Red Lodge or Billings?

July 6, 2010 3:34 PM

If you could stay in Red Lodge, Montana, or Billings, Montana, where would you stay, and why?

My wife and I are hitting the road later this week, and we're going to be up that way coming east from Yellowstone.

I've wanted to drive Beartooth Highway for some time, but I was wondering if we should stop in Red Lodge or Billings for the night.

We're going to be camping nearby, so lodging is not an issues. We're looking for a decent restaurant and a sort of Western artsy-type vibe. If there's a cooler city near that way, lay it on me too.

Thanks!

posted by elder18 to Travel & Transportation (13 answers total)

When I did the Beartooth Highway (totally worth it!), we stayed at Billings, but we needed a decent hotel. Red Lodge was much smaller, funkier, and a little biker-ish compared to Billings. If that sounds great to you, try it. Not sure how great the restaurant options are, though. We just drove through on the way to the highway. Billings was nice, very developed, but quite a trek down to the real start of that highway. It would've been nicer to stay closer and get into Yellowstone earlier in the day (that was our primary destination).
posted by parkerjackson at 3:38 PM on July 6, 2010

not sure where to stay, but you must eat at Caramel Cookie Waffles!
posted by luvcraft at 3:39 PM on July 6, 2010

I love Red Lodge and would highly recommend staying there. I have some info here in a previous question: Red Lodge.

I've always felt very comfortable there among many different types of people. Billings will be a more generic, less Montana-ish kind of place. If you're going before Labor Day make reservations now.

Love the Beartooth Highway, the Beartooth Mountains, Red Lodge, and Montana - I'm jealous of your trip!
posted by handful of rain at 3:44 PM on July 6, 2010

Billings will be a more generic, less Montana-ish kind of place.

Agreed. Billings is your average western city with all the amenities, and familiar chain stores & restaurants. The downtown is badly in need of a resurrection. It could be so fantastic - in fact, it's on the cusp.

Choose Billings if you are sick of camping and badly in need of a latte. (Hey, I'm not judging. It happens.)
posted by Knowyournuts at 3:52 PM on July 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'd vote against Billings. I spent a couple of weeks there for a campaign, and it was my least favorite town in Montana. It's like a suburb of itself.
posted by zazerr at 3:52 PM on July 6, 2010

Best answer: Billings resident here, and I visit Red Lodge frequently. And I've done the Bearthooth Pass countless times.

So... If you want more choices in hotels and restaurants, Billings is the place. It's an actual (small) city of about 100,000 people with the typical chain restaurants, plus some great local ones.

Downtown Billings actually has gone through quite a resurrection lately, and it's still in progress. It offers numerous lounges with live music, restaurants, funky shops, galleries, and an art museum, among other things. (Keep an eye on this blog for upcoming events.)

If you just hang around the west end or Heights area of Billings, that's basically the suburbia feel mentioned above. Montana Avenue and other parts of downtown have a lot more character.

Red Lodge is less than an hour's drive from Billings. So you could see the best of Billings one day, stay in one of the west end hotels, and go to Red Lodge for breakfast or brunch. Red Lodge is an awesome, quaint, small town with an old funky vibe. There are several great restaurants, many shops and galleries, and a Candy Emporium that carries all the candy you remember from your childhood. (But not as cheap as it was then!)

All that to say: a lot of it depends on what time you'll be getting into the area, and how soon you want to hit the Beartooth. If you just want to get on the Beartooth as soon as possible, then Red Lodge is the place. If you have time to to experience both Billings and Red Lodge, then you'll find plenty to do and see. Memail me when you get close to deciding and I'll be happy to provide specifics.

Have fun! The Beartooth Pass is an awesome experience.
posted by The Deej at 4:22 PM on July 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Billings is the closest thing Montana has to a 'big city'. Generally speaking, it has all the familiar stuff that other people have said, only it thinks it's bigger than it is and doesn't quite know what to do with what it has. I didn't enjoy it all that much.
posted by Heretical at 4:23 PM on July 6, 2010

I only spent about 24 hours in Billings, but I remember really enjoying the Yellowstone Art Museum... At the time, they had an exhibition of Montana artists' kinetic sculptures that were designed to interact with the natural environment. Neat stuff. I think their permanent exhibitions are a lot of 'old west' style paintings.

I've always felt very comfortable there [Red Lodge] among many different types of people.

I spent a few weeks at a geology field camp that was just a few miles outside of Red Lodge, and this was one of my lasting impressions also, particularly in some of the bars.
posted by JumpW at 5:46 PM on July 6, 2010

If it were me I'd do Red Lodge for no other reason than the chance to eat at Bridge Creek Backcountry Kitchen again.
posted by kid_dynamite at 7:22 PM on July 6, 2010

Downtown Billings actually has gone through quite a resurrection lately, and it's still in progress.

The Deej: Awesome, I'm glad to hear it! I was there 3 years ago, and I couldn't believe all the great buildings downtown that were unoccupied. And hardly anyone walking around. It's going to be so great.
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:22 AM on July 7, 2010

Response by poster: What is the traffic on the Beartooth Highway like this time of year? Will is be one massive traffic jam? Thanks.
posted by elder18 at 11:11 AM on July 7, 2010

I don't the Beartooth gets anything like a "traffic jam" unless it's because of cars waiting for snow plows, but that's generally over with by June. It's slow-going for much of the way, because you'll be driving switchbacks and s-curves, and there are plenty of cars during this time of year, but it's not like bumper-to-bumper Disneyland traffic or anything.

Here's some more info.

Here are some photos I took along the Pass June of last year. Note how high the snow is piled up on the sides of the road!
posted by The Deej at 1:04 PM on July 8, 2010

Just talked to DH about the traffic question. He says you will have two main problems. 1) Lots of RVs that will be moving slowly. 2) "Flatlanders" who drive slowly because they are unused to driving on that type of landscape (i.e., switchbacks). So plan plenty of driving time.
posted by Knowyournuts at 1:42 PM on July 8, 2010