By Monique Santos
For 23 years, I’ve lived in a city in South Eastern Massachusetts, just about an hour away from Boston, depending on traffic. As a city dweller, I’ve come to love everything it offers, such as the convenience of nearby stores, the many places to go to, and the vast things to do. Even when I’ve traveled out of state and out of the country, I’ve mostly been to cities.
With my experience of traveling out of state, I’ve stuck to the east coast area. It was more convenient that way, but I was curious about the rest of the United States as much as I was curious about the rest of the world. What was out there? What beauty did the rest of the United States have in store and how can I go see it in person instead of behind a screen?
One day, my boyfriend, Devon got accepted to Montana State University (MSU) for the Physics graduate program, where he could learn more about astrophysics and stars in the “Big Sky State.” This was a great opportunity for him, his education, and his future. However, not only did this mean we would be long-distance, but it also gave me more motivation to start exploring the rest of America, starting with the western state of Montana. My motivation started with my love for Devon and continued with my passion for adventure, and my desire to see different things alongside my boyfriend.
Since Devon is from a neighboring town to me in Massachusetts, he has his family, and I to visit during the holidays, vacations, and other time off he can get from MSU. When he is not visiting back home or busy with his studies, I have found the bravery within to travel by myself to Montana. I’ve traveled before, but it was always with someone else.
My first time traveling to Montana was to be with Devon for our anniversary (November 11th). Flying there was more nerve-wracking than I thought it would be. Despite my few times and experiences with traveling, I was still nervous about the possibilities. Would I get there on time, would I get through TSA, would I find my gate, would the flight get delayed, would it be safe, would I get lost, what is Montana really like? Etc.
Luckily, I got there in one piece and nothing out of the ordinary happened, although I did almost throw up by the end of my final flight. Part of me blamed myself for eating the lemon bar, but it was also very likely because of my nerves. The second time I traveled to Montana was once again for our anniversary in November. Both of these times were technically during the autumn season but it felt like winter due to the snow-filled grounds and chilly weather. Despite this, I came prepared and bundled up. I already knew how unpredictable New England weather was, now it was time to be exposed to the weather in the west.
Each time I arrived in Montana, my nerves quickly calmed down once I found my boyfriend waiting for me at the quaint, traditional-looking airport called Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. For these first two visits, we booked a hotel for convenience since he had a roommate at the time and his bedroom was smaller. However, for my third visit, Devon’s roommate had moved out with his newlywed wife in family housing at MSU, and Devon transferred to the bigger bedroom aka his old roommate’s room, so we decided to save some money and stay in his apartment during the third visit.
The first hotel we stayed at was The Lark. Located in what is known as the heart of downtown Bozeman, this hotel had a style similar to a motel, where there were exterior doors and cheap prices. Our experience there was welcoming and convenient due to its location, and the room always had plenty of towels and other amenities. Additional stuff, such as an iron and ironing board, had to be requested, but luckily, we did not need that during our stay.
For the second visit to Bozeman, we decided to try out another hotel. We enjoyed the Lark but we wanted to see what else there was to offer. So this time we went to Mountain View and Lodge Suites. Although this hotel is not located in the downtown area, we found plenty of places within driving distance. We also didn’t have to request housekeeping, and parking was more convenient in the fact that we didn’t have to worry about valet, unlike at The Lark.
Each time I’ve been to Bozeman, Devon has shown me around campus, where his office is, and one of his favorite spots to eat, Pickle Barrel. Although this sandwich shop is small, it is a cheap and easy pick-me-up spot with plenty of delicious options, ranging from hot to cold sandwiches. The crowds there prove that it’s favored by locals and visitors alike, and it is especially convenient for MSU students too. I don’t remember the names of the sandwiches I ordered but I remember how filling, delicious, and huge they were (despite ordering a half).
Every moment spent in Montana was memorable in its own way. The first time, in November of 2022 I went there for our first anniversary, and it was my first time in a state as far west as Montana. I spent my time getting to know the local area of Bozeman with my stay in The Lark, visiting Montana State University’s campus, and local eateries such as Pickle Barrel.
My second time in Montana was for our second anniversary in 2023, when we decided to go to the United States’ first national park, Yellowstone. This park is mostly in Wyoming, with a decent amount of it in Montana and even Idaho. The ideal time to visit is typically during the Spring and Fall, but for our first time, we went in late fall, closer to winter. Despite the cold and the limitations, we got into the park for free because it was Veterans Day. Although the area where the famous Old Faithful was closed off for the season, we got to see the other unique Yellowstone aspects in the north section of the park, such as Palette Spring, Devil’s Thumb, and a few different hot springs near this area.
We also saw a nearby town with some shops, a stray cat as friendly as the people in Montana, and a breathtaking view of the sunset. The Yellowstone gift shops and other shops in the town were perfect for purchasing gifts for the upcoming holidays. As expected, the shops in the town area had Yellowstone-labeled merchandise too.
My third and most recent visit to Montana was different from the other two times. Instead of coming in November, Devon and I flew back together. The plan worked out perfectly, he’s been wanting me to visit during the summer to see the beauty of Montana without the cold and snow, and with his upcoming badminton tournament, I wanted to be there to support him. Since he was already visiting his family and me in Massachusetts from May to mid-July, we figured we’d fly back together.
It was nice flying to Montana with him this time and it was nice flying with him for the first time in general. As a couple who plans on traveling more and more in the future, it was a great start to see how eachother does with the process.
My other two times here were great, but this time I got to experience Montana a lot more now. Spending almost a week gave us more time to explore, and yet there is still more for me to see. The day we landed and the first full day in Montana was spent revisiting downtown Bozeman, running some errands at Walmart, and overall relaxing and spending time together as we planned for the upcoming days.
Downtown Bozeman has so much to offer. From the many gift stores to the restaurants and my favorite stop: The Country Bookshelf, where there are two floors of books and other stationary supplies. This women-led bookstore has been around since 1957 and is Montana’s largest independent bookstore. I’ve gotten quite a few items from here, one of which includes a Brazilian/Portuguese phrasebook, along with some gifts for family members.
On my third and most recent visit to The Country Bookshelf, I got a free booklet about all the different bookstores in Montana, called “Bookstores Under The Big Sky: Montana Bookstore Trail.” This booklet is filled with a ton of interesting information about Montana and it’s independent bookstores. In fact, Montana has the most independent bookstores per capita than any other state, and this booklet can be used to collect stamps from the bookstores mentioned, including The Country Bookshelf. Every time I’ve visited Bozeman, Montana I’ve come to this bookshop and I plan to continue doing so in my future visits, along with joining the Montana Bookstore Trail. This is truly a bookworm’s dream and since I love supporting local art, restaurants, and businesses, I will certainly find myself traveling to Montana more in support of these businesses and my love of reading.
Now, for the next few days, more adventure came along with the journey through the national parks and badminton tournaments.
Glacier, also known as the “Crown of the Continent,” was the first national park Devon and I went to during my third time visiting this state. Luckily, Devon had his van in Montana so we were able to do the five-hour drive. We got up as early as four in the morning in an attempt to beat the crowds. We were hopeful about trying to find parking at Logan’s Pass: one of the most popular tourist spots that is near the famous “Going-To-The-Sun-Road,” but unfortunately we did not find a spot to park at Logan’s Pass.
Regardless of the initial parking plans, we kept on driving, appreciating the beautiful mountains, the endless amount of lakes, the waterfalls, and the cloudless sky. The drive was nerve-wracking, to say the least, because of how close we were to the edge and how open everything looked, but it was well worth the experience. Our overall exploration within Glacier consisted of driving, stopping around to snack, taking pictures, and taking short hikes on nearby trails, such as the Avalanche trail.
The next day, we drove only about two hours to Yellowstone, where we saw some wildlife roaming around, such as elk and bison, but not as much wildlife as we saw during our drive in Yellowstone the first time around. Since this visit wasn’t during the late fall season where there are limitations, Devon and I were able to see the famous Old Faithful in the west region of the park. Regardless of the crowds, we knew what we were getting into with the fact that it was one of the busiest seasons. We waited around and watched Old Faithful erupt a total of three times. While we waited, we watched the nearby Bison from a safe distance, looked around the gift stores, and got some refreshing ice cream at one of the nearby general stores. After we got some good pictures and videos of Old Faithful, we walked along the nearby paths that led to many other geysers.
The two days after the national parks were spent cheering on my boyfriend in his badminton tournaments. The first tournament was on a Saturday, where the competition consisted of playing with a partner vs another team, and the second competition on Sunday was for single players. Devon played in both tournaments and for his first time playing badminton competitively in a state competition, he won a bronze medal in the doubles tournament on Saturday. It also turned out that he was the only American-born citizen playing in the men’s open singles tournament, which was cool. Although badminton is not as popular as football, baseball, and other sports in the United States of America, it is a fun and engaging sport that connects you with people from all around the world.
From my experience with Montana, I’ve come to love the simplicity of the quietness of towns and appreciate nature even more than I already did. I’ve been around tall buildings before but I’ve never been around so many huge mountains that made me realize how small I am. It is breathtaking to see how much land there is and what can happen when that land is not crowded and too busy to stop and take a moment. When you’re not in awe by the mountains, scenery, and national parks, Montana also has towns and cities filled with friendly people who typically love the outdoor life of hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, etc.
For a state that is on the other side of the country from me, where there is more land than people, it has its own rich, historic, western-like culture that provides a lot of experience for locals and travelers alike. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Montana numerous times to visit my boyfriend, Devon in Bozeman, and I could write a novel about everything we’ve done and seen just from the few visits. There is still more to explore and whether you’re a nature enthusiast, a typical hiker, or a city dweller like me, Montana is a great travel destination to find your own love story.
