Montana dude ranch vacation: Flathead Lake Lodge

On my very first morning of a week-long dude ranch stay at Flathead Lake Lodge in western Montana, I sat down to breakfast in the historic lodge dining room and couldn’t find a spoon. I looked about, but the wait staff was busy, so I turned to a fellow guest…a veteran of many summers at the dude ranch. “Oh, just start checking the drawers,” she said, pointing to a cabinet. “I think they’re in the … [Read more...]

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Lookout Pass Ski Area: Idaho skiing with kids

There are only two ski resorts where kids can span two states while on the slopes, that we know of: Heavenly in Tahoe, which straddles Nevada and California, and Lookout Pass, which encompasses both Idaho and Montana. Skiing Lookout Pass is a friendly, low-stress affair: unlike large ski resorts, this hometown resort in Wallace, Idaho is very accessible, affordable, and welcoming. Located … [Read more...]

Kennedy Park, Helena MT

If you've road tripped through Montana on a summer family vacation, you know that while beautiful, the state of Montana is vast...and often empty. Pit stops are sometimes scarce, which makes Kennedy Park (located on Harrison Avenue) in the heart of East Helena all the more attractive. We loved the wide space of grass (the boys dug the soccer ball out of the car), the picnic areas, and the … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 10): Big Sky High Ropes Course

Before we started our session on the High Ropes Course at Big Sky Resort, I wasn't sure whether it would be too challenging for my kids (ages 11 and 8)...and myself! The apparatus--a maze of ropes, logs, planks, and even tires suspended in the high alpine air--was certainly intimidating! But from the moment I saw Calvin and Nate shimmy up the rope ladder to enter the array of elevated challenges, … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 9): Zipline and Bungee Trampoline!

We were all excited to wake up at the Big Sky Resort's Summit Hotel and get going with an activity-packed day…without getting in our car for a change! We grabbed a quick bite to eat in the Mountain Mall, then arrived at BaseCamp (located right next door on the plaza) for our first two activities of the day. If you're a guest at Big Sky Resort (or a day guest), you're going to want to spend … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 8): Big Sky Resort’s Summit Hotel

After driving from Glacier National Park to Boulder Hot Springs, we were more than happy to end Day 7 and enjoy Day 8-9 at the Summit Hotel at The Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, Montana, our home base for family fun and a little R&R before continuing on to Yellowstone. I cannot say enough good things about Big Sky Resort in general and the Summit in particular. If you have kids in tow (or even … [Read more...]

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 4): The Many Glacier Hotel

On Day 4, we drove from Spokane, WA to Glacier National Park, which took us along Hwy 2 and Hwy 93. 94 years old, the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park opened to the public on July 4, 1915. The hotel was declared a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 29, 1976. Located in the northeastern section of Glacier National Park on … [Read more...]