It’s safe to say that Montana is severely underrated as a family vacation spot.
Many people simply associate the state with cowboys, ranches, and swathes of empty land.
However, there is so much more!
With its expansive wilderness, stunning towns and resorts, and rich history, Montana is the perfect place to take your family for a trip.
To help you plan your next Montana family vacation, we have broken down everything you need to know, including:
- Things to do in Montana with kids
- Where to stay
- Insider tips for booking a vacation in Montana
- A sample itinerary.
Let’s get into it!
Things to do with kids in Montana
Despite being known for its great outdoors, Montana is actually a great place to visit with kids and is filled with family-friendly activities for your next vacation.
Here are some of the best things to do with kids while staying in Montana:
Garnet Ghost Town
- Location: RMG7+PF, Garnet, MT 59832, United States
- Price: $3 for those 16+
- Activity level: Low
Getting young children engaged with history can be difficult without some sort of interactive feature, which is why the Garnet Ghost Town is the perfect place to take them next time you’re visiting Montana!
As Montana’s best-preserved Ghost Town, you and your family can step back in time and truly experience what it was like during the gold rush.
Located just outside of Missoula, the town features various buildings and cabins that have been lovingly restored and preserved with full furnishings so that they appear in their original 19th-century condition.
Plus, fees are only charged for those over the age of 16 – making this an affordable outing for a younger family.
Glacier National Park
- Location: Northwestern Montana,
- Price: $35 per vehicle
- Activity level: High
If you want your children to experience everything the Montana wilderness offers, we highly recommend taking them to the Glacier National Park!
Located in the Montana Rocky Mountains, the park is an array of glaciers, peaks, valleys, and lakes that will dazzle those of all ages.
This is the perfect place to take your kids for a dose of the outdoors as you can customize your trip here based on their needs and abilities.
Whether you choose to go on a day trip and hike some of the 700 miles of trails within the park or decide to participate in the full experience and camp overnight within the park, your children are sure to make memories that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center
- Location: 201 S Canyon St, West Yellowstone, MT 59758, United States
- Price: Adults (13 and older) $16.50, Children (5 – 12) $11.50,
- Activity Level: Low
Montana is home to some incredible wildlife. However, much of it is too dangerous to engage without in the wilderness!
The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center allows you and your children to get up close and personal with some of the most iconic animals that Montana is known for in a safe and controlled setting.
From grizzly bears, wolves, otters, and various birds of prey, your little ones will get to see it all at this discovery center.
Not only will they see the animals, but they will also get to learn all about them and how they fit into Montana’s unique ecosystem.
If you’re looking for an activity that is both fun and educational, then you can’t go wrong with this one!
Ticket prices start at $11.50 for ages 5-12, and $16.50 for ages 13+, and there’s even free entry for children who are four years old and under.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
- Location: Interstate 90, Battlefield Tour Rd, Crow Agency, MT 59022, United States
- Price: Free
- Activity level: Moderate
It is important that our children are well educated about our nation’s history, which is why it is always a good idea to take them to famous landmarks and monuments such as this one!
The Little Bighorn Battlefield monument marks one of the most important and well-known battles in American History and commemorates those who participated.
Located in southeast Montana, this monument is a little bit out of the way. However, it makes for a great day trip from Billings!
The drive to the monument is very scenic and allows visitors to see all that Montana’s landscape has to offer. Plus, it is a completely free activity, which makes it a budget-friendly option for your vacation.