Things To Do in Whitefish

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.

The summer-only Alpine Theatre Project (tel. 406/862-7469; www.alpinetheatreproject.org) and the year-round Whitefish Theatre Company (tel. 406/862-5371; www.whitefishtheatreco.org) stage musicals and dramas at the O'Shaughnessy Center and Whitefish Performing Arts Center in downtown Whitefish. There's also a pretty good bar scene: Start at the Black Star Draught House at the Great Northern Brewing Company, 2 Central Ave. (tel. 406/863-1002), serving plump sandwiches and beers that are brewed on premise. Follow that with a timeout at Casey's, 101 Central Ave. (tel. 406/862-8150), a bit seedy but not lacking character; this is Whitefish's oldest structure. A third stop could be at the Great Northern Bar and Grill, 27 Central Ave. (tel. 406/862-2816), which is more upscale. This place is jumping on weekend nights. Your final stop: the Bulldog Saloon, 144 Central Ave. (tel. 406/862-5636). Not just a bar, the Bulldog turns out a pretty mean garlic burger, too.