Summer in West Yellowstone may be our favorite time of the year and now is the best time to start planning your own Montana summer vacation. Winter may not be done with you as you read this, stomping into the spring season and throwing a temper tantrum in the form of an early spring snowstorm, but in your dreams, you are somewhere warm, somewhere lush and green, and somewhere that has played a significant role in history; in your dreams you are exploring all that West Yellowstone has to offer during the long and lazy days of summer. We at Sweet Home Montana can help you make those dreams come true with this guide to getting a head start on your summer vacation planning in West Yellowstone, as well as showing you all the comforts found in our vacation retreats!
Packing Your Suitcase
Sometimes packing for vacation can be the most difficult part of your planning experience, but we can make it easier for you, offering tips and hints that will make your suitcase one that is well-packed. Even in the summer months it can get cool at night and the daytime temperatures rarely top the mid-80s, so we suggest packing so you can dress in layers. Tee shirts, jeans, flannel shirts, and a jacket are the best articles of clothing for your adventures, and because you will be spending a lot of time outside hiking and looking at the wildlife, your most comfortable hiking shoes are highly recommended. Sunglasses and sunscreen will help keep you comfortable against the summer sun, and of course, cameras and binoculars will ensure that you not only spot all the different species of wildlife, but that you can capture their images forever.
Planning Your Adventures
A West Yellowstone vacation is unlike any others, celebrating the beauty of the countryside, the wildlife that inhabit the region, and offering a peek into history that will fascinate and entertain and there are many ways in which you can explore it all. You could just get in your rental car, drive around and stop whenever you see other cars stopped, knowing that the group of people you spy have probably spotted a moose or a bison. Or you could check out the tours that are offered in the area first, getting an idea as to what you may want to explore in more detail later on in your vacation. Tour companies such as Fly Yellowstone (629 Airport Rd) or Yellowstone Expeditions (536 Firehole Avenue) offer some really excellent tours of the area, giving visitors a Yellowstone experience they will never forget. Fly Yellowstone covers the area from the sky, offering 30-, 45-, and 60-minute flights through the big skies of Montana, while Yellowstone Expeditions keeps their adventurers’ feet on the ground, offering van tours of the area and the opportunity for many exciting wildlife encounters.
Where to Eat
The culinary landscape of West Yellowstone is surprising in its variety, and although you can’t really plan what type of food you may be in the mood for in advance, at least you will know what to expect. A Bad Dog sandwich at Beartooth Barbecue (smoked sausage topped with chopped beef brisket on a hoagie), tacos from Taqueria Malverde Taco Bus, and the ultimate breakfast sandwich served at Ernie’s, a favorite spot known for its great food and friendly service. These are just an example of some of the delights you can enjoy during your time in West Yellowstone, meals that will haunt your dreams in the most exciting of ways once sampled.
The Plan to Relax
Perhaps the most important part of your summer vacation planning schedule is the plans you will make to relax as often as possible. Real life is hectic, busy, and chaotic and the serenity of the landscape of West Yellowstone combined with the comforts and luxuries found in our West Yellowstone summer sanctuaries will provide the perfect counterbalance to your real life woes. Choose an escape with a bubbling hot tub on back decks, watching the sun set as you sip chardonnay and savor the jets that are hitting all the right spots. Plan a night at home playing board games, streaming music, and staying warm in front of a roaring fire or pencil in an all-American barbecue enjoyed on the deck of a cabin offering panoramic views of the West Yellowstone countryside. And when the moon rises over that landscape and you can’t keep your eyelids open another second, our tranquil bedrooms are where you will get the best night’s sleep of your life. Wake up every morning feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready for more West Yellowstone adventures. Reserve your favorite Sweet Home Montana summer sanctuary today!
An Easter vacation in West Yellowstone may look a little different than ones you are used to, but that’s ok, everyone’s routine deserves a little shakeup every once in a while, and we at Sweet Home Montana assure you, you will love the differences. Sometimes the same old, same old can feel like a rut, rather than a treasured tradition, and as you explore all the ways your Easter celebration will be different while appreciating those traditions you aren’t willing to skip, the comforts of our holiday hideaways will add an extra layer of wonderful to a vacation that will only get more loved with each passing day. This guide to planning an Easter 2025 getaway you will never forget may lead to a new tradition, that of spending every Easter in Montana with us!
The Preparations
If you are traveling with kids, there are some very important questions that you must answer for them, including how will the Easter Bunny know where they are? You can reassure them that Mr. Hoppy will know exactly where they are during their spring adventures, and then, when you get here, you can hop on over to Market Place, located at 22 Madison Avenue, and pick up all the supplies needed for an Easter basket they will never forget. This is a smaller market, but they always surprise us at how well stocked they are, and the items found on the shelves are of good quality, ensuring that parents—um, we mean the Easter Bunny—will feel good about what they are giving the kiddos. You can also get eggs for boiling at the Market Place, and just as you do at home, boil them and decorate them with your favorite tiny travelers.
Sunrise Moments
At home, you may be used to waking for sunrise service, and there are many local churches in West Yellowstone that will welcome you to their own services, but what if this was the year you changed things up and spent this sunrise communing with nature? The balcony or back deck of your Sweet Home Montana holiday hideaway may offer the perfect spot to view that sunrise, and as you sit and savor the serenity and peace of a Yellowstone sky at dawn, these few quiet moments will soothe your soul and calm your heart. If you don’t want to skip your tradition altogether, it is extremely likely your home church streams their service, and our escapes provide high-speed internet for quick and seamless streaming.
A Meal to Remember
They haven’t quite released any info on restaurants serving Easter brunch as of yet this year, but going off previous years, we believe that not only will Running Bear Pancake House be open and serving their regular menu, but they will also serve some dishes that are Easter inspired. Located at 538 Madison Avenue and providing a menu filled with all your favorite comfort foods (You MUST try their cinnamon roll cakes for a sweet start to your day), mom will be thrilled that she doesn’t have to cook, kids will be thrilled to try those cinnamon roll cakes, and no one will have to worry about leaving the restaurant still feeling hungry.
Hoppy Easter!
For many who stay with us, exploring all the comforts offered in our Sweet Home Montana retreats, and at Easter, this is even more true. Our spaces are designed to add serenity to your vacation adventures, and as you sit in front of a roaring fire filling your kids’ Easter baskets with the goodies you bought earlier, you may be feeling especially serene, especially if you are doing so while sipping from a glass of wine. Watch your favorite Easter movies on state of the art televisions, munching on the candy you placed in your own basket, (no one is too old for an Easter basket) and maybe take a much needed nap after your early awakening. The Easter Bunny will find plenty of places to hide the colorful eggs you decorated previously, and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, hide them inside and stay warm and happy while your kiddos burn off some excess energy. Your regular Easter traditions can all be followed at home in our Montana Easter escapes. And who knows? You may find that traveling to West Yellowstone over this holiday is destined to be your newest tradition.
But Wait, There’s More!
Easter Weekend also happens to coincide with National Parks Week, taking place April 19th through April 27th and for that week, entrance fees are waived, making a visit to Yellowstone National Park a very budget friendly vacation activity. Spend your days exploring the beauty of the park, your Easter day celebrating the holiday, and sleep happily and peacefully every night of your stay. Reserve your favorite holiday hideaway today!
Spring hits differently in West Yellowstone as winter lingers in the early part and the promise of a beautiful sunny day is celebrated later on in the season, generally with the first sightings of baby animals serving as a harbinger that spring has officially sprung! Offering fields blanketed with snow and meadows filled with the colorful beauty of wildflowers, this is a season of contrasts and all you have to decide is which version of spring you prefer. We at Sweet Home Montana have created this guide to the best outdoor spring activities in West Yellowstone which will paint a picture of a vacation that you will never forget, especially when you come home to our seasonal sanctuaries every night of your stay.
Wildlife Adventures
In the early part of spring, March and early April, the babies won’t be out as of yet, but it can still be fun figuring out to whom the tracks you see in the snow belong. Hiking is a great way to get out and explore and although you won’t need to practice your new snowshoeing skills, there will be snow and if you are out early enough you may catch sight of the tracks of the shyer animals, such as cougar, bobcats, lynx, and badgers. In the late spring, however, April and May, the chances of seeing all manner of baby animals are indeed excellent and can include bear cubs, baby bison, and elk, simply by driving through the area or maybe even during your hikes. Just remember to view from a distance and no matter how adorable the babies are, their mamas are that much more protective and they will not be happy if you appear to be threatening their children, even if you aren’t trying to be threatening. Stay further back and use the telephoto lens on your camera to get the close ups you crave.
Mush Puppies
No, we didn’t make a typo there, we really did mean mush as dog sledding is a popular activity in the area in March. Yellowstone Dog Sled Adventures, 406-223-5134, is going to be the closest to your Home Sweet Montana spring sanctuary, offering 2.5-hour dog sledding trips (Learn to Mush) through April 1st. Anyone over 120 pounds can drive their own sled, and a heated base camp, campfire, snacks, and hot beverages will add to your joy in this adventure, but of course, nothing will excite you more than the beautiful furry puppies who will be leading you through the snow! Also offering a Dog Sled Immersive Experience that you can add on to your tour for an additional fee, participants will get to enjoy a hands on experience with the fur babies, learning about their food, how to harness and unharness them, and the tricks of the trade on how to handle them.
Take Pretty Pictures
Once you arrive, you will see how we downplayed that sentence there, as the pictures you take will be thrilling, stunning, extraordinary, and far more than just pretty. It will be impossible to take bad pictures, even with just a phone camera, so if you don’t have a fancy camera with all the bells and whistles, that’s ok, the pictures you take will still be frame worthy whether you are standing at the lookout spot that overlooks Gibbon Falls (which will be spectacularly swollen with water from the snow melt) or you simply pulled over on the side of the road to capture that shot of mama and baby bison strolling down the street together. Another popular spot, the Horse Butte Overlook, offers panoramic views of the Gallatin Mountain Range that surrounds you and Hebgen Lake, which leads us to our next outdoor spring adventure.
Fishing at Hebgen Lake
Although summer is primarily thought of as prime fishing season, after the ice melts on Hebgen Lake in the spring is an awesome time to catch some trout, especially as they will be really hungry after lying low through the window. Fly fishing for trout is legendary at this wonderful lake and fishermen and women make their way to the shores from all over the world to catch their limit. And when you catch yours, bringing your catch home to cook on the grill in the backyard of your seasonal escape, adding an extra element of wonderful to your outdoor experiences during your spring shenanigans in West Yellowstone!
Savor the Sunset
After spending your daylight hours exploring the grandeur of Mother Nature during your West Yellowstone trip of a lifetime, coming home to Sweet Home Montana will give you more ways to enjoy her bounty. Watching the sun set over the mountains from comfy chairs on the back deck can also bring more wildlife adventures as timid animals step from the safety of the tree line, perhaps with babies in tow. Reserve your favorite escape today!
Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year, making it the ideal time to travel and to plan a celebration that will show your loved one that you love, appreciate, and want to spoil him or her, starting with a visit to West Yellowstone and a stay in our Sweet Home Montana holiday hideaways. Offering romance, comfort, and a warmth that you don’t often find in vacation accommodations, your holiday is destined to be one to remember, and just in case you don’t think the vacation will be enough, there’s no need to worry about falling short in your goals. This guide to spoiling your loved one is sure to help make it clear how much you care!
Skip the Sunrise Views, Concentrate on Breakfast in Bed
A Yellowstone sunset is something that should not be missed, but on Valentine’s Day, we suggest letting your sweet sleep late while you slip out and begin breakfast preparations. Our fully equipped kitchens are built to handle the job, providing a spacious footprint, a heart of the home vibe, and updated appliances that will make short work of your chores, but if cooking isn’t something you excel at, it’s ok. Donuts from Mountain Mama’s Coffeehouse and Bakery, 17 Madison Avenue, are always a good idea, and the coffee there is smooth, strong, and delicious.
A Spa Day to Remember
Is there anything that makes you feel more spoiled than some time at the spa? West Yellowstone is a small town, but we have some options, including Yellowstone Massage, located at 103 S Canyon Street. Offering a large selection of spa services, your Valentine will feel like a new person after the spa spoiling session. If you are combining a babymoon with your Valentine’s Day celebration, they also offer prenatal massage as well as Swedish, hot stone, traditional, and even an anticellulite massage that promises to make even the lumpiest skin smooth out (We just don’t recommend suggesting that last one to your bride, not if you want to enjoy a happy and romantic stay in West Yellowstone!). Also offering skin care services, their motto, “We are here to spoil you,” fits right into the theme of your Valentine’s Day journey.
Sweets for Your Sweet
Traditions become traditions because they work, and when you really want to spoil someone, you can’t go wrong with a box of chocolates, especially if you purchase that box from Rustic Candy Shop at 33 N Canyon Street. Family owned and operated, the handmade sweets that line the shelves of this colorful candy store will bring your Valentine the joy they so richly deserve and put you firmly in the “best gifter ever” category, something everyone aspires to become.
Something Beautiful
Another tried and true tradition is one that shines bright, and of course, we are talking about giving something beautiful to the most beautiful person you know. Jewelry is always the right size and never makes you feel less, and a visit to River Dragon Designs (215 River Gibbon Avenue) is always the right answer. Featuring a stunning selection of handcrafted artisan metalwork jewelry, you aren’t going to find diamonds and gold in this charming shop, but you will find designs that are personal, beautiful items that say something about the artist that created them and the beautiful person who will be receiving the gift.
A Romantic Meal
West Yellowstone isn’t known for its wine pairings or white tablecloths and candlelight for dining, but romance will still be discovered in a Valentine’s Day dinner at the Buffalo Bar. Located at 335 US-20, this essential Yellowstone eatery offers a hearty menu of comfort food favorites, a fireplace that will add romance and warmth to your meal, and live entertainment on many nights, ensuring your meal for two will be a special one. Feeling relaxed, comfortable, and well fed is important on any day of the year but is especially so on Valentine’s Day. Oh, and the Buffalo Bar buffalo meatloaf gives our lives meaning, in case you were wondering!
The Magic of Staying In
In our real lives we often spend more time away from home than at home relaxing, and sometimes the best way to spoil your favorite person is simply by choosing to stay in and relax, especially while on vacation. Watching her favorite movies on state of the art televisions while the snow falls gently to the ground outside, playing board games while eating chips and salsa and drinking hot cocoa with soft music playing in the background, or maybe, you can enjoy a picnic in front of a roaring fire, lying on a blanket close enough to feel the heat, but far enough away so as to not feel any sparks, sipping wine, and sharing secrets; these moments of complete attention will spoil your sweetheart more than anything else! Reserve your favorite Sweet Home Montana romantic love nest today.
Every once in a while, it’s important to set aside time on the calendar to let go of stress and focus on what you love doing most in life. If you’re someone who finds their way back to the balanced center when traveling to new and exciting destinations, making your way to West Yellowstone, Montana to relax, unwind, and enjoy life to the fullest is always the right choice!
This stunning vacation destination on the map is one that’s known and loved by visitors from near and far as a picture-perfect playground for outdoor thrills. That said, there’s just as much to experience in West Yellowstone, Montana when it comes to slowing down and relaxing in style at your very own preferred pace.
West Yellowstone works as a convenient gateway to iconic places like Yellowstone National Park where world-class hiking, biking, and wildlife watching are always at your fingertips. Whether you’re a landscape photographer looking for incredible backdrops designed by Mother Nature herself, or you can’t wait to get up close to world-renowned geysers and hot springs, your time in Yellowstone National Park is bound to be unforgettable.
In the summer, Yellowstone greets its visitors in full bloom and with opportunities to make the most of fishing and boating fun. In the wintertime, a trip this way can include activities like cross-country skiing, guided tours, and snowmobiling excursions as well.
While Yellowstone National Park is certainly a big draw for adventurers heading this way, time in West Yellowstone itself is equally appealing. Here, guests can embrace the best of small-town charm while exploring cozy restaurants, boutique shops, or participating in one of the many fun festivals hosted here throughout the year.
At Sweet Home Montana, we believe that every traveler who spends time in West Yellowstone deserves to have an amazing stay that includes accommodations customized to a personal sense of travel style. That’s why our portfolio of property options available to book in town is vast and varied!
We make sure our guests always have the options they deserve whether they’re looking for a cozy room for two in West Yellowstone, or can’t wait to make the most of time in a luxurious private retreat that spans levels when they’re traveling this way with a large group of family and friends.
Either way, booking your stay through Sweet Home Montana means you’ll have choices when it comes to including our Yellowstone vacation rental amenities into your vacation experience. The following are just a few of the many we offer our guests that we think you shouldn’t skip the next time you travel this way.
Find Time to Unwind in West Yellowstone in Front of a Cozy Fireplace
Yes, making time to enjoy a great getaway to West Yellowstone is sure to include plenty of time adventuring in the beautiful great outdoors, as well it should. However, at Sweet Home Montana, we also know that our guests deserve just as many opportunities on the relaxation front when they’re spending time here.
That’s why we always recommend booking one of our gorgeous getaway properties that includes a fireplace on-site. Those who choose to enjoy a home-away-from-home in West Yellowstone booked through Sweet Home Montana that comes with a luxurious fireplace included can count on their stay being elevated at every turn!
After a full day of hiking, biking, and wildlife watching in nearby Yellowstone National Park, it’s hard to imagine anything more refreshing than returning to your vacation rental and knowing you have options to cozy up in front of the fireplace alongside those you love most.
Your in-rental fireplace is a great feature to have at your fingertips when you’re looking to relax with a glass of wine, you’ve booked a winter stay in town and you want to thaw out after snowy fun, or you simply want a place where everyone in your group can gather and socialize.
A fireplace in your rental has a way of creating an inviting ambiance during your vacation that’s truly hard to top. It can be the stress reliever you need when your trip to West Yellowstone is all about self-care, or it could be the feature in your rental that gives you a place to settle in with a good book and forget all your worries.
There’s something decidedly romantic about having a fireplace available when you’ve booked a trip for two to West Yellowstone and have plans to stay in as much as possible. A fireplace is a great amenity to have in your rental in every season and adds that little something extra to your stay that’s sure to make your West Yellowstone trip truly unforgettable.
Book a Scenic Stay with Balcony Access Included
Yet another terrific amenity to make sure is included with your West Yellowstone accommodations booked through Sweet Home Montana is an inviting and spacious balcony. West Yellowstone is a vacation destination that’s earned a reputation for excellence around its stunning scenery and views.
When you book a stay through us with a balcony included, you’ll be treating yourself to access to those amazing vistas day and night without having to go anywhere at all. Your balcony is a great place to wake up each and every day of your stay in Montana to a gorgeous sunrise while enjoying a hot cup of coffee from the comfort of a cozy lounger.
It’s the place where you can connect with nature, enjoy tranquility, and gift yourself those views that remind you of just how much there is to discover in this amazing place! Depending on the home-away-from-home you select, your balcony might also naturally be set up for some great wildlife watching opportunities while you’re in town.
It’s also a wonderful amenity to have access to when you want to gather with family and friends and enjoy socializing in the fresh air. For those who can’t wait to serve up their own home-style meals while traveling, a furnished balcony means an al fresco meal is always an option too. It can provide a great space for relaxing, or even stargazing in the evening hours on a clear night.
Emphasize a Mountain View Stay in West Yellowstone
The landscapes across West Yellowstone are dominated by beautiful mountains year-round. When you book a stay in the heart of those stunning surroundings, you only have more to gain from your well-deserved trip this way!
At Sweet Home Montana we highly recommend booking a vacation rental through us that’s surrounded by gorgeous mountain views to enjoy every day you’re here. There’s nothing more inspiring than waking up to a sunrise over the peaks, and it’s just as thrilling to watch the sun go down over the mountains in the evening hours while spending time with those you love most.
If you have a passion for photography, booking a mountain view stay in West Yellowstone means you won’t have to go anywhere at all to find the perfect backdrop for your hobbies. In the event you’re planning to enjoy a fresh-air meal with family and friends, the mountains provide an idyllic view to pair with every plate too.
Booking a mountain view stay enhances the serenity of your next trip to West Yellowstone and has a wonderful way of giving our guests a stronger connection to nature while they’re here. Our mountain view rentals are often within easy reach of nature trails, so if the view inspires you to get out and explore more, the opportunities are truly endless.
Get Everyone in on the Vacation Fun in a Pet-Friendly Rental
Every traveler has a unique vision in mind when it comes to planning the perfect trip to West Yellowstone. For many guests who book their stay through Sweet Home Montana, a trip here that didn’t include the company of beloved family pets just wouldn’t feel right. That’s why we always recommend those heading this way with a canine companion included in the traveling group book one of our beautiful, comfortable, and inviting pet-friendly properties!
This is an amazing choice when you want to be sure everyone you love gets in on the Montana fun and can be a part of the meaningful vacation experience. Our pet-friendly rentals are spacious and comfortable, ensuring people and pets alike will feel right at home from the moment they arrive. It’s common to find our pet-friendly rentals located within easy reach of other pet-friendly destinations in town like nature trails, tour companies, or restaurants.
When you book a pet-friendly stay in West Yellowstone, you can keep more money in your travel fund as well when you don’t have to worry about paying for a pet sitter or boarding while you’re here. Your pet can feel more at ease in a rental designed for everyone and you certainly can too. Be sure to ask us about our pet friendly rentals that might just come with convenient added features in place like bowls, treats, or cozy beds.
Reserve a Large Group Getaway with a Focus on Space and Style
West Yellowstone is a terrific vacation destination for solo travelers, couples, and small groups alike but it’s just as inviting when you’re heading here with a large group of others. When West Yellowstone is your vacation destination of choice for your next family reunion, special event, or corporate retreat, Sweet Home Montana has the large group getaway rentals that are designed just for you!
These luxurious and spacious accommodations offer a cost-effective solution for keeping everyone together and enjoying beautiful surroundings while you’re here. Our large group rentals are packed with inviting and comfortable furnishings and give guests options to balance social time in large living spaces with downtime in plenty of private rooms and restful areas as well. Not to mention the options offered with our Yellowstone vacation rental amenities.
Our guests will find that our large group getaway rentals often come with balconies, fireplaces, and large yards in place while also framing breathtaking views designed to inspire. When you book a large group rental that comes with a full kitchen included, you can pick and choose between dining out or in depending on everyone’s preferences.
From dedicated workspaces and impressive entertainment setups to easy access to area fun in the outdoors, a large group getaway rental is a must when you’re excited to spend time in West Yellowstone as part of a big traveling crew!
Browse Our Vacation Condo Rentals!
Reach Out Today to Learn More
Now is the very best time to make your way to West Yellowstone and at Sweet Home Montana, we’re here and ready to help when you want to make sure you have an amazing vacation rental in place to top off your stay in style. Reach out today to learn more about our many property options available and how we can help you turn your trip into a memorable experience every step of the way that you won’t soon forget.
A new holiday has entered the picture in February, but it isn’t one with decorations or special meals, and it isn’t even one that you get together with your family during, nor will you get an extra day off work for it. February 5th is Book Direct Day, and although it doesn’t have any of the things you normally attribute to holidays, it may become your favorite, especially as it leads you on a journey to West Yellowstone and helps you cut costs while doing so. This guide to all the reasons you should book directly with Sweet Home Montana (that’s us!) on February 5th will literally change the way you reserve your vacation accommodations forever.
February 5th Is Book Direct Day
You may not think of vacation rental websites as local sources, and if you stick with those other third-party platforms, you would be right, they’re not. But at Sweet Home Montana, we aren’t just a tiny office located somewhere else in the world as we pretend to be knowledgeable about the town of West Yellowstone. We work here and play here, and the team we put together for cleaning, maintenance, and setting up the comfortable spaces you will be residing in during your visit are proud residents of the area. When you book direct, you are shopping local, and the money you put towards your vacation activities will be funneled back into the community, stimulating the local economy, and doing its part to help the nation’s economy as well.
Flexibility Matters
Life happens when you make other plans, and although you fully intended to arrive at your retreat at a certain hour and you clearly intended on leaving at the end of your stay prior to check-out time, you had no idea that planes would be late or that your alarm may not work, and that’s ok. There are rules, and other websites will make you abide by them, but you booked direct (hopefully!), and we are flexible. We understand that life likes to throw a curveball more often than not, and we will work with you to try and find a solution to your situation that will work for both the company and for you, the guest. Flexibility matters in all aspects of life, and booking direct will help you find the flexibility you may need.
The Personal Touch
When a company grows so big, so fast, it can lose that personal touch, and just as Sweet Home Montana is a local company, it is one that has stayed on the smaller side, growing just as large as it needs to do to ensure that we can stay up with the times and still provide you a vacation experience you will never forget. A part of that vacation experience involves exploring all that this part of paradise has to offer, and when you book direct, you will discover that we also work as a sort of concierge. We can lead you to the restaurants we go to when we are celebrating a special occasion, and we can guide you to the areas where the pictures you take will make all your friends the most jealous when you post them on your page. We love our hometown, and we love sharing it with the guests who flock to our doorsteps every day, and when you don’t book directly with us, you lose that personal touch.
Transparency in Advertising
When you are scrolling through the listings on our websites, there will be that one picture that stops you in your tracks and invites you to explore further. And when you discover that property is exactly what you dreamed about when you first started to imagine a Yellowstone vacation, you may find yourself returning to our page over and over again, taking a mini vacation as you pore over the pictures, imagining yourself in them in the weeks that lead up to your Montana journey. Now imagine that you finally arrive at the vacation rental of your dreams and it looks nothing like what you have been staring at. Would you shrug your shoulders and say, oh well, and continue on with the getaway, or would you be disappointed and feel like the vacation has suddenly lost its luster? Fortunately for those that book directly with us, this is never going to be an issue, as what you see will be what you get.
Book Direct, Save Money, Live the Dream
The number one reason for choosing to book direct is the realization that you will save money when you do. No fees will be assessed for the privilege of booking direct, and when you book, you may discover last-minute bargains, holiday sales, and all manner of discounts that the third-party platforms won’t offer. Book Direct on February 5th and start planning a vacation that will be comfortable, relaxing, and filled with peace and joy!
There’s nothing worse than taking a vacation and realizing that you woefully miscalculated the amount of money it would take for you to do all the things you want to do, and we at Sweet Home Montana understand the FOMO that could bring. A visit to West Yellowstone should be an exciting and fulfilling adventure filled with fun times, good food, and relaxing moments in our Yellowstone sanctuaries, but will you look back on all the memories you made during your stay or constantly mull over everything you missed due to lack of budgeting? Fortunately, you won’t have to worry about the latter, as we created this guide to budgeting for your 2025 West Yellowstone Vacation, ensuring you will have the money to do everything you have dreamed of doing.
A Day at the Park
For approximately 90 percent of travelers visiting West Yellowstone their main focus is Yellowstone National Park, our nation’s first national park and most likely the world’s first national park as well. Established in 1872, Yellowstone is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is known for its wildlife, Old Faithful Geyser (amongst others) and was home to Native Americans for thousands of years. It will cost you to explore all that makes the park popular, but surprisingly, the fees aren’t that high, and if you are a national park lover, you probably already know many ways to save money on the fees. For a week’s pass, private cars will only have to pay $35 with motorcycles and snowmobiles only having to pay $30. If you are only planning on a single entry visit (on foot, skis, or bike) it is $20 and if you think you may want to return to explore more than two times over the year, it just makes sense to buy an annual pass at only $70.
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, 201 S Canyon Street
Yellowstone National Park isn’t the only draw to the area and if you are interested in some of the more exotic animals you can view in the park, a visit to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center will cost a little but will be priceless in the amount of knowledge you accrue. Open every day of the year (their hours change with the seasons) the Discovery Center is located one block away from the west entrance of the park, offering an up close and personal peek at many of the inhabitants of the park, including river otters, bears, wolves, and raptors. Admittance fees are for 2 days, so guests can relax and take their time exploring the exhibits of the center, making the costs extremely reasonable as well. Adults (13 & over) $16.50, Seniors (62+) $15.50, Children (5-12) $11.50, and children 4 and under are free.
An Inexpensive Taste of the Town
Your Sweet Home Montana vacation retreat offers its own fully equipped kitchen , helping to keep expenses down and allowing you to make the most of your lazy times, but as with any vacation, you won’t want to miss out on enjoying a taste of the town. The restaurants of West Yellowstone are reasonably priced, offering meals priced in the $10 to $20 range, and serve the hearty foods that winter travelers will crave and active visitors at any time of the year will need. And if you are still feeling lazy but don’t want to really feel like puttering around your vacation home kitchen, the Mama’s Cafe offers baked goods, breakfast foods, and sandwiches for your dining pleasure. West Yellowstone is a casual and laidback town, so although there aren’t any truly fancy restaurants in town, every meal will be a special occasion, simply because of the quality of the food you will be enjoying.
Fishing in Big Sky Country
Another popular activity in West Yellowstone is fly fishing and if you are planning to let a few lines fly during your Montana adventures, a fishing license will need to be purchased. A three-day pass for fishing in Yellowstone National Park can cost $40, a seven-day pass will cost $55, and if you are staying for the summer, you may want to consider a season pass costing just $75. Guided fly fishing trips will bump your adventure costs a bit, with Big Sky Anglers offering a variety of trips, tours, and even three-hour-long instructional fly fishing clinics for those who are new to the sport. The clinics will run you approximately $349 for 1 to 2 anglers and start at $549 for guided tours.
Sweet Home Montana Loves Saving You Money
Your favorite way of saving money may be the most comfortable one, and by that, we mean choosing Sweet Home Montana for your vacation accommodations. Even though dining out is relatively inexpensive here in West Yellowstone, being able to stay in, relax, and get comfortable while enjoying your favorite meals is priceless. Reserve your favorite escape today!
Once the excess and gluttony of the Christmas season has ended, it is the time to enter the resolution making portion of our holiday adventures. In other words, it is time to celebrate the new year! We at Sweet Home Montana aren’t entirely sure how welcoming the new year with a bunch of promises that we will do better than we did in the old one came about, and since we tend to break those promises in the first weeks of the new month, we aren’t entirely sure that it does any good. But we do like the idea of making a New Year’s resolution to travel to our West Yellowstone hometown, and if that is one thing you have resolved to do, we have created this guide to a West Yellowstone getaway, enabling you to keep at least one resolution in 2025.
Early Resolutions
Obviously, you don’t want to wait until New Year’s Eve to start making those resolutions; a lot of thought must go into each one you make, and the champagne can interfere with your critical thinking process. So we suggest you start early, perhaps enter the planning stages during the Christmas chaos and making your West Yellowstone vacation the last one of 2024 and the first one of 2025. It will still be cold and snowy here and your daytime adventures may run to snowshoeing or cross country skiing, helping you keep another resolution you may have made, that of moving more.
Resolve to Eat Well
We think using the word well over better changes the meaning of your resolution, encouraging resolution makers to explore the better restaurants, including our very own Madison Crossing Lounge. Located at 121 Madison Avenue inside what was once a schoolhouse, the menu is an all-American one filled with winter hearty warmth, including bison nachos on the appetizer menu and an elk rack that has to be tasted to be believed. And because eating well means you should never skip dessert (Liking this resolution more and more, aren’t you?), we suggest entering the new year with a slice of their amazing olive oil cake topped with brown butter icing. 2025 is destined to be the most delicious year when you say farewell to 2024 at the Madison Crossing Lounge.
Don’t Be a Stranger
It can be awkward visiting a bar in a small town, especially as everyone in there probably already knows each other, but in West Yellowstone, we have never met a stranger. The Buffalo Bar, 335 US-20, is where you can celebrate with your new friends, sipping the night away and raising a toast to 2025 when the clock strikes 12. Cheers that wish all a Happy New Year may also help you feel welcomed to Yellowstone! Offering a Western theme, accented by wildlife of all sorts (and yes, that includes the buffalo for which it is named), the bar also offers a room filled with video slot machines for your entertainment pleasure. If you choose the Buffalo Bar dining, we recommend trying their Buffalo Balls, which is not what you may think it is. Simply two meatballs topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms and served over skin on red potatoes, the dish is hearty, delicious, and will make a statement when you announce what you devoured on your favorite social media site!
A Christmas Present to Yourself?
Although much of what we are sharing with you will revolve around the new year, maybe your resolution to travel to West Yellowstone comes in the form of a Christmas present to yourself and your adventures are scheduled to begin well into the new year. Spring in our neck of the woods can bring a delightful adventure that still maintains the fewer tourists feel, while also giving travelers the first peek at baby, well, everything! The bear cubs will be frolicking, the bison babies will be adorable, and the gates of the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park will open on the third Friday of April promptly at 8 AM. If you have visited in the summer months, the difference between high tourist season and spring will be noticeable, perhaps making you feel as if the park is yours for the day!
Happy New Year from Sweet Home Montana
No matter when you choose to visit this most beautiful part of the wild west, your vacation accommodations will become an integral part of your vacation experience when you choose one of our Sweet Home Montana holiday hideaways.
Sipping hot cocoa in front of a roaring fire, playing Monopoly at the dining room table, and watching the ball drop in Times Square on state of the art televisions are some ways you can celebrate the new year. Reserve your favorite holiday hideaway today and welcome 2025 in the most comfortable of ways!
When you live in a place where snow covers the ground most of the winter, you can safely expect that winter sports will be quite popular, and in West Yellowstone, that is quite true. We love playing outside as much as possible, and when you visit during the snowy season, you will understand why and may want to participate in some of our favorite snow sports while you are here. This guide to the top snow sports you can engage in during your West Yellowstone adventures will paint a picture of long days spent playing hard and wonderfully long nights spent in the cozy confines of our Sweet Home Montana seasonal sanctuaries.
Cross-Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing is more often considered a Scandinavian sport, but in West Yellowstone, the love of the sport is alive and well, with the Rendezvous Ski Trails being the most popular areas to traverse the landscape. The skis used in this sport are longer, slimmer, and lighter than the ones used in downhill, and the bindings are somewhat looser, allowing for more movement between the boot heel and the ski. Additionally, the ski poles that help propel you along the trails are longer, helping to create a gliding motion that still provides a pretty good workout. In fact, a cross-country journey is a wonderful aerobic AND anaerobic cardio exercise, helping you maintain an elevated heart rate over a longer period. And you don’t fall as far during cross-country, making it far more appealing to many amateur winter sports athletes.
Snowshoeing
Even if you have never participated, snowshoeing has been a popular activity all over the world for over 4000 years, so when you strap on your first pair, you will be walking in the footsteps of our ancient ancestors. Rendezvous Trails is also a great place to snowshoe, with the Refuge Point Trail being one of the most scenic, offering visitors a stunning hike that only last about 2.3 miles. There is something peaceful about a trek of this sort, especially when you are hiking in freshly fallen snow on a clear and sunny day. Packing a thermos of hot cocoa is always a good idea as well, enabling you to take warmth breaks that will be good for your soul.
Sledding
We had to think about this for a few minutes before listing sledding on this page, because when we thought about it, we weren’t sure we could consider sledding a sport, but it needs snow and is so much fun, we thought, why not? Pioneer Park is where we take our kiddos for an afternoon of sledding fun, but anywhere you happen to find a safe hill that isn’t on private land can be the ideal spot for this type of adventure. You will need to bring your own sleds, but we know from our own sledding experiences as children that a piece of plastic or cardboard will do just fine in a pinch.
Ice Skating
We are heading back to Pioneer Park for our next snowy adventure, as it offers an outdoor rink that will be a romantic adventure that could come straight from a scene in the Hallmark holiday movie that you like or a family bonding adventure that will be remembered for years to come. You will need to bring your own skates, so plan ahead and count on making wonderful memories on your vacation in our winter paradise.
Ice Fishing
Summer isn’t the only time for fishing in West Yellowstone, and as you bring out your favorite fishing gear, there is a new tool you will need to add your tackle, that of an ice auger to help you drill a hole in the thick ice on Hebgen Lake. The lake is located just 12 miles north of your Sweet Home Montana vacation retreat, and although it does take a little hike to get to your spot, it is an easy hike that will lead you through the frozen Montana landscape, offering peace and serenity and a sense of wow to all who are fortunate to witness the views on their way to a day of fishing. The lake itself is filled with brown and rainbow trout, ensuring that your catch of the day will be the very delicious meal of the evening.
Relaxing in Front of a Roaring Fire, Sleeping Late, and Snowball Throwing
These last sports are destined to be the ones that you enjoy the most and none need any sort of formal training or special equipment. Your Sweet Home Montana winter retreat is the stadium and the arena where all of the above winter sports will be played and enjoyed! Reserve your favorite Montana escape today and fall in love with all the perfect winter days you will enjoy during your vacation with us.
The magic of the holidays comes from more than the gifts you give and get. It’s the feeling you get when you see the sparkle in your children’s eyes, it’s the way the snowy landscape seems to bring peace to your soul, and it comes from that child hidden deep inside you, the one that still believes in Santa Claus. West Yellowstone is a small town, and the families that live here year round celebrate the holidays in much the same ways they are celebrated all around the world and when your journey brings you to our doorstep for Christmas, you will discover a magic that speaks louder than gifts. This guide to our holiday events in West Yellowstone and your stay in our Sweet Home Montana holiday hideaways will show you how this Christmas will shine bright with all the magic it brings to those who believe.
Decorated for the Holidays
The shops and boutiques of West Yellowstone are special during normal times. But at Christmas? All decked out for the holidays, their colorful lights shimmering against the snow covered landscape and the sales they offer will make it easy to cross all the names off your Christmas shopping list. Buy your sister the homemaker something for the home from Sweet Pea Living, fill all your stockings with treats purchased from the Sweet Palace (they call themselves the World’s Greatest Candy Store and we wholeheartedly agree) and bring everyone home a souvenir tee shirt from Yellowstone T-shirt Company, all of which are open year round. Dancing Moose Gifts offers a great selection of toys, supplementing those that Santa leaves for your children.
West Yellowstone Christmas Stroll
The West Yellowstone Christmas Stroll is an event we can’t help but love, looking forward to it 364 days out of the year. (On the 365th day we are too busy enjoying all the fun we are having at this wonderful event.) Offering all the magic of Christmas, visitors can expect to find holiday backdrops in front of which the most festive of family selfies will be taken, arts and crafts booths that will allow your children to discover the joy of creating gifts for their parents, and maybe even meet Sparky, the Fire Dog. Rumor has it Santa is scheduled to take a break from his very busy Christmas preparations, and the games and activity booths will bring their own joy to the celebration. Also offering firemen reading Christmas stories and holiday food that includes S’mores stations set up throughout the area, the West Yellowstone Christmas Stroll is a magical event that offers moments that glimmer for everyone who attends.
Your Christmas with Sweet Home Montana
For many visitors, the choice to travel at Christmas lies in the realization that Christmas at home has lost its sparkle. Stores that start hawking Christmas before summer has even ended, the days spent trying to outdo the neighbor’s holiday displays (when did holiday decorating become a competition instead of a natural display of our love for Christmas?) and the cleaning, the cooking, the shopping, and fighting the crowds. The magic may have faded long ago, but in West Yellowstone you will find it once again. Our town is a small one, serving as the gateway to one of the most famous parks in the world, and at Christmas, the crowds will be gone, leaving behind happy families celebrating in all the best ways, and you and yours will be celebrating right alongside them, discovering beauty in simplicity and adding new traditions to your holiday adventures.
The Differences Are Clear
Even as many of your holiday traditions will stay the same, reading Christmas stories before bed, staying up late to put together complicated toys, and the sound of excited whispers when your kids awaken before the sun and discuss amongst themselves when it will be ok to wake you and start opening presents, the differences will be clear and wonderful. Your Sweet Home Montana escape will be in pristine condition, eliminating the need to deep clean for grumpy extended family members who never appreciate your efforts in the first place. You will have the choice of preparing your Christmas feast or skipping the tradition altogether and heading to local restaurants that will be open. (Hank’s Chop Shop is one of our favorites and is usually open on Thanksgiving and Christmas.) And for our guests who are not fortunate to live in an area where snow falls, waking to a landscape blanketed in snow will add an extra layer of festive to your Christmas celebrations.
Reserve Your Favorite Sweet Home Montana Holiday Hideaway Today
Magic and memories await you in our cozy escapes, starting a tradition that will be cherished for years to come.