Western Montana

In the busy summer months, the little village of West Glacier—the western entrance to Glacier National Park—resembles Grand Central Station. It’s easy to spend the day hitting all the “must-see” tourist attractions in the area, but there are equally enjoyable options for fun off the beaten path. Since I spend nearly every summer weekend in West Glacier, I have come up with my ultimate Saturday routine. Next time you’re in West Glacier, consider this one-day itinerary as a part of a longer stay or as a fresh day-trip if you live nearby.

On lazy summer days, sometimes there’s nothing better than a walk around the neighborhood. Earlier today, I took a three mile walk around my own neighborhood, the southern side of Bozeman.

Starting out at my house, I headed north, took a left on Garfield, and took a right on Willson. On my street and Garfield, there’s not much to see other than the typical suburban sprawl, but Willson is a different story entirely. In many ways, Willson reminds me of the sort of old-money neighborhoods you see on the East Coast; the street is lined with large mansions that date back to the early 1900’s.

Nearly everyone in Montana has heard of the Bridger Bowl Ski Area, located 16 miles northeast of Bozeman, MT. However, the road to and from the ski area, Montana Highway 86 aka Bridger Canyon Road, is highly underrated for its scenic beauty and gorgeous desolation, in my opinion.

src=”http://www.onethousandthingstodo.com/post_images/062108_65457/excerpt/et_DSC01300.JPG” width=”200″ height=”150″ alt=”Menu” />I love to eat, and picking a place to dine for a date night isn’t the toughest choice for me because I’ll love almost anything. Though, there is one joint in downtown Missoula that my fiancé and I seem to choose rather often: Biga Pizza. It does seem a little funny to me that I of all people—a lover of distinct tastes, foreign entrées, and wild flavors—would choose pizza of all things for a date night. But Biga Pizza isn’t just any pizza joint; it is my absolute favorite!

The restaurant is right downtown at 241 W. Main Street. We live so close to it that we like to ride out bikes there, but there is usually plenty of parking either right in front of the eatery or within a block or two. The front of the restaurant is very welcoming and quaint, but once you’re inside you’ll notice that this pizza place is actually quite romantic and lofty. The set up feels like a cross between an urban hipster bistro and a tranquil Zen-type café.

Take me out to the ball game; take me out to the crowd! Located immediately to the west of the Orange Street Bridge in Missoula is the town’s spectacular baseball diamond, Ogren Park at Allegiance Field. This home baseof the Missoula Osprey—our very own minor league baseball team—not only offers crowd pleasing fun and excitement for friends and family, but going to a ball game is the perfect excuse to get out with your special someone and share a date night under the big sky.

Two days into our Glacier trip my boyfriend and I found ourselves sitting at a beautiful bar called the Taproom attached to the Belton restaurant. We were chatting with the bartender when a couple walked up and asked her about the spa treatments available at the Belton Chalet. My boyfriend’s interest was immediate. If you were to meet him, you would not think he was the spa going type, even the bartender thought he wa

Considered by many the “Town Square” of Missoula, Caras Park offers entertainment for the entire family under the big sky. Located right downtown and alongside the Clark Fork River, this mekka of community gatherings, seasonal events, and just good ol’ daily fun is popular for visitors and locals alike.

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