Summer Getaway in Bozeman Montana

With gas cheaper than it’s been in years and summer weather on its way, why not roll down the windows, pack up the car and head for an affordable and stunning vacation in mountain town Bozeman, Montana?

Nestled in the Gallatin valley of nature renowned, Montana is Bozeman, the fifth largest city in the state and home to Montana State University. Estimated at a population of about 27,500, this small town is a sportsman’s winter getaway with the local favorite Bridger Bowl ski resort a mere fifteen minutes from Main St., and the famed Big Sky resort just under an hour from downtown. Yet the fun doesn’t end when the goggle tan gives way to summer freckles; instead, the snow thaws to reveal a labyrinth of hiking trails crawling through the enveloping hills, snow clouds give way to blue skies catering to long afternoon bike rides, restaurants swap their indoor fires for outdoor patios, and locals trade their skis for mountain bikes.

In Bozeman, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Starbucks, and even Costco can only be found as loitering outlier. Yet that’s not to say it’s out-dated; each restaurant bears the quirks of its owner, and the walls, the art of its customers. The influx of college students seems to help infuse the historic town with a fresh sense of vigilance, where innovation and tradition, culture and the good ol’ outdoors seem to exist harmoniously. Spend your days fly-fishing on the Madison, floating down buoyant tubes on the Gallatin, horseback riding through forest trails, honing your putt before a backdrop of ubiquitous mountains, or working up a healthy sweat mountain biking up the nine-mile trail to Emerald Lake. And for your nights, relax with a cold beer on The Crystal’s rooftop bar, dance in the streets every Thursday for Music on Main or share vanilla steamers and conversation with your kids while enjoying local live music in the town’s cornerstone Leaf &Bean Café.

If you have flexibility in your schedule, you might consider visiting Bozeman during one of their festivals, such as the three day Sweet Pea festival of the arts, where you are invited to get tips on how to improve your groove with free outdoor dance lessons, watch actors perform King Lear in the park, or challenge the right side of your brain with an all ages t-shirt art contest. Another favorite, for those driven by the belly rather than the eye, is the annual food fest Bite of Bozeman, in which vendors bring their goodies street side beside local bands for a town feast.

And while this small town’s stuffed with activities to keep your vacation spirit satiated, don’t forget that Yellowstone National Park is a short ninety miles away; Bozeman makes a great pit-stop, but it might just become your destination.

To start planning your trip, visit:
Bozeman Hotels
Bozeman Holiday and Tourism Guide

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