Where to stay in Missoula?
 

We are traveling next month to Missoula from SoCal to see our son play football against the Grizzlies. We will be there from Friday to Monday. Would like to stay downtown somewhere. Since the football game is only part of the trip we are not as concerened with being near the stadium. We probably won't rent a car and just use taxi's etc. Any recommendation for hotels? Restraunts, bars, places to see while we are there? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I'd look at the Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown or the Doubletree. Both are easy walking distance to the game and all the restaurants and bars downtown. I prefer the Holiday Inn to the Doubletree because not all the rooms have been updated at the Doubletree.

Another great option (my favorite option) is the staying at The Wilma. It's a building right downtown on Higgins, and you can rent apartments. http://www.stayatthewilma.com/ You can also find rentals on vrbo.

Both the Holiday Inn and Doubletree are along the river. And you have great views of the river from many of the apartments at the Wilma. You can watch the kayakers and surfers at Brennan's Wave.

These are our must stop and eat favorites in Missoula, and they are all downtown. They'll be easier to get to from the Wilma or the Holiday Inn than the Doubletree:

Biga Pizza for wood-fired pizza.
Tamarack Brewing Company or Kettlehouse for local beers.
Montgomery Distillery for excellent mixed drinks and nice atmosphere.
Scotty's Table (in basement of the Wilma) for a nice dinner. I love their mussels and fries.
The Pearl Cafe for French food.
The Shack for breakfast.
Plonk for champagne.
The Red Bird for wine.
Mo Club for greasy burgers.
Big Dipper for the best homemade ice cream anywhere.

Missoula is a fun town to walk around and check out the shops and restaurants and bars.

Where does your son play football? Attending games at Washington Griz Stadium is a lot of fun. :)

We'll be there for a conference and the UND game at the end of October.

Forgot one: Le Petit Outre for pain au chocolat and coffee.

Thanks so much for all the good information. He plays for Northern Arizona University. Glad to hear that the stadium and restraunts/bars are walking distance from downtown.

Of course! I went to UM, and we miss Missoula for the food. We always have a list of places to eat when we go. :)

There's a good walking trail (Kim Williams Trail) from downtown to the University. The Holiday Inn is right on the trail. And the Doubletree is just across the river from the stadium. You're right by the walking bridge to the University.

Both the holiday inn and the doubletree are booked. Know anything about the Courtyard Marriot?

Don't know about the hotels downtown.
When we are in Missoula(once a year after our Glacier and/or Yellowstone sejours) we relax at Blue Mountain bed and breakfast, on Lolo's road.But that don't go with your plan(no rental car...).

All the restaurant given are good with special notice to the Pearl cafe, not only French since they use a lot of local products...Their smoked trout is a must...
The Big Dipper has effectively exceptional ice creams..

There are some nice shops but don't expect too much...We like, The Artist's shop, Fact and fiction the bookstore(specialy the Montana's authors with autographied books and books on Montana), Butterfly herbs(tea, herbal tea) and Bella Dona(my daughter find it not so bad and she is 21...).
The Antique mall near the old station is nice also.
At the Southgate mall, attached to the the Hallmark there is a shop with a lot of local products with Huckleberry.
In Downtown we like to grab a salad and a beer in the patio of the Ironhorse brewery : not elaborated restaurant but nice patio, good service and a great choice of beer if you like it.
We like the historical museum at Fort Missoula and the smokejumpers museum.
But, those museums and the Southgate mall are out of downtown...
Missoula is easy to drive and I have not seen so much cabs while there.
Finally the rattlesnake area is fun for some easy hikes
With a car it would be easier to drive/museums and perhaps to some others hotels or B&B.
Erik

The Marriott is out on Reserve Street and would require a car. There are several newer chain hotels off of Reserve (and big box stores and some larger chain restaurants). You would want to rent a car if you stay out on Reserve.

Check the Red Lion. It's still considered downtown, and it's still walkable. It's three or four blocks from Higgins Ave which is the Main Street downtown.

Turns out it is Homecoming that weekend so everything is really booked up. The Courtyard would be too far. Wilma is booked also. We want to be able to walk everywhere, may rent a car on Sunday to go sightseeing. At this point I think we will be staying at the Comfort Inn University unless we find something better. Walking distance to both the stadium and downtown.
Erik thanks for your input, Butterfly Herbs sounds interesting as I am a tea drinker and all the restraunt information is appreciated.
We are going with friends that were in Missoula recently and they also enjoyed the Montgombery Distillery, I'm not a beer drinker so the mixed drinks sound good to me.
Again thanks for all your help.

Msrosie, the Red Bird and Plonk are both great wine bars downtown.

For a fun shopping experience you should visit the eclectic Rockin Rudy's at 237 Blaine. It started its life years ago as a music store (records, CDs) but soon grew into a unique emporium of cool products and gifts. You could easily spend an hour there enjoying the local scene.

Thanks for the info on the shopping aprilliacs.
And I am definitely a wine drinker kurieff!