Whitefish Montana Travel Guide

Planning a trip to Montana?

Are you wanting a beautiful escape but also don’t want to be too far from civilization? Whitefish is the place to go!

Whitefish is an artsy little town that is perfectly placed between two parks, and has a little something for everyone.

Where to Stay:

The Cana Lofts — These lofts are located directly above the cutest string of shops in the heart of downtown Whitefish. So if you have one drink too many, or you just want to walk off the Sweat Peaks ice cream, you don’t have to worry about getting behind the wheel.

We booked one of the penthouse suites through the Whitefish Escapes’ Airbnb page. I am a sucker for a chic home as well as a balcony, especially one with a fire pit. I was immediately sold when I saw the pictures of this loft. Not only did it have plenty of space, two master bedrooms with full bathrooms attached, and granite countertops, but the place was sparkling clean and extremely cozy.

Where to Eat:

Coffee:

Wild Coffee Co. — This place has to be one of the highlights of the trip, and that’s saying a lot. We saw some of the most incredible and stunning scenes of nature on this trip, but this coffee shop is up there for me. Everything from the aesthetic to the food was right on point. The coffee was delicious and I could have spent an entire day appreciating the hard work that went into making the shop look intentional as well as stylish. The overall vibe was Modern Montana Chic, which included plenty of Instagramable moments. There was a deep forest green that encompassed most of the shop, with accents of lighter wood and black. If you would like to get a better idea of what Wild Coffee Company looks like, subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Instagram to be notified when the next Montana post and vlog go live.

Montana Coffee Traders — I have to admit that we did not actually dine at this particular coffee shop, BUT their coffee is used in several restaurants and surrounding coffee shops. The coffee is good and it’s one of the higher-rated coffeeshops in Whitefish. We did, however, go into the coffee shop because it is attached to one of the stores in downtown Whitefish, called The Toggery.

Breakfast / Lunch:

Buffalo Cafe — This cafe is located on one of the side streets of Whitefish, and comes recommended by the locals. We went for brunch on our first full day there, but I wish we would have gone for lunch or dinner. We were feeling the impact of the time change and just overall rundown after a long day of traveling and did not feel like eating much. What we did eat was decent and the place is apparently very popular because every table available was full with a line of people waiting on the sidewalk.

Loula’s Cafe — We luckily found out about this quaint cafe, because our flight got delayed and we were able to return to town for a couple of hours before catching another flight. This place is definitely a local spot, it’s tagline is, “a neighborhood cafe.” It gave me a comforting feeling that I would get growing up when I would go to the local market that my grandparents owned. There were paintings and artwork by local artists hanging on almost every inch of the wall, fresh-baked pies for dessert, and an eclectic atmosphere. The food was very tasty. I had Eggs Benedict at both the Buffalo Café and Loula’s, and Loula’s was far superior, mainly because the hollandaise sauce had more flavor and the eggs were a little runnier. Nick, his sister Abbie and her boyfriend Tim ordered breakfast platters that came with a spicy sausage that we are still drooling over.

Dinner:

Abruzzo — This is a delicious Italian restaurant that is perfect for one of your fancier nights out. They have an extensive wine list and a romantic atmosphere. What will really make you fall in love is the food. Nick and I are still dreaming of the elk tartare and the calamari, and those were just our appetizers.

If you are looking for a super comforting meal I recommend the mushroom pasta, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the pasta they have to offer. Everything was extremely tasty and we had enough to take home for lunch the next day.

What to Do:

Parks:

Glacier National Park — The main attraction of staying in Whitefish is Glacier National Park. It is absolutely BREATHTAKING, not just because you get winded from hiking, but because you are left in awe of the gorgeous views. All throughout the park, there are places to pull over and walk to small rocky beaches with amazing views of the surrounding mountains. The rocks are almost as exciting as the views because they vary in shades of purple and make the best souvenirs! I collected a few for my mom to put in the bottom of a vase or to fill an apothecary jar because she loves interesting rocks and things in nature. I saved a couple for myself to put in a glass terrarium, as a keepsake of the trip and a testament to God’s goodness.

Due to snow, the longer hiking trails and the horseback riding trails were closed, but that didn’t leave us unsatisfied. We drove about 20 to 30 minutes into the park to reach the Cedars Hiking Trail, which connects to a trail towards Avalanche Lake. The hike to Avalanche Lake is just under 3 miles and is the perfect hike for beginners or if you don’t want to spend your entire day at the park. We got to the park around 9:30 am and left closer to 1 pm. I will say, I would have spent our entire trip just taking in all that is Avalanche Lake. The scenery is constantly changing while you are hiking and once you reach the lake, it feels as if you’ve discovered a beautiful secret.

If camping is your jam, they have places for you to set up your tent or cabins you can rent!

Whitefish Lake State Park — We briefly visited this little park on our first full day, before we made our way to Glacier National Park and were highly impressed. It was just under a 10-minute drive from our loft, with an excellent view of the lake and surrounding mountains. If you’re wanting to stay closer to town, but still want impeccable views, this park would be a great place for a picnic or a quick photo opportunity. Depending on when you go, it would also be ideal for camping, swimming, and other water activities.

Shopping:

Okay, I have to be honest. I didn’t get to go into as many stores as I would have liked. I would have needed at least two days dedicated to just exploring the shops in Whitefish as well as Kalispell. So my advice to you is, to carve out intentional time for shopping, and to stop by the Kalispell brewery when you’re done.

There are a few stores that we went into that I didn’t love because they were either a little too Boho for me or their Montana merchandise was too “touristy”. However, one store that stood out was The Montana Scene. They had apparel, mugs, stickers, and, my favorite, vintage travel poster prints. I stood there for a good 15 minutes, going through every print they had until I picked a couple to take home. They make such cute gifts that your friends and family will actually want to use!

If you would like to know more about Whitefish and our experience there, keep an eye out for the next blog post and YouTube video!

If you’re thinking of going to Whitefish, what are you most excited about?

Travel Guide: Whitefish, MT