As I blogged previously my family and I took a very crazy and adventurous trip to Montana. If you haven't read that blog yet go back, read it, or maybe after this one you can find it using the link here https://juliestar7.wixsite.com/momstrom/post/have-kids-will-travel During our 8 day quest for vacation we drove all over the great state of Montana and Colorado. In case you're curious we went to Bozeman, Yellowstone (for two days), some town in Idaho (because Jackson Hole is way too fucking expensive for us low-key folks), Butte, Missoula (just passing through), Kalispell, Bigfork, Glacier (for two days), Helena, and finally back to Bozeman. Yes, all of that in eight very short days. Because we clearly are glutton for parental punishment. But, in those few days we visited a multitude of unique and memorable places. So this blog is dedicated to our favorite places in each city we visited.
First up Bozeman:
1. Daily Coffee. COFFEE! Because it's clearly the most important part of any trip or day. The best coffee we had in Bozeman was a place called Daily Coffee. They asked me how many shots I wanted in my coffee! I mean I get a choice! They had amazing gourmet style pastries including gluten-free for the husband, and vegan if you're not into eating animals. Even more awesome they roast their own coffee! I really love going to new coffee shops and experiencing their coffee.
2. Dino Park. Any parent knows that when you travel with kids you've gotta have things for them to do. Crazy! Thankfully Bozeman had this wonderful playground called the "Dino Park". It was so awesome we made a second trip on our way to the airport. Obviously you can tell in the name that it's dinosaur themed. Throughout the park are informationals, geared towards kids about the type of dinosaurs archeologists have found in the Montana region. There's also a side for the smaller kids and is surrounded by a nice walking path. Plus it's near the airport for the kiddos to spy for airplanes.
3. The Bozeman Science Center. My kids love a science center, and after 8 hours of traveling in a plane and long periods of waiting in lines this was a great place to visit. Although it isn't the biggest science center we have visited, it didn't lack in quality and uniqueness.
Next stop Yellowstone! Obviously Yellowstone is the attraction. However, there are some really great places to see in and around the park.
1. Brambleberry Ice Cream. I think this is a Yellowstone staple because there is bramble berry everything. Literally. So we gave the ice cream a shot and it was fabulous! If you find yourself in Yellowstone I highly recommend it.
2. Old Faithful. Not gonna lie that when we pulled up the the famous geyser I was a little shocked at how industrialized the area around it was. Huge parking lots, a few hotels, even a fun creepy one that is eerily watching over the park. All of those things were a huge turn off. But, the building beside Old Faithful is full of fun hands on learning about the geyser and poignantly pointing out that you are standing on top of a VOLCANO! It also provides great needed warmth, because we went on a very cold day. Offers plenty of places to view the eruption from inside.
3. Grizzly Wolf Center. This was a nice hidden gem on our way out of Yellowstone. Here you can see wolves, and grizzly bears up close. Aside from just seeing them up-close you get to learn about the wolf population and how they were re-introduced into the wild. There are also owls, and other birds to view. Before you leave you can see bear traps and play on a playground.
Stop #3! Missoula. We just passed through this fun city. This is where we paused to do our laundry. While that was happening we found another science center. This center was great! We also happened to be passing through on a free day! In the center their staff was wonderful and had lots of projects and hands on learning features where Solomon was taught conductivity. The funniest part was the giant nose you can put your hand up into and "test" for germs.
2. Blackcoffee Roasting Company. As many of you may know I LOVE coffee. Missoula seems to have quite a few coffee places. This one we happened upon. But it was perfect! The location of the building was right beside the train tracks, which a train passed by, to the delight of my oldest son. The coffee selection was amazing. Maybe I'm just really sheltered but when I go somewhere and there are options I'm like a kid in a candy store! Plus the avocado toast was by far THE best I've ever tasted.
Bigfork.
This place is surrounded by a beautiful lake. Or maybe it surrounds a beautiful lake? For the first time during our trip we got to eat at the same place twice in a row.
1. Pocketstone Cafe. We found a small diner, in a super quaint town, that offered home cooked style food, huge pastries, and a full espresso bar. Plus it was super kid friendly. Which for any parent is really helpful. I would highly recommend this to anyone who may be staying in Bigfork or passing through. It's not on the main road but it definitely worth the detour.
If you've made it this far the last place we visited is Helena. The capital of Montana. It is actually a wonderful and beautiful capital city. Probably the nicest I've visited, sorry Pennsylvania. We splurged and stayed at a bit more of an expensive hotel that was equipped with a small living room and kitchen. Also included was breakfast (I refuse to stay at a place that doesn't serve breakfast free), as well as laundry FREE! The view from our room was so breathtaking even the kids loved looking out and just staring. In case you're wondering it was a hotel called Home2Suites by Hilton. Like I mentioned a bit more pricey, but we liked it so much we stayed 2 nights rather than the planned one. It also has a pool and a gym. So onto our favorite places to visit.
1. Memorial Playground. As mentioned in a previous blog it is important to have things for the kiddos to do. This playground was just what they needed after a super long drive. The playground is full of obstacle courses, little buildings like a jail, even a wooden train to drive. Beside the playground is a good sized field and sound stage, plenty of room for those little ones to stretch their legs, and let's be real, tire themselves out.
2. Exploration Works. Clearly there is a trend here of visiting science centers. It's a "thing". I found this particular one after watching a fellow moms Montana vlog and put it on the agenda. It was totally worth it. There's a giant water table where you can make rain, build dams etc. A play farmers market where kids can pretend to sell their bounty from their own play farms. A small jungle and slide for smaller kids, Lego play area, sky gazing, plus a whole second floor of other activities. But you get the point. There's lot of shit for kids to do and to be happy with. I must add that the whole area where you will find the Works is also wonderful. There are smaller things to do outside, a shopping area, and the biggest draw is the carousel that is indoors. Sadly this was closed on the day we visited, so it's not on our favorites list.
3. Big Dipper Ice Cream. Not much explination is needed here. I mean it's ice cream. This ice cream is house made and crazy delicious. If you have had the pleasure of trying "real" ice cream then you understand why finding a shop that makes their own product is a real treat. I must also add that the lady who served us our ice cream was crazy nice and happy, which I love. I mean if you work with ice cream and get to create flavors you think people would be super happy. That's not always the case, so it was awesome to see her being so pleasant. I can't remember the exact flavors (yes plural, because how can you choose only one) but my bowl was empty really quickly.
That's all, we have come to the end of the list. I realize that this blog is pretty far out since this trip took place 5 months ago, but better late than never. Right? I didn't mention the obvious places that are worth visiting such as all the stops in Glacier Park and Yellowstone. If you are in Montana and those are not on you agenda you need to ask yourself WTF is wrong with you? As I've mentioned before this trip was jam packed and cramped into 8 days of chaos and driving, but Montana is seriously worth the visit. Like all states there were parts that made me feel like I was back in Pennsyl-tucky, but the majority of this state was breathtaking. It does require a lot of driving to get around but as you're driving you will find a lot of quaint towns, shops, and in-between those the views of the mountains make you feel as if you're in some etherial painting. Even if you can't make it as far as Montana don't let that stop you from having an adventure of your own with your own family. To all my wanderlust's cheers!
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