The Montana Bucket List

I’ve driven through Montana a few times but have yet to actually spend more than a day. It’s a massive state with a lot of untouched beauty and it’s something that each of us should experience in our lifetime. Below is my bucket list of what to explore.

Jump To

Billings

Bozeman

Butte

Glacier National Park

Helena

Missoula

Billings

Type of visit: Outdoor and historical - great for outdoors enthusiasts and history buffs!

where to stay

Aside from the common hotel chains available, check out some unique places to stay, below:

• Boothill Hotel and Suites

• C'mon Inn Hotel

• CTI Loft Apartments

• Ledgestone Hotel Billings

• Northern Hotel

• Riversage Billings Inn

where to dine & drink

• Billings Petroleum Club

• Bin 119

• Buffalo Block Prime Steakhouse

• Caramel Cookie Waffles Co.

• Ciao Mambo

• Ebon Coffee Collective

• Entree Soup

• Jake’s Downtown

• Juliano’s Restaurant - Dine in a converted 1902 stable.

• LemonGrass

• Local Kitchen and Bar

• MoAv Coffee

• Montana’s Rib and Chop House

• MOOYAH’s Burgers, Fries, & Shakes

• Mountain Mudd Espresso

• Sophie’s Kitchen

• The Marble Table

• Walker’s

• Wilcoxson’s Ice Cream Co.

Things to see & do

• Alberta Bair Theater - Was built in 1931 by the 20th Century Fox Corporation.

• Billings Depot

• DanWalt Gardens

• Hike the Billings Trail System

• Moss Mansion - The Moss family had it for nearly a century until 1984.

• Pompey’s Pillar

• The Rimrocks

• Yellowstone Cellars & Winery

• Yellowstone County Museum

• Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary

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Bozeman

Type of visit: Outdoor adventure - great for a long weekend!

where to stay

• Bozeman Lewis & Clark Motel

• C’mon Inn

• Element

• Gallatin River Lodge

• Kimpton Armory Hotel

• RSVP Hotel

• Sacajawea Hotel

• The LARK

• The Sapphire Motel

where to dine & drink

• Blackbird

• Cateye Cafe

• Five on Black

• Jam!

• Plonk

• South 9 Bistro

Things to see & do

• Bozeman Hot Springs

• Downtown Bozeman

• Ellen Theatre

• La Chatelaine Chocolat Co.

• Montana Grizzly Encounter

• Museum of the Rockies

• Palisade Falls

• Scenic drive through Gallatin Canyon

• Sentinel Ranch Alpacas

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Butte

Type of visit: Historical, outdoor adventure. This is home to one of W.A. Clark’s first mansions!

where to stay

• Copperhead Lodge

• Copper King Convention Center

• Copper King Mansion - You can now stay at W.A. Clark’s Mansion!

• Hickory House Inn

• Homestake Lodge

• Silver Bow Club

• The Forge Hotel

• The Miner’s Hotel

• Toad Hall Manor Bed and Breakfast

where to dine & drink

• 406 Bistro

• Casagranda’s Steakhouse

• Montana Club

• Mr. Hot Dogs

• North 46

• Sparky’s Garage

• Uptown Cafe

Things to see & do

• Copper King Mansion - W. A. Clark Mansion 34-room mansion took four years to build, from 1884 to 1888.

• Headframe Spirits

• Lewis and Clark Caverns

• Lexington Stamp Mill Gardens - Also check out the carousel.

• MBMG Mineral Museum

• Old Butte Historical Tours

• Our Lady of the Rockies

• Piccadilly Museum

• Silver Bow Drive-In Theater

• Statue of Auditor

• World Museum of Mining

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Glacier National Park

When Glacier National Park was established in 1910, it was home to more than 100 glaciers - that number has since decreased. The best time to see the glaciers is in late August and early September.

Type of visit: Outdoor adventure

where to stay

• Bar W Guest Ranch

• Belton Chalet

• Grouse Mountain Lodge

• Historic Homestead

• Lake McDonald Lodge

• Lodge at Whitefish Lake

• Luxury Yurt on Flathead Lake

• Many Glacier Hotel

• Meadowlark Treehouse

• The Green O

• The Nooq

• Under Canvas

• Vintage Forest Service Log Cabin

• Waterfront Island Cabin

where to dine & drink

• Belton Grill Dining Room & Tap Room (Summer hours only)

• Eddie’s Cafe

• Josephine's Speakeasy (Summer hours only)

• La Casita (Summer hours only)

• Summit Mountain Steakhouse

• The Great Northern Dining Room (Summer hours only)

• The Northern Lights Saloon

• Three Forks Grille

• Tower Grill

Things to see & do

Glacier National Park is an outdoor-lover’s paradise. Any activity you can think of, you can do here! Here are some highlights of what guidebooks recommend:

• Drive to Jackson Glacier overlook

• Drive Going-to-the Sun Road

• Drive Many Glacier

• Hike Avalanche Lake - 4.5-mile round trip hike that takes you through a rainforest, by Avalanche Gorge, river rapids, and eventually to gorgeous Avalanche Lake.

• Hike Cracker Lake - It’s a glacier runoff lake, which people who are brave enough will dive in - it’s freezing - even in the summer!

• Hike to Grinnell Glacier (7.6 miles round trip with 1600 ft. in elevation) - You can shorten the hike to 4.5 miles by taking a boat ride from the nearby Many Glacier Hotel.

• Hike to Grinnell Lake (10.6 miles round trip) and Iceberg Lake (9.7 miles round trip)

• Hike to Hidden Lake Overlook to see Sperry Glacier (2.6 miles round trip) - Bring binoculars. There is a hike up to the top of Sperry Glacier but it’s almost 19 miles round trip with a 5600 ft. elevation gain - you must be in peak condition to hike it.

• Lake McDonald - Walk on smooth, colorful rocks and pebbles

• Water activities, such as: Kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, and whitewater rafting

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Helena

Type of visit: Historical, outdoor adventure - who doesn’t love a good ghost town and carousel?

where to stay

• Barrister Bed & Breakfast

• DoubleTree by Hilton Helena Downtown

• Lamplighter Cabin & Suites

• The Carolina

• The Sanders

where to dine & drink

• 1889 Coffee House

• Benny’s Bistro

• Cotton-Top

• Eat Greekish

• El Vaquero Taqueria

• Elkhorn ghost town (1 hour away)

• Lucca’s

• Maison

• Montago Coffee Co.

• Mountain Berry Bowls

• Nosh Cafe

• Old Montana Prison Museum (1 hour away in Deer Lodge)

• Old Salt Outpost

• On Broadway

• Parrot Confectionery - Open since 1922!

• The Dive Bakery & Cafe

• The Uphill Grill - top-rated!

• Tizer Gardens - You can even book their rustic cabin on VRBO for the night!

Things to see & do

• Cathedral of St. Helena

• Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour - A two-hour tour of some of the same route Lewis and Clark took!

• Great Northern Carousel

• Helena Walking Mall

• Holter Museum of Art

• Kleffner Ranch Tour

• Last Chance Ranch - Take a horse-drawn ride to Mountain Moose Cabin, where you can enjoy a delicious western meal that will make you feel like you are taking a journey to the wild west, all while listening to authentic western entertainment.

• Last Chance Tour Train - Takes you around the Capitol building and other historic buildings

• Marysville - A ghost town!

• Montana’s Museum

• Mount Helena City Park

• Original Governor’s Mansion

• Reeder’s Alley

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Missoula

Type of visit: Historical, outdoor adventure. It’s great for a long weekend with so much to see and do!

Best places to stay:

• AC Hotel by Marriott Missoula Downtown

• Blue Mountain Bed and Breakfast

• C'mon Inn Hotel & Suites

• Gibson Mansion Bed and Breakfast - top-rated!

• Goldsmith’s Riverfront Inn

• The Ranch at Rock Creek

• The Wren

Best places to dine/drink:

• Aiko’s

• Basal

• Biga Pizza

• Boxcar Bistro

• Burns St. Bistro

• Cambie Taphouse + Coffee

• Cranky Sam Public House

• Plonk Missoula

• Second Set Bistro

• Stave & Hoop (speakeasy)

• Tagliare Delicatessen

• The Catalyst Cafe

• The Greek Pastry Shop

• The Keep Restaurant - Panoramic mountain & city views at a castle-like eatery known for its rack of lamb & salmon.

• The Patio at Rattlesnake Market

• Top Hat

Things to see/do:

• A Carousel for Missoula

• Ducrey Chocolate Maker

• Garden of One Thousand Buddhas

• Garnet Ghost Town

• Ghost Signs around Missoula

• Historic walking tour of downtown - Self-guided

• Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

• Kornutopia (gourmet popcorn)

• Lolo Hot Springs (35 minutes SW of Missoula)

• Lolo National Forest (35 minutes SW of Missoula)

• Missoula Art Museum

• Spa Town - At The Resort at Paws Up, it’s an indoor and outdoor experience, as massages take place in white tents.

• Ten Spoon Vineyard & Winery

• The Hip Strip

• The Roxy Theater - Opened since 1937

• Wilma Theater - Opened in 1921

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