Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish, Montana is a resort town located on Whitefish Lake. It is a year round destination. During the winter it is a haven for skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing and has been designated one of National Geographic’s “Top 25 Ski Towns in the World”. During the summer hiking, biking, boating, paddleboarding and exploring nearby Glacier National Park draw visitors to Whitefish. There are so many top things to do regardless of when you visit. The charming town has cute shops, galleries, breweries and more.
How to get to Whitefish
The closest airport is the Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) which is about 11 miles (15-20 minute drive) from the airport. If you are driving by car from out of state or further away these are some gross estimates of travel time: Spokane, Washington is about 4.5 hours away, Bozeman, Montana is about 5.5 hours away and Boise, Idaho is about 10 hours away. Top tip if you swing a window seat it is worth it during the flight in!
top things to do In Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish Mountain Resort
The Whitefish Mountain Resort is one of the biggest attractions in Whitefish. It has world renowned skiing and snowboarding during the winter and has alpine slides, zip-lining, scenic chairlifts and biking during the summer.
Hiking
There are so many incredible hikes around Whitefish area with amazing mountain and lake landscapes and views of the area. There are over 47 miles of hiking and biking trails through the area and all are free. Some of the top trails to check out include Lion Mountain Trail (2.6 mi loop), Whitefish Valley Lookout (3 mi out and back), Beaver Lake Loop (3.7 mi loop) and Smith Lake (5 mi loop). There is also an abundance of hiking in nearby Glacier National Park. Check out some of my favorite Glacier National Park hikes HERE!
Whitefish Lake
Whitefish Lake is a beautiful lake at the center of this epic town. It has swimming, kayaking, paddleboard, hiking or just relaxing on the sandy beaches. It is a great place to spend a nice sunny day.
Downtown Whitefish
The downtown Whitefish area is super charming. It has a bunch of shops, boutiques, galleries, local eats and drinks. There are so many little spots that are worth checking out!
Check out some awesome breweries
There are several really incredible breweries in Whitefish and the surrounding areas. During our stay we checked out Bonsai Brewing Project and Jeramiah Johnson Brewing Company in Whitefish and Backslope Brewing in Columbia Falls.
Historic Whitefish Depot and Museum
This is an old train depot that has a museum inside. It is a free museum and offers some great history and information. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 11 AM- 3 PM.
Check out seasonal markets and festivals
Whitefish, Montana hosts several festivals and events throughout the year. Some notable ones include the Whitefish Arts Festival, Huckleberry Days, Under the Big Sky music fest, Winter Carnival, Oktoberfest and weekly Farmers Market in the Depot Park. While we were there we were lucky enough to check out the farmer’s market and Oktoberfest!
Check out Glacier National Park
Whitefish, Montana is near Glacier National Park. It is about 26 miles or 35 minutes from the West Entrance to Glacier National Park. This epic national park is not to be missed. There are boat tours, hiking, driving of the famous Going-to-the-Sun road and more. Check out my ultimate guide HERE!
Whitefish, Montana top things to do
This resort town has so much to offer. If you are a lover of the outdoors it is a perfect place to go! We went during the fall and absolutely loved it! This is just a small list of things to do but there is so much more to explore around the area! Trust me you won’t be disappointed on your vacation getaway to Whitefish!
