Travel

Montana's Coolest Mountain Town Is Just 90 Minutes from Yellowstone

And the food is so good, it should be illegal.

Jordan Siemens/Getty Images
Jordan Siemens/Getty Images
Jordan Siemens/Getty Images

At first blush, Bozeman, Montana-just miles down the old country road from the cowboy town of Livingston-doesn’t seem like the kind of place celebrities would go to hide out. After all, most of what surrounds this small town of 53,000 are endless golden plains, rugged mountains, and the occasional herd of cows grazing. Beautiful as it is, it’s a far cry from the fast lane.

But as you amble along downtown, you’ll quickly begin to understand why A-listers like John Mayer and Michael Keaton have chosen to while away their days in the blue shadow of the Bridger Range. A bunch of farm-to-table joints-so good, they should be illegal-and neon-lit dives filled with memorabilia line the main strip. Steamy hot springs and skyward trails lie in wait. A youthful energy rings throughout, with Montana State University just steps away.

If you plan on falling in love with Bozeman-which is all but inevitable, especially given its proximity to Yellowstone-you’d better do it quick: The secret is out about this mountain town, and the years to come will only see it grow in popularity. For the nature-lovers, the farm-fresh foodies, and those who just want to go somewhere they can rock a ten-gallon hat in peace, this is your guide to Montana’s coolest mountain town.

Plonk
Plonk
Plonk

Let “farm-to-table” gain new meaning

Simply put, Bozeman is the best food city in the state. The meals here are the kind that’ll render you totally useless, so full that all you’ll be able to do is sit and stare blankly into space for a while. Sometimes “farm-to-table” sounds like a ploy; in Bozeman, you’ll be able to savor exactly what a difference it can make.

Grab brunch at Jam!, where the portions are huge and the cooks are clearly not afraid to use butter. If there’s a long wait, duck into Wild Joe’s right across the street for a cup of coffee. If you need evening plans, they also do pretty killer “Breakfast for Dinner” drag brunches with shows at 6 and 8:30 pm.You will regret for the rest of your days missing out on dinner at Plonk. This is the definition of getting what you pay for: You’ll find big city prices and atmosphere, but plates the size of your head and stellar cocktails (I’m still thinking about the Coconut Lime Rickey). You need their pan-roasted chicken breast with Israeli couscous n’ cheese in your life.

Suffice to say, most meals you’ll have around town will knock you off your feet in a similar way: The perfect buffalo burgers at Montana Ale Works. The fluffy biscuits and crispy wings at Roost Fried Chicken. The piping hot pies at Cosmic Pizza. But really, it’s no surprise-when most residents’ pastimes include hiking through the hills that surround the town, it’s easy to see why the chefs out here pack so much heft into the food.

Custer Gallatin National Forest
Custer Gallatin National Forest
Custer Gallatin National Forest

Hike to your heart’s content

If you weren’t aware, “Montana” means “mountain.” And if you take a look around, it ain’t that hard to see why! Drive just a few minutes out of Bozeman, and you’ll enter what is no less than a hiker’s wonderland in Gallatin National Forest and the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area.

There are options for all skill levels: Self-prescribed couch potatoes should take a quick outing to Palisade Falls. If you’re a pretty decent sport, go for the moderate, 6-mile Lava Lake trail, or the (steep) 2.1-mile, wildflower-lined Drinking Horse Mountain trail, both among the most popular hikes near Bozeman. And if you might as well be a billy goat, the Sacagawea Peak and Baldy Peak Summit trails-upon the latter of which you’ll gain over 4,300 feet of elevation!-are for you.

On all of the above, you’re bound to get some pretty impressive views of the lush greenery, crystal lakes, and classic Big Sky that define Montana, and maybe even spot some wildlife hanging out in the hills. And if by the end of it all you still haven’t had enough outdoorsy goodness, there’s good news: from Bozeman, Glacier and Grand Teton National Parks are both a little over four hours away, while Yellowstone awaits just 90 minutes south.

Chico Hot Springs
Chico Hot Springs
Chico Hot Springs

Spend an afternoon lounging in a hot spring

Opportunities to take a dip in hot springs abound-an ideal way to recover after a weekend of hiking, biking, or otherwise getting your ass kicked by the various mountain trails that surround the city.

Take your pick: Closest to town, there’s the Bozeman Hot Springs, a family-friendly aquatic center-slash-steam-powered oasis where bands often stop in to play shows while you soak. (In very Montana fashion, they’ve also got an onsite campground if you just can’t bear to part ways.)About an hour south, you’ll pass through Livingston on the way to the old-school Chico Hot Springs and Resort, where you can check in for a night, get a full-spa treatment, or stop in for a drink at their saloon, among other things. There’s also Norris Hot Springs about 45 minutes west; here, you can snack on meals made from ingredients straight from their Garden of the Gods, plus sip on wine and craft beer while you relax (and DDs get free admission on their next trip!).

And if you’re more interested in water when it’s frozen and fluffy than piping hot, schedule your trip for winter and head to the Bridger Bowl for 2,000 acres of gold-tier level skiing, less than 30 minutes from downtown.

Museum of the Rockies
Museum of the Rockies
Museum of the Rockies

Relieve the glory days-whether that’s college or the Mesozoic Era

In this mountain town, it’s not too difficult to create a stacked itinerary. Those seeking a new look (or cowboy hat) should shop the racks of ultra-cool Western wear at The Johnny and June Vintage Shop beneath Headwest Bozeman.

Once you’re decked out, continue on to the Museum of the Rockies where you can view researchers hard at work recovering fossils from stone, as well as an impressive collection of dinosaur skeletons. They’ve also got exhibits on the history of Yellowstone Country, from its early Native American heritage through the mid-20th century.As far as an evening of drinking goes, Bozeman admittedly has a ways to go, and the regulars that currently frequent the bars on Main are, for the most part, college bros. For now, either keep the party going at Plonk, or try the neon-lit Crystal Bar, a dive lined with slot machines, lost bras, and confiscated 90s-era fake IDs where you can knock back four drinks and only spend $13 (yes, actually). Then there’s Kitty Warren, a speakeasy hidden beneath Main Street that’s only open Thursdays to Saturdays. Just be forewarned: the options for late-night drunchies are few and far between.

Kimpton Armory Hotel
Kimpton Armory Hotel
Kimpton Armory Hotel

Where to stay in Bozeman

Everything you’ll need in Bozeman can be found on Main Street, so you’re best off staying nearby. At the Element Bozeman, you’ll wake up to unobstructed views of the mountains; downstairs they serve up American fare and cocktails at their restaurant/bar, Squire House, which stays open ‘til 10pm (one of the later options in town).

Down the block, there’s also the newly-erected, very glitzy Kimpton Armory, with a music hall, two bars (including a rooftop spot), and a restaurant on-site. The big draw here is the rooftop pool, where you can gaze out across downtown Bozeman and the mountains.

If you’re working with a tight budget, no worries: Assuming you’ve got a ride, you can stay a little further afield. There’s the MountainView Lodge, a no-fuss spot just outside town, and the Lewis and Clark Motel, whose enormous, glittering sign looks like it belongs in Vegas.

Or, assuming you’re in Montana to harness the Big Nature that sits beneath the Big Sky, you can always pitch a tent. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Montana is essentially one giant campground, so if you’d rather forgo 1,000 thread count sheets for a bed under the stars-well, you’ll fit in just fine.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Tiana Attride is Thrillist’s Associate Travel Editor. She bought a ten-gallon hat specifically for adventuring in Montana.

Travel

Ditch your Phone for ‘Dome Life’ in this Pastoral Paradise Outside Port Macquarie 

A responsible, sustainable travel choice for escaping big city life for a few days.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

The urge to get as far away as possible from the incessant noise and pressures of ‘big city life’ has witnessed increasingly more of us turn to off-grid adventures for our holidays: Booking.com polled travellers at the start of 2023 and 55% of us wanted to spend our holidays ‘off-grid’.  Achieving total disconnection from the unyielding demands of our digitised lives via some kind of off-grid nature time—soft or adventurous—is positioned not only as a holiday but, indeed, a necessity for our mental health. 

Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, an accommodation collection of geodesic domes dotted across a lush rural property in Greater Port Macquarie (a few hours’ drive from Sydney, NSW), offers a travel experience that is truly ‘off-grid’. In the figurative ‘wellness travel’ sense of the word, and literally, they run on their own independent power supply—bolstered by solar—and rely not on the town grid. 

Ten minutes before you arrive at the gates for a stay at Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, your phone goes into ‘SOS ONLY’. Apple Maps gives up, and you’re pushed out of your comfort zone, driving down unsealed roads in the dark, dodging dozens of dozing cows. Then, you must ditch your car altogether and hoist yourself into an open-air, all-terrain 4WD with gargantuan wheels. It’s great fun being driven through muddy gullies in this buggy; you feel like Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park.  As your buggy pulls in front of your personal Nature Dome, it’s not far off that “Welcome…to Jurassic Park” jaw-dropping moment—your futuristic-looking home is completely engulfed by thriving native bushland; beyond the outdoor campfire lie expansive hills and valleys of green farmland, dotted with sheep and trees. You’re almost waiting to see a roaming brachiosaurus glide past, munching on a towering gum tree…instead, a few inquisitive llamas trot past your Dome to check out their new visitor. 

To fully capture the awe of inhabiting a geodesic dome for a few days, a little history of these futuristic-looking spherical structures helps. Consisting of interlocking triangular skeletal struts supported by (often transparent) light walls, geodesic domes were developed in the 20th century by American engineer and architect R. Buckminster Fuller, and were used for arenas. Smaller incarnations have evolved into a ‘future-proof’ form of modern housing: domes are able to withstand harsh elements due to the stability provided by the durable materials of their construction and their large surface area to volume ratio (which helps minimize wind impact and prevents the structure from collapsing). As housing, they’re also hugely energy efficient – their curved shape helps to conserve heat and reduce energy costs, making them less susceptible to temperature changes outside. The ample light let in by their panels further reduces the need for artificial power. 

Due to their low environmental impact, they’re an ideal sustainable travel choice. Of course, Tom’s Creek Nature Domes’ owner-operators, Cardia and Lee Forsyth, know all this, which is why they have set up their one-of-a-kind Nature Domes experience for the modern traveller. It’s also no surprise to learn that owner Lee is an electrical engineer—experienced in renewable energy—and that he designed the whole set-up. As well as the off-grid power supply, rainwater tanks are used, and the outdoor hot tub is heated by a wood fire—your campfire heats up your tub water via a large metal coil. Like most places in regional Australia, the nights get cold – but rather than blast a heater, the Domes provide you with hot water bottles, warm blankets, lush robes and heavy curtains to ward off the chill.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

You’ll need to be self-sufficient during your stay at the Domes, bringing your own food. Support local businesses and stock up in the town of Wauchope on your drive-in (and grab some pastries and coffee at Baked Culture while you’re at it). There’s a stovetop, fridge (stocked as per a mini bar), BBQs, lanterns and mozzie coils, and you can even order DIY S’More packs for fireside fun. The interiors of the Domes have a cosy, stylish fit-out, with a modern bathroom (and a proper flushing toilet—none of that drop bush toilet stuff). As there’s no mobile reception, pack a good book or make the most of treasures that lie waiting to be discovered at every turn: a bed chest full of board games, a cupboard crammed with retro DVDs, a stargazing telescope (the skies are ablaze come night time). Many of these activities are ideal for couples, but there’s plenty on offer for solo travellers, such as yoga mats, locally-made face masks and bath bombs for hot tub soaks. 

It’s these thoughtful human touches that reinforce the benefit of making a responsible travel choice by booking local and giving your money to a tourism operator in the Greater Port Macquarie Region, such as Tom’s Creek Nature Domes. The owners are still working on the property following the setbacks of COVID-19, and flooding in the region —a new series of Domes designed with families and groups in mind is under construction, along with an open-air, barn-style dining hall and garden stage. Once ready, the venue will be ideal for wedding celebrations, with wedding parties able to book out the property. They’ve already got one couple—who honeymooned at the Domes—ready and waiting. Just need to train up the llamas for ring-bearer duties! 

An abundance of favourite moments come to mind from my two-night stay at Tom’s Creek: sipping champagne and gourmet picnicking at the top of a hill on a giant swing under a tree, with a bird’s eye view of the entire property (the ‘Mountain Top picnic’ is a must-do activity add on during your stay), lying on a deckchair at night wrapped in a blanket gazing up at starry constellations and eating hot melted marshmallows, to revelling in the joys of travellers before me, scrawled on notes in a jar of wishes left by the telescope (you’re encouraged to write your own to add to the jar). But I’ll leave you with a gratitude journal entry I made while staying there. I will preface this by saying that I don’t actually keep a gratitude journal, but Tom’s Creek Nature Domes is just the kind of place that makes you want to start one. And so, waking up on my second morning at Tom’s —lacking any 4G bars to facilitate my bad habit of a morning Instagram scroll—I finally opened up a notebook and made my first journal entry:

‘I am grateful to wake up after a deep sleep and breathe in the biggest breaths of this clean air, purified by nature and scented with eucalyptus and rain. I am grateful for this steaming hot coffee brewed on a fire. I feel accomplished at having made myself. I am grateful for the skittish sheep that made me laugh as I enjoyed a long nature walk at dawn and the animated billy goats and friendly llamas overlooking my shoulder as I write this: agreeable company for any solo traveller. I’m grateful for total peace, absolute stillness.” 

Off-grid holiday status: unlocked.

Where: Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, Port Macquarie, 2001 Toms Creek Rd
Price: $450 per night, book at the Natura Domes website.

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