said with our experience passing through Afton, Wyoming.

drive from salt lake city to yellowstone

At first, this may seem like any other small town with a population just under 2,000 but as you approach the heart of the town you will notice the real highlight here.

worlds largest elkhorn arch afton wyoming

Home of the world’s largest arch made of elk antlers, yes that’s right they are woven together and create an archway that covers the entire road and is an iconic attraction that you just have to stop for!

Hotel Recommendation

If you are considering staying overnight in the vicinity of Afton, we can highly recommend Cabin Creek Inn in nearby Thayne, Wyoming (about 15 miles north). Check out the latest prices and availability here.

Snake River

After leaving Afton and driving north to Alpine, you will take US-26 through a mountain pass that winds parallel to the Snake River. This stretch of road really is breathtaking and on numerous occasions, we pulled over on the side of the road to take in the scenery.

drive from salt lake city to yellowstone

Whitewater rafting excursions are available along the Snake River for the really adventurous, but we enjoyed simply watching the rafters and kayakers making their way down the river.

snake river rafting

Trailheads along the Alpine/Snake River Canyons are also available for those who wish to spend more time here before arriving at Jackson Hole (prior to entering Grand Teton country!)

from salt lake city to yellowstone

It is difficult to put into words the beauty throughout the section between Alpine and Hoback Junction. Hopefully the pictures do this justice because I cannot emphasize enough how happy we were with our decision to take this route after passing through this alpine route.

snake river wyoming

Jackson Hole

Approaching the Jackson Hole valley, we were excited to see what the bustling town of Jackson had to offer. To avoid any confusion over the difference between Jackson and Jackson Hole, the valley itself is what is referred to as Jackson Hole and comprises of a number of smaller towns including Jackson, Moose, Hoback and Teton Village.

jackson hole wyoming

In many ways Jackson reminded me of Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Ripley’s Museums and a number of bars, restaurants and souvenir shops scattered along the heart of the town center.

Continuing the Wyoming tradition of elk antler arches, Jackson has a number of iconic arches that guard the corners of George Washington Memorial Park. The story behind these arches relates to the National Elk Refuge that is located in Jackson Hole. Every year when the elk antlers shed, groups of boy scouts collect these from the refuge and some of these are used to construct the arches.

Hotel Recommendation

Jackson Hole is a popular spot for visitors to stay, and if you want our recommendation we can highly recommend The Lodge at Jackson Hole. Check out the latest prices and availability here.

Grand Teton National Park

Our final adventure before arriving at Yellowstone was passing through Grand Teton National Park. You can read all about our experiences in the Grand Tetons but this is yet another great example of an American national park that oozes natural beauty.

grand teton national park

The Teton Range with Grand Teton and Mount Moran among others are a stunningly beautiful sight as you drive through the park.

grand teton national park

Just like any other national park, you could easily spend several days inside Grand Teton exploring and hiking the various trails that are available. Whether you want to take a stroll through the lowlands or perhaps head into the mountains, there is something for everyone here.

Frequently left in the shadow of the more infamous Yellowstone National Park to the north, Grand Teton offers an abundance of natural beauty that you will want to explore. The drive to Yellowstone through this part is the perfect tonic for what you will likely consider to be the pièce de résistance of this trip – arriving at the entrance of Yellowstone!

Hotel Recommendation

Ready to stay a little closer to Grand Teton National Park? There are limited options including camping inside the park while another alternative in nearby Jackson, Wyoming that we can recommend is Spring Creek Ranch. Check out the latest prices and availability here.

Summary

Salt Lake City is undoubtedly a great hub for visiting a myriad of locations both around Utah and surrounding states. We had an awesome experience driving from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone with so many cool towns and landscapes to explore along the route. Regardless of the road trip you are taking, you can always stumble across some hidden gems and this is exactly what we encountered en route to Yellowstone.

drive from salt lake city to yellowstone

We have highlighted just a small selection of what you can see on this drive but these are certainly locations that you cannot afford to miss. Have you taken a road trip from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone?

DISCLAIMER – This post contains affiliate links. Should you choose to make a purchase via one of our links, we may receive a small commission. This income helps A Brit & A Southerner continue to explore and share inspiring stories. Also note that although we have not personally stayed at all of the hotels included in this post, we used the recommendations of friends and family as well as detailed research to bring you the very best options possible. 

Glacier National Park in a Day – How to Enjoy the Best Landmarks?

Chris Boothman
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22
Glacier National Park in a Day – How to Enjoy the Best Landmarks?

Glacier National Park in a day…we must be absolutely crazy! After exploring Yellowstone in a day and being absolutely exhausted despite having an amazing time, you would have thought we would have learned our lesson. A one day trip to Glacier is actually easier than it sounds so hopefully this guide will share some of the amazing experiences we encountered and give you the inspiration to visit this pretty remote part of the country.

Certain circumstances out of our control, like the weather, meant that we were restricted to exploring certain parts of this national park but regardless of this, we were still able to experience a variety of awesome landmarks and breathtaking landscapes in Glacier.

Glacier National Park in a Day?

Located in the state of Montana and crossing into Canada, Glacier National Park is very different to any other national park in the 48 contiguous states. Renowned in Montana as displaying “Mother Nature’s Best Work”, Glacier is a haven of stunning glacial landscapes which in turn causes issues for visitors given the limited access throughout the year due to rapidly changing climates.

glacier national park montana

Our trip to Glacier National Park started in the mountain town of Kalispell, Montana which is a pretty good base with a number of hotels and providing easy access to the national park entrance (about 45-minute drive south of the park).

We arrived late in the evening with plans to spend the following day inside the park and hopefully take the infamous ‘Going-to-the-Sun’ road across a glacial valley.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Rising early in the morning, we were unfortunately greeted by some pretty awful weather conditions as it was raining pretty heavily and extremely overcast. However, we didn’t want this to dampen our spirits so we left our hotel and headed towards Glacier National Park.

glacier national park

Our hearts sank as we approached the west entrance of the park only to see a sign indicating that Logan Pass was closed. The park ranger indicated that there were 2-3 inches of snow at the higher altitudes of Glacier National Park and it was too dangerous for Logan Pass to be open.

What we didn’t realize at the time was that there is still A LOT to see in Glacier National Park regardless of whether the full ‘Going-to-the-Sun’ road is open.

glacier national park in a day

After a quick stop at the Apgar Visitor Center to gather some more information (another park ranger here confirmed that Logan Pass was closed indefinitely and would likely not re-open until at least the next day at the earliest, and that was only if temperatures rose above freezing).

As the rain continued to fall making it near impossible to see any of the mountains, our hopes of really enjoying Glacier were starting to deteriorate.

glacier national park in a day

Nevertheless, we ventured out on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and immediately our fortunes changed as the weather started to improve. We found out that Logan Pass is located about 25 miles into the road and we would later find that the Weeping Wall landmark was where the road became impassable.

Let’s take a look at everything we were able to explore along this iconic road.

Sacred Dancing Cascades

Following a short drive from the visitor center and passing by the imperious sight of Lake McDonald with the mountains in the background, we made our first stop at Sacred Dancing Cascades.

sacred dancing cascades

From the road, we were a little unsure about what to expect, especially given that this was not highlighted on the map but we were delighted as we wandered down the short trail and saw the gorgeous sight of the cascades.

glacier national park cascades creek

Additional viewpoints and overlooks are available further upstream as are a myriad of other rapids and creeks on McDonald Creek, but there was something about Sacred Dancing Cascades that stood out.

sacred dancing cascades glacier national park

Whether it was the footbridge that provided a great view directly in front of the cascades, or perhaps our ability to clamber along the rocks upstream and capture a close-up shot of the creek, this was a pretty special location and definitely a welcome to Glacier National Park!

glacier national park in a day

Be careful if you decide to follow our lead and hike down to the creek because the rocks are pretty slick, especially if it has rained moments before you arrive here. But a visit to this attraction wouldn’t feel quite the same unless you found the adventurous side inside you and scrambled along these rocks to find that perfect angle for the optimal photograph.

glacier national park in a day

A walk across the footbridge allows you to take another short hiking trail and if you are really ambitious, you can climb on top of the cascades though this is certainly not for the faint-hearted!

glacier national park in a day

Glacial Pools

Another impressive feature throughout Glacier National Park is the abundance of glacial pools known as ‘tarns’ that offer a stunning turquoise reflection, especially on a gorgeous day. Unfortunately, we didn’t experience the ‘gorgeous’ weather but we did experience the beauty of these pools.

glacial pools

The beauty throughout Glacier is exemplified in the creeks and rivers that run down the alpine slopes and into the tarns and lakes in the valley. As we drove along the Going-to-the-Sun road, we had ample opportunities to pull over and hike down several trails to admire this incredible natural phenomenon.

glacier national park in a day

I normally don’t get over excited by creeks (now waterfalls are another story!) but when you see pools of water with these colors it’s hard to not appreciate them.

glacier national park in a day

Alpine Scenery

The waterfalls, creeks, and pools in the valley floor are stunning but the real beauty in Glacier is when you start climbing the mountains.

glacier national park loop

There is nothing quite like the scenery that you experience at higher elevations in Glacier and this is even without being able to drive through the ‘best of the best’ with the views from atop Logan Pass.

glacier national park in a day

The Loop is an iconic part of the Going-to-the-Sun road as it is the only switchback on the entire pass. It frequently appears in images representing this stretch of road across Glacier National Park and it is also a great spot to capture some gorgeous scenic images and panoramas looking down through the valley and high into the mountain pass.

glacier national park in a day

While we stopped at the Loop and other scenic lookouts, we encountered an inquisitive raven that was perched on the edge of the wall also admiring the scenery.

glacier national park in a day

Wildlife, stunning scenery and natural attractions are all prevalent throughout Glacier so be sure to have your camera handy so that you don’t miss that perfect shot where all three of these come together!

glacier national park in a day

Weeping Wall

The Weeping Wall is another of the stereotypical attractions on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier. This was notably the final attraction we were able to experience given that the large ‘Road Closed’ barrier was preventing us from climbing any higher.

weeping wall glacier national park

At around 5,000 feet this was still high enough for snow to be falling pretty heavily and the temperatures to have dropped 20 degrees to below freezing.

weeping wall glacier national park

Although the Weeping Wall is not entirely natural (the actual veins of water flowing down the mountain are nature’s own, but when the Going-to-the-Sun road was constructed, the formation of the Wall was put in place) it is still a stunning sight.

glacier national park in a day

Our experience and view were limited not only because of the poor weather and visibility but also because the water flow was relatively low at the time we visited.

However, the views from this vantage point overlooking the valley were stunning despite the adverse weather conditions. An eerily looking landscape that created an inherent beauty that only national parks seem to be able to provide.

glacier national park overlooks

Summary

What an amazing experience it was to visit Glacier National Park in Montana! We are both eager to return in order to fully explore the Going-to-the-Sun road when Logan Pass is open and also gain a deeper appreciation of the natural beauty throughout when the weather is hopefully a little better. Visibility was clearly not all that great during our visit but we refused to let this dampen our spirits.

glacier national park wildlife

As you can see, visiting Glacier National Park in only one day is feasible and you can still experience a lot of amazing landscapes, along with some pretty cool wildlife (cue our friend above!).

Don’t allow the weather or time constraints to prevent you from enjoying one of America’s natural wonders – you won’t be disappointed regardless of how much time you spend here! Trust me though…you will want to return.

Wildlife in Yellowstone – How to Enjoy Safe Encounters

Chris Boothman
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4
Wildlife in Yellowstone – How to Enjoy Safe Encounters

It’s not every day that you encounter bison just strolling down the middle of the road and refusing to get out of the way as you approach them…that’s the beauty (or some may say annoyance) of experiencing the myriad of wildlife in Yellowstone! From bison encounters to spotting bears, elk, moose among others, Yellowstone is undoubtedly one of the most amazing landscapes to explore wildlife throughout the United States.

Before you get too excited about this amazing location, I wanted to put together this post providing a review of the various wildlife in Yellowstone along with some key safety points that you would be strongly encouraged to follow. We are talking about wildlife here and some seriously dangerous animals if they are not treated with respect.

But without scaring you too much that is part of the experience and if you follow the appropriate precautions you will have the time of your life!

Safety Tips

Let’s start with our top safety tips so that you can all start enjoying what I am sure most of you are interested in – the experiences you can have with wildlife in Yellowstone National Park! Here is a quick bullet point list that you can review and if you follow this, ‘hopefully’ you should not have any problems:

  • Do not approach any wildlife. Even if you think you are a safe distance away, the likelihood is that if any animal feels any sort of danger they can immediately charge at you (and the majority of animals are faster than any human!).
  • Remain at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and at least 25 yards from all other large animals (e.g. Wolves, Bison, Elk, Moose etc.)
  • When driving, be sure to adhere to the speed limit signs! This should go without saying of course (we are all awesome drivers right!), but at any moment you could stumble across wildlife wandering along the road. This is particularly imperative at night because there is very little light available.
  • Bison – Highly unpredictable, extremely dangerous especially when they are around their offspring. Even when you are inside your vehicle, be wary if you roll your windows down.
  • Bears – Be sure to keep all of your food inside your vehicle or in bear-proof packaging. If you are hiking, do not consume food and then throw it on the ground as bears have an incredibly strong sense of smell. To reiterate, be wary of your surroundings! If you have a face-to-face encounter with a bear…DO NOT RUN! Walk away slowly!

If you explore Yellowstone with a good sense of awareness and are prepared to keep a distance from the wildlife present, you will be fine and have a great time exploring everything this park has to offer!

wildlife in yellowstone

Remember, we are the visitors here and this is the natural habitat for many of these animals so again to reiterate what I mentioned earlier…respect the animals and they will respect you.

A Wildlife Collaboration

We had a great time experiencing bison (plenty of them), elk, moose and we even saw a baby bear wandering across the road. However, we are delighted to be collaborating with a number of our fellow travelers who have also experienced wildlife in Yellowstone so the following list is a combination of our and their encounters.

Our encounters involved bison, bear and elk though as you will quickly find out as you see wildlife they are not always willing to stick around and pose for the perfect photograph!

elk wildlife in yellowstone

We want to encourage you to visit Yellowstone because it really is an awesome experience to be face to face with a bison or moose! Here is a selection of some of the wildlife you may encounter when traveling around Yellowstone.

Bison

Visiting Yellowstone for the first time, you will probably have expectations of see a wide variety of wildlife and rightly so! Much of the wildlife can be very elusive, so you will need a hint of luck on your travels to spot all of them. Fortunately, bison are not one of the elusive types and are probably the easiest of all wildlife to stumble across.

bison wildlife in yellowstone

We had a number of awesome encounters with bison, some of which were a little more impromptu than others…such as driving along the scenic loop and two large bison wandering along directly in front of us!

wildlife in yellowstone

If you experience this, you will notice that bison do not rush and unlike other animals that would likely move out of the way, bison will move when they feel like it.

yellowstone bison

Another great experience was seeing a herd of bison grazing in the Hayden Valley part of Yellowstone and we could easily pick out a number of younger offspring.

yellowstone national park

Keeping a safe distance from this herd was definitely top priority but we were able to capture a number of cool pictures.

bison encounter yellowstone

Elk

Elk are also visible throughout Yellowstone National Park and more than likely you will encounter one or more of these on your visit. While we saw quite a few from a distance, Angel and Michelle from Anywhere at Home had a really cool experience while biking around Bunsen Peak road.

wildlife in yellowstone elk

If you are willing to get off the beaten path in Yellowstone, your chances of seeing elk and other wildlife will increase dramatically as most are more comfortable where visitors are less likely to appear.

Of course that’s not always possible but don’t worry as Angel and Michelle proved during their visit to the Mammoth Visitor Center that elk can appear pretty much anywhere. Clearly this guy felt right at home even with cars and visitors frequently passing by!

Yellowstone Elk

Angela from Angela Travels was also able to capture elk wandering around Yellowstone and this one had some really cool antlers that she was able to focus on with the elk almost posing for her!

wildlife in yellowstone elk

Bighorn Sheep

Yellowstone is a geothermal hot spot, but Old Faithful isn’t the only attraction. Drive around the park and stop near open meadows and fields and if you are lucky wildlife may come out to play. Patience and timing is everything. 

Angela from Angela Travels shares her opinions on how to find the best spots throughout Yellowstone National Park to see wildlife. During her visits she has been fortunate to capture some amazing shots of wildlife, including a really cool shot of bighorn sheep grazing.

bighorn sheep yellowstone

These younger bighorn sheep may not have the stereotypical ‘big horns’ but they are still a great representation of the myriad of variety available throughout the park.

Although you can pretty much spot a bighorn sheep anywhere in Yellowstone, popular spots include the northern range of the park near Mammoth Hot Springs. The winter months are the best time to spot these sheep because they find higher elevations when the snow melts.

Red Fox

If you have been fortunate enough to see all of the above wildlife in Yellowstone, you may want to get a little more ambitious starting with the red fox. As with all foxes, they are elusive, quick movers and rarely want any sort of interaction with humans.

But as you can see from the images below, again taken by Angela from Angela Travels, you can still capture some pretty cool glimpses of these mischievous creatures.

red fox yellowstone

Keen to see a red fox? Our best tip would be to rise early in the morning or be prepared to stick around late in the evening because this is when they are most prevalent at roaming around the landscape.

red fox wildlife in yellowstone

In the middle of the day, unless you are ‘off the beaten path’ your chances of seeing a fox are slim though both Heather and I think we noticed one, albeit from a fair distance, as we were making our way from West Yellowstone to Norris Geyser Basin.

Bears

The one animal that everyone wants to see when visiting Yellowstone or any location that is known to have them is the bear! I will admit that we were no different even though we have been fortunate to see a couple of black bears during our visit to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

Let’s start by saying that we had one extremely short spotting of a bear…certainly not long enough to grab our camera and capture a picture. Shortly after entering Yellowstone at the south entrance from Grand Teton National Park, I noticed a small baby bear crossing the road by Lewis Lake. I immediately told Heather to pass me the camera as I slowed down but as I peered through the viewfinder…well my chance was gone!

We pulled over soon after but unfortunately had no chance of seeing the bear again. The rest of our trip was slightly disappointing in terms of seeing bears but just like the red fox, your best chance of seeing a grizzly bear is early morning or late evening.

wildlife in yellowstone

Antonette from We12Travel did not have any problems capturing a few cool pictures of bears in Yellowstone. Here is her take on bear encounters in this part of USA:

Going to Yellowstone is a great adventure by itself but what makes it even more exciting, is the possibility of running into bears. During our hike on the Beaver Pond Trail we all of a sudden encountered a black bear, less than 25 meters away from us.

yellowstone bear encounter

He started tailing us right on the trail, which was pretty scary (many people don’t realize black bears can be as dangerous as grizzlies) but eventually we managed to increase the distance between us and he went his own way again.

It was an incredible experience yet it makes me remember hiking in bear country is to be taken seriously. If you want to read more about that, feel free to visit my blog about solo hiking as a female in bear country.

bear wildlife in yellowstone

Our trip through the Hayden Valley was early afternoon and given that this is one of the ‘hotspots’ for bear sightings, I would strongly encourage you to schedule some time around this part of Yellowstone at the optimal times.

Both black and grizzly bears are present in Yellowstone so always be prepared to grab your camera if you see one because you may not have very long to capture the perfect shot and maybe you will be as fortunate as Antonette!

Deer

Erica from TrippinTwins had a close-up encounter with a mule deer near the Tower Falls entrance proving that you can stumble across wildlife anytime and anywhere in Yellowstone.

wildlife in yellowstoneJust like any other experience with wildlife, you don’t always have time to snap the perfect picture but whatever you can capture will create a memory you can cherish forever!

Deer sightings are pretty common throughout Yellowstone but you are most likely to see them scrambling and hopping around in brush in the early morning or early evening hours.

Summary

Moose, wolves, otters and badgers are just some other examples of wildlife that can be spotted on your excursions around Yellowstone. Data from the National Park Service suggests that there are 61 different mammals within the boundaries of the national park, so regardless of which you see, you can pretty much guarantee that you will see something!

If you need a reason to visit Yellowstone (I highly doubt anyone needs to justify visiting this amazing national park), look no further than the plethora of wildlife on display here. Not only do you get to experience them in their natural habitats, you never know when you may stumble across a face to face encounter…and that folks is why it is so amazing!

Thank you to all of our fellow travelers who shared their experiences and photos of wildlife in Yellowstone.

6 Things to See in Yellowstone You Need to Know About

Chris Boothman
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17
6 Things to See in Yellowstone You Need to Know About

Yellowstone National Park is a massive area of natural beauty waiting to be explored, but if you head there without any sort of research it can be a very overwhelming and daunting experience. Following our first visit to USA’s oldest national park, we wanted to share not only our experiences but also our recommendations on some of the top things to see in Yellowstone. This is by no means an exhaustive list, in fact it is just a brief overview on some top attractions that we consider to be worth visiting.

From amazing encounters with wildlife to breathtaking views across canyons that you will never forget, Yellowstone National Park is a haven of natural beauty. We encourage you to share your thoughts at the bottom of this post regarding your experiences in Yellowstone and what you believe to be the top attractions that visitors cannot afford to leave off their itinerary.

yellowstone road trip

Our visit to Yellowstone was part of an ambitious road trip around Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Oregon across just five days. If you read our recent post on “Yellowstone in a Day” you will know that our time inside the park was fast-paced, though at the same time an amazing experience.

Lewis Falls

Having spent the morning driving north from Salt Lake City, we took the scenic route via Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park which in itself was an awesome experience…but that’s another story! We arrived at the Yellowstone National Park entrance via Grand Teton National Park around 4PM so we knew that our time that day exploring was going to be limited.

lewis falls yellowstone national park

Depending on where you are approaching Yellowstone from will determine the best course of action and where you would be advised to explore first. From the south, Old Faithful is on a direct route and given the reputation of this landmark attraction, we wanted to see this for ourselves.

lewis falls things to see in yellowstone

But as with all national parks there is plenty more to see along the way, or should I say plenty of distractions! Our first stop was at Lewis Falls which (sorry Heather) I could probably now refer to as ‘Heather Falls’ given that she stumbled a little and found her knee hitting the ground!

lewis falls

Back to the waterfall which was a pretty cool experience and you can get some great close-up shots of the falls by taking the short trail, without having to manoeuvre your way down the side of the slopes leading to the base of the falls.

lewis falls yellowstone

We did manage to see a couple of folks in the river doing some fly-fishing though the highlight was certainly Lewis Falls itself.

Kepler Cascades

A short drive from Lewis Falls took us on to the Grand Loop which is approximately 140 miles long. With a maximum speed limit of 45mph, it is for the most part a slow process to move around but one of the benefits of this is that you are able to experience more of what Yellowstone inherently offers just from the comfort of your car.

kepler cascades things to see in yellowstone

As we made our way towards Old Faithful, we stumbled across Kepler Cascades which offers one of the many stops along this part of the loop. From scenic overlooks to confronting bears (both of which we experienced), there is plenty to keep you occupied. Kepler Cascades is a waterfall on the Firehole River and offer a drop of about 150ft from multiple spots.

kepler cascades

The overlook provides a great viewpoint and with the sound of water rushing over the edge from multiple angles, this is a popular spot before arriving at Old Faithful (it’s only 2.5 miles from the iconic attraction).

things to see in yellowstone

Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin

Unfortunately our timing was a little awry as we arrived at Old Faithful a couple of minutes after the previous eruption at 6:38PM. However, the silver lining was that this allowed us time to explore more of the hydrothermal activity throughout the Upper Geyser Basin.

upper geyser basin yellowstone

We even lucked out in catching the eruption of the Beehive Geyser which only erupts once each day.

beehive geyser and old faithful

Our opinion of Old Faithful was a little disappointing, primarily because of the hype surrounding this landmark and also because we simply experienced other geyser eruptions that were more impressive in Yellowstone.

old faithful upper geyser basin

Watching Old Faithful erupt just before it went dark was an interesting experience though for such a popular tourist attraction, I would have figured a little more lighting would have made this a truly spectacular experience (perhaps Yellowstone is trying to maintain the natural feeling of the geyser, but I feel this is already lost with the specific schedule this is on for eruptions!).

old faithful things to see in yellowstone

Take a moment to watch our video highlighting all of the amazing Yellowstone geysers we experienced – it’s well worth it!

Norris Geyser Basin

Day 2 started with us arriving at the West Yellowstone entrance around 9:45AM after a lengthy drive from our previous night’s accommodation in Big Sky, Montana (Highly recommend River Rock Lodge if you don’t mind driving just over a hour to the park entrance).

norris geyser basin yellowstone

We planned on revisiting Old Faithful to experience the eruption during the day, but I also wanted to ensure we had enough time to explore the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We opted to visit this attraction first but en route we stumbled across another awesome spot – Norris Geyser Basin.

Home to the world’s largest active geyser, Steamboat, this is an exhilarating location with a myriad of hot springs and hydrothermal pools and geysers.

steamboat geyser things to see in yellowstone

Due to time constraints (come on guys, we are exploring Yellowstone in a day here!) we opted against all the way around Norris but this would be a great place to start on a return visit! The views from the top of the trail overlooking the geyser basin are stunning with puffs of steam occasionally rising from various parts of the landscape.

norris geyser basin yellowstone

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Nothing is quite like the experience of visiting the Grand Canyon, but after exploring the equivalent version in Yellowstone National Park it is a pretty good alternative. The scenic Rim Drive loop of Lower Falls offers an incredible view of the waterfalls and hiking trails allow you to descend to the base of the falls.

grand canyon of yellowstone

The loop also offers a myriad of overlooks providing different angles of the Grand Canyon, including the stunning Inspiration Point and Grand View Point. Not only did we experience the gorgeous views, we also encountered a bison that was close to one of the parking lots and offered some pretty cool photograph opportunities.

grand canyon of yellowstone

Grand Canyon is famous for both the Lower Falls and Upper Falls. Views from the North Rim Drive of the Upper Falls are limited but you can still experience both if time constraints prevent you from driving this route along with the South Rim Drive.

upper and lower falls grand canyon of yellowstone

Grand Loop Road

By the time we left the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, we were already deep into the Grand Loop Road.

hayden valley yellowstone

As mentioned earlier, this scenic loop is over 140 miles and will take a full day on its own probably without having time to see much in between because of the speed limits and amount of traffic passing through.

yellowstone wildlife

We covered a shorter ’96 miles’ loop but this still took about 5 hours to complete including various stops. Here are the distances and some of the iconic landmarks in between that you should consider visiting:

  • Madison Junction to Norris Junction (14 miles) – Gibbon Falls and Beryl Spring
  • Norris Junction to Canyon (12 miles) – Norris Geyser Basin, Virginia Cascade and Grand Canyon
  • Canyon to West Thumb via Fishing Bridge (37 miles) – Yellowstone Lake and Hayden Valley
  • West Thumb to Old Faithful (17 miles) – Kepler Cascades and Old Faithful
  • Old Faithful to Madison Junction (16 miles) – Lower Geyser Basin

Some of these distances are ‘deceptive’ to say the least because of the speed limit issues I mentioned. But the beauty of the Grand Loop is that these restrictive speed limits ensure that you have enough time to appreciate the beauty that is surrounding you.

things to see in yellowstone national park

Overlooks are frequent so be sure to take the time to stop at some of these for an impromptu view of Yellowstone’s finest scenery.

Summary

We are just about recovering after a fun-filled adventure exploring Yellowstone National Park but we wouldn’t change anything if we could do this all over again. This list is anything but exhaustive, however it does provide a few key highlights that in our opinion you simply cannot afford to miss when you visit Yellowstone.

Whether you are a first-timer to Yellowstone or a frequent return visitor, you will appreciate the natural beauty each and every time you step through the entrance…Welcome to Yellowstone!

You can view all of our photos from our EPIC trip to Yellowstone here: Yellowstone National Park

Weekend Wanderlust


VIDEO BLOG – Exploring the Best Yellowstone Geysers

Chris Boothman
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6
VIDEO BLOG – Exploring the Best Yellowstone Geysers

WOW! We have finally done it…we have created AND published our very first travel video for A Brit and A Southerner. It’s taken us a while and it’s been a lot of hard work figuring out iMovie but we are pretty happy with what we have put together (and more importantly, we hope you are too!). What better way to start our video series than by sharing our experiences in Yellowstone National Park, in particular our amazing adventures exploring the best Yellowstone geysers and other hydrothermal activity.

Video Summary

If you read our slightly controversial recent post on ‘Why Old Faithful is Not the Best Geyser in Yellowstone?‘ you will know that we found a couple of alternatives that we consider to be far superior. It’s nothing against Old Faithful and the reality is that this is still a gorgeous geyser that YOU HAVE TO SEE, but we just feel there are a couple (at least) of others that you could easily justify as considering to be better.

What do we define as ‘better’? Well it’s all down to personal interpretation of course so I will let you enjoy our very first video (it’s only a short one but we have at least made the break into the video blogging industry) and hopefully you will have an opinion on which is your favorite Yellowstone geyser.

beehive yellowstone geysers

From the Beehive Geyser that we were fortunate to see erupt at 7:30PM on our first night in Yellowstone to the stunning sight of Steamboat Geyser gurgling as folks wait in anticipation for the next eruption (the last one took place in September 2014 so we may all be waiting for a while to come!), Yellowstone National Park is THE place to be in USA if you have any sort of interest in geothermal and hydrothermal activity.

yellowstone geysers

To really enjoy Yellowstone, you need to set aside at least a couple of days though of course we showed that you can explore Yellowstone in a day and have an amazing time there as long as you plan accordingly.

Comments and Feedback

Please share your comments and opinions both on the content of the video, what you like about the video (and of course what you think we need to improve) and what you would love to see in the future.

For now folks, join us on our one minute journey from Jonesboro, Arkansas to Yellowstone National Park and enjoy the breathtaking eruptions of geysers! Are you ready to visit Yellowstone National Park for yourselves and experience the unlimited amount of natural beauty on display?

Yellowstone in a Day – How to Maximize Your Time

Chris Boothman
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26
Yellowstone in a Day – How to Maximize Your Time

Sometimes I feel like our travels take us on a whirlwind journey through our destinations, primarily because we experience so much in a short time. That’s our philosophy right…Exploring the World One Weekend at a Time! Our recent trip to Yellowstone National Park et al. was equally as ambitious given that you could easily spend a week or two inside just Yellowstone and still not experience everything this park has to offer. But never fear, we want to share with you our guide to exploring Yellowstone in a day!

Ambitious, stupid, crazy, pointless, unlikely and unbelievable are all adjectives that I considered when thinking about seeing as much of Yellowstone National Park in just one day. Fortunately for us we were able to experience this over a two day period, but ‘technically’ it was just one full day of exploring given that we spent an afternoon and the following morning here before heading towards Glacier National Park.

Preparation is Critical

Before you start thinking that exploring ANY national park in only one day is feasible, you have to ensure your preparation is done prior to traveling. We generally plan out a rough itinerary of what we want to see and experience during any trip, but visiting Yellowstone I knew that we needed to be a little more meticulous when figuring out the key elements and landmarks that we wanted to see.

yellowstone in a day

Let’s start by putting Yellowstone into perspective if you have no geographical knowledge or perception on this historic national park. At almost 3,500 square miles, it is one of the largest national parks in the contiguous US and sits atop a volcanic hot spot.

Research is critical before visiting Yellowstone because even if you are interested in visiting only the top tourist attractions, you will certainly not have enough time with just one day! Careful consideration on what you are hoping to achieve at Yellowstone is crucial. Determine what type of trip you want this to be.

yellowstone in a day

Are you interested in experiencing Yellowstone’s wildlife? Perhaps you want to learn more about the hydrothermal activity in the various Geyser Basins? Or maybe breathtaking views across the dramatic canyons and deep forestry are more aligned with your interests?

As you pass through the entrance to Yellowstone (I cannot emphasize the value in purchasing an annual America is Beautiful Pass for $80), the park ranger will hand you a map of the park but if you leave it until this point to try and plan your route…well it may be a little too late! Fortunately these maps are readily available everywhere on the Internet so be sure to research this and at least have a list of landmarks that you want to visit in mind.

Explore Yellowstone With Us

If you followed the above advice and arrived at a decision over which Yellowstone experience you want to follow…let me tell you about our trip because we pretty much threw all of that out of the window and went “A Brit and A Southerner’s” way.

Essentially we combined a mixture of all the above into one epic road trip around Yellowstone and left with a pretty awesome experience that makes us ready to go back in a heartbeat.

Here is a quick rundown of what we encountered along our trip:

  • Encountered the eruption of Old Faithful not once, but twice!
  • Saw the Beehive Geyser erupt which only occurs usually once each day.
  • Close run-in with a myriad of wildlife…more to come (don’t want to spoil it just yet!)
  • Stunning views at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
  • Toured the Norris Geyser Basin, home of Steamboat Geyser aka “world’s largest active geyser”
  • Drove the Scenic Drive aka Grand Loop Road.
  • Experienced a number of gorgeous waterfalls and cascades

As you can see, we experienced A LOT during a short amount of time. Yes it’s tiring, yes it’s time consuming to get from one attraction to the other but most importantly it is a breathtaking experience that you will enjoy!

Yellowstone in a Day – No Problem!

Quick-Guide Itinerary

Still not convinced that you can achieve all of this in a day? I will try and put this into context based on our schedule and how we experienced all the above attractions. As I mentioned earlier, our experience at Yellowstone was split across two days which likely helped because it enabled us to recharge our batteries in between. However, I maintain that if you arrived at Yellowstone early, you could experience all of the above.

Afternoon (Day 1)

4PM – Arrived at Yellowstone National Park South entrance. Visited Lewis Falls en route to Old Faithful.

lewis falls yellowstone in a day

6:30PM – Old Faithful erupted at 6:38 which we missed but spent time walking around Upper Geyser Basin – Beehive Geyser erupted at 7:30PM and Old Faithful at 8:15

yellowstone national park old faithful

8:30PM – Drove out of Yellowstone via West Yellowstone exit. Encountered number of different wildlife including bison, elk and moose while driving out.

wildlife in yellowstone

Morning (Day 2)

9:45AM – Arrived at Yellowstone National Park West entrance. Headed to Norris Geyser Basin via Gibbon Falls.

gibbon falls yellowstone in a day

11:30AM – Hiked to Steamboat Geyser after seeing Emerald Spring in Norris Geyser Basin. Also took in panoramic views of Porcelain Basin.

steamboat geyser

12:30PM – Arrived at Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, took the North Rim Scenic drive and made stops at various overlooks across Lower/Upper Falls and the canyon.

grand canyon of yellowstone

3:00PM – Old Faithful for a second time – saw the eruption shortly after 3:15PM which was more impressive than previous day!

old faithful geyser yellowstone

3:30PM – Headed out of Yellowstone but had a face-to-face encounter with two bison on the road which delayed us a while, but provided awesome photographs.

wildlife encounter yellowstone

Summary

Are you exhausted just reading about our experience in Yellowstone National Park? It was incredible and honestly I would reiterate that even though its feasible to see all of what we did, I would encourage you to spend more time inside the park if you are able to. This is by far the most breathtaking of all national parks we have visited, including the likes of Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Arches and Zion.

There are so many different natural landscapes on display throughout the park so be sure to know exactly what you are looking for. If you are visiting for the first time, the above itinerary to explore Yellowstone in a day may just be the perfect tonic to inspire you to check out more of what this beautiful location has to offer!

From Mammoth Hot Springs to the Artist’s Paint Pots, there is still a number of attractions that we didn’t have time to visit…but all this does is provide extra incentive to return in the future.

Weekend Wanderlust


Why Old Faithful Is Not the Best Geyser in Yellowstone?

Chris Boothman
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2
Why Old Faithful Is Not the Best Geyser in Yellowstone?

If you follow stereotypes, many will believe that Old Faithful is the most iconic and impressive geyser in Yellowstone. It may well be the most iconic for good reason but after experiencing Old Faithful and a myriad of other geysers, I would argue that it is NOT the most impressive though of course this is all down to personal interpretation. So which are the best geysers in Yellowstone?

One thing is for sure, Yellowstone National Park is spoiled for choice with hydrothermal activity taking place everywhere you look, so I am sure after you visit this breathtaking natural attraction, you too will have your opinions on which is the best geyser in Yellowstone.

History of Old Faithful

Let’s take a step back in time for a while as we consider the history of Old Faithful. In 1870, the first official expedition to Yellowstone named the Washburn Expedition, gave this geyser its name primarily due to its size and frequency.

old faithful geyser

It is a cone-typed geyser and because of its regularity of erupting, along with its size, it has become the most studied geyser in Yellowstone National Park (and possibly the world).

Park rangers use data compiled from each eruption, including length, height and overall distribution, to calculate a fairy accurate prediction on upcoming eruptions. They are 90% certain that their predictions are within a +/- 10 minute period of the advertised eruption.

old faithful yellowstone

You can follow along with the Old Faithful schedule either on their Twitter page GeyserNPS or if you are visiting the park, the Visitor Center lists the next scheduled eruption. Alternatively, you can simply peer around the benches that surround Old Faithful and the number of people there will likely give you a good indication as to when the next eruption will be!

Is Old Faithful Overrated?

Taking a trip to Yellowstone National Park would not be the same without experiencing Old Faithful geyser erupting. But how impressive is it and is it overrated? Well I want to start by saying that we experienced Old Faithful erupting on two separate occasions, once at dusk and once in the afternoon. On both occasions we were left slightly disappointed with what we saw. That’s pretty much the simple summary but why you may be wondering…

old faithful best geyser in yellowstone

Old Faithful gets its name from the organized schedule which immediately is a turn-off in my opinion. Ok, it’s great for the visitors because you can plan your itinerary around the approximate 90 minute cycle of eruptions, but how many natural attractions around the world have such an organized schedule?

best geyser in yellowstone

I’m being a little pessimistic here because the reality is Old Faithful is a ‘must-see’ when visiting Yellowstone, but I just want you to be aware that there are other options out there and don’t want you to be overly disappointed after seeing the short eruption.

old faithful geyser

When Old Faithful actually erupts, I am not going to lie, it is still a pretty impressive sight. Water and steam erupt anywhere between 90 to 180 feet into the sky and from the panoramic viewpoint around the geyser, it is a great experience.

old faithful eruption

But again, there are better options out there in my opinion and I will share a couple of alternatives that I believe are far superior.

Beehive Geyser

One of the major attractions at Old Faithful is the hydrothermal park that this iconic geyser is part of. Our timing to see Old Faithful erupt couldn’t have been much worse given that the previous eruption had just occurred about 4 minutes before we arrived. This gave us about 90 minutes to explore the rest of the park, and honestly this was the best thing that could have happened in hindsight.

beehive best geyser in yellowstone

Walking around the Upper Geyser Basin we were able to catch a number of cool hydrothermal activities but the highlight had to be the spontaneous eruption of the Beehive Geyser as we were walking back towards Old Faithful.

beehive best geyser in yellowstone

Given that the Beehive Geyser only erupts usually once a day, we felt incredibly fortunate and honored to be present during this eruption at around 7:30PM (the previous eruption was around 2:00AM that day).

beehive geyser

At 200 feet high and with a duration of several minutes that sees this geyser maintain its height throughout, it is an awesome natural phenomenon that I strongly encourage you to try and see.

beehive geyser yellowstone national park

Of course the regularity of Beehive’s schedule may not allow this but if you are lucky like us, you may capture a memorable experience!

Steamboat Geyser

Many visitors to Yellowstone National Park appreciate the beauty offered in the Upper Geyser Basin, but fail to experience the Norris Geyser Basin which offers an equal amount of natural beauty, if not more. As we headed on our scenic road trip around the infamous Yellowstone loop (more on this route to come), we stumbled across the sign for Norris Geyser Basin and decided to take a look at this area.

steamboat geyser yellowstone

A winding path takes you through a plethora of hydrothermal attractions and depending on how much time you have, you can really experience some gorgeous sights. About 1/4 mile into the trail we arrived at Steamboat Geyser which can lay claim to being the world’s tallest active geyser.

best geyser in yellowstone

During major eruptions, Steamboat shoots up to 300 feet into the air which I can imagine is a spectacular experience. There is a slight problem…this geyser rarely erupts and when it does there can be a gap of anywhere between a couple of days to fifty years before the next eruption! The last eruption took place on 3rd September, 2014 so who knows when the next one will occur.

steamboat geyser yellowstone

Even when Steamboat is not erupting, the activity of the steam and water gurgling around the edge of the geyser makes this an incredible attraction to view.

best geyser in yellowstone

There are several vantage points that provide different angles but everyone standing around are just hoping for the miracle to take place and be the fortunate few to experience Steamboat erupting! We were not so fortunate but maybe next time…

steamboat geyser

Summary

Before concluding that Old Faithful is overrated and a complete waste of your time, I want to suggest visiting all three of the above geysers. The beauty of Yellowstone National Park is that there are many, many more than the three aforementioned geysers so I am convinced you will stumble across one that is equally if not more impressive than those I recommended.

old faithful geyser yellowstone

But I am now going to take a 360-degree turn and recommend that you DO in fact visit Old Faithful because despite it’s obvious ‘tourist attraction’ tag, it is still a worthwhile experience and will at least give you something to compare other geysers.

We have been fortunate enough to experience Geysir Geyser in Iceland which was incredible and after seeing the Beehive Geyser at Yellowstone erupt in front of our very eyes, you may well now understand why we have taken this stance regarding Old Faithful. It’s impressive, it’s cool but unfortunately it’s predictable so I will turn this over to you to share what your thoughts are on Yellowstone’s hydrothermal landscape!

5 Epic Reasons to Explore Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid

Chris Boothman
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7
5 Epic Reasons to Explore Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid

As you drive across the Memphis-Arkansas bridge on I-55, also known as the ‘old bridge’ to locals, you will likely be impressed by the Mississippi River, downtown Memphis skyline or perhaps even Mud Island. But wait…there is one other attraction that has always played an integral part in welcoming visitors from the other side of the Mississippi River – The Pyramid. Today visitors will be delighted to see that this attraction is now home to ‘Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid’ and we decided to take a look at what all the fuss was about.

downtown memphis tennessee

Why is this unique? I am not usually a fan of exploring a store like Bass Pro Shops but this is more than just a shopping excursion, instead it offers an experience with a myriad of attractions that will keep you occupied for several hours.

History of the Pyramid

The unique design of the Pyramid dates back to 1991 when it was initially opened but of course it has seen a lot of transformation since then. The original name was ‘The Great American Pyramid’ and after several other colloquial names, it is locally referred to as simply ‘The Pyramid’.

Standing at 321 feet tall, it is recognized globally as one of the tallest pyramid designs around and of course mirrors the ancient Egyptian architectural masterpieces that we all love.

bass pro shops at the pyramid

The Pyramid has played host to a number of sporting events including the fight between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson in 2002. As the former home of the University of Memphis basketball team and also Memphis Grizzlies, it was renowned as an iconic venue.

Utilizing this venue has a sports arena or entertainment complex never materialized, partially through the opening of the nearby FedEx Forum and also because of concerns relating to the Pyramid’s infrastructure and whether it fit the needs of a NBA franchise or similar entity.

bass pro shops at the pyramid

In 2005, discussions opened with Bass Pro Shops and 5 years later an agreement was made to allow the transformation from this abandoned structure into a diverse attraction that we see today. The store had its grand opening in April 2015, ten years after the initial plans were considered.

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid – Why Visit?

Have you ever set foot inside a Bass Pro Shops around the United States? I am not sure whether to say I have been fortunate or unfortunate to have visited several. They are not really my thing given that their focus is on fishing and hunting, but they do have some pretty cool features and of course the outdoor camping section is always worthwhile investigating to see if there is anything that can help us on our travels.

Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid is more than just a store; it’s an adventure.

Every Bass Pro Shops I have visited has been pretty similar, until we visited Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in Memphis. I want to share what I consider to be 5 epic reasons that differentiates this store from any other Bass Pro Shops and encourage you to check out this for yourselves the next time you head to Memphis.

1. The Lookout at the Pyramid

If you love death-defying experiences, look no further than the Lookout at the Pyramid. Ok so I may be dramatizing the experience a little given that the Lookout is primairly an overlook on a glass observation deck, but for anyone with a fear of heights this may well be a challenging encounter.

bass pro shops at the pyramid memphis

After climbing the world’s tallest freestanding elevator at 25 floors, you are presented with stunning views across two sides of the pyramid.

bass pro shops at the pyramid memphis observation deck

Both have a solid (reassurance time folks!) glass observation deck that offers stability along with an opportunity to peer over the edge and gaze down on the gorgeous intricate details of the Pyramid design.

bass pro shops at the pyramid views

Peer across the Mississippi River and into Arkansas before panning around to the downtown Memphis metropolis which gives a completely different look as you see this from a birds-eye angle.

bass pro shops lookout restaurant

Did you overcome your fears? Great, now head back inside to the Lookout restaurant and grab a bite to eat from the appetizing yet select menu, or perhaps you need a strong beverage to relax yourself.

bass pro shops at the pyramid

Admission to the Lookout is $10 which is reasonable given that you can spend as much time as you like at the summit. Although the views are limited given that you can only see two sides, you can pretty much see everything wortwhile in the surrounding area and beyond.

bass pro shops observation deck

2. Cypress Swamp Habitat

Wandering around Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid, you immediately notice that you are engulfed in more than just a retail experience. Instead as we glanced around at our surroundings we felt like we were in the heart of the Everglades or other swampland with the towering Cypress trees and various bridges crossing over the natural habitat of alligators.

bass pro shops cypress swamp

Of course we were not left disappointed as we noticed several live alligators relaxing as they felt right at home despite the number of onlookers gazing into their abode.

bass pro shops at the pyramid

The details included within this natural environment can certainly be attested to Bass Pro Shops and their attempts to ensure the animals are kept in a suitable habitat while at the same time providing an intriguing exhibit for visitors.

3. Big Cypress Lodge

Emphasizing the importance of visitors having a wholesome experience, Bass Pro Shops have included yet another first in their store at the Pyramid. Big Cypress Lodge is a hotel located inside Bass Pro Shops and offers a rustic feel and experience for visitors wishing to stay on premise.

big cypress lodge bass pro shops at the pyramid

With 103 various rooms to choose from, each with a unique look and feel ranging from the quirky rusticness to the treehouse style design, visitors have plenty of options. These treehouse designed rooms are really cool as you gaze up and see them suspended perilously from the Cypress trees.

big cypress lodge bass pro shops at the pyramid

This is the design Bass Pro Shops envisioned and what better way to emphasize the overall adventure experience than by having such rooms available for those interested in spending time here.

big cypress lodge

4. Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill

By the time you have finished exploring all of Bass Pro Shops’ awesome attractions inside the Pyramid, you will likely be ready to grab something to eat. Perhaps the Lookout menu isn’t sufficient, so head on over to Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill for a real dining experience.

uncle bucks fishbowl bass pro shops pyramid

I was particularly impressed by the menu variety on offer and would love to have had time to sample some of this fine cuisine, but what intrigued me the most about this restaurant was the nautical-themed design along with the 13-lane bowling alley. Be sure to head over and find out when the specials are taking place because you can really have a great experience while sampling some delicious food.

bass pro shops uncle bucks fishbowl restaurant

A saltwater aquarium is also located within Bass Pro Shops and is accessible from both within the restaurant and outside. The variety of fish on display makes this a marine lovers dream so be sure to check this out before you leave.

5. Retail Therapy

Ok, so the final reason why you should visit Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid may not seem like anything out of the ordinary given that this is a retail store.

bass pro shops retail

But the variety on offer ranging from leading outdoor brands to the Tracker Boat Center where you can find something to meet all your needs, ensures that this location is well-equipped to satisfy all visitors from around the world.

bass pro shops at the pyramid

If you have a sweet tooth, the fudge store will likely grab your attention with a variety of flavors available to sample and purchase.

general store bass pro shops

The general store area has a myriad of food selections available, from weird and wonderful bbq sauces to other snacks that may tempt you.

bass pro shops at the pyramid memphis

Summary

We spent a full afternoon exploring the new Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. The location is great, the attractions are awesome and of course everything you would stereotypically associate with a Bass Pro Shop is present here…plus much more!

bass pro shops overlook memphis

I would say that the Lookout is my favorite attraction here, probably because I love skyscrapers and anything that provides a panoramic view over a city or other surrounding area. I recommend taking the time to pay The Pyramid a visit even if you are not a retail therapist because as Bass Pro Shops like to emphasize, it is “an adventure” rather than just a retail store!

Weekend Wanderlust


Sun Studio Tour – Why It Is the Birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll?

Chris Boothman
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9
Sun Studio Tour – Why It Is the Birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll?

Memphis is famous for being home to the likes of B.B. King, Elvis Presley and many more iconic musicians. But have you ever wondered where it all started for many of these legendary artists? Take a Sun Studio tour in the heart of Memphis to find out the answers to this question….oh and by the way, you will be standing on some pretty hallowed ground as you wander around this recording studio.

Birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll

You may be thinking that Beale Street or even Graceland could be idolized as the home or birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll music, but the reality is that the small recording studio along Union Avenue by the name of ‘Sun Studio’ can lay claim to this statement.

From the home of the ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ (more on this later) to all those budding artists coming back year after year trying to make their break in the music industry, Sun Studio has seen it all.

sun studio union avenue memphis

What better way to experience all of this than by taking your very own Sun Studio tour? Join us in finding out what you can learn and why you should add this to your itinerary next time you plan on visiting Bluff City!

Location and Other Information

  • Address – 706 Union Avenue, Memphis TN 38103
  • Free Shuttle is available to/from Graceland and the Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum
  • Tours are available daily on the half hour between 10:30AM and 5:30PM (last one departs at 5:30PM)
  • Admission to the tour is $12 for adults (Children 5-11 are Free)
  • Free Parking is available behind Sun Studio (but limited!)

Welcome to Sun Studio

Arriving at Sun Studio at around 12:45, we just missed the previous tour but this did give us time to explore the bar area and also outside. The first thing we noticed is just how small Sun Studio really is. The building has a cool design with a red brick finish that makes this stand out along Union Avenue.

sun studio memphis

The large ‘Sun Studio’ sign depicted on the side of the building is a vibrant touch that adds to the whole experience as you approach from either direction.

Imagine walking along Union Avenue as an aspiring artist with your guitar in tow, hoping to kickstart your career inside this legendary recording studio. It sends chills down your spine just thinking about this but of course many have succeeded while others have failed in their attempts here.

sun studio memorabilia

As you walk inside Sun Studio, you are greeted with a friendly atmosphere and Rock ‘N’ Roll ambience with iconic music playing in the background, and a relaxing bar area where you can grab a drink before taking the tour.

sun studio tour

Souvenirs and memorabilia are available for purchase but we used this time to explore the record wall and other items that were strategically located around the bar.

sun studio tour memphis

Sun Studio Tour – Be Prepared to Rock ‘N’ Roll

Our tour started at 1:30PM promptly. We were part of a fairly large tour party with a lively tour guide, who made the experience worthwhile and provided a very knowledgeable reflection on Sun Studio and the history behind this environment.

sun studio tour memphis

The tour itself is relatively short given that you only experience two different rooms, but it is the memorabilia and history within these rooms that makes the Sun Studio tour a must-visit attraction in Memphis.

bb king sun studio memphis

Our guide lead us to up the first flight of stairs into the memorabilia room and from here we learned all about the history of Sun Studio. Dating back to 1950 when rock pioneer Sam Phillips first opened the doors to this recording studio, it was originally called Memphis Recording Service.

The Early Years of Sun Studio

Legendary artists such as Ike Turner, B.B. King and of course Howlin’ Wolf all performed inside this venue, but the first real hit came in 1953 when Rufus Thomas’ ‘Bearcat’ was recorded inside Sun Studio.

sun studio tour memphis tennessee

Although this may not sound too familiar at first, when our guide played a short clip, we all immediately recognized the sound which is the same as ‘Hound Dog’.

rufus thomas bearcat

Unfortunately, this was a copyright infringement that almost lead to the closure of Sun Studio but Phillips was able to keep the studio afloat thanks mainly to the performance by The Prisonaires, a quartet of four individuals who were given permission to leave prison to perform ‘Just Walkin in the Rain’.

sun studio the prisonaires

This performance was epic enough for the governor to issue pardons for each of these group members!

August 1953 – Elvis Arrives

As we moved downstairs into the hallowed room that was the recording studio, we started to learn about the rich history and heritage that has taken place inside these walls. Guitars lined one wall, a huge bass attributed to Bill Black was in another corner and a piano completed the collection. The rest was left to the individual donning the microphone.

sun studio recording room

In August 1953, a young man from Tupelo, Mississippi heard about the huge success of the Prisonaires and sought his own success. Of course this individual is the one and only Elvis Presley. His early attempts at gaining the attention of Phillips were futile, despite his claims that “I don’t sound like nobody” and “I sing all kinds of music”.

marion keisker elvis presley

Sun Studio’s receptionist, Marion Keisker, was really the individual that helped Elvis on his way. She repeatedly helped him record clips and passed them along to Phillips who frequently was never there to hear Elvis perform.

elvis sun studio tour

Elvis’ break arrived when Phillips recommended that he perform alongside Scotty Moore and Bill Black in a jam session. The majority of this session proved uneventful and largely pointless, until late in the night when Elvis launched into a blues number that immediately captured the attention of everyone.

dewey phillips sun studio

Local Memphis DJ, Dewey Phillips, played the hit that Elvis had performed “That’s All Right” on the local Memphis station and well…the rest is history!

elvis guitar sun studio memphis

The End of an Era

It quickly became apparent that although Elvis’ early success was attributed to Sun Studio, Phillips was not in a financial position to help support his progression into stardom. Phillips focused his attention on nurturing other artists and names such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash can all thank Sun Studios for starting their careers.

sun studio million dollar quartet

I mentioned the Million Dollar Quartet earlier, well in 1956 an impromptu jam session involving Presley, Lewis, Cash and Perkins took place at Sun Studios. And Phillips captured it all!! This is one of the most iconic performances of all time and the image of the four individuals by the piano is well known around the world.

sun studio memphis

Summary

So we now know about the rich history at Sun Studios. But what about today? Well of course this location is now a huge tourist attraction with the Sun Studio tours offering a great way to learn about Rock ‘N’ Roll. But this is still a live recording studio and many current day acts have performed here including Maroon 5, U2 and John Mellencamp.

sun studio tour

If you are an aspiring artist and want to try to make a break into the music industry, forget American Idol or the X-Factor, instead head on down to Sun Studio on Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee because you never know what may materialize as you perform inside that small recording studio.

Disclaimer – We would like to thank Memphis Travel for providing us with 2 complimentary tickets for our visit to Sun Studio. These are solely our personal opinions/experiences and we were not financially compensated for this post.

How to Enjoy Spanish Football at the Nou Camp Barcelona

Chris Boothman
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How to Enjoy Spanish Football at the Nou Camp Barcelona

What do you think of when you hear the words ‘Nou Camp Barcelona’? If you love football (soccer in USA) the response is pretty simple…if you live in Spain the response is obvious…if neither of these, well you should still have a pretty good idea that the Nou Camp is one of the most famous football stadiums around the world.

It’s safe to say that the majority of Brits have football running through their veins and I certainly fall into that category. Any opportunity that I have to watch a football match, I am all for it! Whether it’s on the TV or preferably in person, I am always eager to watch 11 vs 11 regardless of who is playing.

nou camp barcelona stadium

In most places around the world, football is one of the most popular sports for fans and aspiring stars to watch and play. I have grown up watching English teams but visiting Spain earlier this year, I wanted to experience Spanish football and this is exactly what we did during our time at the Nou Camp Barcelona.

Non-League to World Cup Final

Heather may not have the same passion or love for the game of football, but I try my hardest to ensure she enjoys every match that we watch together. From the grassroots level watching non-league in England to the World Cup Final on TV, Heather has been right by my side watching these encounters over the last few years. So, heading to Barcelona the opportunity to visit the legendary Nou Camp was far too good to pass up!

fc barcelona stadium

The argument over which is the best league in the world is an ongoing battle between the Spanish and English leagues. Many believe that the strength in depth of the Premier League is far superior yet others suggest that the footballing powerhouses of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid ensures that La Liga is the best.

Regardless of which philosophy you follow, I think you will agree that both leagues provide extremely entertaining football so any opportunity you get to purchase tickets, you should go for it (at least once in your lifetime, even if you don’t like football!)

The Nou Camp Experience

Even though I am NOT a Barcelona fan, in fact I generally have a strong dislike against the Catalan giants, I do love football so heading to the Nou Camp to watch Barcelona play Getafe was certainly something I was looking forward to. The Nou Camp is one of the iconic football stadiums around the world similar to Wembley, San Siro and Santiago Bernabeu.

nou camp barcelona experience

With a seating capacity of just under 100,000 that frequently sells out, the first challenge is actually getting to the stadium. Thanks to our trusty Hop On, Hop Off city bus tour ticket, we headed to the stadium in what we believed would be plenty of time to arrive prior to kick-off.

nou camp barcelona

This was clearly a tourist mistake because we didn’t arrive at our seats in the Nou Camp until 10 minutes into the match.

nou camp barcelona

Walking around the outside of the Nou Camp, the buzz of the Catalonians preparing to head inside the stadium is obvious. The folks in Barcelona have a unique love of football but even more so of their team. Expectations are understandably high and there are not many teams around the world that have succeeded as much as FC Barcelona in meeting these lofty expectations.

fc barcelona nou camp

Barcelona’s Sexy Football

Ruud Gullit once coined the term ‘sexy football’ while describing the attractive style of play of teams around the world, and Barcelona certainly meet the criteria to adopt this phrase. The current crop of players are all equally at home passing the ball around the field waiting for the moment to penetrate the opposition’s defence.

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez leading the line, Barcelona is a team adept at controlling the pace of play and preventing the opposition from time on the ball.

nou camp barcelona football

Back to the encounter we had tickets for, a home match against Getafe who were struggling towards the lower echelons of La Liga. Surely three points and a convincing win for the Catalans? Perhaps this exact message was shared with the Barcelona players because immediately the referee blew his whistle, this was a definite encounter of ‘men against boys’.

fc barcelona spanish football

We took our seats in the upper decks of the Nou Camp with Barcelona already leading 1-0 thanks to an early Leo Messi penalty after only 9 minutes. The quality of football on display was unbelieveable and it was clear that there was only one team going to win this La Liga encounter.

nou camp barcelona getafe

By half time Barca were 5-0 up thanks to a brace from their Uruguayan ace Suarez and further goals from Neymar and Xavi. A further goal from Messi early in the second half left the final score 6-0 and to rub salt into the wound, it really could have been more!

Catalan Atmosphere

Although watching the Catalan giants was an entertaining spectacle, the real enjoyment factor was being present inside the Nou Camp stadium. The atmosphere is electric and even when the crowd is not at full capacity (a little under 70,000 attended the Getafe match), the Barcelona fans really get behind their team and create a lively environment for everyone in attendance.

camp nou barcelona

Another interesting topic of conversation is your seat location. We were near the very top of the Nou Camp which are of course the cheapest tickets available. However, I don’t think there are any bad views inside this stadium. A word of caution that if you are afraid of heights, it’s pretty high up from the top but the views are breathtaking.

nou camp barcelona spanish football

The beauty of being near the very top is that you have a birds eye view of all the pitch but also you can see beyond the stadium and take in the gorgeous evening sky around Barcelona.

By the time we decided to leave the Nou Camp, there were just a few minutes left on the clock and given the scoreline was so one-sided we beat the onslaught of rushing fans trying to escape the stadium and head home. We enjoyed a late evening walk back through this beautiful Spanish city and it was easy to know when the final whistle was blown given the huge roar that emerged from inside the Nou Camp.

Summary

For the football lovers around the world, the Nou Camp is a must-see attraction. This is more than just a football stadium, in fact it is a landmark that truly reflects everything that Barcelona has to offer. The passionate Catalan fans along with the distinctive atmosphere you feel as you watch the likes of Messi et al ply they trade, makes this an incredibly rewarding experience.

nou camp barcelona

Regardless of whether you are a Barcelona fan or not, experiencing Spanish football inside the Nou Camp is money and time well spent. We are both grateful for our opportunity to watch Barcelona and to see them score six was just an added bonus. The beauty about watching a match at the Nou Camp is that it really doesn’t matter about the scoreline, instead it’s the whole experience and memories that you will savor.

The next time you head to Barcelona, forget about exploring Gaudi’s famous architectural masterpieces or wandering around Las Ramblas neighborhood, head on over to the Nou Camp for a really enjoyable experience. Even if there is no match, you can take a tour of the stadium which I imagine is awesome as you will get a ‘behind the scenes’ look at everything that takes place at the home of FC Barcelona.

Weekend Wanderlust


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