I started visiting Missoula, Montana shortly after I met my husband—he has family there, so it quickly became a regular stop in our travel rotation. With each visit, we’ve explored a little more of what this laid-back, outdoorsy town and the surrounding wilderness have to offer.
Since most of our trips revolve around seeing family, our itineraries don’t always follow the typical vacation checklist. So while this guide is a bit more casual and personal, I hope it’s still helpful for anyone curious about what to do in Missoula—whether you’re into small-town charm, beautiful hiking spots, or just seeking a quieter, LGBTQ-friendly getaway in the Mountain West.
Get Out
It’s no secret that I often use breweries as a way to plot out my exploration of a city. That’s been true for Missoula too. Here’s my $0.02 on the breweries in Missoula that I’ve frequented (and a couple I haven’t yet). And keep in mind that not all breweries here serve food, so if you’re looking for suds and grub and I haven’t specifically noted food below, I’d advise confirming before you go.
- Bayern Brewing is probably my favorite in Missoula, located off the beaten path in an industrial area. For sure, their focus on German styles is in sync with my personal tastes, but they’re also a stalwart of Montana craft brewing (and craft breweries in general). Add to that their on-site Edelweiss Bistro serving up a spread of German food and I’m all in!
- Tamarack Brewing has a great downtown location and its upstairs deck has a nice view of the Clark Fork River. In my opinion, it’s a decent place to stop if you’re downtown, especially if you’re walking or biking along the riverfront paths, although neither the food nor the brews are on my must-try list.
- Western Cider Co. and Imagine Nation Brewing are just a stone’s throw from Tamarack and would probably be nice additions to a downtown beer crawl, as both are also adjacent to the riverfront trail. Neither are spots I’ve checked out, but I can at least recommend the location!
- Top Hat is within a block of Tamarack, and while there’s a set of buildings between it and the river (so … sorry, no views), there’s a great outdoor patio in the summer, a long list of local beers on tap, and really good burgers. I was less impressed with their home-made tater tots and fries, but I’d definitely rather enjoy the burger than the sides. As well, Top Hat is one of Logjam Presents’ venues (Kettlehouse Brewing, listed below, is another), with an impressive list of local and national entertainment.
- Draught Works Brewery isn’t right on the river, but is located more or less between Tamarack and Imagine Nation in downtown. I’d intended to check it out for lunch on my March 2024 trip, but since they only have food when there’s a food truck there—and it wasn’t there on a Sunday until after 5pm—I can’t really vouch for it one way or the other. That said, they have a great patio so it seems like something worth frequenting on a sunny afternoon, often with live music. It’s on my short list of places to check out.
- Big Sky Brewing is another longstanding fixture in Montana’s beer scene. Their brewery and taproom near the Missoula Airport is just outside of town, but is a fun spot to stop. Check out their site for details of their summer concert series at their adjacent amphitheater—they get some recognizable performances at generally reasonable prices (especially for lawn seats).
- Kettlehouse Brewing has their brewery and taproom about 10 minutes east of Missoula—and also has an amphitheater with an impressive line-up of performances at reasonable ticket prices. But if you don’t happen to make it to the brewery on your trip, you can still check out many of their beers at their location next to the gates in Missoula’s airport.
But Missoula’s got more than just beer, of course. There’s also ice cream (haha)! For sure, there’s lots of great ice cream from awesome local shops all over the place (like my hometown favorite Salt and Straw). But in Missoula, check out Big Dipper Ice Cream and Sweet Peaks Ice Cream. Big Dipper has a couple locations, but my favorite is just on the other side of the river from downtown in what I think is a former gas station. Go on a summer evening, and in addition to their regular standards and rotating specials, it’s great old-school people watching. (Side note: Veera Donuts, which I’ve not tried, but want to, is right next door.) Sweet Peaks is right downtown, less than a block from Top Hat and Tamarack Brewing, in case you need an ice cream fix before or after your beer fix. They’ve also got a list of standards as well as a bunch of seasonal specials. I merged the ice cream and beer worlds by ordering the “Montana (Heart) Beer” winter special (Montana Hopz oil cream with Bonsai Brewing’s American Stout) and it was pretty good.
Get Out(side)
Of course, this is Montana, and the Big Sky state is all about getting outside—especially in the warmer months. There’s a ton to see and do within a couple hours of Missoula, but right in town, a couple great places to check out are the hike to the M and Fort Missoula Park.
The “M” on Missoula’s Mount Sentinel trail represents the University of Montana, which is just at the base of the mountain (hill?) on the city’s east side. Because of its location, it’s a super-convenient hike if you only have a few hours. Depending on which review you read, it’s anywhere between moderately strenuous and brutal. It is a relatively steep climb, but there are a few benches and the view up at the M is beautifully panoramic. If you have the time and interest, I’d recommend it at least once. Do note that there are several parking lots near the trailhead, but pay close attention to U of M parking regulations, as many of the nearby lots are restricted. It’s also right near the stadium, so parking will no doubt be precious on event days.
Fort Missoula Park is just as outdoorsy, but pretty much the complete opposite as far as activities go. The relatively new, 156-acre park (completed in 2018) has a disc golf course, pickleball and tennis courts, softball fields, a dog park, (really nice) picnic shelters, playgrounds, trails, and more. If any of those activities suit your fancy, it’s a great place to spend a few hours or more.
And in the summer, the city’s rivers provide a great spot for tubing, stand-up paddling, or kayaking. In July 2025, we enjoyed a beautiful day lazily floating down the Bitterroot River, but plenty more people enjoy the Clark Fork through town (check here for tips).
Get Out (of Town)
Shortly outside of town, there’s even more to experience. I’m sure this list could be nearly endless, but a few of the activities that I’ve had the opportunity to experience are:
- Biking the Hiawatha Trail. Located on the border between Montana and Idaho, this 15-mile-long former rail line has been converted to a biking and hiking trail. The first of 10 tunnels is dark and (when we went) wet, so definitely be sure to have lights and gear that can get dirty. But it’s great fun. And with a shuttle bus that runs from the bottom of the trail back up, you can do it one-way downhill if you want (obviously, there’s a cost). If you’re visiting on a busy weekend, consider booking ahead of time online.
- Whitewater rafting on the Clark Fork River is a rush and the scenery is beautiful. We booked our trip with Zootown Surfers and they did a great job of taking care of our group, making sure we were comfortable, safe, and had fun (and capturing the great action shot below). BONUS: You’ll also get to raft past the location where, in July 2014, a train derailed dumping Boeing 737 fuselages down the embankment and into the river.
- Paddling and boating don’t get much better than Flathead Lake and Echo Lake (Whitefish Lake is later this year). Just north of Missoula, these are just two of many stunning freshwater lakes. They’re fed by snowmelt, so expect COLD water before mid-July. And if you’re kayaking, you’ll probably want to set out early to minimize the wake from the motor boaters. But the scenery is beautiful and there are a myriad of vacation rentals and a few hotels in the charming towns scattered around the lakes to make a great time of it. Special note: Flathead cherries ripen mid-July (more or less) and they’re delicious. Eat some.
- And then there’s Glacier National Park. See it now while Glaciers still exist (there’s been a 80% loss since 1966). Once there, Going to the Sun Road is magnificent and it would be a shame to visit Glacier without doing it. Advance reservations are pretty much essential, though (reservations open 120 days in advance; a very small number of next-day permits are released each evening). But the hikes, lakes, lodges, and other sights are stunning too. And if there’s a chance to stop for Ice Cream, be sure to sample some with local huckleberries! I think we stopped at Lake McDonald Lodge for ice cream, but I failed to take a photo, so who knows if it really happened.
Getting There
Coming from Portland, getting to Missoula is moderately easy. It’s about an 8-hour drive with some great mid-points to stop and camp in either Lake Coeur d’Alene or Lake Pend Oreille. Lake Pend Oreille is a little bit of a detour, but worth it if you have the time (the state campground is one of the nicest I’ve stayed at). Keep in mind, state campgrounds in Idaho charge a hefty premium for out-of-state visitors. I was okay with it, but it did give me a bit of sticker shock for a public campground.
By air, arriving and departing from the brand new airport terminal in Missoula is a really fast trip—if you can get a direct flight. Portland to Missoula is currently served seasonally by a 1-hour Alaska flight about 5-6 days a week. It’s a similarly fast flight on United, Delta and Alaska from Denver, Salt Lake, and Seattle, respectively. Add a stop though and it’s not so efficient, so it’s worth looking closely at days and routes. A few other airlines fly direct to Missoula as well.
LGBTQ Safety
Missoula, Montana gets a respectable 91 out of 100 rating in HRC’s database of LGBTQ legal protections, worth particular note because most all of these protections are at the city level. Statewide, Montana gets a C+ grade for LGBTQ safety from Safehome.org—their rating is a mix of legal protections and reported hate crime statistics (the data available to them and the fact that it’s statewide mean the ranking is imperfect, but few other resources include hate crime statistics in their formulas). Unfortunately, Montana is currently categorized as one of the worst states in terms of transgender protections and proposed anti-trans legislation, though I’m happy to report some recent legislation has been struck down. Still, be mindful and proceed with caution.
Upper Left Traveler 