Jackson Nightlife

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar looked to be a real hokey kind of place from the outside but I must say I would normally be drawn into it anyway. I love the idea of the wild west saloon with the swinging doors to enter. Hey, I played cowboy as a kid too and old memories die hard.

The place where the bar now sits was a bank back in the early 1900s and became Ruby's Cafe and Beer Garden in its first incarnation before it became the Cowboy Bar in 1937. It took on the Million Dollar moniker in the mid-40s when it was presumably purchased for that price. That's when it's glowing neon sign was added as well and the rest as they say is history. It is a noted country music venue with the likes of Hank Williams Jr. and Willie Nelson having played here.

It is noted for spirits and especially Jack Daniels but as it turns out, they serve their own beer which is brewed by nearby Teton Brewing called appropriately enough, Million Dollar Cowboy Bar Beer. It's evidently a golden ale and I will surely stop in next time to try one. On my most recent trip, it was impossible to tear me away from Snake River Brewing. We went all there nights we were in town. In fact, I say I'll stop in for a beer but only if I have many days. Snake River Brewing is that good.

Dress Code: If you ever wanted to wear a ten gallon hat, this is your chance.

We enjoyed this newer Brew Pub/Brewery. They have a big inside area and a small outside area. All the locals have their own beer glass hanging around.
They brew a lot of different beers. Lots of ambers. Per year they brew 5000 barrels in Jackson. While sitting on the bar you can watch it.

They are open daily 11:30 till 1.

Dress Code: However you want.

As they claim this is definitely not an ordinary bar and even if you are not into kitschy stuff you should go and have a beer there. The cowboy decor will keep you quite busy for a while..... make sure you get the right feel in a saddle bar stool!

Dress Code: Nothing special.

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If you believe everything you hear and read about the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, you can expect to mingle with real cowboys, movie stars, high-paid execs, ski bums, and your next door neighbor here. OK. I'm not sure I buy into that, but maybe it's true. Nancy and I are not the kind to frequent a place like this, not being into the drinking scene or the country & western music that would be played here by a live band. But just walking by, it's a colorful place with lots of character. The bar stools are saddles, as you might be able to make out in my blurry photo. (It was too dark to hand hold the camera and I didn't have a flash unit with me.)

Dress Code: If you are wearing tight fitting jeans with a huge silver belt buckle, c-boy boots and hats, you will feel right at home, I'm sure.

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We stopped in this deceivingly large and modern bar at the advice of a bartender across the green at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Upon arriving we were confused because the downstairs had just a guy at a quiet, dark counter. He pointed us upstairs where we were quickly carded before we moved to the bar. We spent just 30 or 45 minutes here with one beer, but we enjoyed the large bar area and its 10+ big flat screen TVs. They also have numerous pool tables and even a few poker tables in the back.

The bar used to be called the Rancher and was mostly a redneck pool hall. It was purchased and remodeled into the fancier place in 2007.

Saddle Up! (literally) for drinks at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar! We we told by a good friend of ours that this was a "must stop" when in Jackson. We sauntered...well ok we just walked up to the bar, an had a seat on the barstools, they are topped with saddles. Lou sat astride, I started off that way but had to switch to sidesaddle after a bit. We ordered a couple of Fat Tires (Lou's Favorite) and had a nice chat with a couple who had ridden here on their motorcycle all the way from Maryland.

Dress Code: It's pretty laid back

This bar has been voted the best apres ski bar in North America. The beer flows freely into large pitchers for little damage to the wallet. They serve affordable food (not usual at the base of a ski resort) and things are known to get rowdy in there at night. They have a live entertainment schedule.

Dress Code: Ski boots are the norm.

When the sun sets and the tourists leave, Yellowstone belongs to the animals. But sometimes even humans can catch a glimpse of the animal nightlife at Yellowstone. Just stay in the park long enough so that you don't make it out there during sunlight. Together with some friends I visited the park once and we still had to drive through half of it after sunset until we could reach our hotel. On that nightly ride we saw owls, buffalos, deers and a coyote. Sure, most of these animals might be observed during daytime, too, but it is a very special mood to see them walking through the snow under the moonlight.

For more pictures check the travelogue for this topic.