Day 2: Staying Put

What makes Great Falls, MT so great? You wouldn’t believe me unless you saw it.

Day 2 – July 11

To answer a quick question you may have: no, I won’t be updating this blog daily. Sometimes I won’t have web access. Other times I’ll simply be busy. With that said, let’s bring you up to speed.

When we last left off, I found myself in the second floor room of Great Falls’ O’Haire Motor Inn. At this charming, retro hotel, each guest is given their own rubber duck to take with them on future adventures and you are encouraged to share your photos on Facebook or via e-mail. The bed was comfortable. The wi-fi was less than great. The style was charming (to me, at least).

After catching up on some much needed rest, I grabbed a quick Asian grilled chicken salad at the hotel’s restaurant, Clark & Lewie’s; a nod to the explorers who came through this area so many years ago. The grill seems to be a favorite with locals, as only bar seating was available.

Upon searching Trip Advisor for the best things to do in Great Falls, there were three options that piqued my interest: the C.M. Russell Museum (closed on Mondays, naturally), Giant Springs State Park, and Bowser Brewing Company (if you didn’t know it already, I’m a sucker for craft breweries). So, the latter two were my day’s activities.

Giant Springs is a quick drive from downtown that features the world’s largest freshwater springs, over two miles of walking trails, a Lewis & Clark museum, and a fish hatchery. Check out this quick video I shot below if you want to see the falls in action.

Afterwards, I cruised on over to the town’s oldest craft brewery, Bowser Brewing Company, for a flight of their finest. Their Jalapeno Hefe, Argonut Brown, Latte Stout, Chip Off The Ol’ Scotch, Buzzmaker, and Strawberry Blonde ales were all delightful. I even stuck around and had their avocado lime sandwich made with what was essentially guacamole, tomato, cucumber, and lime and served with a side of their homemade pickled cucumber, squash, and onion. They’re just now beginning to bottle their Jalapeno Hefe; it’s their first beer for available commercial sale. While you can only pick it up in Great Falls, I have no doubt you’ll be hearing about them in the future.

After heading back to the hotel for a quick nap (don’t judge me), I shuffled over to the highlight of Great Falls: The Sip ‘n’ Dip Lounge. To tell you the truth, Sip ‘n’ Dip is the whole reason I came to Great Falls and stayed at the O’Haire. “But Rhys,” you say, “why would you go somewhere just to visit a dive bar?” Because, dear reader, this dive bar has mermaids.

For three to four hours a night, a hired staff member (usually a woman, except Tuesday for Ladies’ Night) dresses up in a mermaid outfit and enchants the tiki bar patrons with solid swimming skills, expert bubble blowing, hoop tricks, teasing, and, of course, posing for group shots. There was even a wardrobe change halfway through. This alone was worth the trip here, but the cocktails were solid (a Mai Tai and Purple Rain were imbibed), the staff was friendly, and most patrons were pretty fantastic. Kids are even allowed in until nine to check out the show with their family. For a Monday, the bar was packed and the mermaid tips kept coming in.

Before I knew it, the show was over. I stuck around for some salt and pepper wings (a definite winner) and called it a bit of an early night, for the next day I would be visiting three states.

Day 2 Stats:

Miles traveled: 10 (approx.)

Miles traveled so far: 898

States visited:

1. Montana