Trip to Yellowstone: A Practical 5-Day Itinerary, Costs, and First-Hand Experience

Our 3-Day Yellowstone Itinerary: Trip Guide (Costs & Tips)

By Ariel & Andrew Last Updated: September 2025

Planning a trip to Yellowstone can be overwhelming, but it's an incredibly rewarding experience. We recently took a trip there and wanted to share our detailed itinerary. While our trip was technically five days and four nights, the first and last days were mostly dedicated to travel, giving us three full, incredible days to explore the park.

This plan is a result of sifting through countless travel blogs and tailoring them to our own pace and preferences. We felt it was a great balance—we saw most of the major highlights without feeling rushed. This guide covers our favorite spots, honest reviews of where we stayed and ate, and a full breakdown of our costs. Let's dive in!

Quick Trip & Cost Overview

To give you a clear picture, here's the basic framework of our trip:

Duration: 5 Days, 4 Nights (3 full days of exploration).
Travel Method: We flew from Philadelphia (PHL) to Bozeman, Montana (BZN) with a layover in Chicago. We rented a car directly at Bozeman airport, which is the most convenient way to explore the park at your own pace.
Lodging Style: A mix of a comfortable hotel in West Yellowstone and a rustic cabin inside the park.

Yellowstone Attraction Highlights: Our Personal Favorites

Let's be honest, after a while, the various hot springs and geysers can start to look similar. To help you prioritize, here are the spots that truly stood out to us.

Geysers & Hot Springs

"In my opinion, the most beautiful thermal area was West Thumb Geyser Basin. The contrast of the colorful pools right next to the vast, serene Yellowstone Lake is simply breathtaking. For the most vibrant colors, the area around the Grand Prismatic Spring is unmatched. As for geysers, Old Faithful is iconic, but the eruption feels quite short. We actually preferred the Castle Geyser, which erupts for a much longer time!"

Waterfalls

"We had different favorites here! I was absolutely captivated by the sheer power you feel at the Brink of the Upper Falls. My dad, however, preferred the iconic, painterly view from Artist Point. I recommend doing both to see which you prefer!"

Wildlife Viewing

For animal lovers, the Lamar and Hayden Valleys are absolute must-visits. This is where we saw large herds. In other areas, sightings were more sporadic and based on luck.

Hayden Valley: We got to see a huge herd of bison crossing the road, walking right alongside the cars. It was an unforgettable moment.
Lamar Valley: This was our favorite. We spotted pronghorn, more bison herds, two small black bears, and marmots. If I could do it again, I'd bring a folding chair and just sit here for a few hours, soaking it all in.
Other Areas: We also saw scattered bison, deer, a large black bear, bunnies, and more marmots throughout the park.

Pro Tip for Animal Sightings: Timing is everything. We noticed significantly more animal activity early in the morning (before 9 AM) and in the early evening. During our 4 PM to 7 PM drive, the sightings were less frequent. Plan for an early start or a late drive for the best chances!

Where We Stayed: Honest Hotel & Cabin Reviews

We split our stay between a hotel outside the park and a cabin inside for two different experiences. Here’s our take:

In West Yellowstone: Yellowstone Park Hotel

Highly recommended! The room was spacious, very clean, and the soundproofing was excellent. It provided a great, comfortable base for exploring the western part of the park. We booked this through the Chase travel portal.

Inside the Park: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins

We loved the classic "parkitecture" feel of staying inside Yellowstone. We booked a "shower-only" cabin, but were pleasantly surprised to find it had a full bathroom! The room was clean and cozy. A fun highlight was the many cute, unafraid marmots right outside our door. For booking, we went directly to the official Yellowstone National Park Lodges website, which often has the best prices for in-park lodging.

Food Guide: What to Eat in and Around Yellowstone

Food in national parks can be hit or miss. Here are our dining highlights:

Firehole BBQ CO. (West Yellowstone): MUST TRY. The brisket was incredibly juicy and flavorful—definitely order it. The corn salad was also a delicious, refreshing side. We found the pork ribs to be just average, though.
Snow Lodge Dining Room (Old Faithful): The food itself was quite good, but we felt it was a bit overpriced for the portion sizes. A decent option if you're already in the area.
Mammoth Dining Room (Mammoth): We had the buffet breakfast here. The food was standard American breakfast fare, but the service was excellent and the ambiance was wonderful. A pleasant way to start the day.

Essential Packing List (Don't Make Our Mistakes!)

Here are a few items that are absolutely non-negotiable for a comfortable trip.

A Hat: I completely forgot to bring one and ended up with a painful sunburn on my scalp. Protect yourself from the high-altitude sun!
A Good Pair of Binoculars: This is a game-changer for wildlife viewing. You'll be able to see distant animals, like bears or wolves, in incredible detail. A must-have!
A Down Jacket / Warm Layers: Yes, even in the summer! Mornings can be extremely cold. We were there in June and the weather forecast even called for snow one day. If you plan to be out before 10 AM, a warm jacket is essential.

Frequently Asked Questions (From Our Experience)

Do you need a car in Yellowstone?

Absolutely. Yellowstone is enormous, and the major attractions are spread far apart. Driving is necessary to get from one point to another. If you don't want to drive yourself, your best alternative would be to book a guided bus tour.

How did you get such a cheap car rental in Bozeman?

I was fortunate to be able to use a corporate discount code from my company, which significantly lowered the price. Without a discount, car rentals from Bozeman can indeed be quite expensive, so be sure to book well in advance and compare prices across different rental agencies.

Where can you find hot water for instant noodles?

A great question for budget-conscious travelers! At the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, the Grill has a hot water dispenser (around 165°F / 75°C). It's not boiling, but you can use their microwave for another minute or two to get it perfect. At the Old Faithful Lodge, we only found a microwave, no hot water dispenser. You could likely use cold water and microwave it for 5-6 minutes.

Can you buy instant noodles at the Albertsons in town?

We went to the Albertsons for groceries but didn't specifically look for instant noodles there, so I can't say for sure. We brought ours from home. There is a Costco about a 10-minute drive away which would almost certainly have them, but they don't open until 10 AM, which was too late for our morning schedule.