Things To Do in Montana

The rafters hear it before they see it. The steadily increasing roars emanating from down the river can only mean one thing: whitewater. As their raft rounds a bend, it plunges headfirst into a Class III rapid. Frothy spumes shower the group, but they remain focused, paddle in unison, and conquer nature's natural roller coaster.

Since 1976, Glacier Raft Company has created adrenalin-pumping experiences like these for more than 500,000 customers. Using the Middle Fork and Flathead River as their playground, guides lead rafting adventures that fuse the thrills of fast rapids with natural beauty of areas such as John Stevens Canyon. Though rafting is their focus, the outdoors outfit also leads other activities such as horseback riding and hiking trips. During fishing excursions, anglers cast for rainbow trout and radical bartenders harvest ice cubes from glaciers. The company also welcomes guests for extended stays in one of their classic log cabins.

Always looking for a challenge, Pangaea River Rafting's future owners Brooke and David Lawrence set out on a 4,000-mile cross-country bike ride years ago. But tackling that endeavor only increased the duo's thirst for more. After years guiding rafting expeditions along the Clark Fork River near Missoula, Montana, they decided the most exciting challenge would be to start their own rafting company. So, in 1989, they bought a small company by the name of Pangaea Expeditions, which they later renamed Pangaea River Rafting. During that time they also got married, fittingly alongside the river.

Over the course of more than 20 years, Brooke and David have developed a series of programs that highlight the area's tourist attractions as well as draw locals out into their surrounding habitat. They direct rafting ventures boasting wine tastings, happy hours, bird watching, team building, and catfish cuddling.

Gaynor Ranch and Resort is tucked into the Flathead Valley, an expanse of jagged peaks and windswept lowlands carved out by glaciers during the last Ice Age. Within the valley—and fewer than 7 miles from the resort—is the charming alpine village of Whitefish. Restaurants, specialty boutiques, and a microbrewery are dotted along the main drag of Central Avenue, and jutting out of the skyline to the north are the snowcapped peaks of the Northern Rocky Mountains. Though outdoor activities are a major draw, Whitefish also features an independent theater company, art galleries, a historical museum, and a Frank Lloyd Wright–designed building—one of a scant few in Montana.About 30 miles away from the ranch resides the west entrance to Glacier National Park, where the glittering Lake McDonald comes into view as visitors drive down Going-to-the-Sun Road. Although heavy snowfall can close down portions of the park's internal roads, the National Park Service regularly plows the 10-mile stretch of road that runs from the entrance to Lake McDonald Lodge. Rangers can lead expeditions and referee snowball fights on guided snowshoe walks departing from the nearby Apgar Visitors’ Center; several skiing and snowshoeing trails splinter off in the area as well. Depending on snow melt, the warmer spring months mark the opening up of scenic hiking trails such as Logan Pass—the highest point on Going-to-the-Sun Road and a popular launching point for backpackers.

In their 85th season, the Harlem Globetrotters have entertained millions of parents, children, and general basketball admirers with a unique brand of athletic precision and showmanship. For their latest 4 Times the Fun North American tour, the Globetrotters will add new 4-point shot spots located 35 feet from the basket, which is 12 feet farther than the official 3-point line but several thousand miles closer than the prime meridian.

Jamie Beeson is a walking paradox: a workout expert who loves to eat cookies. The personal trainer and head of Workoutplanz, however, doesn't view her fondness for dessert as a flaw—she believes practical fitness regimens should allow for life's indulgences and interruptions. Therefore, she caters her programs to women of all backgrounds, personally testing out her suggestions before recommending them to others.

Jamie's workout plans range from Weight Loss 101 Plan, which offers beginners guidance on diets and exercise, to the Busy Mom's Workout Plan with grocery lists and at-home fitness routines that accommodate hectic schedules. Though they achieve different aims, most of these plans include a nutritional and workout component, as well as scheduling tools that help keep participants on track. Resources on the Workoutplanz website also supplement training efforts. Clients can watch video tutorials on each exercise, read up on how to monitor their heart-rates, and even download a music playlist for an invigorating treadmill session.

The King of Rock and Roll never relinquishes his throne as four of the country’s top Elvis impersonators team together for Elvis Lives, a multimedia musical tribute to one of music’s premier icons. Endorsed by Elvis Presley Enterprises, which holds the copyright on blue suede shoes, Elvis Lives stars a quartet of bona fide dead ringers, all of whom are winners of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and pay homage to four memorable eras of the pompadour-sporting legend’s career. Fans can swoon and shout as they catch a glimpse of tadpole Elvis and his centrifugal pelvis, movie-era Elvis, leather-jacket “comeback” Elvis, and shimmering, sequined-jumpsuit “Vegas” Elvis. The lavishly-produced show quantum leaps across a memorable career with classic songs sung spot-on, delighting fans and warming the heart of the real Elvis as he watches from the rafters.