The main shopping area of Whitefish is on Central Avenue and stretches for 3 blocks. For a ski town, the shopping frenzy is fairly subdued. The largest bookshop in town is Bookworks, 244 Spokane Ave. (tel. 406/862-4980), which stocks the best in nature books, regional writing, and children's literature; it's also the source of current hardcover and paperback bestsellers. McGough and Company, 131 Central Ave. (tel. 406/862-9199), has a large selection of Indian-made jewelry. The Bear Mountain Mercantile, 237 Central Ave. (tel. 406/862-8382), is chock-full of gimcracks, knickknacks, and souvenirs, many with a bear theme. There are 12 art galleries in Whitefish that participate in a "First Thursdays" program on the first Thursday night of each month from July to October. On Tuesday evenings, head to the downtown farmer's market.

For a behind-the-scenes look at some of the local farms and their offerings, contact FarmHands (tel. 406/862-5356; www.whoisyourfarmer.org) for a free map of Flathead Valley farms that produce everything from goats to garlic and also welcome visitors.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.