I first discovered this darling little city when a couple of friends invited us to look at a property that they were interested in buying. We were there barely a day and flew back out later that night, but it left a lasting impression on me. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to return in the spring with the same group of people and let me tell you, I had a blast! I got a chance to explore the downtown area which is just darling and full of great little bars and restaurants like Casey’s and Craggy Range Bar and Grill. It’s a pretty small downtown area and extremely walkable so I took my opportunity to try out different breakfast places and bought some shoes at one of the little shops nearby.
The Great Northern Railway was built through what is now Whitefish in 1904, which sparked development of the town. Early residents of the town worked for the railroad and nearby logging industries. By the late 1940s, with the successful construction of a ski resort on Big Mountain (a collaboration between outside developers and local businessmen), the tourism sector was becoming increasingly important. The community was named for its location near Whitefish Lake.
What truly impressed me were the restaurants! Now you know I am a big foodie and was so lucky to have some local friends take us around to all the best spots. My favorite place was the Stillwater Fish House. Apparently their oysters are amazing but I’m not much of a fan of them so I didn’t try it, but the Hamachi was to die for! Another great restaurant was Ciao Mambo. It’s a very family friendly environment that servers amazing Italian cuisine. Now, there was a Mexican restaurant that had the most amazing salsa in the world. I think the name was Los Caporales but I’m not positive. I literally ate four bowls of their house made salsa and profusely sweated out garlic for the next twenty-four hours. Now if you want a delicious treat, Ceres Bakery is where its at! They make the most delicious cinnamon buns! One is as big as my head so I would recommend sharing and calling ahead to reserve them because they go fast and you don’t want to get there and fins out they are all gone.
For Lodging O would recommend The Whitefish Lodge. The rooms are cozy and the setting is absolutely SPECTACULAR!!!! I’ve stayed there during the late winter and in spring and both times were beautiful! Its right by the water and the restaurant and bar is fantastic. There’s always a wedding overtime I’ve been so people watching was extremely entertaining. They also have just added another wing to the hotel and the pool and gym are great as well. On one occasion they were booked so I had to stay a night at a different hotel and it was just not the same.
While your there, make sure to pack a lunch and do one of the many amazing day hiked in Glacier National Park! It was probably my favorite part of the last trip I did. The leaves falling from the trees towering over me looked more like specs of gold in the sky then color-canging leaves slowly making their way down to the ground.
I hope you all get to check out this darling city one day because it’s definitely cemented itself a place in my heart.
What do you think?