Last Updated: July 2023
Its spring break and the mountains are calling. Discover the top 11 things to do including great eats, outdoor activities and shopping. Let me inspire you to visit Bozeman in the spring!
If I had to choose my favorite place on earth, Bozeman, MT would definitely be up there. In a perfect world, I would live in Bozeman in the spring and summer, and snowbird in Miami, Florida. But I digress. Let me share the 11 best things to do in Bozeman to help you plan the perfect trip!
What makes these recommendations legitimate? We have friends from college that live in Bozeman, so our itinerary was highly influenced by a local’s perspective. My favorite way to travel is like a local! No touristy, run of the mill recommendations here. You’ll only get the best of the best. Although we visited Bozeman in the spring, most recommendations on this guide work year round.
For starters, BZN (Bozeman/Yellowstone International Airport) is one of the neatest airports I’ve been to. It is decorated like a warm and cozy lodge with fireplaces, a fire pit, and gate seats facing the majestic mountains in the distance. I think other airports could take a page out of Bozeman’s book.
We decided to rent an SUV through Hertz. I highly recommend a 4WD. We stayed at a condo on W. Olive St. The location was great, only about 3-5 mins to downtown. I’m sure there are plenty of Airbnb options that would give you a similar experience!
We spent a week traveling between Montana and Wyoming. For a full trip itinerary, scroll to the end of the post! To read more about the Jackson Hole, Wyoming part of the trip, see my other post here.
Don’t have time to read the whole post now? Pin it here for later!
First, Let’s Eat!
The first five recommendations are for restaurants we loved during our trip. The next 6 on the top 11 list are things to do including outdoor activities like skiing, hot springs, the best fly fishing and more!
#1: Brunch at Jam!
For brunch we went to Jam! downtown on Main. We ordered the Eggs Benedict flight (highly recommend the Mia and Crab cake) and Huevos Rancheros with a lavender latte. Great food, atmosphere and service! And who doesn’t love a flight of Eggs Benedict, how fun.
#2: Blackbird for Dinner
For my birthday, we decided to eat dinner at Blackbird. Go for a great ambience, perfect for date night. They have an excellent wine list, yummy bread and app menu- we ordered the marinated white beans. The pastas and meat menu items change seasonally, always love a good farm to table restaurant! We chose a pasta and pizza to share- the Parsnip Pansotti (means “pot bellied’ in Italian; it is a triangular shaped ravioli), with pear compote, sage and brown butter.
#3: Breakfast at Little Star Diner
We ate breakfast at the top spot recommended by our local friends called Little Star Diner. This place was definitely one of the food highlights of the trip! They feature unique menu items with contrasting flavors that coordinate so well.
I love a creative menu with dishes I’ve never seen or tried before. Some of our favorites were the corn muffins with grilled pears and the brazed pork. I ordered them separately to eat together and it was fantastic.
#4: Dave’s Sushi
For dinner, we went to Dave’s Sushi. There was a little wait, so we headed over to Copper Whisky Bar for a drink first.
Dinner at Dave’s sushi was so great. Apparently there is a secret menu with hundreds more options you can unlock if you write a haiku on a napkin. Let me know if you try it!
On the main menu, I can recommend the White Tiger, Turkey Slayer and Popper rolls. Rumor is they also have the best calamari.
#5: Montana Ale Works
For dinner, we ate at Montana Ale Works For an app I recommend the elk potstickers, and for entrees the shrimp and grits and meatloaf was excellent. They have a great local beer menu as well.
Time to Get Moving
#6: Ski Bridger Bowl
Bridger Bowl is the local ski area 16 miles away. It is a straight and easy drive from Bozeman. You actually pass the M hiking trail, which I wish we would have stopped at to hike on the way back. Maybe next time!
Bridger Bowl is one of the last locally owned, non-profit ski areas in the country. The vibe is definitely more laid back and less crowded than other ski resorts you may have visited.
We ordered our rentals and day pass online through Bridger in advance. Bridger Bowl opens at 8:30 for you to get your passes and gear rentals, and lifts start running at 9. We packed a lunch, and had a few beers at the Alpine Cabin ($3 PBR’s, yes please!).
They have Wifi (apparently this is new within the last few years) so its ok to split up, you can get ahold of each other later. The lifts stop at 4, and the rental gear shop closes at 4:30.
If you like to ski, the other option is Big Sky about an hour away. We drove to the area on our drive to Jackson, WY and would like to visit & stay there longer sometime! Bridger Bowl is the cheaper, more laid back local option whereas Big Sky is a ski resort on a mountain.
#7: Fly Fish the Madison River
I highly recommend a day on the river to get fresh air, unplug, and connect with nature. The Madison River is a premiere wild trout river, known as a “Blue ribbon” trout stream. We went with a guide, I recommend Rivers Edge.
The typical guide season is April- October, but we snuck in a little earlier in mid March. The weather was so great, temperatures in the 40’s and sunny, but it felt like 60 because there is no humidity!
The guide cooked us elk brats at a picnic table on the side of the river. We caught rainbow trout, brown trout and mountain whitefish. The only variety of fish in the river that we did not catch was a cutthroat trout.
This is such a bucket list experience! And don’t worry if you are a beginner. I didn’t know what I was doing, but caught on quickly. The guides are amazing! Even if you don’t personally want to fish but someone in your group does, I’d recommend going to just ride along. This day is for sure a core memory.
#8: Shop Till you Drop
Downtown Bozeman is quaint, walkable and full of stores to explore. From gift shops, clothing and antique finds, you are sure to find something that interests you. Easily walk the several blocks to discover Heyday for home accents and gifts, and Barefoot Bozeman for Montana gear and souvenirs. If it is your birthday month, you get 50% off one item from Barefoot Bozeman!
You know I’d sniff out a good thrift store. Downtown Antiques is amazing! You could spend lots of time sifting through all the neat treasures. Not sure what to look for? I’ve rounded up my top 10 things to shop for when browsing antique stores. Still need convincing that you should be shopping secondhand? I outline 5 reasons to thrift home decor here to fight the fast furniture trend. Your home, pocketbook, and the planet will thank you.
#9: Bozeman Hot Springs
Visiting a natural hot spring was a bucket list item for sure! Bozeman Hot Springs in Four Corners is located about 15 miles west of Bozeman. They have 12 pools total, some indoor and some outdoor that are all naturally heated.
During the day it is very family friendly. Our local friends said it is also cool at night with less kids and a neat vibe with music and lighting.
#10: MAP Brewery
MAP Brewery is one of 53 breweries in Montana. Eight of them are located in Bozeman. We didn’t get to try all of them or taste all of the beer, but I think it’s safe to say MAP has the best view. And their motto is cute- every good adventure starts with a map.
#11: Yellowstone National Park
On our road trip to Jackson, Wyoming we were driving parallel to the border of Yellowstone for a while. There is a sign at one of the turnouts to take a picture a little past West Yellowstone!
Because we were visiting mid March, the park was still operating on their winter schedule. This means a lot of the roads are snow covered and not passable. You can find out more online if you want to tout the park! There are only limited areas open, but you can definitely explore some of the winter options to tour the park including snow shoeing, snow mobileing, etc.
We wanted to save Yellowstone for another trip where we could do and see more!
“Montana, the last best place”
Didn’t do but wish we did:
-Hiked the M Trail in Bozeman (on the way to Bridger Bowl ski area)
-Snowshoed the Hyalite Canyon
Full Itinerary for a 7 Day Trip To Montana & Wyoming
Day 1: Fly in, shop and explore downtown Bozeman, MT
Day 2: Ski Bridger Bowl
Day 3: Fly Fish the Madison River
Day 4: Drive to Jackson, WY
Day 5: Grand Teton National Park
Day 6: Drive to Bozeman, visit the hot springs
Day 7: Fly Home
This sums up the top 11 things to do, see and eat on a trip to Bozeman in the spring, including a 7 day trip itinerary I was so happy with. I wouldn’t change a thing about this vacation. If you are interested in the trip map, with all the stops pinned for your convenience, you can download it here.
Enjoy the journey,
Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out my other travel guides here!
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Going International? Find more travel guides to inspire a trip across the pond!
–Tour London, England in 3 Days
–Take a Day trip to Oxford, England
-See Liverpool, England like a local!
–Travel through The Lake District National Park, England
-Explore the Incredible City of Bath, England
–Discover 13 Hidden Gems in Edinburgh, Scotland
-Experience the Highlands of Scotland on a Road trip
