Big Sky Resort is like Disney World for the adverturer tourist, a multifaceted and huge resort in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Big Sky is a winter and summer attraction because of its location a short drive away from Yellowstone National Park and its proximity to the best ski slopes in the state. There's plenty to do at this resort, including skiing, dining, shopping, fly fishing, rafting, biking, and trips on the resort's scenic lift, which operates from mid-June through early October. In the warm weather, you can golf at the resort's 18-hole golf course, which sits 6,500 feet above sea level. Big Sky's Solace Spa offers guests massages, body wraps and other services. The lodging at this sprawling resort gives you dozens of options: hotels, cabins, rental homes, and condominiums. The hotels and inns at this resort have all the amenities you would expect from any resort--swimming pools, restaurants, suites, and fitness centers.
Big Sky Montana Resort
P.O. Box 160001
1 Lone Mountain Trail
Big Sky, MT 59716
800-548-4486
http://www.bigskyresort.com/
The Lodge at Whitefish Lake is located about 10 minutes from the Whitefish Mountain ski resort, and less than a half-hour drive from beautiful Glacier National Park. The lake itself is a real attraction for water lovers, and this resort offers rentals of all kinds of watercraft, including canoes, kayaks and pontoon boats. The lodge also has its own full-service marina on the lake, where you can rent water skis and tubes. There's a private beach at the resort, and a lakeside pool and hot tub. If you prefer visiting in the winter, you can ski at Whitefish Mountain and get there by shuttle from this lodge. In the warmer months, be sure to book a cruise on the lodge's own Lady of the Lake, a 31-foot motor yacht. The resort features two- and three-bedroom lakefront condominiums, complete with full kitchens and private decks. Or you can book a room at the Whitefish Lodge or the new Viking Lodge, which have standard guest rooms, some of which feature fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and minifridges.
The Lodge at Whitefish Lake
1380 Wisconsin Avenue
Whitefish, MT 59937-3338
406-863-4000
www.lodgeatwhitefishlake.com
If you enjoy communing with nature, but like to do it in style, then The Resort at Paws Up is the place for you. This is a luxury resort that, among other things, offers guests their choice of 28 ranch vacation homes or 12 luxury camping tents. The tents are located on the banks of the Blackfoot River and are equipped with kingsize beds, electricity, a private bathroom, and decks. (They call this kind of tenting glamping, by the way--short for "glamorous camping.") At the resort, you can go fly fishing on the river, horseback riding or hiking, and afterward treat yourself to the Paws Up spa services. If you'd rather be under a real roof, you can book a vacation home at the resort's Wilderness Estates. The homes here include great rooms, cook's kitchens, game rooms, private decks, surround-sound entertainment systems, and multiple master suites.
The Resort at Paws Up
40060 Paws Up Road
Greenough, MT 59823
800-473-0601
http://www.pawsup.com/index.php
The Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is a family-oriented destination conveniently located halfway between Glacier and Yellowstone national parks. The Fairmont features 153 guest rooms and suites, which can accommodate two to eight guests. One of the best things about the Fairmont is its hot-spring pools, which are available to resort guests 24 hours a day. The pools--indoor and outdoor Olympic-sized pools and two mineral soaking pools--are fed by natural hot spring water, which is cooled for comfort, depending on the season. The resort also features a water slide, an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, a wildlife zoo, volleyball and basketball, lawn games and a children's playground. The Fairmont also has its own spa, Whispering Willows, which offers guests an array of treatments and services. You can dine at the on-site Mile High Dining Room or the Springwater Café family restaurant, or sip cocktails, listen to live music and dance at Whiskey Joe's Lounge.
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
1500 Fairmont Road
Fairmont, MT 59711
406-797-3241
http://www.fairmontmontana.com/
