Our trip to Whitefish, Montana + travel tips
I finally put together a travel guide for our trip to Whitefish, Montana! It was my first time to the state, and I can say with certainty it won't be my last. One of the things I love is how convenient the airport is - Kalispell is a 15 min drive to downtown!
We went with a few friends and wanted to experience the true Montana life - the beautiful Glacier National Park, the restaurants, hiking and horse-back riding, and the wonderful people.
There was so much to see and do, we didn't get to it all, but these are my recs. Visiting Glacier National Park can get complicated - do you need a car, do you need a pass, a parking pass, a ticket, etc. But here's exactly what we did (and would do again!).
A lot of locals have great guides, but some can be really overwhelming. I found this local guide very helpful!
First, plan ahead. Of course you'll need a hotel reservation or air bnb, and although I wanted to stay on a ranch, we had a big group and wanted to be near activities. We found a gorgeous and really big air bnb apartment in downtown Whitefish, which is absolutely adorable. Here's a link to the condo we rented... highly recommend! The views from the balcony (and hot tub) are beautiful. Plus you can walk to great breakfast and coffee shops right downstairs, shopping nearby, fun bars and restaurants all within a stone's-throw.
We didn't stay there - but we visited The Lodge at Whitefish Lake and OH MY GOSH. It's stunning. If you're looking for a hotel experience instead of an air bnb, I would absolutely stay here. And, the spa is wonderful. There is also a beautiful pool with lake views and a dock with a little beach you can sit outside and enjoy.
And speaking of restaurants & bars...
Food
COFFEE AND BREAKFAST SPOTS:
Montana Coffee Traders
Loula's Cafe
Wild Coffee Company
BARS:
Bulldog Saloon is a staple in downtown Whitefish
Latitude 48: Brewery with great views!
Remington Bar
The Lodge at Whitefish
RESTAURANTS:
Abruzzo Italian: You might not think of Italian food when you think of Montana, but this was my favorite meal of the trip. The cacio de pepe was chef's kiss!
Jalisco Cantina: High-end Mexican food - it was SO GOOD. The margaritas were delicious and the burritos were heavenly.
The Lodge at Whitefish Boat Club
Tupelo Grill: A cozy, delicous meal!
Latitude 48: We stopped here for lunch and happy hour, the food was so good! Casual, great drinks, brewery inside... and a great view of downtown Whitefish.
Buffalo Cafe
Bulldog Saloon: Bar food - but good food. Go here for drinks and stay for the fried pickles!
Activities
This was a couples trip - so the men golfed - and although I did not, they said it was beautiful.
-While they golfed, we went to The Lodge at Whitefish for a spa day. It was August and still warm out, so we all had a massage then sat by the pool and enjoyed the views.
pic courtesy of Golf Northwest Montana
-The next day we went horseback riding! We found a lovely ranch - where they rescue horses and offer horseback rides through huckleberry fields and up to a beautiful view of Whitefish. Lonesome Dove Guest Ranch.
-My favorite activity - was a sunset cruise we took on Whitefish Lake. We started with dinner at the Lodge at Whitefish lake, then boarded a beautiful wooden boat and went out on the lake for about 2 hours with a guide to watch the sunset. It was breathtaking.
Reservations here!
-If you want to see Glacier National Park on a boat - the rafting tours are super fun! One warning - if it's a windy day and the wind is not blowing at your back, you'll be working really hard to move that boat. We chose the less strenuous rapids and still had quite the work out. It was beautiful and I loved seeing the water - it's crystal clear!
-Another highlight was going to the rodeo! If you've never been to a small-town rodeo - 10/10 recommend. It was an absolute blast! The kids were my favorite part! It depends on what time you go, but we went to the Glacier Country Rodeo in Columbia Falls, MT. We bought tickets in advance, but you can also buy them at the door.
-One activity we did not get to do - but I wanted to - was fly-fishing.
Glacier National Park
-Now for the most important part - the Glacier National Park. It's absolutely breathtaking and should be on your bucket list. But getting there can be confusing...
But if you wanna keep it simple (like me) here's what we did.
**Alex on the Map offers a really in-depth guide here.
-Hire a driver/tour guide. Not everyone can give you a tour - of course designated tour groups offer them and there are shuttle buses, but you can also ride with a member of some of the Native American Tribes.
-We went to the Lodge at Whitefish Lake and their concierge recommended a woman named Tonya - who is a Blackfoot and offers tours. Every tribe member has an ID that gives them access with their car to the National Park.
We contacted Tonya who operates Tonyas Tours - and she was an absolute dream. Tonya grew up in Montana and has so much great insight and history. It's her home, and she loves sharing that with other people. Plus, she's so much fun to hang out with! Contact her here.
-Make sure you bring snacks and water!
If you prefer to drive yourself, you have to get a car pass, parking pass and park pass WAY in advance. The roads are tricky to navigate - so just a warning. If you want to take the independent route, this blog is a great resource.
I tried to write down some spots we stopped at with Tonya - here's our itinerary.
-We drove the entire way with Tonya and got out as needed for pictures, etc.
-Our first stop was Lake McDonald Lodge. It's historic and so beautiful! The bathrooms are also clean, so stop there and take some pictures, then go out back to the water. You can take a boat tour there or just hang out on the beach.
-Next stop: Sacred Dancing Falls waterfall. You can get out and take pictures! It's so beautiful.
-The Avalanche Area - and the Trail of Cedars. There's a hike there you can take - there is a short one (about 20 minutes) and more strenuous ones. We took a short hike through an area called the Gulch, it's a giant circle and very easy to navigate. For the more adventurous hikers, there's a trail head by the Gulch that is for Avalanche Lake, that's a very steep hike that will take about 3 hours.
Whichever route you take, the views are absolutely breathtaking. https://www.hikinginglacier.com/trail-of-the-cedars.htm
-Big Bend was the next stop - a quick and easy place to jump out for pictures.
-From there we went to Logan Pass. On the way to Logan Pass stop at Heavens Peak at "The Loop" at 8986 feet. Great spot for pictures! There's a bathroom and a rest area. We also took a short walk around the area.
-The next stop we made was Red Rock Swimming Hole. You can also stop at this one on the way back. It's a short walk down to the water and if you're brave enough - you can jump in! Plenty of people were, but but I'm always cold and didn't want to freeze the rest of the trip.
-Then we went down the east side of Going to the Sun Road, towards St Mary to see the glacier. We stopped at Jackson Glacier Overlook to see the glacier through the trees. Typically this is a great spot to do that (and the only place you can see the glacier from the road without a hike). But, because of the forest fires it was too smoky to see.
-From there we stopped at Wild Goose Island Overlook to walk down to the water. It's so peaceful and we just enjoyed the views.
-Keep going from this point to St Mary's if you have the time. It’s a great spot to relax.
There you go! That's our entire trip - hope it helps! If you plan a trip to Whitefish - you won't regret it. Such a special place and we are already talking about going back!
