Travel Diary :: A Long Weekend in Whitefish, MT
Hi friends!
Updating you all during some very strange times, indeed. While we’re social distancing, I think the best thing to do is have a dose of normal - i.e. sharing some happy adventure memories! For the past month, I was out west chasing sunshine and snow (two things I luckily found in abundance). I’ll be skipping back and forth a bit, of where I traveled to, but wanted to highlight my long weekend in Montana first! This was my first time visiting Montana in Winter, and I can easily say, it won’t be my last. It was so incredible to see some of these beautiful landscapes transformed by snow. Below is a little glimpse at my itinerary for the few days I was there!
Day One
After a loooong drive from Jackson, Wyoming, I checked in to my very cozy cabin (linking below!) and got a good night’s rest for my first full day in Montana. In the morning, I met up with my very good friends, Jordan, for breakfast in town, before heading up to Whitefish Mountain for a day on the slopes! We had such a blast catching up, searching for fresh powder in the trees, and enjoying an all around beautiful day. We stayed until the chairs stopped turning, though I could have easily kept going - we were having too much fun! That night, I had a cozy evening back at the cabin - also kudos to Jordan for sharing the listing to this place with me, it was a dream!, and got to enjoy the tranquility of mountain living.
The Lake Shore Loft, located just 15 minutes from the mountain and downtown Whitefish, provided the perfect weekend escape. With two bedrooms (one downstairs + one in the loft), a wood stove in the living room, and amazing kitchen space, the space went above and beyond all my needs. For summertime, there’s rain jackets to borrow, an outdoor fire pit, hammocks, and hot tub!
Day Two + Three
The next couple days I used as work days, which meant curling up in a cafe (I loved Wild Coffee Company!), and catching up on the countless emails I’d been putting off. But each afternoon called for some outdoor adventures with friends. Although most of Glacier National Park is closed off in the Winter, there’s still places in the park we were able to get to! On night one, Jordan and I experienced some dreamy blue hour conditions along the shore of Lake McDonald (it was actually at this lake two summers ago that I first met Jordan!). The following night, we were reunited with our amazing friend, Chance, and decided to hike up and have a bonfire in the mountains. It was the most wonderful evening, made even better by rounding it out with some breakfast for dinner at a local diner in Columbia Falls.
Day Four
My fourth day was spent on the road, as it was sadly time for me to head back to Denver. Since it was such a long drive (it ended up taking me a full 24 hours to get back, because the weather held me at bay in Wyoming over night), so my friend, Chance, drove down south for a couple stops along the way to give me some photo breaks! It was the sweetest thing, and made me fall even more in love with Montana. I’m unfamiliar with the exact locations we stopped at (the last couple shots were from a locals-only type place), but we took the scenic route from Columbia Falls down past Flathead Lake toward Missoula. One of my favorite stops along the lake so reminded me of the rocky coastal shores of Maine! New England pals : looking at the below phot, do you agree?!
Highlights :
Where to Stay - Lake Shore Loft
Where to Eat - Wild Coffee Company , Buffalo Cafe , Abruzzo Italian Kitchen , Montana Coffee Traders (in Columbia Falls)
What to Do - Ski at Whitefish Mountain, explore in nearby Glacier Nat. Park., mini road trip to Flathead Lake
*given the current situation regarding COVID-19, most businesses + activities are currently closed to public. Make sure to travel responsibly over the next few weeks!
Will be sharing more adventures from the road soon! Stay well, friends.
xo
J.