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Helena Attractions
A walking tour of the city will give you a capsule of the history of the Old West. For pointers on where to explore, contact the Helena Convention and Visitor's Bureau (tel. 800/743-5362 or 406/442-1530) and request one of the excellent walking tour brochures by the Montana Historical Society.
Last Chance Gulch was so named because a quartet of gold-seeking prospectors declared the spot to be their "last chance" to strike it rich. It came to be one of the richest gold-producing areas in the world and remains one of Helena's main streets. Located downtown, this historic area combines Helena's colorful past with a contemporary freshness. Architecturally significant buildings, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, house espresso shops and boutiques, while ultramodern sculptures depict historical events. Interpretive markers are scattered along the pedestrian mall, with historical information relating to period construction.
In Jefferson City, 15 miles south of Helena via I-15, the Tizer Botanic Gardens & Arboretum, 38 Tizer Rd. (tel. 406/933-8789; www.tizergardens.com), is the only botanic garden in the vicinity, a peaceful display of bulbs, perennials, roses, and other plants crisscrossed by paths. It's open May through September and by appointment other times of year; admission is $4 (free for kids 5 and under).
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Archie Bray Foundation
Archie Bray, a Helena resident and enthusiastic supporter of the arts, established this artistic colony for potters in 1951 at the brickyard and kilns of the Western Clay Manufacturing Company. Over the years it has become a premier testing ground for ceramic artists working together…- Religious Site
Cathedral of St. Helena
Completed in 1924, the Cathedral of St. Helena was modeled on a church in Vienna, Austria. Its beautiful twin 230-foot spires seem ready to soar heavenward on their own, filigreed and light. The cathedral is decorated with magnificent Bavarian stained-glass windows, hand-carved oak… - Tour
Gates of the Mountains Boat Tours
Meriwether Lewis coined the name "Gates of the Mountains" while plying this portion of the Missouri with his party. At almost every bend in the waterway, the towering rock formations seemed to block their passage, only to magically open up as they drew closer. Visitors can have an… - Sports Venue
Great Divide Ski Area
Great Divide is primarily a local ski hill, not a destination resort, but the resort has added a half-pipe and night lights while expanding to 1,600 acres. With a 1,500-foot vertical drop, it is also pretty tough (15% beginner, 40% intermediate, and 45% advanced), although the Lower… - Cooking Class
Great Northern Carousel
Privately built by the developer of the Great Northern Town Center, this new carousel is an enchanting work of art with a definitive Montana spin -- there are hand-carved bison, grizzly bears, dinosaurs, otters, and bighorn sheep alongside the horses, frogs, and pigs. There is also… - Tour
Last Chance Tour Train
A train engine on wheels pulls you around Helena on a tour of its historic sites, including the Atlas Block, the Montana Club, and the old governor's mansion. This is an excellent way to get oriented in Helena and learn a few things about the city at the same time. The tours last 1… - Landmark
Montana State Capitol
Several years ago Montana's beautiful state capitol building underwent extensive renovations, revitalizing the historic grandeur that was lost during construction in the 1960s. Situated on 14 acres, the building was designed by architects Charles Bell and John Kent in the late 1800s.…
Helena Shopping
Last Chance Gulch is a 4-block-long pedestrian mall. Though it is not exclusively a shopping area, the office buildings are liberally interspersed with boutiques, restaurants, pubs, and places for the kids to play. Informational kiosks are located in the center of this walking mall and at its north end. The Atlas Block is a group of historically significant architectural structures in Last Chance Gulch. As Helena's main areas were leveled several times in the last 125 years or so, once by earthquakes (in 1935) and several times by fire in the 19th century and again in 1928, builders of the Atlas Block carved images of salamanders, which, in medieval European mythology, are impervious to fire.
Lasso the Moon, 25 S. Last Chance Gulch (tel. 406/442-1594), is a classic toyshop, featuring rack after rack of unique toys that aren't stocked by the mass-market retailers. Next door at 21 S. Last Chance Gulch, is the Ghost Art Gallery (tel. 406/443-4536), which features art on Western and nature themes. Another good gallery is Upper Missouri Artists, 7 N. Last Chance Gulch (tel. 406/457-8240).
The attractive Great Northern Town Center is an emerging retail area just west of the intersection of Lyndale Avenue and Last Chance Gulch. Here, Cobblestone Clothing, 828 Great Northern Blvd., Ste. 103 (tel. 406/449-8684), sells upscale women's apparel with a hint of the New West; Grand Junction Mercantile, 825 Great Northern Blvd. (tel. 406/442-6210), is the place for gifts. There is also a new eight-screen movie theater here.
Helena Nightlife
Make it a point to visit the state-of-the-art Myrna Loy Center for the Performing and Media Arts, 15 N. Ewing St. (tel. 406/443-0287; www.myrnaloycenter.com). Formerly the county jail, the Myrna Loy (named after the silver-screen legend who was one of Helena's most famous residents) is today a multidisciplinary cultural center. Within its castlelike facade are a 55-seat cinema and a 250-seat performance hall, along with a gallery that focuses on regional art. Other playgoing opportunities include productions by Grandstreet Theatre, 325 N. Park Ave. (tel. 406/447-1574; www.grandstreet.net), and the Montana Shakespeare Company (tel. 406/431-1154; www.montanashakespeare.org), which takes to the stage June through August at Tizer Botanic Gardens and Arboretum.
Of the Queen City's watering holes, we like Miller's Crossing, 52 S. Park Ave. (tel. 406/442-3290), for the live music, neighborhood atmosphere, and Blackfoot River Brewing suds on tap, and the popular Brewhouse Pub & Grille, 939 1/2 Getchell St. (tel. 406/457-9390), atop the Lewis & Clark Brewing Company in the Great Northern Town Center area. The taproom at Blackfoot River Brewing Company, 66 S. Park Ave. (tel. 406/449-3005), is another good option, open daily from 2 to 8pm with free tasters and a three-beer limit.
