The hardest part when visiting a new place is knowing where to even start! This section is intended to help our guests get a general feel for the area, and where things are relative to each other.

On Transportation: Montana is big! Things tend to be a little spread out. If you’re planning on spending some extra time exploring the surrounding areas, or are thinking of staying outside of Bozeman/Belgrade, we would recommend getting a rental car. Bozeman has a free public transportation system (it does not go to the airport) called the Streamline Bus. It’s handy, but the stops are still limited. We have the major ride share companies in town, but I’d imagine it gets costly if you’re traveling between towns. Fuel prices are about average.

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE ON DRIVING IN BOZEMAN (please read!):

Please be extra aware that people here seem to really like running red lights. If you’re trying to turn left, and the light changes, just make extra sure that the oncoming traffic is actually stopping before you proceed. We know that drivers suck everywhere, but we are serious about this being especially pronounced here. It just takes an extra couple of seconds to double-check that you’re safe! Please do it! We aren’t saying this to scare anyone (it’s not like it’s just out of control with five cars running the red at every light ever), we just want to make sure that you’re aware!

General Info About Bozeman and the Surrounding Towns

    • Bozeman and Belgrade are two towns that are rapidly growing into each other. Belgrade still has more of a small-town feel (13,000 people to Bozeman’s 58,000). It has a smaller downtown, and fewer shopping options. It’s also just a 10 minute drive on the interstate to get between the two.

    • Bozeman is home to Montana State University and the Museum of the Rockies. It has a downtown with fancy stores like Lucchese, Athleta, and Fjallraven, and restaurants that have food. Bozeman has a mall with a movie theater. It has stores like Costco, Target, and Whole Foods.

    • The interstate runs on the north side of town, curving down on the east end to meet up with the end of Downtown Bozeman. Bozeman is one of those towns where everything is a 10 minute drive. The fastest way to get to the interstate is to just be closer to it.

    • In terms of lodging Bozeman and Belgrade will be easier when it comes to travel to and from the airport and venue (please see the area map here).

      • In general, anything right off of I-90 makes transportation easy. There are a number of hotels immediately to the south of the I-90 & 19th Ave. exit. This is the closest area to the venue.

    • There aren’t actual hotels/motels in Manhattan, but there are a number of AirBnBs. It’s small, and has a few restaurants. I haven’t been in a while, and will try to do some recon!

    • There may be a few AirBnBs in Amsterdam/Churchill, which are south of Manhattan and are smaller. A preliminary search brought up places that are on the pricier side, but are probably very peaceful.

  • While small, there’s quite a bit more happening here than in Manhattan! There are a few motels and hotels, and a few restaurants exist! Three Forks is a little drier, and sometimes a little windier than Bozeman. You’re also close to the Missouri Headwaters State Park, which has some short, paved trails, and nice picnic areas. AND you, too can feel just like Lewis and Clark while you observe the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers joining together to create the Mississippi River! Wow! (ok, it’s pretty, but it’s just rivers doing river stuff)

    • Livingston is super cute, and is surrounded by gorgeous mountain ranges. It has nice restaurants and shops in its downtown area, and there are many different accommodation options. It’s about an hour (and a very pretty drive) away from the north entrance of Yellowstone (Gardiner/Mammoth), and 30 minutes from Chico Hot Springs. It can also get pretty windy.

    • Check out the Visitors Bureau website here.

    • An aside: Livingston and Bozeman are separated by Bozeman Pass. If there is somehow a giant freak snowstorm (super unlikely), it is possible that the pass will close. I can’t imagine this actually happening, but I would feel bad if I didn’t mention it.

  • Big Sky is a small resort town located to the south of Bozeman, and is halfway between Bozeman and the west entrance of Yellowstone (West Yellowstone). It’s a really pretty spot, but definitely feels like a small resort town. It has a number of restaurants and shops both in town and up at the resort, and some swanky hotels have been added in the past few years. HOWEVER it’s important to check what is open before you visit! The beginning of June is the end of the resort’s off-season. There is not a set date that they open on every year, so I can’t provide exact details at this moment. While Montana does not have a sales tax, Big Sky, which is unincorporated, has a 3% “resort” sales tax.