Rhea & Luke
Things To Do
Yellowstone National Park
The North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is about 1.5 hours from Bozeman, and 45 minutes from Sage Lodge. We highly recommend visiting early in the morning or evening (after 5)--you'll see the most animals and avoid the summer chaos. Lamar Valley is particularly stunning at sunset (9 pm in summer!), and you can get to major attractions like Norris Basin without parking a mile away. Even if you only have a couple of hours in the park, it's worth it. Driving through Yellowstone in your own car is easy (minus the occasional bison traffic jam). Alternatively, many tour companies pick up/drop off right in Bozeman, including Yellowstone Safari Company. Finally, there are many ways to explore the park that aren't by car, including by horseback (Flying Pig), river tube (Paradise Rafting), kayak, foot (blog.bozemancvb.com/blog/3-scenic-hikes-in-yellowstone-national-park), and bike (www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/adventure/land-adventures/bicycle-rentals).
Downtown Bozeman
Bozeman consistently ranks one of the "Most Livable Cities" in the country. Downtown Bozeman offers great shopping, locally roasted coffee, galleries, cafes, restaurants, bars, breweries, and distilleries! Check out Music on Main on Thursdays, the Friday night Art Walk, and the Gallatin Valley Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
Restaurants and Bars
Blackbird Kitchen is (in our opinion) the best restaurant in Bozeman—cozy, modern, and delicious. They specialize in pizzas and have a great wine list. It books up early, so make a reservation if you plan to eat here. Some other great restaurants to check out in Bozeman are Revelry, PLONK (New American restaurant and winery), Dave’s Sushi (surprisingly great sushi!), Sidewinders, and Montana Ale Works (brewery with good food). For brunch, stop by JAM! (early, or prepare to wait a bit) or Revelry, lively spots in the center of town. If you're staying in Livingston, we also HIGHLY recommend Campione. You won't regret it. For bars, in addition to PLONK, Devil's Toboggan is a cool, speakeasy style bar. Shine Beer Sanctuary is a beer hall downtown with a nice roof, and there are tons of breweries worth checking out (see below).
Breweries
There are tons of great breweries right in and around Bozeman. Our favorite is MAP Brewing - great beer brewed right in Bozeman with an even better view of the Bridger Mountain Range, and a patio that's perfect in the summer. We also recommend checking out Bozeman Taproom, Bridger Brewing, Montana Ale Works, and Mountains Walking Brewery. For great cider, check out Lockhorn Cider House.
Hyalite Reservoir
The Hyalite Reservoir is half an hour from Bozeman, and is a great place to kayak, canoe, paddleboard,or just enjoy a picnic. Lots of hiking trails in the area as well, including a short hike to a waterfall (Palisade Falls).
Local hikes
There are many great hikes directly in and around Bozeman. Some of our favorites are: - Storm Castle Peak - 30 minutes outside of Bozeman. This 5.2 mile hike features stunning, 360 degree mountain vistas. The last two miles of road to the trailhead are bumpy and pothole-filled, but if you have time this one is not to be missed! -- Drinking Horse Trail - Just 10 minutes from the center of Bozeman, you can find Drinking Horse Trail off of Bridger Canyon Drive. This is a short 2.5 mile hike that gives you lovely views of Gallatin Valley. You can get here/back by Uber. -- Lava Lake Trail - About 30 minutes from downtown Bozeman, Lava Lake Trail is a 5.5 mile in and back featuring a beautiful high mountain lake. -- College 'M' - The College 'M' trailhead is right across the road from the Drinking Horse. Similar to Drinking Horse, you get great views of Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley. You can hike the "easier" side of the M trailhead by sticking to the left.
Rafting
Daily guided rafting and inflatable kayak trips are available on the Yellowstone, Gallatin, and Madison Rivers. The Yellowstone River is more mellow and appropriate for all ages, while the Gallatin and Madison Rivers have larger Class III-IV rapids. Check out Montana Whitewater (https://www.montanawhitewater.com/) for more details. For a more low-key afternoon on the water, renting a tube for a leisurely float down the river is a wonderful way to spend a hot summer day. Montana Whitewater (https://www.montanawhitewater.com/) offers shuttle-serviced trips with easy pickup/dropoff in Bozeman Center. However, we're told the shuttles can get a bit crowded - alternatively, you can rent your own tube or stand up paddle board (plus floating coolers and waterproof speakers) at Montana Whitewater or Big Boys Toys in Bozeman and do a self-guided float on the Madison River.
Other Outdoor Activities
The Bozeman area is home to every imaginable outdoor activity, including horseback riding, kayaking, mountain biking, hot springs, ATVs, and more! There is lots of information, including operator recommendations, at http://www.bozemancvb.com/play Note that if you don't have a car but still want to have some outdoor adventures, this is a great option. Most operators have pick up service in Bozeman.
Golfing
Bridger Creek Golf Course is open to the public and reasonably priced. Big Sky Golf Course is a bit further afield but also looks nice!
Lewis & Clark Caverns
Camp, hike, and experience amazing geologic wonders at Montana's first and best-known state park with one of the most highly decorated limestone caverns in the Northwest. We have not been here, but it sounds pretty cool!
Grand Teton National Park
We'll be honest, Grand Teton National Park is not a quick jaunt from Bozeman—it's about a four hour drive down into Wyoming. However, if you plan to make a vacation out of our wedding weekend, we highly recommend you check out Yellowstone and then continue to Grand Teton. The parks are attached so it's an easy road trip. Jackson, Wyoming is lovely and the Tetons might be the most impressive American mountain range you'll ever see.
Glacier National Park
Absolutely stunning! This one is a bit of a hike (about 5 hours), but worth it by all accounts.