Travel Guide: Whitefish, Montana
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SKI WEAR: Columbia Powder Summit Jacket | Columbia Powder Keg Pants | Sorel Joan of Arctic Boots
GREY COAT OUTFIT: J. Crew Jacket | American Eagle Textured Ballon Sleeve Sweater | Scarf | J. Brand Jeans | Beanie w/Faux Fure Pom | Sorel Joan of Arctic Snow Boots
LIP COLOR: Lawless Creamy Matte Lipstick in Brad
I sit here writing this, knowing it's pretty much my last post for winter and everything forthcoming will be springtime and roses. But don't forget about that awkward cold/hot transitioning period. My favorite... NOT. The first day of spring is March 20th, so until then, bring on those sundresses paired with suede moto jackets.
A month ago we went on a trip with some of our nearest and dearest. Whenever I travel, I like to compile a list of everything we did, what I like, and what I didn't like. The other day, my mom said "you should start a journal and write down your favorite things and memories, with all the places you visit." I said "mom...I do. It's called a blog." (hah!) But, maybe that wasn't clear before! If I recommend something, it means I liked it and think you would too. If I didn't like something, I try to mention that I don't or just not mention it at all. SO, that being said, when I tell y'all what we did - these were some of my favorite things and what I'd recommend to you!
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WHERE TO STAY:
Coyote Bluff Estate: Technically in Somers, but less than 30 minutes from the Glacier National Park Airport in Kalispell.
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WHAT TO EAT:
We honestly cooked most of the time and when we didn't, we ate at places where you had to be staying there or a member, but I'll list them anyway.
Coyote Bluff Estate: They serve a MEAN breakfast. (It's a traditional bed and breakfast) They also served a cheese board and wine upon a arrival, in addition to the best banana bread I've had since Saint Lucia!
Iron Horse Golf Club: I believe you have to be a member to dine here, but it was YUMMY. It was the only "nice" dinner we had planned.
Ski Whitefish Ski Lodge: I'm not sure if I'm even saying it correctly, but we ate at the ski lodge on the first day of skiing. It was pretty good for a cafeteria of sorts and they have something for everyone. From pizza, to asian fusion and sandwiches to quesadillas.
Hellroaring Saloon and Eatery: We ate here the second day of skiing. I think there might be a side road to get to it, but for the most part, you have to take the ski lift up. If you have time, take 2 up and ski down, otherwise, you'll be hiking up. It was the perfect aprĆØs ski.
Great Northern Brewing: On our second day, which was actually our first full day, we at lunch here! They have more than just a "Bar" menu and of course have local brews. I had a cider and it was perfection.
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WHAT TO DO:
Ski/Snowboard. Duh I know. We skied at Ski Whitefish, at Whitefish Mountain Resort, but another place is Blacktail Mountain Ski Area. The latter is outside of Kalispell and near Flathead lake. We were told this was a local favorite because it is often times less crowded.
Glacier National Park. You could probably plan an entire trip around this park! There is so much to see and do. We snowshoed here and it was pretty spectacular.
Flathead Lake. This beautiful body of water was our view at Coyote Bluff Estate. I wish we could have seen more of it, because it was quite a sight to see. When we approached closer, the main part that we could see was all frozen. I've never seen so much frozen earth up close in my life! I'd imagine that in the summer they have SUPing, kayaking, etc.
Dog Sledding. Last time our friends went, they did this and said it was their favorite part! They went to Dog Sled Adventures.
Snowshoeing. We did this at Glacier National Park, but there are several different places to do it. At the national park it was only $2 a person, so that pretty much sold us! They had a guided tour and we learned a lot about the area, in addition to nature's beauty.
Iron Horse Golf Club. Again, not sure if you can come here if you're not a member, but there's a gym, sauna, hot tub, spa, golfing, and I'm sure a lot more! It's a great place to relax after a long day on the mountain.
Spa. There are tons of spa options, which I think is my personal calling during a ski trip. I didn't go to one, but I did consider the spa at The Lodge at Whitefish.
Downtown Whitefish. Whitefish has the cutest little downtown. It is walkable and has restaurants and shopping. You can have a lovely afternoon there!
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WHAT TO PACK:
Keep in mind that we visited in January. The peak time is summer. Here's what I packed + packing tips in my What to Pack for a Ski Trip post.
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TIPS:
An easy way to cut down on cost is go during the off season. We were technically there in the offseason and it was perfect! I do want to go back during the summer though...
You can usually get ski rentals wherever you ski, but a way to spend less is to rent them elsewhere. Nick rented his from a shop right past the downtown area. Also, don't forget about helmets, gloves, and goggles. These aren't included in normal rental packages.
Even if you have all of your equipment, lift tickets can be expensive! We bought ours at Costco and it saves us a significant amount. You can get them wherever you are skiing, but if you can get them elsewhere, do it!
Here's a video recapping our entire trip - the first part includes the beauty of Coyote Bluff Estate and the second part is the rest of our trip! It was a B L A S T. I hope this video makes you smile as much as it makes me!
Check out my other posts from this trip, below. Be sure and leave a comment if I left off one of your favorite things in Whitefish or Kalispell!
Where to Stay near Kalispell, MT ft. Coyote Bluff Estate
Current Skincare Routine for Skiing and Winter Elements
Ski Tips for Beginners ft. Ski Whitefish at Whitefish Mountain Resort
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