Where to vacation in Montana? (Missoula, Bozeman: hotels, buy, shop)

[SouthBayTodd]

I'm thinking of spending a couple of weeks in Montana this summer...I'd love to see some mountains, lakes, and a nice town or two. Any suggestions?

[lorelei2873]

I'd do something in the Kalispell/Polson area. The beauty is staggering, and you can visit Glacier National Park. You can also visit Flathead Lake. Don't just do Kalispell; make sure you go to Polson,too, for a better view of the mountains and Flathead Lake. Here's a link to the Polson Chamber of Commerce: http://www.polsonchamber.com/index.html. They have some good photos.

[MHT]

Also check out Whitefish, Bigfork as long as you're in that part of the state. Glacier Park shouldn't be missed. There's also Canyon Ferry - close to Helena. Fort Peck for a totally different landscape. Or travel from Yellowstone, up to Glacier Park, via the Bitterroot Valley, Missoula. Bozeman is pretty too. It just depends on how long you want to stay at each place, etc. MT is a huge state with gorgeous scenery everywhere, and very diverse terrain.

[Sampras]

Kalispell. Glacier is awesome.

[LRUA]

I agree with all the previous posts .....Glacier National Park is awesome ...best Rocky Mtn scenery ....Going to the Sun Hwy is a must ....Whitefish....Kalispell...Flathead lake area is great area to stay ...I also like Butte it's practically right on the Continental Divide ...hiking in the Crazy Mtns near Big Timber .....and if in the Yellowstone area ........Red Lodge ...Bear Tooth Pass hwy ....very scenic ....

[jimj]

If you go to the park you can save some money by stopping in Columbia Falls to pick up food, gas etc. The drive to the park is very nice, try riding the big red bus when you get to the park, it is a fun ride and saves you having to drive up the going to the sun road which can be a challenge. Whitefish is our version of Aspen CO and is fun to walk around and shop. There are tons of places to hike here either in the park or out. If you come about the end of June I would highly recommend taking a raft trip down the North Fork, you can do 1/2 day or all day if you wish. These trips are very fun, even the locals love to do them.

[Gulskjegg]

I agree, Kalispell is the place you want to look at. If you are coming from the west, there are plenty of hotels to pick from.

If coming from the east, avoid the last town before Glacier park, Cut Bank, like the plague. Do NOT buy fuel or food there...just drive the extra 30 mins to the Blackfeet reservation and get what you need there.

[NYMTman]

What's wrong with Cut Bank? It's Browning that's such a hole. Browning is the last town before Glacier, anyway, so maybe you have the two confused?

[NYMTman]

Anyhow, I know my ideal vacation isn't entirely in Montana, but I'd first fly into Jackson, Wyoming. From there, go through the Tetons and Yellowstone, and come out somewhere around Bozeman (my favorite town in MT... you might enjoy the dinosaur museum there). From BZN, go west on I-90 and take the Pintler Scenic Route exit to Anaconda/Opportunity. You drive through Anaconda (dumpy town to be honest), but the scenery past Anaconda is nice. A neat thing in Anaconda, though, is the gigantic smokestack that, I believe, is the largest in the country. It's illegal to walk up to it, but I do it all the time anyway, and it's kinda fun. On the Pintler Scenic Route, you drive past Georgetown Lake and over a pass. A bit past the lake there's a road that goes over the Skalkaho Pass to Hamilton, in the Bitterroot Valley. The Skalkaho is beautiful, but maybe scary for a tourist. But fun! It's two and a half hours to get from Anaconda to Hamilton this way. You get to Hamilton and drive North on Rt. 93 all the way to Missoula, which takes you through the valley. The Bitterroots will be to your left as you go north toward MSO. At some point during the summer there's the Western Montana state fair, which is kinda hokey and cute. Although it's sad for this city boy to see all the poor little sheep and pigs before they get sent to the slaughterhouse

From Missoula, continue north on 93 through the gorgeous Mission Mountains to Polson and Flathead Lake. If you get there in July, you can pick some of America's best cherries around Flathead Lake. Yummmmm. Anyway, keep going north through Kalispell and Whitefish - two very nice towns. And while you're up there, definitely see Glacier Park. It's some of the most beautiful scenery in the state.

If I had a full two weeks, that's what I'd do

[fbcobrn]

I don't remember where it was but it was the West side of 93, on our way back from Glacier Park that we went to a Bear Sanctuary. I had never seen that many bears, nor that close up (you drive thru in your vehicles with the windows up). Kinda fun to do. I can't wait to treat the grandsons to it after we get there.

I agree with Skalkaho too. Extremely beautiful falls, and the water is delicious. Just make sure you go after the snows.....and the road reopens.