Anyone been to Montana?

[irishbunny]

Well when my Nana's house is sold we were thinking of going on holiday, we can never afford to go on holiday abroad and this will be our only chance, I have always wanted to go to the US and I suggested we go to NYC but my parents were like 'Oh I don't want to go on a city break with the little kids blah, blah, blah' and then I suggested Montana, I saw an ad for it on TV and it looks really nice, nice forests and mountains and stuff. We would be looking for a holiday that isn't too touristy or expensive, gets farely warm in Summer, not too hot.

So I was wondering is Montana a nice place and if you have been there, what did you think of it? Or can you suggest other parts of the US that aren't too touristy and expensive for stuff like food? Thanks!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Each state has unique features--Montana will put you into Yellowstone Park--lots to see. We like South Dakota--Mt Rushmore, Crazyhorse, and if you want to see buffalo there's Custer Park. Lots more stuff. Each state has a tourism site--check them out and see what's best for you.

 

[PepnFluff]

Um I've never been to the US before but mum's in Mexico at the moment, it sounds really cheap for what you get, she's staying in a cheap moneywise hotel but she says its really nice. I don't know the names of any of the areas she's in but I know shes been to a few small towns which I imagine arn't touristy. The only thing with Mexico is that the it most probably isn't super safe, Mums due back home tomorrow and theres a swine influenza that has killed 80 people and some NZ teens have just come back and parently they have it.......

However if you want a nice treey, mountainy, beachy, not touristy in most parts, and nice and warm in summer come to New Zealand! Oh and another bonus for NZ you seem to have more money too from when you convert the euro to NZ dollars.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

Montana is beatufiul and they don't have speed limits on the interstates! There is a lot to see there, Idaho, Oregon, northern California are all beutiful as well. Enjoy!

 

[irishbunny]

Thanks all! I would love to go to NZ or Austrailia but the plane trip is over 24 hours and that would be a total nightmare with the youngest of the kids being 3 and 5. I was looking at the Montana site and the place looks really nice, too many places to chose from :rollseyes

 

[pinksalamander]

I've been to Idaho, which is next to Montana. Very nice place! Perfect climate and lovely surroundings.

 

[PepnFluff]

You'd be amazed at the selection of movies and games on planes these days lol. I have 48 hours of travel to look foward to in 3 days! We had some friends who came from MOntana, don't know where though but they had this cool sombrero salsa hat the sang when you dipped a chip lol.
Thats the thing I hate about travel lol, too many places to choose from! Make sure you bunny nap some of the bunnies from America：Ｐ

 

[XxMontanaxX]

Wabbitdad12 wrote:

Montana is beatufiul and ....

Yay! Haha, sorry. Had to quote that.

I've never been to Montana...but everyone always asks me if I've been there.

 

[irishbunny]

On the website it looks very, very pretty, does anyone know if the people are nice there? Being Irish we like people who are friendly, easy going and like to have a bit of craic.

 

[trailsend]

Montana is one of my favorite States. You will definitely need to go see Yellowstone National Park. There is a lot to see there - and in the mountains it is gorgeous. Except it's still snowing right now! I also agree with Nancy - South Dakota is one of my favorites, I love the Black Hills. One of my favorite places ever. Crazy horse is for sure something to see. We went to the Mammoth Site there and it's really cool.There are hundreds offossils there, if that kind of thing interests you. I loved the Museum of the rockies. But Montana is a BIGState - so depending on how you'll be traveling you'll probably wantto look at certain area's of it... It does get hot in Montana in the summer, August is the worst. It will get up to 100 F degrees easily.

People are friendly there, not everyone of course, but we rarely run into anyone very rude on our travels through there. We come through there most summers on our way home from Alaska.

I would say South Dakota is not going to be super expensive either. How are you planning on getting around? You going to rent a small motorhome or just a car and stay in hotels? We have a truck camper so we use campgrounds when traveling so I cannot comment on hotel prices. I wish I could help more. I'll keep thinking in case something pops up.

 

[DeniseJP]

Wabbitdad12 wrote:

Montana is beatufiul and they don't have speed limits on the interstates! There is a lot to see there, Idaho, Oregon, northern California are all beutiful as well. Enjoy!

I did that trip through those states with my aunt and uncle many years ago - we camped in Glacier National Park and it was amazing. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect - 70s and 80s Fahrenheit in July/August. I remember driving from Canada into Montana and watching a thunderstorm within the mountains... and we were in the sunshine. This trip was back in 1977 for me but I have many fantastic memories from the trip. I think they call Montana "Big Sky Country" and it is an appropriate description.

The park rangers at Glacier were funny - they do have grizzly and black bear in the park and traps are everywhere but we did not see or hear of anyone having a bear experience during our visit.

One ranger told us a story about an old timer saying the way you could tell the difference between the two was to go up and kick the bear in the butt, then run for the nearest tree and climb it. If the bear tried to shake you out of the tree, it was a grizzly. If it climbed up after you it was a black bear. I still laugh about that story... we hiked with bells - if the bears hear them they tend to venture to places where they don't have to listen to them.

On the other hand, NY state is not bad - folks always think "NYC" and the hustle and bustle down there (I lived in Brooklyn for 1 1/2 years) but there's a lot more to our state. You can always tour the Finger Lakes area - hilly, farm country, lots of wineries, bed and breakfasts, hiking, the lakes are all beautiful (love Canandaigua - they have a tour boat that goes all over the lake), Keuka (they have a tour boat, too), Honeoye Lakes myself...Seneca is nice and so is Cayuga - lots of Native American legends surround them, too - the stories alone are fun to read). If you like shopping, there are some good malls around. You can always start in NYC and take Amtrak (our train system) to upstate NY - it leaves Penn Station, goes up through Albany, Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Rochester and ends in Buffalo and the trains were always clean and nice from my memory of using them. JetBlue also has great fares from NYC to upstate - sometimes as cheap as $29 US dollars per person one way.

Or, from NYC, if you want to visit Boston, MA, Amtrak can take you that way as well.

Back to NY state, the Adirondack Mountains are popular - we have done a family camping trip with a group of families since our kids were babies - there is lots of fishing, hiking, canoeingand outdoor activities there without the big expense. The facility we go to has a lodge and other small cottages for rental so if one is not inclined to tent camping, they have some creature comforts.

Then there is Niagara Falls - always worth seeing - and Toronto is not far away from us and that was a fun city to visit without the hassles of NYC.

How exciting that you get to come across the pond! Someday, I hope to visit Ireland... my grandmother went over to research her family when she was young and always wanted to take me there but she passed at a young age. She spoke fondly of her grandfather, who was born in County Cork...just wish I could have met him. My oldest son Andrew is named after him. A good friend of mine has in-laws from Ireland and they imported many Connemara ponies here - I lgot to ride a number of them and love them as they are just as tough as me. :biggrin2:

Denise

 

[irishbunny]

Ya fingers crossed we will go over there! I wanted to go to NYC because I have friends who have gone over a couple of times and have only good things to say, well except that some people can be a bit rude.
Montana has caught my Dad's eye too and he would love to go there too, there was also talks of Spain and stuff but I really don't want to go because from what I hear Spain has gotten very touristy.
If we went to Montana we would probably rent, hotels would be too expensive for us all, all eight of us So would probably rent a holiday home or apartment or something and probably rent a car though it would be difficult for my Dad to drive on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road
It's funny how everyone wants to see somewhere else, like I want to go to US and you want to come to Ireland (though it's boring and wet! )
If you do ever decide to come, come to Clare!

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Gracie!:shame I love Ireland!I've been to both America and Ireland, and prefer Ireland. But then I am a red-head...maybe its my native roots calling me home!:biggrin2: (Honestly, I actually don't know of any Irish people in my family, although people always assume I'm of Irish decent! ha ha!)

 

[irishbunny]

Really? Ireland? There's nothing cool here

 

[trailsend]

We are planning a trip to Ireland for next year My Grandfather was born in Ireland and my partners family all came from there too, so he wants to go visit where his family came from. I don't know anything about any relations I might have there, but I've always known someday it's one place I would visit. We are really looking forward to it.

I think pretty much anywhere someone is, they often get surprised when people want to come there because they usually thinks it's nothing too special. But often it is very special! I guess we get used to it, by being there all the time in some cases.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

irishbunny wrote:

though it would be difficult for my Dad to drive on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road

Funny, I've always thought we drove on the right sideof the road.

 

[irishbunny]

Wabbitdad12 wrote:

irishbunny wrote:

though it would be difficult for my Dad to drive on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road

Funny, I've always thought we drove on the right sideof the road.

Lol

Trailsend- What part of Ireland are you thinking of going to?

I was talking to the twins in my class who have been in the US a few times and they said that everywhere they go, when people here their accents they stop them up and ask them are they from Ireland and ask them to say something in Irish, lol. I can see that it must be special to alot of people over there.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

A lot of Irish decendants over here! Around where I live, Notre Dame University, everyone says their Irish! Not really, but most everyone likes the teams of the university.

 

[irishlops]

irishbunny wrote:

On the website it looks very, very pretty, does anyone know if the people are nice there? Being Irish we like people who are friendly, easy going and like to have a bit of craic.

:laugh:
i think every one wants that grace!!! lol

 

[irishbunny]

Wabbitdad12 wrote:

A lot of Irish decendants over here! Around where I live, Notre Dame University, everyone says their Irish! Not really, but most everyone likes the teams of the university.

It seems lot's of people want to claim they are Irish lol. It's cool or something? I don't know. I don't understand why people like this place, like right now I'm looking out my window and it's pouring rain!