Smart Meetings

Of the valley’s communities, Kalispell (kalispellchamber.com) is the largest with a population of about 14,000.  But don’t let numbers fool you—what the valley lacks in quantity, it makes up for with an abundance of quality. As the hub of Flathead Valley, Kalispell has four main meeting hotels, as well as championship golf, museums, galleries, shopping and restaurants.

But with more than a million acres of untouched wilderness at your doorstep, the real fun begins once the meeting is over. Tucked in the northwest corner of the state on the Canadian border is the valley’s largest draw: Glacier National Park (nps.gov/glac). 

Finding adventure will not be a problem here, with more than 700 miles of foot and horse trails. For groups, narrated scenic tours on historic 1930s red buses are a popular alternative to driving, especially on the scenic 52-mile Going-To-The-Sun Road.

At the north end of the valley, bordering Whitefish Lake, is the historic town of Whitefish (whitefishchamber.com). Once an old railroad town, Whitefish is now lined with bookstores, bistros and art galleries galore, as well as a wide array of hotels and resorts, many of which are right on the lake.

Farther south you’ll find the glacial Flathead Lake. At 28 miles long and 15 miles wide, it’s the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi.

For some of the best downhill skiing around, take your group to Big Mountain Ski Resort (bigmtn.com), with 11 ski lifts serving more than 3,000 acres of land. In the summer, ride a gondola or open-chair to the summit and enjoy the view.

Getting There

Billings Logan International is Montana’s largest major airport and serves as a regional hub for Delta, Northwest and United airlines. Flathead Valley, Missoula, Butte, Helena, Great Falls, and Bozeman all have airports with both daily and seasonal direct flights to Seattle, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver, Chicago and Minneapolis.