To view some modern artists' contributions to decorating the West, drive the Avenue of the Sculptures along 27th Street (from I-90 exit 450 to the airport) for an outdoor art show. The first work, The Cattle Drive Monument, is right outside the chamber of commerce's visitor center. The Sheriff Webb Memorial Marker is on the courthouse lawn, and finally, in front of the airport is the Range Rider of the Yellowstone, posed for by silent-screen cowboy actor William Hart. Also around downtown, visitors will spot more public art in the form of a number of colorful equines from 2002's "The Horse, Of Course!" fundraiser for the Billings Depot restoration.
Kids will enjoy Geyser Park, 4910 Southgate Dr. (tel. 406/254-2510; www.geyserpark.net), featuring video games, a climbing wall, a laser tag arena, and a pizzeria.
Animals, Animals -- The only wildlife and botanical park within 500 miles of Billings, ambitious ZooMontana covers 70 acres and is continually changing and growing. The zoo concentrates on northern plains wildlife, some of which you may see on your trip through the state. There are nature trails meandering among the natural habitats of red pandas, eastern gray wolves, Manchurian sika deer, bald eagles, great horned owls, and the North American river otter; there's a petting zoo in a farm and ranch setting.
The zoo is also home to 2 of the 300 Siberian tigers remaining in the world, as well as to the retirees from a captive breeding program for black-footed ferrets, North America's rarest mammal. A new state-of-the-art grizzly bear habitat opened in 2008.
Take exit 443 north off I-90, head northwest on King Avenue to Shiloh Road, and then south (tel. 406/652-8100; www.zoomontana.org). Admission is $6 adults, $3 children 3 to 15, and $4 seniors 65 and over. May through late September, the zoo is open daily 10am to 5pm; late September through April daily 10am to 4pm.
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.
