A Perfect Day in Bigfork, MT
We
spend some time every summer in the Flathead Valley. If I was cruising through,
I’d check into the
Bigfork Summer Playhouse to find out if there was a family-friendly play—in
2008 Kiss Me Kate looks like a nice option. The playhouse recruits from college
campuses across the country and does a good job presenting 4-5 musicals a
Summer—a great way to introduce the kids to live theater for less money! Last
summer, we saw Beauty and the Beast, and all three generations present loved
it. Drama king or queen on your hands? Check out their children’s musical
workshop, August 4-8, 2008.
You can make reservations to dine at Showthyme, right next door (upscale,
gourmet food with kid options too) or at the more low-key Bigfork Inn, just
a block down the street. Okay, so that’s your advance plan. During the late
morning, be sure to shop the fun galleries and eclectic art stores (about
1-2 hours). The kids can get ice cream. In the afternoon, if you lack lake
access, grab lunch and head to Wayfarer’s State Park (see link below) with
food, beverages and towels. You can push out a driftwood log and log-roll
or bring your own water toys. You might also consider renting a couple of
jet skis from the Bigfork
Harbor and take turns playing with them, out on the water. You can also
schedule a parasail ride (Sky Fly’n Sail, 406-837-2161) or a sailboat
cruise down Flathead—the biggest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.
After an afternoon of water fun, head back to clean up for dinner and the
show.
Places
we recommend staying: Wayfarer’s
campground, The Timbers Motel (most family-friendly budget hotel in town
but don’t expect cushy accommodations; 800-821-4546), Marina
Cay, Candlewycke
Inn and if you want a dude ranch/lake experience, check out the spendy-but-fun
Flathead Lake
Lodge. Or stay across the lake in Somers’
Bay Cabins.