Whitefish, a city about 15 miles north of Kalispell is a small town in northwest Montana. While being a resort town and relying largely on tourism, there is surprisingly little to do there. Below is a list I have composed of the more worthwhile things to to in Whitefish.
Whitefish Mountain Resort
It would be foolish of me to talk about things to do in Whitefish without first mentioning the Whitefish Mountain resort, which is located on Big Mountain. While the resort is known for it’s skiing, it can also be an enjoyable place during the summer as well. The mountain has miles of hiking and bicycle trails, zip lines, and a sled in a track that, for a small fee, takes you down the hill from the ski lift area to a restaurant a few hundred feet below. The ski lifts still operate during the summer, and you can catch a ride to the summit for a fairly reasonable price. The ski lifts offer spectacular views of the entire valley, and you can even see the peaks of Glacier National Park towering above the rest of the mountains from there. There is also a ski lift which takes you down to the same restaurant that the sled does. The cost for that lift is nothing — it’s free.
Riverside Park
Another great place to spend a few hours is Riverside Park. Located in downtown Whitefish, Riverside park offers walking/bicycling paths, tennis courts and a playground. There are docks on the river, from which you can feed the ducks that like to gather there. If you follow the path west to the end of the park, there is also a wooden foot bridge which takes you across the river. For those who enjoy fishing, the river has pike and trout.
Whitefish Lake
Whitefish is a tourist town, and has many rich people — including some Hollywood celebrities — living there, so the city beach is very nice and well taken care of. It also has a small grassy park, which includes picnic tables and pavillions with built-in barbecues. The beach has lifeguards on duty there during the day. The beach has docks and a boat ramp. There is a concession stand where they sell food and drinks, as well as a boat rental where you can rent things such as paddle boats, float tubes and rafts for fairly cheap. The lake also has plenty of crawfish for the kids to play with.
The only downside to this beach, is that there are a lot of boats out on the lake. The swimming area is fenced off with ropes and buoys so you don’t need to worry about getting hit by a boat, but the boats do cause lots of big waves which can be irritating to people who are trying to swim.
And for the cycling enthusiasts there are more bicycle paths down near the city beach as well.
Skating
If you enjoy ice skating, Stumptown Ice Den operates from the beginning of September through the end of April. It’s a nice sized rink, and the public skating sessions are accompanied by today’s hottest contemporary music. Public skating fees are $5 and skate rentals are only $2.50. Feel like playing a game of hockey? Adult drop-in hockey is available for $10
For skateboarders and rollerbladers, the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark, is a massive skateboard park just outside the eastern edge of town. At 15,000 square feet, this skate park includes 2 bowls, one at 7 feet deep, and one at 10 feet deep, stairs, an 8 foot quarter pipe, several rails and many other features.
Whitefish Lake State Park
At only 10 acres, this small state park offers a total of 25 camping sites, complete with picnic tables and restrooms with running water and showers. It has direct access to Whitefish lake, including a boat ramp.
A Few Other Things Worth Mentioning
Whitefish also has a couple baseball fields, at least 3 golf courses, and a couple more smaller parks.
