How to Spend One Day in Bozeman, Montana

For lots of people, Bozeman is just another stop on a bigger trip to Yellowstone. But if you’re wondering if Bozeman is worth sticking around in for an extra day, the answer is yes! Bozeman can definitely be a destination in its own right!

When a friend of mine invited me to tag along on a work trip she had to Bozeman, I jumped at the chance for a couple of laid back days with a friend and a day to have together in Bozeman. And honestly, I wasn’t planning to write about it. I really wasn’t!

But after a couple nights in Bozeman I couldn’t stop thinking about the mountain views and the downtown charm and all the ways this little town surprised me. We were there during October and I could not believe that I hadn’t heard of this place as a Fall destination before! I loved it so much.

So if you’ve got a day to spend in Bozeman (maybe even on your way to Yellowstone), here’s how to make the most of it. Plus I’ve got a few tips on where to stay, eat, and more things to do in Bozeman if you’ve got more time.

One Day Bozeman Itinerary

Breakfast Downtown

Close-up of fluffy pancakes topped with melted peanut butter, chocolate chips, a scoop of butter, and powdered sugar on a white plate. The rich, gooey toppings contrast with the golden brown surface, making it a decadent breakfast dish. — Peanut Butter Cup Pancake from Jam!

Start your day out with breakfast in downtown Bozeman! There are so many great places to eat, but we chose Jam! and were so glad we did!

We started with the Jam & Toast which came with a few of their homemade jams, including Strawberry Balsamic Jam. Y’all, I don’t even like strawberry OR balsamic usually, but I LOVED this!

I had the Peanut Butter Cup Pancake, which a peanut butter lovers dream. And my friend, who is a huge fan of eggs benedicts, had their Benedict Flight so she could try all the different versions!

They also sell their jams so you can take them home! They aren’t vacuum sealed, just scooped into a jar from their large supply, so it will need to stay refrigerated. But they assured me it would be fine if left out for a day for travel, so I brought a jar of the huckleberry jam home as a gift for my mom.

Jam! is definitely one of the most popular spots to eat breakfast or brunch in Bozeman. But there are a lot of other great options too! You could try The Farmer’s Daughters Cafe, The Western Cafe, or Main Street Overeasy.

Morning at Bozeman Hot Springs

Outdoor hot spring pool surrounded by lounge chairs, tall pine trees, and autumn foliage, with a large sculptural stone at the pool’s edge. The clear water reflects the bright blue sky, creating a serene and inviting spa setting. — One of the outdoor pools at Bozeman Hot Springs

Since this was a girls trip, we thought we should start out with some relaxation, so we headed to Bozeman Hot Springs.

We really had just planned to spend about an hour there, but we ended up spending the entire morning soaking in the hot springs! And we both said that if we had had a longer trip, we would have planned to spend a whole day relaxing here!

Bozeman Hot Springs has four pools outside and eight pools along with a steam room and sauna inside. All the pools are fed by underground wells. Each pool is a different temperature, and you can see the temperatures for each day posted in the pool areas.

We spent a ton of time soaking outside and since it was a kind of chilly day, it felt perfect! Then we headed inside and enjoyed some of the hot tubs and warm pools in there as well as the sauna and the cold plunge pool.

Woman wearing a knit beanie, sunglasses, and a swimsuit smiling in front of a clear blue outdoor pool on a sunny day. Lounge chairs and a building with a metal roof are visible in the background, suggesting a relaxing spa or hot spring setting. — A swimsuit and a knit hat was the perfect thing to wear for the hot springs in 40 degree weather!

The other thing that impressed me about Bozeman Hot Springs was how clean it was! Everything was so well maintained. I actually completely forgot to pack any kind of sandals of any kind, but didn’t feel weird at all walking around the complex barefoot.

Bozeman Hot Springs costs $21 for a day pass for adults during the week and $28 on the weekend. Or you can get access to the full fitness center for $30 during the week and $35 on the weekend. It’s located about 20 minutes west of downtown Bozeman.

Lunch and Shopping Downtown

Street view of downtown Bozeman, Montana featuring the historic Avant Courier Building on the corner of E Main Street and S Tracy Avenue. The scene includes red-brick architecture, boutique storefronts, a vintage red pickup truck, and clear blue skies. — Downtown Bozeman

After a few hours at the hot springs we started to get hungry, so we changed clothes and headed back downtown for some lunch and shopping.

We decided to eat at Revelry after some people we met at our hotel recommended it to us, and it was fantastic! I had the Tuscan Chicken Sandwich, which was delicious and perfect filling but not too heavy lunch.

Then we spent some time shopping downtown. Bozeman is full of so many cute boutique shops, from gift shops to Western shops to bookstores and more. In fact, there are so many we couldn’t even make it all the way down the street in one afternoon!

Bookshelf with low shelves of books facing outward down a long aisle with wood-planked flooring. It is open to the upstairs and you can see more books through the railings. — I loved visiting The Country Bookshelf in Bozeman!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Two Trick Pony — This was our favorite store! It’s full of so many fun and funny gift items! I bought my kiddo a t-shirt here and honestly wish I could have bought more if I had had room in my luggage!
Country Bookshelf — You know I had to find the indie bookstore and I loved this one! It was huge, with books both upstairs and downstairs and a great curation of titles!
Cosmica World Boutique — A fun clothing and gift boutique. They had the most amazing felt flower arrangements and all kinds of other fun things to look at!
Barefoot Campus Outfitters — A great place for Montana gear and souvenirs!

Hike the College M Trail

Rolling green hills with a few scattered houses and steeper mountains in the background. In the foreground, some leaves are changing to fall colors. — Beautiful views on the College M Trail!

For the afternoon we decided to hike the famous M Trail!

This trail is located about a 10 minute drive from downtown Bozeman. It’s a 3.6-mile total out-and-back trail that climbs up to an “M” made of white rocks that students from Montana State University built in 1915. (There’s also a steeper 1 mile route you can take but it looked WAY too intense for us!)

Honestly, this trail was a little more challenging than I expected. It was a lot of uphill and I could tell that I was not used the altitude! But we toughed it out and I am so glad we made it to the top because the views were amazing!

And we timed it perfectly, coming down to the last look out over the valley right as the sun was setting!

Pro Tip: Make sure to bring bear spray! Even though this is a popular trail, bears are still around. In fact, when we were almost back to our car, a bear was spotted in the parking lot! (The other hikers told us a dog chased it off!). If you’re flying in and can’t bring bear spray with you, you can rent it at the airport. But we actually just borrowed some from the front desk of our hotel!

Dinner Downtown

After our hike we headed back to our hotel and changed clothes and headed to dinner. We actually just ate at Sky Shed at our hotel, which ended up being a great decision because they have a beautiful rooftop seating area!

But if you want to eat somewhere else, here are a couple other options:

Revelry — This is where we ate lunch, but they have a great dinner menu too!
Blackbird Kitchen — I’ve heard great things about this one and their imaginative menu looks fantastic. I would definitely head here for a date night.
Montana Ale Works — A little more casual and family-friendly, and they are apparently “Bozeman’s Most Award Winning Restaurant.” And of course they have lots of beers on tap.
Open Range — This is a steakhouse I would love to try on another trip to Bozeman!

Where to Stay in Bozeman

Hotel lobby with a leather couch, darker leather chairs, and a wooden table. In the corner is a guitar on display, and there are windows looking out onto the street. — Lobby of the Kimpton Armory Hotel

There are several great hotels in Bozeman, and I highly recommend where we stayed: The Kimpton Armory Hotel! You can read my full review here!

Our room was so nice and we even had a pillow menu to try out different luxury pillows (I even found I one I want to buy for myself!). The lobby was cozy, the service was so friendly, and even the restaurants were great! And my favorite part might have been the rooftop pool that was heated and had views of the mountains!

Sparkling blue rooftop pool. A glass wall encloses it, allowing swimmers to look out over the view of Bozeman mountains. — The rooftop pool at the Kimpton Armory Bozeman!

We had dinner one night at Fielding’s, their main restaurant off the lobby, and Y’ALL. I’m a Southern girl through and through, so I was shocked that I had THE BEST CORNBREAD OF MY LIFE here. And everything else was great too!

Looking for some other hotels in Bozeman? Here are a few others that have great reviews:

Residence Inn by Marriott — Convenient to downtown, you can use your Marriott points, and it looks updated and nice!
Element Hotel — Another one convenient to downtown that consistently gets good reviews.
AC Hotel by Marriott — This one was just around the corner from where we stayed and it looked super nice as well! This would probably by my top other choice for Bozeman (aside from where we stayed).
The Lark — A small, unique hotel downtown. This one looks ADORABLE and is a motel that has been updated for a modern look. Definitely stay here if you want a unique accommodation!

And if you want something different, here’s a map of different places to stay in Bozeman:

More Things To Do in Bozeman

Have more than just one day in Bozeman? Here are some other things to do!

Museum of the Rockies — I’ve heard this museum is well worth it! Learn all about the history of the area and see lots of dinosaur fossils, including ones of the few mounted T. Rexes in the US. This is a must-do if you’re traveling with a dino-loving kid!
Montana Grizzly Encounter — Visit rescue grizzly bears and learn about them. Another great thing to do with kids!
American Computer and Robotics Museum — Definitely a niche museum for a niche interest, but if you’re interested in the history of technology, this is one to add to your list!
Palisade Falls — I’ve heard great things about this hike, and if we had had more time (and it wasn’t quite so cold when we were there) I would have loved to do it!
Yellowstone National Park — Of course Bozeman is a stop for many people on the way to Yellowstone, but even if you’re just going to Bozeman, you can easily plan a day in the North part of Yellowstone.