Things To Do in Great Falls
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Great Falls Attractions
Gibson Park, located 1 block north of the Civic Center along Park Drive, is quite nice, with a large pond, playgrounds, flower gardens, and picnic areas. This is a good place to pick up the trail system along the Missouri River. A grizzly bear chased Meriwether Lewis into the Missouri River near here in 1805.
- Zoo/Aquarium
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover, the refuge is physically unimpressive, a small lake in a broad, open, treeless plain. But the 12,383 acres are some of the country's most important nesting grounds for waterfowl, especially mallards, pintail, teal, and canvasback.… - Park/Garden
Giant Springs State Park
Lewis and Clark came upon and described the Giant Springs, purportedly the largest freshwater spring in the world. The spring now also feeds a fish-breeding facility nearby. It burbles out of the 250-million-year-old Madison Formation, a large water-bearing formation that provides a… - Historic Site
Malmstrom Air Force Base Heritage Center and Air Park
The air park has a number of aircraft from various eras, primarily from the 1950s and 1960s, but the real attractions here are the implements of nuclear weaponry: a Minuteman III ICBM and its transporter erector. Inside, amid scads of military equipment and uniforms and a… - Sports Venue
Showdown Ski Area
Although relatively undiscovered, this is a full-service ski area, with 34 trails, three chairlifts, a surface lift, and a 1,400-foot vertical drop. The area is perfect for beginning and intermediate skiers (30% beginner, 40% intermediate, 30% expert), with long, uninterrupted runs…
Great Falls Shopping
There are at least 19 antiques stores in Great Falls, and the chamber of commerce can give you a map of their locations. The terrific Dragonfly Dry Goods, 504 Central Ave. (tel. 406/454-2263), specializes in home decor, clothing, gifts, and things Western. Hoglund's, 306 1st Ave. S. (tel. 406/452-6911), has an awe-inspiring selection of cowboy boots and hats. You can find Montana-made souvenirs or gifts at the Blue Ribbon of Montana, 3400 10th St. S. (tel. 406/761-1233).
Great Falls Nightlife
The bar scene in Great Falls is fairly sedate and typical for a city its size, with one outrageous exception: the Sip 'n Dip Lounge at the O'Haire Motor Inn, 17 7th St. S. (tel. 406/454-2141), an authentic tiki bar, clad in bamboo and loaded with South Seas paraphernalia of all kinds. The sip in the moniker refers to the cocktails served by the bar. The dip, however, is quite unusual: Windows behind the bar make for a view of a pool where actresses in mermaid garb swim on Wednesday through Saturday nights. Then you've got "Piano Pat" Sponheim tickling the ivories, as she has since 1963, delivering unusual covers of Neil Diamond, Sinatra, and Elvis tunes. This is one of the kitschiest, wackiest, and flat-out coolest nightspots, not just in Montana, but in the entire West.
Beyond the Sip 'n Dip, another nightspot worth checking out is Machinery Row, a vast basement club under the Breaks Ale House & Grill.
