Whitefish Mountain Resort | Credit Wanderlust

STOPS:

• 1Downtown Whitefish
• 2Stumptown Historical Museum
• 3Whitefish Mountain Resort
• 4Performing Arts

Spend your day in the quintessential mountain town of Whitefish (12 miles/16 minutes from Glacier Park International Airport).

Downtown Whitefish is perfect for leisurely strolls from unique galleries and shops to delicious eateries. Shopping is near the top of any Whitefish activity list. Must-stop places for one-of-a-kind finds line Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish.

History buffs will enjoy the historic Great Northern Railway Depot. Here, Amtrak trains still come and go in the same fashion as the early models that brought tourists to Glacier National Park. Through collections that span from fur trapper times to the early days of skiing, the Stumptown Historical Museum (one block from downtown) tells the story of how the logging camp of Stumptown became Whitefish.

Whitefish Mountain Resort’s (9 miles/15 minutes from downtown Whitefish) Summit Nature Center sits atop Big Mountain in the Summit House. Take a chair lift to the top. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the Nature Center features interactive, hands-on exhibits about the region’s flora, fauna, geology, fire ecology and history. The summit offers fabulous views of the Flathead Valley and peaks of Glacier National Park.

For a little more exhilaration head over to the Aerial Adventure Park. With five courses of varying difficulties (think ski trails: yellow, green, blue and black), you are challenged to cross suspended bridges and cable walkways, climb on nets and ladders, swing on trapezes and tube traverses, and negotiate other fun elements like zip lines, barrels and more.

Other activities include the wildly popular zip line tours. The resort offers a six-line zip tour, the longest lift-served zip line tour in Montana, with lines stretching up to 1,900 feet. Tours are guided by two expert Montana’s guides who will teach you the techniques, lead you through the course and keep you entertained. Each person will be outfitted with a paragliding harness and zip line trolley so you can fly comfortably and safely. Up to 14 people can be in a group, with participants flying two at a time on side-by-side lines. The resort also has an alpine slide, ideal for all ages.

Whether you’re looking to beat the heat, take in incredible vistas or hitch a ride to the top for some mountain bike action, the summer lift rides at Whitefish Mountain Resort are a great way to enjoy Montana’s great outdoors.

Check what’s playing at two of Whitefish’s performing arts venues—the O’Shaughnessy Center and the Whitefish Performing Arts Center at Central School. If you can, catch a performance from the Alpine Theatre Project.

Whitefish also has a variety of group-friendly dining experiences. After a wagon ride at Bar W Guest Ranch, enjoy cookies, coffee and hot chocolate. Or dine at Grouse Mountain Lodge and enjoy a meal overlooking the 18th hole on the Whitefish Golf Course, with a Whitefish Mountain backdrop.

Overnight in Whitefish.

Going-to-the-Sun Road | Credit Andy Austin

STOPS:

• 5Going-to-the-Sun Road
• 6Lake McDonald Lodge
• 7Red Bus Tours
• 8Glacier Park Boat Tours

You’d be hard pressed to find a more scenic drive in the lower continental United States than the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. A wilderness of lakes, towering peaks and remnants of glaciers is readily accessible.

Travel to the grand, hand-hewn Lake McDonald Lodge (36 miles/45 minutes from Whitefish) where you can hop aboard a red bus for a tour of the 50-mile-long Going-to-the-Sun Road (various tour lengths available; reservations required). These historic, soft-top tour buses were introduced in the 1930s and have since been restored and outfitted with propane engines. Since a motor coach exceeds the road’s size restrictions, motor coaches can “deadhead” around on State Highway 2 to meet the red bus tour in St. Mary (86 miles/1.5 hours) on the east side of the park.

Narrated boat tours with Glacier Park Boat Company are offered several times a day on Lake McDonald, St. Mary and Swiftcurrent lakes. The St. Mary Visitor Center is also definitely worth a stop.

Since 2020, Glacier National Park has implemented a vehicle reservation system for certain areas of the park during peak season. Policies and requirements may change from year to year, so please check the official Glacier National Park website for the most up-to-date information on entry reservations and park access.

Overnight at St. Mary Lodge or Many Glacier Hotel (21 miles/30 minutes from St. Mary).

North American Indian Days | Credit Donnie Sexton

STOPS:

• 9Blackfeet Indian Reservation
• 10Museum of the Plains Indian
• 11Essex
• 12Middle Fork of the Flathead River
• 13Kalispell Museums

From St. Mary, your next stop is Browning (29 miles/30 minutes from St. Mary). The exhibits of cultural artifacts at the Museum of the Plains Indian are among the finest in the West. Lodgepole Gallery features traditional and contemporary arts and crafts. If you visit during the second week in July, don’t miss the dancing, drumming, rodeo action and tipis at North American Indian Days.

From Browning, you’ll continue on MT-2 west toward Essex (41 miles/45 minutes from Browning). Essex is home to LOGE Glacier, which once housed winter snow removal crews for the Great Northern Railroad. Today, it’s enjoyed by railroad buffs. The inn features a cafe and has lodge rooms, as well as caboose and locomotive lodging. A few miles east of Essex, watch for the Goat Lick Overlook. Mountain goats graze and lick the mineral-laden rock of an exposed river bank cliff at this site (30-minute self-guided walk).

Follow MT-2 to West Glacier (27 miles/30 minutes from Essex). For a bit of adventure, check-in for a whitewater raft trip on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The river borders the southern end of Glacier National Park and several outfitters offer guided rafting trips on the Middle Fork. Or enjoy a mild, scenic float along the park’s boundary with the chance to view moose, deer, bears and a host of smaller mammals and birds that frequent the river. The only rapids on this trip are short and mild class II – III (easy to intermediate), adding just the right amount of excitement for beginners while keeping the ride smooth and enjoyable.

An alternate option is to visit these downtown Kalispell museums (32 miles/45 minutes from West Glacier):

• Conrad Mansion Museum: The historic home of Kalispell’s founding family, built in 1895.
• Glacier Art Museum (formerly the Hockaday Museum of Art): Interactive exhibits showcase the art and culture of Montana and Glacier National Park, including the contributions of the Blackfeet Nation.
• Northwest Montana History Museum: Offers exhibits, tours and programs that illuminate the history of Kalispell and Northwest Montana.

Overnight in Kalispell.

Far West Boat Tours | Credit Andy Austin

STOPS:

• 14Far West Boat Tour
• 15Lakeside
• 16Miracle of America Museum
• 17Bigfork
• 18Bigfork Summer Playhouse

This morning, head south on U.S. Highway 93 for a beautiful drive along the shores of Flathead Lake.

Stop in Lakeside for a scenic boat tour of Flathead Lake on Far West Boat Tours. Cruise across pristine waters framed by the towering peaks of the Mission and Swan ranges. Drift past hidden coves, forested islands and rugged shorelines while learning about the lake’s rich history.

After your tour, stop at the Miracle of America Museum in Polson on the south side of Flathead Lake. This eclectic museum is a historian’s dream (or a treasure trove for lovers of oddities). It features everything from vintage motorcycles to homemade submarines, UFO-related artifacts and an entire pioneer village. It’s a deep dive into Americana with some unexpected finds.

Drive back up the opposite shore of Flathead Lake on State Highway 35 to the lovely lakeside town of Bigfork (33 miles/45 minutes from Polson). Be sure to keep an eye out for cherry orchards. Bigfork has been called "One of the 50 Great Towns of the West” and “One of the 100 Best Small Art Towns of the Nation,” which is no surprise given its gourmet restaurants, fun shops, local character and beautiful natural surroundings.

Consider a group dinner at the Bigfork Inn, followed by an evening at the Bigfork Summer Playhouse—one of the finest professional live theaters in the northwest. Group rates are available.

Overnight in Whitefish or Kalispell before departing from Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) the following day.