Should you visit Glacier National Park or Grand Teton National Park?
Should I visit Glacier National Park or Grand Teton National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park (official website) is a large park situated in the far north of Montana, bordering Canada. The park borders the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and both share UNESCO World Heritage Site and are biosphere reserves. Glacier National Park offers over 700 miles of trails and countless activities, including hiking, biking, canoeing, and fishing. As the park is split by the Continental Divide, the east and west sides of the park experience fairly different weather. The western side of the park gets the most rainfall while the eastern side offers more sunshine, but also more wind. During summer months, temperatures can get into the 90's Fahrenheit during the day while winter sees temperatures in the 20's and plenty of snowfall. The high season for the park is June-September, which is also when the majority of hiking trails, hotels, and shops are open.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a gorgeous park situated in the Rocky Mountain Range in northwest Wyoming. The park offers something for everyone: difficult hiking paths, walking trails built by American Indians, and a wealth of cultural history from American Indians to homesteads and cattle ranches. Grand Teton features a huge variety of landscapes, from mountains to lakes to valley and rivers that all provide you with gorgeous views of the natural beauty. For winter sports in the park, November-March is the best time to go since this is when the area gets the most amount of snow and temperatures range from 5-25° Fahrenheit. For hiking and water sports, June-August is the best time to go, as temperatures stay around 75° F throughout the day.
Which city is cheaper, Grand Teton National Park or Glacier National Park?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Average Daily Cost
Per person, per day
Glacier National Park
$102
Grand Teton National Park
$130
The average daily cost (per person) in Glacier National Park is $102, while the average daily cost in Grand Teton National Park is $130. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Glacier National Park and Grand Teton National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $45. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Glacier National Park the cost is $90 on average.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $126 in Grand Teton National Park For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Glacier National Park $45
Grand Teton National Park $63
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Glacier National Park
$90
Grand Teton National Park
$126
Food
While meal prices in Glacier National Park can vary, the average travelers spends about $23 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Glacier National Park should cost around $9.20 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Glacier National Park is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
Grand Teton National Park food costs typically run travelers around $37 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Glacier National Park is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $55 per person, per day, on local transportation in Glacier National Park.
To get around in Grand Teton National Park, the average visitor spends $42 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Glacier National Park $55
Grand Teton National Park $42
Is it cheaper to fly into Glacier National Park or Grand Teton National Park?
Prices for flights to both Grand Teton National Park and Glacier National Park change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Glacier National Park typically cost an average of $27 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
In Grand Teton National Park, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $34 per person, per day.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Glacier National Park $27
Grand Teton National Park $34
Alcohol
The average person spends about $6.73 on alcoholic beverages in Glacier National Park per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Grand Teton National Park, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $16.
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Alcohol
Drinks for one day
Glacier National Park $6.73
Grand Teton National Park $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Glacier National Park and Grand Teton National Park, we can see that Grand Teton National Park is more expensive. And not only is Glacier National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Glacier National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Glacier National Park and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Grand Teton National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Grand Teton National Park than you might in Glacier National Park.
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