Although Thanksgiving falls in the fall months, November in Yellowstone can be more closely described as winter with the snow season beginning the end of September. Offering a blanket of snow as a backdrop to your Thanksgiving adventures, you will learn all that you have to be thankful for as you relax, play, and enjoy the comforts found in our Sweet Home Montana holiday hideaways. Offering serenity, quiet, and that peaceful vibe that will come in handy during these chaotic holiday months, below we have listed the reasons we believe West Yellowstone is the perfect Thanksgiving destination.

Find Your Joy

In the past, Thanksgiving may not have been as wonderful as you may have hoped it could be. Working full time and still having to get the house cleaned, groceries bought, and all of that cooking made for a rough holiday. The workload increased, but the amount of time you have available in each day still stayed the same, adding to the chaos that often characterizes this holiday, but in West Yellowstone, you will find your joy once more. Wake up early to catch the sun rising over the mountains and then crawl back in bed for a few more zzz’s, knowing you don’t have to be anywhere or do anything anytime soon may be the biggest gift you give yourself. But if sleep eludes you or you just happen to be an early riser at any time of the year, the Macy’s Day Parade starts at 8:30 in New York, which means it will be on television sometime around 5:30 here. Our state of the art televisions will make you feel as if you are standing on the sidelines of the parade, but the fire in the fireplace and the blanket you have tucked around you will ensure you stay cozy and warm.

The Feast of the Day

As you begin to add up your blessings, your next item added to your list may be the one about not having to work your fingers to the bone making a meal for your family to love. Even as West Yellowstone is a small town and many businesses and restaurants will be closed so employees can celebrate with their families, there are generally at least a couple of restaurants open and serving delicious feasts, as listed below.

• The Branch Restaurant & Bar, 315 Yellowstone Avenue – Serving a special Thanksgiving meal with a Montana twist, the Branch has served a roasted quail dinner that delighted the taste buds of everyone who tried it. If quail is a little far out for your own palate, their Apple Brandy Glazed Ham never fails to excite, and the whisky glazed carrots served with both main dishes are something we dream about for the remaining 11 months and 364 days we have to wait until NEXT Thanksgiving!
•  Happy Hanksgiving at Hank’s Chop Shop, 221 N Canyon Street – Although Hank’s Chop Shop is known for its wild game menu, they stay completely traditional offering a choice between turkey and ham. Creamy mashed potatoes, homemade pie, and someone else creating, serving, and clearing away the table? Your turkey day meal at Hank’s will be memorable and full of flavor, both things we want to experience on this grateful day of deliciousness in November.

 Black Friday Shopping

If it seems like you have barely finished your last piece of pie and Christmas begins, well, it seems that way because it is true! Black Friday shopping, however, is a great way to get into the holiday spirit, even if the shops around here wait until Friday morning to open their doors. We like the less frenetic energy of spending Thanksgiving night at home, watching Christmas movies and playing games with the family, making sure to get a good night’s sleep so as to have plenty of energy for the next morning. Every store in town will be open on Friday, November 29^th (Can you believe that Thanksgiving is so late this year?), and whether you choose to shop the big box stores or to explore what the downtown shops and boutiques have to offer, we can promise a good time will be had! Dancing Moose Gift Shop, located at 108 N Canyon Street, is sure to have unusual gifts that your friends and family will fall in love with.

Happy Thanksgiving from Sweet Home Montana

Of course, some of your best moments will be the ones you spend within the confines of your Sweet Home Montana holiday haven. Inside these four walls lies a world of comfort and joy, and if you do choose to make your holiday meal in our fully equipped kitchens, you will soon learn that cooking can be fun. Reserve your favorite holiday escape today and discover your own reasons for enjoying a West Yellowstone Thanksgiving this year!

The annual fall break is beginning to reach levels of popularity that heretofore were only met by summer or spring, but when you choose to travel to West Yellowstone over Halloween, there may be some members of your family that take issue with the trip. Of course, we are talking about your tiniest travelers, the ones who start anticipating next Halloween’s goodies and costumes before they have even completely looked through this year’s stash, and when they ask, “What about trick-or-treating?” you can answer with complete assurance that the Halloween hijinks will not have to be skipped. We at Sweet Home Montana have created this guide to the best places to trick-or-treat in West Yellowstone, while also offering ideas on how to celebrate for the whole family.

Trunk or Treat, Date TBD, Povah Community Parking Lot

The information isn’t complete as of yet, but in previous years, the Povah Community Parking Lot has held a trunk or treat event guaranteed to thrill the kiddos. Generally held the Friday before Halloween, (that would be October 25^th this year) they offer all the fun of Halloween while allowing parents to feel safe as their kids race from trunk to trunk begging for the candy they crave. Costumes are key to the fun, so be sure to bring your kiddo’s along for the trip, or if you forgot, you could always pick up something at our local stores. In any case, this fun Halloween activity offers candy, hot chocolate, (it can get cold at night this time of year) and family photo opportunities that will provide the most amazing souvenir of your West Yellowstone vacation.

Neighborhood Trick-or-Treating in West Yellowstone, October 31

West Yellowstone is a small town located at the edge of Yellowstone Park, and unlike larger towns, there aren’t a lot of Halloween events, but we have kids too, and we invite you to join in the neighborhood fun. We love the small-town closeness of neighbors who are always looking out for each other, and your kids will be safe too as you make the door-to-door trek that brings them joy. Even better, your Sweet Home Montana escape will be located close to where you are trick-or-treating, and parents won’t have far to trudge when returning with exhausted toddlers in their arms or on their shoulders! And after you get them in bed, they will be sleeping so soundly, they won’t hear when you sneak some candy from their goody bags. With the guide to candy and wine pairings listed below, we can promise your night of spooks, thrills, sweets, and fun will be one you never forget.

Candy and Wine Pairings for the Parents

Whether you chose to dress in your own costume or simply donned coat and sneakers to chaperone your little goblins and ghouls, you too deserve a little treat (but no tricks!) in the form of stolen candies paired to perfection with your favorite wines. We have listed a few of our favorites below, but a simple tip to remember when choosing a wine, chocolates pair best with red wines and fruity candies pair best with white wines.

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – Reese’s is always going to taste best when paired with either a dark cabernet sauvignon or a rich merlot, again sticking with chocolate and red as the theme of the pairing.
• Snicker’s – Yep, you guessed it, a rich and smooth cabernet sauvignon will bring out the highlights of this nougat and peanut rich candy bar. Hopefully some of the neighbors are overachievers and will provide the full sized ones so you can sip, sample, and savor in style on All Hallows Eve.
• M&M’s – It’s a red again for the treats that melt in your mouth and not in your hands, but because there are many different types of M&M’s, you may want to sample the reds you have on hand to try and determine which goes best with which. For your standard M&M’s we highly recommend a pinot noir, for peanut butter ones we suggest a cabernet sauvignon, and for all the others, well, as long as you stay in the red category you should be just fine.
• Starburst – The blast of fruit enjoyed in every piece will best be accompanied by a glass of bubbly Moscato with this treat being one that carries over into real life!
• Candy Corn – This last candy is for the traditionalists out there; a chilled and crisp chardonnay enhances the waxy sweetness of this sugary blast that has been around for over 100 years.

Your Halloween Hideaway

After the trick-or-treating has completed and you have sipped and sampled your way through your kiddo’s goody bags, the best night’s sleep will be had in our Sweet Home Montana Halloween hideaways. Reserve your favorite today!