Montana-How many days per city?
 

Will arrive in Spokane, WA and then have seven free nights to spend in Montana after we drop daughter at college. How much time do we need in each of the following cities to get a good feel for them. Bozeman, Helena, Dillon (tiny, yes I know!) We are considering relocating, so I'm asking from that perspective, not as tourists. Also, is it worth spending a night in C'ouer D'Alene or should we choose Spokane instead? Thank you!

Hmmm . . . it depends on what you want to do.

Bozeman has the Museum of the Rockies, a great downtown, lots of good scenery, hiking, biking, and fly fishing. I recommend eating at John Bozeman's Bistro, Plonk (wine bar), and Montana Ale Works. All are on Main Street downtown. Housing has really gone up the past few years. I would spend 2 to 3 days exploring the area.

Dillon is a fairly small town. Western Montana College is located there and so are the headquarters for Great Harvest Bread. There is also a Patagonia Outlet which is always a must stop for us when we're in Dillon. Fly fishing is incredible in and around Dillon. There is also some hiking.

Housing has also started to go up in Dillon. We have friends who have been trying to find a home (moved from Bozeman to Dillon) since January. I'd spend a day checking things out.

You may also want to look at Sheridan or Twin Bridges. Check out the Big Hole Battlefield while you're there and maybe Bannack or Virginia City and Nevada City.

You could also easily spend two days in Helena. Check out the Capitol bldg, Last Chance Gulch, downtown, the Cathedral, and the Gates of the Mountain tour.

All three towns are great. Have fun exploring!

Thanks, Kureiff. Your post was just the "local" information I was hoping for. Our base will be Missoula for five nights, but we can do day trips from there and have a couple of free days/nights on either end.

Sounds like Bozeman and Helena each require at least one overnight.

Have fun in Missoula. I lived there for three years and loved it! We visit a lot.

Check out Brennan's Wave. It's a kayaking wave near the Higgins Street Bridge downtown. Also in Caras Park check out the hand carved carousel.

FOOD
Chocolat (also on Higgins near the bridge) has beautiful and delicious chocolate for sale.

The Bridge restuarant (south end of Higgins Bridge) has great pizza and pasta dishes.

The Big Dipper (also on south end of Higgins) has several flavors of homemade ice cream. They supply a lot of the ice cream to restuarants in Missoula. You stand outside the window and order and then you can eat at their picnic tables.

The Depot is a Montana style steakhouse (north end of Higgins).

Try MooseDrool. It's Big Sky Brewing Company's (and Missoula's) best microbrew (in my opinion).

Taco del Sol for cheap fish tacos and burritos (North end of Higgins).

Staggering Ox (near Higgins) has huge sandwiches.

Tipus Tiger has vegan Indian food. It's located on the south end of Higgins.

Hob Nob Cafe (near The Bridge on south end of Higgins) has great breakfasts and sandwiches and salads for lunch.

Have fun! Is your daughter going to school in Missoula? My sister will be a sophomore there.

I've heard Bozeman's a real "college town", so if you like that atmosphere...if not, you may prefer Helena.

Stay at C'ouer d'alene resort if you can afford it! It's gorgeous. If you do- eat at The Cedars! Otherwise- you do realize C is 45 minutes from Spokane? Bit of a drive, if you just got off a plane. So unless you're going for the lake, there's nothing there you can't find in Spokane. Spokane- there's a nice hotel with a really great restaurant near the airport. And, again, if you have the money- Davenport Hotel, downtown!

Second the rec for Moose Drool!

Where are you coming from- and where is your daughter going to school?

Have a great trip!

I have forgotten about the staggering ox's sandwhiches, man I could go for one of those right about now.

I second Moosely's recommendation for the Davenport. It's a great hotel.

Bozeman has less of college feel now than you used to even just 10 years ago. The town itself has expanded, and it has much more of a moneyed feel to it. I miss the old Bozeman.

Bozeman- awww, kureiff, that's too bad! Good to know though- and probably a relief to most residents:)

For a novel experience (and a lovely place to stay), check out "The Howlers Inn", outside Bozeman. The innkeepers are very nice, interesting people; the beds are wonderful; breakfast is great; and they have a pack of six WOLVES right next to the inn! The wolves are in a large enclosure (3 acres) and sometimes "croon" together, but we never heard them go crazy howling or whatever. It was fascinating to watch their behavior; they're very intelligent animals, and have a "society" of their own.

Just a thought.

Vermonter

Wow-thanks everyone. Yes, D will be a freshman at U Montana. We're spending 5 nights in Missoula cutting apron strings. Looks like we'll have 6 other nights, three on each end with Missoula in the middle.

Retired Vermonter-we live in VT. Small world.