Best Places to Visit in Montana
Vast open spaces and wild and wonderful National Parks are the primary draw-cards which attract thousands of annual visitors to the sprawling northwestern state of Montana.
Since I've moved to Texas, the one thing I miss are tall mountain peaks. So you can imagine that I find Montana fun to visit, especially in the summer.
I can't get enough of glacier-fed lakes, glimpses of wildlife from the road and lodge accommodations. Each place I visited in Montana over the years left a mark. I want to return to all of them soon.
Best Places to Visit in Montana:
Standing Still in Glacier National Park
I landed in Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, MT and adjusted my time to Mountain Time Zone. We were spending the night at Many Glacier Hotel ($290) inside the park. The drive from Kalispell in a rental car took us 3 hours.
I especially loved driving on Many Glacier Road from Babb (Montana) to the Many Glacier Hotel and trailheads. We were surrounded by stunning peaks of Mount Grinnell, Mount Wilbur, and Swiftcurrent Mountain. We saw Lake Sherburne and followed along the shoreline.
As we got closer to Many Glacier Hotel, I thought “This is what untouched feels like.”
What I Loved Most: Hiking to Hidden Lake through alpine meadows.
Next time I plan to... stay at Apgar Village Lodge (from $159) near the West Entrance.
Plan your visit:
- Nearest Town: West Glacier, MT
- Vibe: Grand, quiet, reverent
- Highlights: Going-to-the-Sun Road, Lake McDonald, alpine hikes
- Best Time to Visit: Late June through September for full access
- Cost: $35 park entrance (7-day pass)
- Hours: Open 24/7; visitor centers 9am–5pm
Where Earth Breathes: Yellowstone National Park
I visited Yellowstone on a different trip while exploring Jackson Hole. I wrote about it in my places to visit in Wyoming article if you are interested.
Yellowstone will always be one of my favorite travel memories. I was stunned by the beauty of Yellowstone Lake, and the incredible blue of Sapphire Pool. After a long drive, I was fascinated by the colors and features at Mammoth Hot Springs. But Old Faithful will always be my favorite spot.
We kept going back to watch Old Faithful erupt. It was crowded during the day. But at night, my husband and I sat on the bench in front of it and enjoyed the famous geyser all by ourselves. The clear starry night completed the romantic picture.
My highlights? Spending the night at Old Faithful Inn after watching the geyser erupt under the stars.
Plan your visit:
- Nearest Gateway: Gardiner, MT or West Yellowstone
- Vibe: Volcanic, unpredictable, ancient
- Highlights: Geysers, wildlife, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
- Best Time to Visit: May–October for weather and access
- Cost: $35 park entrance (7-day pass)
- Hours: Open 24/7; road closures vary seasonally
Tracing Quiet Lines in Helena, Montana
We drove about 1 hr 30 min south from Great Falls (90 miles on I-15) to Helena (population ~33,000), Montana’s capital. I toured the 1902 Montana State Capitol (free admission, murals by Charles M. Russell inside) and wandered Last Chance Gulch, the historic downtown where prospectors struck gold in 1864. At the Montana Historical Society Museum ($12 admission), I learned about frontier life and Native history.
Helena felt like a city hiding in plain sight, historic and humble, wrapped in hills and story. I walked through Reeder’s Alley at sunset, brick and board creaking underfoot, and thought, “Some places don’t try to impress, they just invite you in.” Government buildings stood grand, yes, but the soul of the place lived in its corners, its bookstores, bakeries, and trails tucked between neighborhoods.
What I Loved Most: Hiking Mount Helena right from town and looking down at the gold dome of the Capitol catching the last light.
My highlights? Lunch at Steve’s Café: huckleberry-stuffed French toast with sausage and eggs. It felt like a Sunday, even though it wasn’t. Locals greeted each other by name. No one rushed.
Plan your visit:
- Nearest Airport: Helena Regional (HLN)
- Vibe: Historic, peaceful, under-the-radar
- Highlights: State Capitol, Mount Helena Trail, Last Chance Gulch
- Best Time to Visit: Spring through fall for best trail access
- Cost: Low; hiking and historic sites mostly free
- Hours: Capitol weekdays; trailheads open sunrise to sunset
Following the Wide Horizon in Billings, Montana
We drove about 2 hours east from Bozeman (140 miles on I-90) to Billings (population 120,000), Montana’s largest city. I toured the Western Heritage Center ($5 admission, exhibits on regional history and Native cultures), then stopped at Moss Mansion (built 1903, $12 tours), a red sandstone mansion with original furnishings. A stroll through historic Montana Avenue revealed brick warehouses converted into cafés and breweries.
Billings in the morning felt like a town just catching its breath. The sun rose over the Rimrocks, painting the sky in quiet color. I drove up to Zimmerman Park, leaned against the stone railing, and thought, “There’s so much sky here, it’s hard to hold your own thoughts.” It was a working city, sure, but under the surface, there was something peaceful, persistent, and deeply Western.
I stepped into the main gallery at the Yellowstone Art Museum and the world went still. Canvas after canvas soaked in prairie light and long shadows. I thought, “This place knows how to hold stillness without letting it feel empty.”
What I Loved Most: Walking along the Yellowstone River before breakfast, watching herons skim the water and the light catch on golden grass.
My highlights? Breakfast at Stella’s Kitchen & Bakery: cinnamon roll French toast, eggs over easy, and a mug of strong, no-nonsense coffee. I sat near a window where ranchers read the paper and everyone seemed to know the waitress’s name.
Plan your visit:
- Nearest Airport: Billings Logan International (BIL)
- Vibe: Practical, sunlit, quietly scenic
- Highlights: Rimrocks, Yellowstone Riverwalk, Pictograph Cave State Park
- Best Time to Visit: Spring or fall for hiking and moderate temps
- Cost: Low; most trails and parks are free or $5–$10 entry
- Hours: Trails dawn to dusk; restaurants open early
Letting Life Breathe in Bozeman, Montana
We flew about 3½ hours from Austin (1,300 miles) into Bozeman (population 56,000), a Rocky Mountain college town with deep roots. I toured the Museum of the Rockies ($16 admission), home to one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur fossils, including a T. rex skull. Downtown, I browsed Main Street’s 19th-century storefronts filled with coffee shops, boutiques, and art galleries. Later, we stopped at the Gallatin History Museum (housed in an 1911 jail, $7 admission). We stayed at the LARK Bozeman ($189), a stylish boutique hotel right on Main Street.
Bozeman in autumn felt like possibility wrapped in mountain air. The city buzzed just enough. I saw students on bikes, artists with coffee-stained fingers, hikers peeling off backpacks downtown. I stood at the edge of Gallatin Regional Park, sun sinking behind the Bridgers. It was friendly, outdoorsy, full of little details that made it feel quietly rich.
Next morning started cold and golden, with mountains in every direction. I zipped my jacket tight outside the doors of Yellowstone Safari Company and thought, “Today I’ll be close to something that doesn’t care if I’m watching.”
What I Loved Most: Sipping espresso downtown while reading trail maps, and then being on that trail 30 minutes later with crisp air in my lungs and nothing on my calendar.
My highlights? Dinner at Blackbird Kitchen: hand-rolled pasta with local mushrooms and truffle oil, followed by olive oil cake with citrus glaze. Cozy, thoughtful, perfectly Bozeman.
Plan your visit:
- Nearest Airport: Bozeman Yellowstone International (BZN)
- Vibe: Hip, natural, community-oriented
- Highlights: Museum of the Rockies, Gallatin Valley hikes, downtown cafes
- Best Time to Visit: September–October for foliage and fewer crowds
- Cost: Moderate; dining and museums average $15–25
- Hours: Museums 9am–5pm; trailheads and coffee shops open early
Listening to Ghosts in Bannack, Montana
We drove about 2.5 hours southwest from Bozeman (140 miles) to Bannack (now a state park, population 0), Montana’s first territorial capital and a ghost town preserved in time. Founded in 1862 during the gold rush, Bannack once boomed with 3,000 people. I walked its silent Main Street past 60 preserved buildings, including the Hotel Meade and the gallows where vigilantes hanged Sheriff Henry Plummer. Admission was $8 per vehicle. We stayed in Dillon at the Andrus Hotel ($149), a restored 1917 landmark just 25 miles away.
Bannack was silence in motion. Dust moved through empty saloons, doors creaked without wind, and floorboards remembered every boot that crossed them. I walked through the old schoolhouse alone, light slanting across broken chalkboards, and thought, “This place doesn’t want to be remembered, it insists on it.” There was no kitsch here. Just the bones of a story still standing.
What I Loved Most: Peeking through cracked windows at sunset, listening to the crunch of gravel underfoot, and feeling history close enough to touch.
My highlights? A thermos of tea and a sandwich on the porch of the old hotel, just me and the dry wind. The best seat in town, and no one else around to take it.
Plan your visit:
- Nearest Town: Dillon, MT (~25 minutes away)
- Vibe: Haunting, historic, beautiful in its decay
- Highlights: Ghost town buildings, guided history tours, photography
- Best Time to Visit: Late spring through early fall for full access
- Cost: $8 state park entry
- Hours: 8am to dusk daily
Letting Loose in Laid-Back Missoula
We drove about 2 hours west from Helena (115 miles on I-90) to Missoula (population 75,000), a river city at the confluence of five valleys. I toured the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula ($4 admission), which preserves 32 historic structures from a frontier Army post to World War II internment camps. Downtown, I browsed the Wilma Theater (built 1921) and strolled Higgins Avenue lined with century-old storefronts.
Missoula greeted me like an old friend. There was something easy about it, the riverside trails, the bikes everywhere, the mix of college-town buzz and mountain-town calm. I wandered without a map, following music drifting from open doors and the scent of coffee from quirky cafés. I remember walking across the Higgins Avenue Bridge and thinking, "I could stay here for weeks and never get bored."
Later in the day, I sat by the Clark Fork River and watched surfers ride the standing wave at Brennan’s Wave, such an unexpected sight in Montana. It was the kind of place that reminds you adventure and comfort can share the same sidewalk.
Lunch was at The Catalyst Café, where I ordered the avocado toast topped with poached eggs and pickled onions, served with a rosemary potato hash. The food was as thoughtful and down-to-earth as the town itself. I sat by the window, people-watching and sipping strong coffee, feeling completely in rhythm with Missoula’s mellow pulse.
Missoula At a Glance
- Drive Time from Flathead Lake: ~2 hours southeast
- Vibe: Artistic, outdoorsy, youthful
- Highlights: Clark Fork River, art galleries, University of Montana, hiking the “M” trail
- Best Time to Visit: Late spring through fall for outdoor fun and festival season
- Cost: Budget-friendly with free trails, low-cost dining, and local markets
- Hours: City always open; attractions vary
- Address: Missoula, MT 59802
Conclusion: Why Montana Lingers
Traveling through Montana felt like flipping through an old journal, raw, scenic, and real. There’s power in its land, yes, but there’s also power in how it lets you feel your own pace again. Whether you're drawn to the adventure of Yellowstone, the quiet hum of Helena, or the long shadows across the Bozeman hills, Montana meets you where you are, and shows you who you might still be becoming.
Some states you pass through. Montana stays with you.
Booking Checklist
1. Book Your Flight - I use Expedia because I like their mobile app with my itinerary. They've helped me re-book flights on many occasions. Once you reach their Gold tier, support is especially good.
2. Book Your Hotel - I use Booking.com or Expedia, depending on my destination.
3. Book Your Rental Car - I use Expedia.
4. Book your tours on Viator or Get Your Guide.
