Planning a trip to Grand Targhee with a group or family and wondering where to base yourselves? The two main options are staying slopeside at the resort or staying in Driggs, 12 miles down the mountain. Both have real appeal, but for groups and families, the math often favors Driggs — sometimes by a wide margin. Here is an honest look at both so you can decide what fits your trip.
Staying Slopeside at Grand Targhee Resort
There is something genuinely appealing about ski-in, ski-out convenience. Staying at the Targhee resort means you can roll out of bed and be on snow in minutes, and after a long day on the mountain you are already where you need to be. The resort offers hotel rooms, condos, and slope-side rentals.
For a couple or a small group of four who want pure ski focus and do not mind paying a premium for convenience, slopeside works well. The resort has a few dining options and a solid base lodge scene.
The tradeoffs are real, though. Options for larger groups are limited and expensive. The resort sits at altitude in a narrow canyon — there is not much to do in the evenings beyond what the lodge offers. And with a group of eight or ten, coordinating meals and space can get complicated fast.
Staying in Driggs: The Case for Town
Driggs is 12 miles from the base of Grand Targhee — about a 20-minute drive up the canyon. A shuttle runs regularly between town and the resort during ski season, so you do not have to drive every day if you do not want to.
What you gain by staying in Driggs is everything that a real mountain town offers: local restaurants, a grocery store, coffee shops, a laid-back energy that resort villages rarely replicate. Victor is another five miles south and adds even more options. The valley floor has a completely different feel from the mountain — open, agricultural, enormous sky — and for many guests that is part of the appeal.
For groups and families in particular, Driggs gives you something slopeside accommodations rarely can: room to breathe.
Why The Barn Makes Sense for Groups and Families
We designed The Barn specifically for the kind of trip that bigger groups actually want to take. A few things that set it apart:
- Eight bedrooms: Enough space for large families, friend groups, and multi-family trips without anyone feeling crammed. Everyone gets a real bedroom with a real bed — no fold-out couches or bunk overflow.
- Pet-friendly: We welcome dogs. If leaving your dog at home is the thing that keeps your group from taking the trip, that problem is solved here.
- Full kitchen: For a group of eight or ten, eating every meal out gets expensive fast. Having a full kitchen means you can do a big breakfast in, pack lunches for the mountain, and save the restaurant budget for the dinners that actually matter.
- Walking distance to downtown Driggs: Coffee in the morning without a drive. A short walk to dinner in the evening. That kind of convenience matters on a relaxed mountain trip.
- Grand Targhee shuttle stop nearby: The shuttle picks up close to The Barn, so on days you do not want to drive the canyon, you do not have to. It simplifies logistics for larger groups enormously.
The Real Cost Comparison
Slopeside lodging at Targhee for a group of eight or ten typically requires multiple units, which multiplies costs quickly. When you factor in that The Barn accommodates a large group in a single property — with a shared kitchen reducing dining costs — the value proposition shifts significantly toward Driggs.
We are not here to oversell it. If you are a couple who wants to roll out of bed and click into bindings, slopeside is probably right for you. But if you are a family with kids, a group of friends, or anyone who wants the trip to feel like more than just a ski trip, the combination of The Barn and the Driggs-to-Targhee shuttle is hard to beat.
How to Decide
Ask yourself a few questions: How important is ski-in, ski-out access versus space and comfort in the evenings? How many people are in your group? Do you have pets? Are you hoping to do anything beyond skiing — day trips, town exploration, Nordic trails? The answers tend to point clearly in one direction.
We are happy to answer any questions about what staying at The Barn looks like for your specific group. Reach out through the website and we will help you figure out if it is the right fit.
