This past July, I embarked with my mom on a five-day women’s retreat in Bozeman, Montana. In all honesty, I was initially very hesitant. Growing up outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania meant my summer vacations usually consisted of a week-long trip to the Jersey Shore. Tanning, shopping, and getting ice cream every night was a stark contrast from a journey to a land-locked state 2,000+ from my home. This trip was definitely a step outside of my comfort zone.
Quite frankly, I didn’t have high hopes for Montana beyond the promise of fresh air and some picturesque mountains. As a native East-Coast resident, I had a slight bias against states in this region. I didn’t understand what was appealing about living in “the middle of nowhere”. However, at the end of my five day tenure, I had fallen in love with this state for an array of reasons. Here are the 5 reasons why traveling to Montana was spectacular, and why you should travel there on your next vacation escape.
- Nature
Let’s start with the obvious. To put it shortly, the views here are nothing short of spectacular. Our retreat consisted of a daily morning hike that would take us along beautiful, cool paths. Each morning was a new location, a new sight to see, and a new space to explore. I was granted the privilege of great weather for the majority of my days here. This meant stark blue skies, glimmering lakes, and sunshine to balance out the cool temperature. Being from Pennsylvania, I thought I knew beautiful forests, but Montana made PA sights look like a joke. There is something healing in finding a newfound appreciation for nature.
2. Spirituality
While this is likely reflective of many states in the Western U.S. (compared to the East Coast) I noticed a good amount of people in Bozeman (namely younger/ mid-aged people) place a large value on spirituality. Every hiking trip, our instructor would pull out beautiful tarot cards and the group would reflect upon our emotional and physical states. I believe this goes hand in hand with being connected to nature. In order to truly connect to nature, you must recognize your own role in it. Many stores in Bozeman showcased beautiful crystals, tarot cards, and reflective books and writing. I learned more about myself as I was exposed to all of these ways to open up my mind.
3. Culture/ The People
People are very friendly in Bozeman! From restaurant and store clerks, Uber drivers, and random people you pass on hiking trails, everyone here seemed to be genuinely interested in your life. This was especially true of the hiking trail. Almost every hiker we passed offered us a smile, a greeting, or started up a conversation. On our fourth day in Montana, my mom and I headed into a complex that housed a coffee shop, as well as 3 individual shops. The lady we sat next to had an eccentric cool style, and we struck up a 45-minute long insightful conversation. At the end of the conversation, we found out she was the owner of the cowboy boot + Western clothes store in the complex! If you are looking for a place to truly connect with people, head to Montana.
4. Shopping
Friends and family know that I am an avid shopper, so when I stepped into downtown Bozeman, I was delighted to find an array of trendy shops and boutiques. This was the aspect of the trip that was the biggest surprise to me. From trendy upscale clothing shops to home decor stores, the stores all had a trendy and Western edge to them. Most of the stores were not chains/stores I had ever heard of, and the novelty of it all charmed me.
5. Restaurants
Who doesn’t love a good meal out to eat? All of the restaurants we ate at here were spectacular. The quality of the food is great, and the dishes are often out of the realm of traditional meals. And a bonus– most of the places here had vegan options! While I am not a vegan, I oftentimes opted for the vegan dishes, because they were just as good as the regular dishes (if not better!). And of course, we had to get a charcuterie board, and yes, it tasted as good as it looks in the picture (featuring my mom!). P.S.– she bought that hat in Bozeman!
