On a sunshine-filled day, I loaded the car and headed north. My destination?

The quaint community of Eureka, located in northwest Montana’s Tobacco Valley. Literally a six-minute drive south of the Canadian border, Eureka is the first community that greets visitors entering Big Sky Country after crossing the border at Roosville.

And I tell you what, Eureka is CUTE.

It’s home to a 100-year-old theater, antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, lodging options, golf courses and cute diners.

Main Street.

Perhaps the cutest antique store in all of Montana.

Just meeting some friends at my favorite table at Cafe Jax.

Hand-painted shot glasses at Elk Camp Art Gallery and Showroom.

It also offers easy access to Lake Koocanusa (a massive lake that stretches from Montana to Canada) and Ten Lakes Scenic Area.

Watching the sun sink over Lake Koocanusa.

As part of the adventure, I also made the seven-mile drive west of Eureka to Rexford. Rexford is tiny, but definitely a must-see if for no other reason than to fill your tummy at the Koocanusa Cafe (yummy breakfast) or to quench your afternoon thirst with a cold beverage at The Frontier Bar.

I don’t know about you, but this girl is looking forward to many more sunshine-filled adventure days.

Cheers to summer,
TT

As the winner, Tina (and her guest) will be visiting Whitefish and Glacier National Park with a prize package that includes airfare from Flathead Travel, accommodations from Grouse Mountain Lodge and Belton Chalet, a rental car from Montana Dollar, a red bus tour with Glacier Park, Inc., a trail ride with Swan Mountain Outfitters, a stellar zip line adventure at Whitefish Mountain Resort, raft trip with Glacier Raft Company, guided hike in Glacier National Park with Glacier Guides, a whiskey tasting at Glacier Distilling Company and a gas card from Town Pump.

A big THANK YOU to all who entered our contest!

Happy trails,
Tia

PS: Because we had so much fun with THIS giveaway (and because I’m horrible at keeping secrets), we’re already planning our NEXT giveaway! Make sure you stay in touch with us here, on facebook and on twitter.

As we continued on our journey and flew above incredible places like Crater Lake in Oregon, I could hear their little voices exclaiming things like, “This is the BEST plane ride ever!” and “Did you see the clouds? They look like candy!” And I realized something. Something that, shame on me, I had forgotten for a moment due to a number of reasons.

Traveling is about joy.

It’s about creating new experiences, seeing new things, making memories and connecting with people in a way that you perhaps didn’t anticipate. When I boarded that plane the only thoughts going through my head were “Man, I’m tired.” and “I hope our pilot is trustworthy.” (Can you tell I’m a bit of a worrier?)

And now?

I feel quite fortunate that I sat where I did on that plane. The kids helped me remember to always be in the moment, to look forward to each new experience and to find the joy in every journey I take, whether it’s filled with smooth flights and blue skies or stormy weather and turbulence.

And while it’s not the most fun to have your seat jostled by little munchkin feet, I’m sure glad they were there.

Wishing you joy in all of your travels and adventures,
TT

While en route to the Hobbit House, I let myself imagine what it would be like once I arrived. Sure, I’d visited their website and knew their general location, but I wasn’t sure just how this place would transform fantasy into reality. But did it ever.

After meeting up with the keepers of the Hobbit House, a girlfriend and I embarked on a tour of the well-kept grounds (hobbits and fairies are very tidy). And along our walk, this is what we saw…

Luckily, I was there on party business.

We stumbled upon this quaint fairy home, complete with freshly hung laundry...

...so we paid them a visit.

This is where the trolls (big, ugly ones) live.

The trolliest of the trolls captured Connie...she's smiling because I had JUST finished negotiating her release.

Obviously, I made myself right at home.

My precious.

The Hobbit House, where I laid my hobbit-loving head for the evening.

And after my stay there, I can tell you this: it is a truly magical place.

All fantasy aside, one of the things that impressed me the most was the hospitality and warm welcome that instantly enveloped me upon arriving at this magical oasis in the mountains of Western Montana. The keepers of the Hobbit House, Chris and Steve, left no stone unturned. From sparkling juice in the fridge to specialty made hobbit cookies and “the ring” hanging from the rafters, their attention to detail was a large part of what made my stay there so wonderful.

And now? Well, it’s back to reality. But you better believe that I’ll be making repeat visits to the place where my imagination can run wild and I can delight in the magic of make-believe.

Happy daydreaming,
TT

You see, winter was pretty great this year. From skiing to snowboarding and snowshoeing to soaking in hot springs, winter treated Western Montana quite right. So without further ado, I present to you some of highlights of this past season, courtesy of twitter friends from throughout the region…

#MTwinterrules #whitefish #ski & @SkiFernie make great 2 nation vacation! Photo compliments of @PowderMatt

Photo by Flathead Beacon Editor @kellyjbrown

Photo by local Glacier National Park photographer @TonyBynum

Photo by @outsideshane

Lovely photo near East Glacier by @AmberlitaYo

Don’t every change, winter.

Until next year,
TT

And I’m delighted to tell you that in the last few days, this girl was able to see many of my favorite things, plus a hearty helping of some new favorites…

Trapper Peak (seen in the distance) is the highest point in the Bitterroot Mountains.

Montana's state flower: the bitterroot.

Dear Darby, thank you for the welcome. I'm tickled to be here.

Perhaps the cutest bathroom signs in Montana.

Lake Como is absolutely stunning.

I've never met a milkshake I didn't like, but this one from Memories Cafe in Corvallis was delicious.

Every good Montana girl should own a pocket knife.

Locally made huckleberry fudge at The Old West Gallery, Antiques & Candy Store in Darby.

The Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is a great place for birding and bonding.

Happy weekend,
TT

And I started feeling something. As I continued to drive and soak up my surroundings, I realized what it was…I felt at home.

There’s something about this corner of Western Montana (located about equal distances from Kalispell and Missoula) that is innately special. And while I can’t pinpoint one single thing that makes it that way, I can say this…it delivered exactly what I was looking for at that moment in time.

Cruising Highway 200.

The color of the Flathead River at the Kookoosint Fishing Access Site was stunning.

Hello cutest welcome sign ever.

The Old Jail Museum in Thompson Falls.

When traveling through Tour 200, keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep.

Happiness.

I literally cannot wait to go back.
TT

PS: If you’re heading through the Tour 200 area, be sure to stop at Linda’s Montana Gifts & Gallery in Thompson Falls, Sunflower Gallery (it’s an artist co-op with locally crafted Made in Montana furniture, jewelry, photograph and artwork) in Thompson Falls and Auntie Pamela’s Antiques & More in Trout Creek.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I found this little reminder of Montana in the heart of beautiful Hawaii.

Love for Montana is alive and well on Alii Drive in Kona, Hawaii.

Aloha,
TT

Oh what’s that, you didn’t order fluffy white powder, sunny blue skies, cute towns, affordable lift tickets and some sweet travel deals? Not to worry, I put the order in for you. (You’re welcome). The catch? You’ve got to come to Western Montana to pick it up.

Here’s what’s waiting for you, RIGHT NOW, in Glacier Country…

Six Ski Areas
With nearly 7,000 acres of terrain between six ski areas (including Whitefish Mountain Resort, Lost Trail Powder Mountain, Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, Montana Snowbowl, Blacktail Mountain and Turner Mountain), you have plenty of room to roam. Plus, we guarantee there are untracked lines waiting just for you.

Meet your huckleberry at Lookout Pass.

Travel Deals
$99 room rate, Grouse Mountain Lodge
The crew at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish is currently offering $99 room rates. Call the lodge at 406.892.2525 and ask for the “Northern Friends Special.” Sidenote: You don’t have to be Canadian to receive this rate, you just have to say those three magic words.

Soak in Paradise
Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort (literally located in Paradise, Montana) is offering a Ski, Soak & Stay special for $136.50. The package (for two) is good for double occupancy at Quinn’s, use of the hot mineral pools and breakfast at Harwood House Restaurant. Plus, show your lodging confirmation at Lookout Pass and receive 30% off lift tickets.

Winter Fun
Seeley Lake’s Double Arrow Lodge is offering a Winter Fun package that includes lodging (for two), breakfast and dinner, as well as complimentary use of cross-country skis and snowshoes. Plus, snowmobile rentals are available in the town of Seeley Lake with more than 350 miles of accessible groomed trails nearby.

Glacier National Park
While it still seems like kind of an (awesome) secret, Glacier National Park is open year-round. Which means that now is a serene time to explore the park.

My suggestion? Take a drive to Apgar Village inside the park’s west entrance and stand at the southern shore of Lake McDonald. The site is truly spectacular. And if you’ve got time on your hands, drive up the Going-to-the-Sun Road to Lake McDonald Lodge (be sure to pack your snowshoes) and have yourself a walk along the shore. Or, if cross-country skiing is more your style, try one of the trails that parallel the road.

Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. Photo courtesy: Glacier National Park Fund.

So…see you soon?
TT

Bonus info: The long-term forecast for March is projecting more snow. Good thing this girl is back in the snowboarding saddle.

Which I know is pretty shameful. Especially because I live within easy reach of some pretty stellar winter recreation areas. But before you decide to storm my office and throw snowballs at my head, let’s get one thing straight. I didn’t take an intentional break from boarding some of the best snow on earth…it just kind of happened. Little by little, day by day, season by season until three years rolled by and this girl hadn’t hit the snow.

With that said, I’m happy to tell you that I went snowboarding at not one, but TWO of Western Montana’s ski areas last week. The first one I journeyed to was Lookout Pass on the Montana/Idaho border.

And I must tell you, Lookout is pretty awesome.

I heart Lookout Pass.

It has great terrain, fun snow and it’s super accessible from where I live. My snowboarding, on the other hand, was not awesome. While I (unintentionally) hit a couple of black diamond runs, I also ate it nearly every time I got off of the chairlift. And it’s not like it was a cute, dainty fall. It was more of a hardcore ricochet combined with a solid bounce off of the snow. You get the picture, right?

And while I absolutely loved boarding Lookout for the day and genuinely had an awesome time (it’s now one of my favorite places to ride), by the time I left I had developed an irrational fear of chairlifts.

Later in the week, I took my new found fear with me to Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Moments after meeting up with a couple of girlfriends who work at the resort, I blurted out my fear of chairlifts. In turn they connected me with Kris, my instructor for the afternoon, who was AWESOME. Not only did she teach me how to properly dismount from a chairlift without causing a scene, she also helped me successfully navigate a toe-turn without tumbling down the mountain.

My two Jan's. (If you look closely, you can tell that someone in this photo is being held up).

By the end of the day, I was cruising down the slopes with a regained confidence and love of hitting the snow.

Happy girls.

The point of this story?

I am now happily back in the snowboarding saddle.

Snowboarding happiness.

So…who’s ready to ride?
TT