Should you visit Yosemite National Park or Grand Teton National Park?
Should I visit Yosemite 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.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is located in east-central California in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's one of the most famous and popular parks in the country and is known for its breathtaking granite cliffs, dramatic waterfalls, clear streams, and giant sequoia groves. The park covers 750,000 acres, or 1,200 square miles, and includes thousands of lakes and ponds and an impressive range of biodiversity. There are 800 miles of hiking trails within the park as well. Yosemite National Park is the third most visited park within the United States with an average annual visitation of almost 4 million people.
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 Yosemite National Park?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Average Daily Cost
Per person, per day
Yosemite National Park
$104
Grand Teton National Park
$130
The average daily cost (per person) in Yosemite National Park is $104, 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 Yosemite 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 $52. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Yosemite National Park the cost is $104 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
Yosemite National Park $52
Grand Teton National Park $63
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Yosemite National Park
$104
Grand Teton National Park
$126
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $33 per day to get around in Yosemite 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.
Yosemite National Park $33
Grand Teton National Park $42
Is it cheaper to fly into Yosemite National Park or Grand Teton National Park?
Prices for flights to both Grand Teton National Park and Yosemite 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.
Food
The average traveler spends about $32 per day in Yosemite National Park for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $15 per person, per day in Yosemite National Park. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
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.
Yosemite National Park $15
Grand Teton National Park $34
Tours and Activities in Yosemite National Park
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Yosemite National Park are as follows:
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From Lake Tahoe: Yosemite National Park Full-Day Tour:
$250
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From San Francisco: 2-Day Monterey & Yosemite Tour:
$495
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From San Francisco: Yosemite Tour with Giant Sequoias Hike:
$199
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Vegas to San Francisco: American Southwest Parks 11-Day Tour:
$2,430
Tours and Activities in Grand Teton National Park
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Grand Teton National Park.
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Jackson: Grand Teton National Park Half-Day Small-Bus Tour:
$149
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From Jackson: 4-Day Grand Teton and Yellowstone Winter Tour:
$1,899
Alcohol
The average person spends about $8.46 on alcoholic beverages in Yosemite 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
Yosemite National Park $8.46
Grand Teton National Park $16
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Yosemite National Park and Grand Teton National Park, we can see that Grand Teton National Park is more expensive. And not only is Yosemite National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Yosemite National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Yosemite 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 Yosemite National Park.
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