We visited Big Sky & Bozeman in September 2022 on a road trip through the North West. Our AirBnB was honestly perfect & I would highly recommend as it was location in the heart of Big Sky and within walking distance of everything we needed.
Big Sky is a small "city" bustled between the mountains. Don't go here and expect to have a bunch of chain companies and large crowds, as it is definitely a calming ski town. I really enjoyed going in the summer however I definitely feel that there would be more to do in the winter. We stayed for 3 days (2 in Big Sky & 1 in Bozeman) and I actually think one day in each would have been enough.
The perfect place to relax and enjoy the views, no matter what time of year.
Keep in mind that the North Western states are full of huckleberries & huckleberry flavored EVERYTHING. It just tastes like a normal berry, but definitely part of the fun if you can get your hands on any of the huckleberry treats.
All experiences beginning with an *asterisks are the ones that I recommend the most.
Food:
*Caliber Coffee: A cute and VERY popular coffee shop located downtown. During our time in Big Sky, they ran a deal for a breakfast burrito + a latte for $10. We went a few times because we really enjoyed the drinks & overall ambiance.
Chai latte
Breakfast Burrito (veggie + meat lovers)
Horn and Cantle: Located at Lone Mountain Ranch, about 5 minutes from downtown, there is the cutest restaurant that is open from breakfast through dinner. Lone Mountain Ranch is a nice place to stay, but we just went for the food. We thought breakfast was okay but dinner was honestly one of the best meals we have EVER had.
Dinner:
Bread & butter: The homemade butter was genuinely the best butter I have EVER had
Burrata Caprese: Heirloom tomatoes, greek olive oil, basil, 18-year balsamico di modena
Summer Risotto: Sweet corn, roasted vegetables, greek olive oil, lemon and herbs
Sunday Sauce Rigatoni: Elk meatball, pork shank, bison sausage, pecorino, basil
Cocktails:
Pampered Cowboy: Huckleberry vodka, pampered juice, lime ginger beer
Big Sky Bramble: Big horn bourbon or cold spring huckleberry vodka, lemon, huckleberry compote. (Chris tried both the bourbon & vodka flavors)
Breakfast:
The Benedict: Poached egg, toasted english muffin, thick cut bacon, grilled tomato, spinach hollandaise, chives
Bison steak & eggs
Blue Moon Bakery & Pizza: A quick-stop bakery that also sells pizza. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this place as it was not anything special but it was great for food in a pinch, especially because it is located downtown.
Build your own pizza
Blue Buddha Sushi: Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to go here but I have heard that it is a great spot for sushi & drinks - and even located downtown!
Pinky G’s Pizzeria: Claimed to be one of the best pizza joints, if not the best, in downtown Big Sky but we honestly did not think it was anything special. We split a pizza and got some fries. They also have a location in Jackson Hole.
Drinks:
*Roadhouse BBQ: A popular BQQ joint located 5-10 minutes from downtown. We did not eat here, but instead sat outside on the "patio" for some drinks. This is first come, first serve and we were recommended to get there before 6:00 pm as parking is limited and it fills up quick for sunset. The outdoor area was absolutely gorgeous as you sit on a swing at the bar, overlooking the mountains as the sun goes down. This place has a huge Montana vibe and it was extremely relaxing.
The Standard: We did not end up going to this downtown cocktail bar but we wish we did as it looks very nice!
Tips Up: Another bar we did not end up going to this dive bar but if you're looking for a good night out on the town, we were told that this is the place!
Activities:
*Music in the Mountains: A summer event that happens downtown every Thursday evening. They have food stands, live music on a stage, and plenty of grass to sit on and enjoy the sights and sounds of people getting together for a fun evening. We brought our own snacks and alcohol. This was a really unique and cool event and I would definitely recommend if you are there at this time of the year.
Huckleberry Lemonade: We purchased these yummy alcoholic lemonades from The Rocks Tasting Room & Liquor Store. The brand was Easy Times.
*Scenic Ski Lifts: A great way to see Big Sky from high above. The ski resort has a total of 3 ski lifts, one in which you need to hike about 1 mile back down - but the other two take you up and down the mountain. We really enjoyed the views and the shops located at the base. We were in town during Labor Day weekend which is when the annual "The Rut" run takes place. Runners literally run up the mountain but it was run to just watch from the lifts. Lift tickets were about $35-$40 a person depending if you purchased online (at a discount) or in person, and this was about 30 minutes from downtown.
Bozeman: Bozeman is a city in Southern Montana in the Rocky Mountains. It was about an hour north of Big Sky and a beautiful drive up one windy road. Bozeman was definitely more "civilized" and "city-like" than Big Sky and had your typical chain food places and some hidden gems downtown. We really enjoyed our day trip and do not think you would need more time than that to explore.
*Bozeman Spirits Distillery: A downtown distillery that sells a wide variety of alcohol, merch, and a full bar complete with Montana themed drinks. This was a nice place to stop mid day for a drink while still wanting the Western experience.
Huckleberry Mojito: Cold Spring Huckleberry vodka, lime squeeze, mint simple, soda water, & mint/lime garnish
Prospector Punch: 1889 Whiskey (a local Montana whiskey), muddled huckleberries, lavender bitters, honey simple, lemonade
*Daves Sushi: Bozeman's top sushi spot for years (and it's evident from how busy it gets). We were told by our waiter in Big Sky that we need to go to this sushi spot and either write a Haiku on a napkin & give it to the waiter in hopes that the cooks laugh, or do a "fish dance". The secret menu was well worth the haiku and apparently this is pretty common - especially to see people do the dance. The secret menu was even bigger than the regular and had some pretty unique rolls. I really enjoyed what I got & would love to go back.
Ace of Spades: Tempura shrimp, mango, green onion, jalapeno, topped with spicy tuna & avocado
Tempura battered chicken with chipotle lime aioli (a weekly special)
Plonk: Another recommendation from our waiter in Big Sky. He said that this is the perfect place to grab a cheeseboard and enjoy a glass of wine. Unfortunately, we did not have time to do this but it looked like a well-liked spot.
Revelry: This was the last recommendation from our waiter in Big Sky, and he specifically told us to get the brussels ceaser & the honey pavlova. Sadly, we did not make it to this spot either.
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