Home Destinations On Location: Whitefish, Montana

On Location: Whitefish, Montana

July 9, 2026

Whitefish, Montana, was made for meetings and incentives looking for a balance of adventure, stunning mountain scenery and top-notch venues and amenities.

Whitefish, MT, nestled at the feet of the Rocky Mountains adjacent to Glacier National Park and at the shore of a picturesque lake, has long been a bucket-list destination for skiers, hikers, fly-fishers and rafting enthusiasts. But who knew it had so much to offer for meeting and incentive groups?

I got to find out for myself during a recent press trip to the area — and it’s more than I ever could have imagined.

Getting There

It may feel like a pretty remote place to go, but Whitefish actually is easily accessible via Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) via major hubs including Dallas, Denver, Seattle, Chicago and Salt Lake City. And the airport itself, just 11 miles from Whitefish, feels more like an upscale lodge than a transit station, complete with breathtaking mountain views, cathedral ceilings and even a fireplace with cozy seating. It makes a great first impression, to say the least. If your attendees prefer to travel by train, they can take Amtrak’s Empire Builder to downtown Whitefish as well.

Where to Stay

My first host hotel for the trip was the Grouse Mountain Lodge, now being rebranded as Hotel Whitefish as it completes a major upgrade to its rooms, public spaces, restaurant and meeting venues by 2027. The hotel, one of Pursuit’s Glacier Park Collection, has 144 guest rooms — the first phase is a refresh of the 72 South Wing guestrooms, now completed, and an upgrade to its pool and hot tub, to be completed this summer.

It also has 11,00 square feet of flexible meeting spaces in nine conference rooms and breakout areas and will be opening a gorgeous new 8,250-square-foot pavilion this fall — all of which come with state-of-the-art AV support and full-service catering. While the pavilion’s schedule undoubtedly will be packed with weddings, it can host up to 350 for corporate group receptions, and up to 250 for banquets. Until the new pavilion opens, the largest space is the 3,520-square-foot Continental Divide, which can accommodate up to 300, and the 900-square-foot Continental Divide foyer. There also are nine golf courses in the area, including the 36-hold Whitefish Lake Golf Club, whose 18-hole South Course is right next to the lodge. The Club’s restaurant also is available for group dining.

While the Pursuit Glacier Park Collection includes a number of other accommodations, most cater to the non-meeting crowd. In addition to Grouse Mountain Lodge, their main meetings property is the Glacier Park Lodge on the Eastern side of the park, about an hour’s drive from Whitefish (if you don’t constantly stop and goggle at the scenery the way I did, that is).

The lodge, built in 1913 as a place for passengers on the Great Northern Railway to vacation, isn’t called “Big Tree Lodge” for no reason — gigantic Douglas Fir log beams soar to lobby ceiling and frame a huge stone fireplace where people gathered day and night. But do be warned that, while it is steeped in historic charm, the lodge is on the rustic side, meaning the rooms lack TVs and air conditioning (not that you need it with the cool mountain breezes), and the in-room Wi-Fi can be spotty, though I was told the latter was being updated so future guests may be able to go online in their rooms with ease. Wi-Fi in the lobby and public spaces was excellent.

The lodge is in the midst of a multi-phase renovation, so do be sure to ask for a block in the section where the guest room refresh has been completed so your group can see the reimagination of rustic chic — it really is stunning. The lodge has two primary meeting rooms: The Continental Divide Room can seat up to 350 auditorium style (around 225 for a classroom configuration), and the Glacier Room can accommodate up to 150 auditorium style (60-70 for classroom style or a reception). There’s also a large outdoor tented area available for events. The meeting spaces also are up for a refresh, though timing is still to be announced. More intimate spaces include the Red Crow Room just off the main lobby, and the hotel’s full-service Great Northern Dining Room restaurant also is available for partial buyouts. For golfers, there’s the nine-hole Glacier Park Lodge Golf course. Each of the course’s nine holds honors former chiefs of the Blackfeet Nation, on whose ground the lodge dwells.

Where to Eat

I had dinner and breakfast at Grouse Mountain Lodge Logan’s Bar & Grill, toasting myself by the soaring fieldstone fireplace. Knowing good vegan food can be hard to come by in cattle country, I was pleasantly surprised by just how delicious the vegan curry Cauliflower Tom Kha was, along with a huckleberry margarita — when in Montana, don’t miss the chance to try anything and everything with huckleberries. From muffins to milkshakes to margs, the local fruit added a sweet and tart kick to just about everything I tried.

I had several magnificent meals at the Glacier Park Lodge’s Great Northern Dining Room, again sticking with the vegetarian side of the menu. The salads were amazing, but be warned that even the appetizer version is huge! Two major thumbs up to the restaurant’s mushroom pasta and Three Sisters, featuring vegan polenta and a mix of roasted veggies. The breakfast buffet also had something for everyone — do not miss the huckleberry muffins!

For my dinner in downtown Whitefish, I tried to check out Jalisco Cantina, but there was a line out the door and around the parking lot, so I am guessing it’s a local favorite for high-quality Mexico cuisine! I ended up at the Abruzzo Italian Kitchen, where I had an amazing pizza with locally foraged morel mushrooms and a glass of wine from Montepulciano in the Abruzzo region, which seemed apropos. I sat on the covered terrace section, where heat lamps kept it warm and cozy — both the terrace and the entire restaurant are available for group buyouts.

I also had a delightfully retro lunch at Freda’s Bar in West Glacier Village. A huge veggie sandwich with fries and a huckleberry shake and I was on my way. Freda’s also has a full bar with lots of local beer options.

Activities, Activities, Activities

So much to do, so little time! A few suggestions:

Give your attendees some free time while at the Grouse Mountain Lodge to take the hotel’s free shuttle into Whitefish to explore the extremely walkable downtown’s shops, galleries and restaurants. Most are locally owned, and some of the artworks I saw were incredible.
There’s a lot to do at the nearby Whitefish Ski Area — in the winter, of course there’s all the usual ski and snowboarding type activities, but even in summer there’s a lot to do, especially after July 4 when the summer starts rocking. From scenic lift rides in a closed gondola to the summit of Big Mountain, hiking trails, alpine slides, and an obstacle course at the Aerial Adventure Park and zip-line tours, there’s no shortage of on-mountain activities to get your heart pumping. On Flathead Lake, there’s fishing charters and boat rentals available, and fly fishing guides are widely available.
There are also any number of horseback riding options, from short trail rides to longer treks. But my favorite detour when I found myself with some time to spare was to the Clydesdale Outpost, a 92-acre luxury guest ranch and boutique Clydesdale breeding program. While they do offer lodging options in the form of six luxury private two-bedroom cabins with full kitchens and hot tubs — and have plans in the works to expand their inventory in the next few years, including an event barn — those would be a good option mainly for very high-end corporate retreats. But they also offer some awesome group activities, including barn tours, horseback rides atop those gentle giants, wagon and sleigh rides, and close-up and personal encounters with the Clydesdales that sound incredible. I stopped in and was lucky enough to meet with one of the owners, Matt Arnold-Ladensack, who let me greet one of those beauties as she was being groomed in the barn and watch this year’s crop of foals gambol in the fields. It was pretty magical.
Speaking of all things equine, one of the folders that caught my eye at the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce had the heading of “Beer Donkeys,” with a photo of two cute burros, courtesy of Montana Luxe Events. I can’t vouch for the experience, but how fun would it be to have beverage burros delivering drinks at a reception — or perhaps a beer steer?
If your group is on the adventurous side, offer an optional rafting trip down the Flathead River with Glacier Raft Co., which has been taking people down the river for 50 years this year. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate for my planned rafting trip — low forties, pouring rain and low cloud cover — but I can only imagine how gorgeous it would be in more amenable weather.
With a few unplanned hours to spend off the river, I opted to take a drive as far as I could get up Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park’s iconic route connecting the East and West sides, (the top section was not yet open due to snow cover). I didn’t do much hiking since I was 1) solo, 2) cold and wet and 3) totally not properly prepared (no bear spray), but even just stopping at the scenic turnouts at numerous waterfalls and Lake McDonald, plus a tour through Apgar Village (where Pursuit also has several ventures, including a mercantile where I spent too much on souvenirs, and a non-meeting lodge), was a great way to spend a morning.
Give your group some time to wander the rafting base’s headquarters area of West Glacier Village, including West Glacier Mercantile, Glacier National Pizza and the wondrous Huckleberry Hut, where you can find everything and anything huckleberry, from tea to jam and beyond. Plus it’s just adorable. There’s also the Golfing-to-the-Sun Mini Golf course, also adorable and fun for groups that are looking for a multi-generational activity for those who aren’t into the full-size version of golf and not feeling quite feeling adventurous enough for a rafting trip.
On the Eastern side of Glacier Park, I highly recommend a drive to the Two Medicine area, where there are several hiking options for all abilities. I took a short ride on the Glacier Park Boat Company’s historic Sinopah, the oldest wooden boat in its fleet, across Two Medicine Lake. Our knowledgeable guide told stories of the area’s rich Blackfeet tribal history and the surrounding peaks as she took us across the lake, where we left off some hikers and picked up some returning hikers before heading back to base.
Also on the Eastern side and, if possible, even more stunning is the St. Mary’s area of the park. I drove up the other side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road as far as I could, then meandered down several of the hiking trails in the company of fellow tourists who were better equipped than I. It was nothing short of breath-taking — the scenery, not the hiking, though some of the trails did get pretty steep.

My time in Whitefish and Glacier National Park was too short but will be long in my memory — as it would be for meeting and event attendees. From amazing scenery to adventure options to fine dining and gorgeous, unique meeting venues and lodges, this area could be the backdrop to a meeting participants will be talking about for years to come.