3-Day Guide to Bozeman & Yellowstone National Park (Baby & Family-Friendly)

Fly into Bozeman and grab lunch at Farmer’s Daughter Cafe. There are tons of healthy options (including a kid’s menu) to fuel up for your first hike. Be sure to drink lots of water as your body adjusts to the elevation change. After lunch, drive 40 minutes to Lava Lake Trailhead and start your hike! Lava Lake hike is six miles round trip and will take about four hours. The view of the lake is absolutely breathtaking. Be sure to use that as your time to rest and take pictures! After checking into your hotel, head back to Bozeman for dinner at Blackbird for some delicious wood-fired pizza.

Head to Faye’s Cafe for breakfast! This is a unique little spot with a creative menu. The staff was extremely friendly and made us feel right at home. We had fun ordering “Faye’s Choice” and were all very pleased with our different dishes! After breakfast, it’s time to drive to Yellowstone. Driving through Yellowstone is such an experience. We saw tons of bison and elk. There are numerous viewpoints and little walks that you can stop at. Today, be sure to stop at the Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful, and Yellowstone Caldera. You can check online for current eruption prediction times of Old Faithful, but it is typically every 60 to 90 minutes. For dinner, stop by the Old Saloon, which was established in 1902. The Old Saloon will take you back in time and really give you the full Wild West experience—live music included! After dinner, grab a drink and watch the sunset by the fire outside at Sage Lodge. The views are unbeatable.

Start your day at the Montana Grizzly Encounter. This is a sanctuary for rescued grizzly bears and a great way for kids to experience bears both safely and up close. Our 9-month-old became obsessed with bears after this! Afterward, head back to Yellowstone to possibly see some real bears! Today, be sure to stop at Mammoth Hot Springs and Emerald Spring. Grab food in the park and watch the sunset at Lamar Valley—this is a prime spot for wildlife in Yellowstone. Bring your binoculars! We were able to see a bear (from far away, thankfully)! Wildlife enthusiasts and photographers lined up along the road. They were all very willing to share their knowledge, and we learned so much about the park’s ecosystem from them.