Once you’ve chosen a Whitefish getaway for your family fun-filled break, you won’t be short on activities to fill your time. From laser tag to hiking to learning about the area you chose for R&R, there’s plenty to do in the beautiful Montana landscape. While you plan your agenda of family fun, don’t forget to book a vacation rental with I Love Whitefish.
The Whitefish Trail
Gather the family and lace up your hiking shoes. Just outside of downtown Whitefish you’ll find the Whitefish Trail. Walkers, runners, hikers, bikers and even equestrians follow the trial that winds through over 40 miles of public and private lands. It’s made up of stacked loops, scenic overlooks, single-track trail, and gated logging roads. See local wildlife in their natural habitat. The trail is the result of a community collaborative project with the Whitefish Legacy Partners.
The Whitefish Museum
From the outside it looks like a train station, but the historic building no longer serves that function. Instead, you can step inside to the history of Whitefish. The Whitefish Museum includes lots of railroad paraphernalia, and many other displays and exhibits. See the large tree stump outside the museum doors – an homage to the city’s former name of “Stumptown” and a reminder of the city’s past as logging town before the railroad made its way through town. You can tap out a message in Morse Code, and learn about local author Dorothy M. Johnson who wrote classics like “The Hanging Tree” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.” The museum is open Monday-Sunday 11-3 and is free, but a donation to the Whitefish Historical Society, the organization that maintains the museum, is recommended.
Beaches On Your Whitefish Getaway
If your visit to Whitefish comes during the warmer months, make sure to stop by the beaches. Flathead Lake, Swan Lake, Tally Lake, and Whitefish Lake and City Beach all offer great swimming. Some may even offer paddle boarding, jet skiing, or other water sports. If you’re not there for the water, lay out on the beach and get some Vitamin D or have a picnic. Keep in mind that if you plan to swim, City Beach is the only one of these beaches with a lifeguard on duty.
Alpine Slide
Whitefish Mountain Resort is home to an Alpine Slide. Imagine yourself a Winter Olympic athlete in the luge event as you zoom around the track on a wheeled sled. It’s a one-third mile track full of banked turns, dips, a tunnel, and winds under some bridges too. Control the speed with the sled’s hand brake, or let the track take you. Children under 48” tall are free but must ride with a paying adult.
Stumptown Ice Den
Located in Whitefish, the Stumptown Ice Den is a year-round facility offering year-round ice activities. Check their calendar for days and times when public skating is available. Admission rates are low, including free entrance for children five and under. Skate rentals are also available. There are no reservations necessary before showing up, but space is limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Fishing
There are many lakes in the area where you can cast a line and see what’s biting. Fishing is a simple activity the whole family can do and enjoy together. Rent some gear and wander down to the shoreline on your own, or head out on a guided charter. There are many different species of trout, as well as norther pike, smallmouth bass, and many more that you can enjoy for lunch or dinner after your excursion.
Flashpoint Outdoor Laser Tag
fun for the whole family, outdoor experience. This local and women-owned business provides fun laser tag experiences in the great outdoors of Whitefish and the Flathead Valley. The two-hour experience takes place in the heavily wooded areas around the location, which include plenty of natural obstacles. Come prepared for outdoor battle with closed-toed shoes, long pants, and long a sleeve shirt to protect against sun, bugs, and foliage. Don’t wear anything you don’t want to get dirty! COVID-19 precautions include sanitized equipment for each participant and CDC-recommended distancing. Call for reservations.
Fun with the Family in Montana
Begin and end every fun-filled day of your family’s stay in a vacation rental by I Love Whitefish. We offer three-bedroom units all the way up to five-bedroom units, so you’ll find something to fit your entire family. Relax and spread out in the open floor plan living area or retreat to the comfort and privacy of your own bedroom. Many units are close to all the family fun you came to experience. Stick to your diet and prepare a home-cooked meal in the fully equipped kitchen. Choose a premium unit for stainless steel appliances, flat screen TVs, and decadent bathrooms.
Contact us today to start planning your family’s Whitefish getaway!
Once you’ve chosen Whitefish for your winter break, you won’t be short on activities to fill your time. From skiing and snowboarding to dog sledding or snowshoeing, there’s plenty to do when the snow blankets the beautiful Montana landscape. Before you head out, or any time you need to warm up or refuel, there’s Whitefish restaurants serving a hot meal to keep you warm.
Buffalo Cafe & Nightly Grill
Don’t let the name fool you, the Buffalo Cafe & Nightly Grill has great breakfast selections to warm you up for the day ahead during your Whitefish winter getaway. With breakfast staples like French toast, buttermilk pancakes, and biscuits and gravy, you’ll find something to warm you up and get you going. Try their “Stampede Ham Steak” – a grilled seven-ounce bone-in ham steak, served with two eggs, hash browns, and toast – or the classic breakfast combo with two eggs, which has browns, toast, and your choice of meats. Try their Denver omelet, or the Higgins scramble with caramelized onions, spinach, diced tomatoes, and Swiss cheese or go for one of their specialty buffalo pies, the first items they served over 40 years ago. Try the original, a thick-cut slice of ham, two poached eggs, and cheese, or one of their specials like Leslie’s – grilled fresh veggies, poached eggs, and cheese, or Big Don’s – a spicy sausage patty, pepper jack cheese, and eggs. There’s even a kids’ menu with kid-size portions for smaller bellies. The restaurant is currently operating at 50% capacity. Please wear a mask to enter the restaurant and any time you are not at your table. Carryout is available.
Whitefish Restaurants: Abruzzo Italian Kitchen
If you’re looking for authentic Italian cuisine to warm you up on your trip to Whitefish, check out Abruzzo Italian Kitchen. They make all of their pizzas and pasta by hand, from scratch. Try their lasagna, packed with Italian sausage, tomato passata, and mozzarella, traditional spaghetti & meatballs, or the seafood pasta, brimming with shrimp, crab, cauliflower puree, white wine, and uni butter. If pizza is what you crave, they have several kinds of wood-fired pizzas to choose from. There’s the traditional pepperoni – pepperoni, mozzarella, and San Marzano tomato sauce, the mushroom Bianca, topped with mixed mushrooms, fontina, mozzarella, sage, olive oil, and garlic, or the Margherita – mozzarella, basil, and red sauce. Ask about gluten-free pizza options. The restaurant is currently operating at 50% capacity for dine-in service, with only six guests at a table. Please wear a mask when entering the facility and any other time you are not at your table. Carryout is available.
Tupelo Grille
Located in downtown Whitefish and “sister restaurant” to Abruzzo, Tupelo serves authentic southern U.S. dishes. Whet your appetite for the meal to come with starts like southern bayou catfish – cornmeal-crusted catfish strips with a spicy southern remoulade, or fried green tomatoes accompanied by the crab, creole meunier, and remoulade. Warm-up with French onion soup or their Tupelo gumbo made with chicken and andouille sausage. Opt for something from the “Tried & True” menu like low country shrimp & girts – jumbo shrimp, cheddar grit cake, tasso ham, and sherry cream, or Cajun penne pasta – served with chicken, andouille sausage, and cilantro cream. Try their zydeco combo – shrimp and crawfish cake, crawfish etouffee, fried catfish, grilled shrimp, and jambalaya. Fill up and warm up with the eight-ounce bison filet bathed in a maple chili marinade and accompanied with broccolini, jalapeno, and cheddar grits, or the elk meatloaf, complete with huckleberry demi-glace, roasted garlic whipped potatoes, and crispy onion rings. The restaurant is currently operating at 50%. Guests are being asked to wear masks when not seated at the table. Carryout is available.
Casey’s of Whitefish
Warm-up with a visit to Casey’s of Whitefish. Start your meal with the soup of the day or their famed elk chili – topped with green onions, sour cream, mild cheddar, and jack cheese. Try a “pub favorite” like classic grilled cheese made with mild cheddar and havarti on sourdough bread, or one of their Montana burgers like the Hell Fire – a ½ pound of Montana beef patty topped with pepper jack cheesy, crispy fried onions, and chipotle aioli, or the Big Sky Blue with caramelized onions, house five-spice sauce and blue cheese crumbles. Warm-up with soul-warming smoked BBQ brisket, or their stuffed meatloaf – Montana beef meatloaf stuffed with mushrooms, onions, bacon, and mozzarella and served with fries and seasonal vegetables. The restaurant is currently operating at 50%. Guests are being asked to wear masks when not seated at the table. Carryout is available.
Warm Winter Meals in Montana
Begin and end every fun-filled day of your winter stay in a vacation rental by I Love Whitefish. We offer three-bedroom units, all the way up to five-bedroom units. You’ll find something to fit your entire group. Relax and spread out in the open floor plan living area, or retreat to the comfort and privacy of your own bedroom. Many of our units are ski-in/ski-out, and close to slopes and chair lifts. Warm-up takeout from one of the local restaurants or prepare a home-cooked meal in the fully equipped kitchen. Choose a premium unit for stainless steel appliances, flat-screen TVs, and decadent bathrooms.
Contact us today to start planning your winter wonderland getaway!