How to Make the Most of Missoula in 3 Days (2024)

On a summer getaway to Montana, after spending four days in Glacier National Park, my husband, 13-year-old daughter, and I—our son was on another trip—added three days to visit the vibrant town of Missoula, Montana. A 2.5-hour drive south from Glacier’s West Glacier entrance, this town is home to the University of Montana and is in the middle of several wilderness areas.

We chose Missoula as our bonus destination to extend our time in Montana and visit a dear college friend living there. Following her recommendations and spending time with her gave us an insider experience to all that this small city with an ideal blend of natural beauty and urban comforts has to offer.

In this article, I share how you can make the most of your time in Missoula based on what we did while also including links to more activity ideas. From rewarding hikes in the nearby mountains to enjoying eclectic cuisine and local shopping, you will get an excellent idea of why this destination should be included in your next Montana trip.

Absolutely! Missoula offers a welcome combination of outdoor adventure, cultural experiences, and a thriving food and drink scene. The city, nested in the heart of Big Sky Country, is surrounded by mountains, making it an ideal destination for hiking, fishing, and water activities.

In addition, Missoula is home to a vibrant arts community with many galleries, theaters, and music venues. Enjoy cafes, restaurants, and breweries throughout the downtown area, offering outstanding dining options. Every meal we had in Missoula was uniformly excellent.

Our favorite Missoula highlights? Floating down the Clark Fork River, eating at the weekly food truck lunch in Caras Park, dining at all the incredible restaurants, and hiking in the nearby Bitterroot National Forest.

So, whether you are an outdoor enthusiast looking to explore the surrounding wilderness, a foodie, or a culture lover seeking history, art, and live events, you will discover that Missoula offers all you want and more. Learn more about Missoula activity options here.

See our high-level Missoula itinerary below. Then, get more ideas for places to stay, things to do, and places to eat in the sections that follow.

See all the places we visited in Missoula on the map below.

After leaving Glacier National Park, where we had spent the previous four days, and making some recommended stops on the way, we arrived in Missoula, Montana, on a sunny July afternoon. Wanting space to spread out after sharing a room for several days, our family opted to skip staying in one of the several downtown hotels and instead rented a gorgeously restored and more spacious two-bath, two-bedroom home.

Crossing the grid of downtown streets, we pulled up to our historic Magpie rental home on East Front Street, steps from nearby cafes, restaurants, parks, and shops. Filled with quirky art, natural light, and expertly decorated spaces, which included two dining areas, a vintage cook’s kitchen, and even an outdoor chicken coop, staying here felt like a welcome indulgence. See my quick tour of the property below.

Once settled, we relaxed and napped after a day of driving and exploring before meeting our local friend for an outdoor dinner at Top Hat Restaurant & Bar, a five-minute walk from our rental. Dinner highlights included laughter, catching up, beer, fish tacos, and red dahl. Tired from our busy travel day and given the Top Hat, also a live music venue, had nothing on the schedule that night, we returned to our rental for a welcome bedtime.

Still on our schedule of early wakeups from our time in Glacier, my husband and I made the most of rising early by grabbing to-go coffees from down-the-block Market on Front and heading to the Clark Fork River. On a bright and sunny morning, we joined the walking path towards Caras Park, keeping the river on our left and passing other joggers and walkers as we went.

While sipping our coffees, we stopped to watch the water, catching sight of a kayaker practicing his skills on Brennan’s Wave, a non-natural feature installed for river surfing and kayaking. From there, we crossed the pedestrian walkway on the Higgins Avenue bridge for a better look at the town and the river. Seeing the weekly Wednesday Out to Lunch food truck market set up happening in the park, we decided to head back to start the process of waking our teen daughter to return to the park for an early lunch. It was an excellent move.

Once back at Caras Park, we walked the stairway descending from Higgins Avenue, stepping into a food truck fest in full swing, with many excellent lunch options accompanied by live music.

Our daughter selected a burger dripping in nacho cheese, and we chose Banh Mi sandwiches and Vietnamese iced coffees from Banh-Mi-ssoula. With food in hand, we found an open picnic table adjacent to the park canopy. Warmed by the sun, with the river on one side and the market and town on the other, we settled in to eat our delicious food to the sound of roots rock, a perfect complement to the setting. It was an ideal Missoula start on our first full day in town.

Not wanting to restrict ourselves—it was vacation after all, we topped off our sandwiches with dessert—a genius combo of an ice cream donut sandwich from Stuffed 406 and some shopping. Feeling leisurely, we took our time heading back to our rental, strolling down the Hip Strip, Missoula’s collection of vintage and music stores and cafes on Higgins Avenue, and stopping in boutiques like HO + KO and One Eleven and outdoor stores like The Trail Head along the way.

At our rental, we collected what we needed for the day, headed to our car, and drove across the river to Spotted Dog Cycles to rent bikes to explore the town. En route, we stopped at Orange Street Food Farm, a local grocery, to pick up snacks.

Located next to Love Boat Paddle Co. in a semi-industrial area, Spotted Dog Cycles is within easy reach of two cycle paths—the Bitterroot Branch, part of the Bitterroot Trail, and the Milwaukee Road Path, also referred to as the Kim Williams Nature Trail. We tried both. First—down the Bitterroot Branch trail toward Fort Missoula. Since the beginning sections of this path, crisscrossed by roadways and relatively charmless as it follows the train line, also has no shade, it was a hard sell to a 13-year-old on a hot July afternoon.

So, we reversed our route, abandoning our goal of making it to the fort, and headed to the river. There, we picked up the Milwaukee Road Path, or the Kim Williams Nature Trail, following its pretty riverside route to the University of Montana, where it leads out of town and into the Kim Williams Nature Area. It was also at this spot, near the nature area signage, where the enticing path, unfortunately, became too rocky to navigate on the thinner tires on our hybrid rentals.

Knowing this, if you want to venture further out on this 4.2-mile route flanked by the Clark Fork River on your left and Mount Sentinel and the Pattee Canyon Recreation Area on your right, request to rent a bike that can handle rockier terrain.

Learn more about Missoula bike paths and explore options here.

Stopping to enjoy a snack on our way back, we returned the bikes and met our friend for our second big adventure of the day—a Missoula-must—a float trip down the Clark Fork River.Since we had two cars and a raft and knew where to park and put in, we arranged our own float shuttle trip. We left one car at the parking lot next to the Jacobs Island Dog Park on the University of Montana campus. See the map below, with the lot where we parked circled.

Then, we all piled in the second car to drive to the Milltown State Park Confluence Area, about a 15-minute drive east and shown on the map below. There—we inflated the raft, left our second car, and began our float.

Once on the river, relaxing with the late afternoon sun reflecting on the current and the bright green slopes of the canyon recreation areas passing by, I understood why this peaceful activity is the most recommended experience in Missoula. Catch the summer sun, see the wilderness, and relax in the steady flow of a Montana river with friends and family? Count me in.

Pulling our raft out at the Van Buren Street Walking Bridge on the left side of Jacobs Island, we deflated it and returned to get our second car, making our shuttle trip a success! And just in time to return to shower, clean up, and get a short rest before dinner.

Having spent nearly all of our first full day in Missoula outdoors, we settled into more welcome outside time, thoroughly savoring our food, brews, good friends, and more Missoula vibes until closing at 10 PM.

Although we arranged a shuttle float trip on our own because we had two cars and a local friend with an inflatable raft with the knowledge of where to put in, you can outsource your float by booking a shuttle trip with a local provider. Learn more about your options here.

Hiking in and around Missoula is a highlight of any visit. Our friend suggested several hiking options, and based on her recommendations, we chose to head south to the Bitterroot National Forest. Joining her and her pup, Lola, on a 1.25-hour drive south, we made our way to the Blodgett Canyon Overlook trailhead to hike this 2.8-mile route for more Montana wilderness time and its outstanding canyon view.

To fuel up for our day hike and drive, we grabbed breakfast and ordered picnic lunch sandwiches to-go at the Market on Front before hitting the road. After just over an hour of driving on highways and minor roads, we arrived at the gravel trailhead parking lot, which featured clear signage and a vault toilet, and began our hike.

Despite taking a mini-accidental detour on a path that branched out from a viewpoint bench where we should have switched back instead of ascending (straight up)—we loved this uncrowded trail. Picking just ripening huckleberries as we hiked, we eventually reached the wide-open canyon overlook—a well-earned prize for already pleasurable work.

As we settled in to enjoy our sandwiches on a rocky outcrop at the overlook, our friend told us about the bears and moose she had seen on a past hike into the canyon below on the Blodgett Canyon trail. From our perch, we looked out and imagined seeing them too as we savored our truly perfect picnic spot.

As part of trail safety practice, I always download a contour hiking map from AllTrails+ for every hike. When we accidentally went off-trail on this path, I used my downloaded map to navigate us back to the correct and graded route.

Wrapping up lunch, we retraced our steps to the trailhead. Once there, we bypassed the car, heading to the stream below the small gravel parking lot. Creekside, we stepped out of our shoes and socks, bracing our bare feet for the shock of the ice-cold refreshing water. After tossing sticks to Lola and relaxing on the rocks, we got back in the car to head back to town.

Before returning to our rental and at our friend’s urging, we stopped to shop for souvenirs at Rockin Rudy’s, a sprawling Missoula emporium selling clever and comic knick-knacks, t-shirts, and funky decor items. We loved it. At Rudy’s, we bought t-shirts, socks, and coffee mugs, only holding ourselves back to avoid overstuffing our luggage. If you are in town and want to bring Montana swag home, include a stop here.

After showering and a short rest, we met our friends in their Upper Rattlesnake neighborhood of Missoula before heading to the nearby Patio at Rattlesnake Market for a lovely al fresco meal. Enjoying craft brews, a delicious appetizer of buffalo cauliflower, and dishes like slow-cooked pork with polenta and fish and chips, we relished our last gorgeous summer evening in Missoula and a wonderful week in Montana.

Aside from the activities shared in this article and part of our itinerary, Missoula offers more attractions and experiences than you could fit into a weeklong stay. See a complete list of 39 things you can do in or around Missoula here.

Missoula is a haven for food lovers, with many seriously excellent and walkable places to eat, especially if you are staying downtown. The breadth of options wowed us, and the quality and execution of dishes at every level of eatery won us over to the culinary charm of this western Montana town.

Our favorites included Top Hat Restaurant & Bar, also a live music venue, Biga Pizza, enjoyed on the Cranky Sam Public House patio, breakfast and takeaway picnic sandwiches at the Market on Front, only a block from our downtown rental, and the upscale yet still relaxed outdoor dining at The Patio at Rattlesnake Market.

More places I wanted to try given more days in town include The Notorious P.I.G. for BBQ, the Big Dipper Ice Cream for a local spin on frozen treats, and just over 10 miles south of town, the Lolo Steakhouse, where the steaks combined with its distillery and setting, are rumored to be entirely worth the wait!

Another thing to know—if your summer Missoula visit overlaps on a Wednesday or Thursday, head to Caras Park to sample the best of its food truck scene at the weekly Out to Lunch (Wednesdays) and Downtown Tonight (Thursdays) series, organized by Downtown Missoula. On a Wednesday, we thoroughly enjoyed our delicious lunch at a nearby picnic table while listening to live music.

Or if you are staying in a rental with a kitchen or need hiking or picnic snacks, include a stop at the weekly Missoula Farmer’s Market. About a city block long, find it on the north end of Higgins Avenue on Saturday mornings from May to October and Tuesday evenings from June to September.

When visiting Missoula, consider adding more days to your trip to explore Glacier National Park, located just a few hours north. Beloved for its stunning landscapes, including pristine lakes, mountains, and wildlife, this national park offers the ideal setting for epic outdoor adventures. Check out this complete guide on planning a Glacier trip, including 17 tips ranging from when to visit, how long to stay, what to do, and more.

Another place to add to a Missoula trip is the town of Whitefish, a 40-minute drive from Glacier’s main West Glacier entrance. With its walkable and picturesque downtown area, scenic 5.2-square-mile lake flanked by mountains, top-notch lodging and dining, and abundance of outdoor activities, thanks to its lake and adjacent national forests, it makes for an ideal Montana summer destination.

Otherwise, if you prefer more knock-your-socks-off national park time, head south just over 4-hours from Missoula to reach the West Yellowstone entrance to Yellowstone National Park. From there, you can explore this iconic park and even add a visit to Grand Teton National Park to the south.

For our drive down from Glacier National Park to Missoula, we were lucky to have a local expert and our good friend to give us the inside scoop on the best places to see along the way.

Following her advice, heading south from Glacier, we first stopped in Bigfork, a Montana town on the northeast shore of Flathead Lake, to catch its July 4th festival and walk around town. Then, we continued south along the eastern edge of Flathead Lake to the CSKT Bison Range, making a pitstop for in-season farmstand cherries.

Once at the Bison Range, we stepped inside the Visitor’s Center to pay the admission fee and ask for advice on the best way to see this wildlife conservation area. We opted to drive out and back on the lower section of the loop, catching sight of the bison grazing on the sloping hills leading down from the mountains behind them.

If you are planning a Montana trip, check out these related articles. Get more information, ideas, and resources to plan better travel and get out the door with less hassle.