Where to Go for a Cup of Joe in Glacier Country

The weather has changed from unseasonably cold and clear to a steady grey cloud cover and a temperature that hovers around 30 degrees.  It is the perfect time of year to be re-energized in a coffee shop.  I don’t have WiFi at my house so I am what you might call a connoisseur of Flathead Valley coffee shops.  As far as I can tell, people enjoy coffee shops for three different reasons: the coffee, the food and the atmosphere.  I’ll give you my top 3 picks based on these a

spects.

1.       Colter Coffee in downtown Kalispell.  It is the perfect coffee shop to chat with a friend or get down to business and read, write or study.  You can sit in front at a bar that faces out onto Main Street and watch the snow fall, or you can cozy up inside a different room with comfy chairs.  It definitely has a trendy hipster vibe, so you might come out with a waxed mustache and a V-neck t-shirt if you aren’t careful.  The coffee is typically more earthy in flavor and they make a good pumpkin chai tea.  They also get treats from Ceres Bakery and sometimes you can even have a scoop of Sweet Peaks ice cream in your coffee!

2.       Montana Coffee Traders (Kalispell location).  You might feel like you walked into an old west saloon with all the barn wood and the bar that skirts the barista station. This place is ideal for talking with someone over coffee or breakfast.    Their coffee is very good.  Although they typically don’t have it in pump pots, if you buy any Montana Coffee Traders coffee in bean form, you must buy the huckleberry!  It is sensational. Maybe the best huckleberry product there is. In addition to their coffee they have great hearty breakfasts.  There are even bigger tables for larger groups of people. 

3.       Glacier Perks Coffee House in Lakeside.  This place is filled with owner operated charm.  No kidding, the owners are really nice and as you might expect do a better job than hired help can.  Everything is done with class.  The coffee is good and the baked goods (done in house) are terrific (especially the scones)!  It is not a huge shop, but can work for both having coffee with friends and reading or studying. 

I do spend some time in the national chain coffee joints (City Brew and Star Bucks) and while these options might be consistent, your best bet, both from an adventure and quality standpoint, is Local!  

Written by Matt Harrington

Marketing and Front Desk

Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn and Suites

4824 Highway 93 South

Kalispell, MT 59901

Looking for a place to stay near Flathead Lake?  Check out: http://www.bestwesternflatheadlake.com/  we also have comprehensive lists of things to do and places to eat!

5 Montana Winter Driving Tips

I pressed hard on the brake as I coasted toward the stop-sign.  I wasn’t going fast, but suddenly my brakes locked and a force I couldn’t control pushed me off the road and into the ditch.  It was a force I had not experienced in my 5 months of driving as a fifteen-year-old.  It was ice; the first storm of the year in Billings, Montana.  Snow had fallen, melted and refroze on the road. 

Just like that fateful day several years ago winter had descended on us quickly and so have winter weather driving conditions.  Here are a few tips about driving your car in the snow:

1.       Easy does it.  As I learned by sliding into the ditch so that day, everything takes longer on snowy and icy roads; turning, accelerating and stopping (in my case).   So don’t be in a big hurry, especially at the beginning of the season, when you’re still getting used to how your vehicle handles on snow and ice.

2.       Know before you go. The Montana Department of Transportation Road Condition Map is a great way to stay up-to-date on road conditions.  I’ve traveled through several other states during winter and find their road condition maps to be sub-par compared to ours, both in accuracy and in timely updates.  Here is the link: http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/map/mtmap_frame.html .  You can also call 5-1-1, but it usually takes a while for your area to come up on the automated system.

3.       Be prepared for emergencies.  If you slide off the road in a place where you won’t be found for a while and it is too cold/risky to walk for help how would you prepare?  The reality is there are thousands and thousands of highway miles in Montana where it might take a while to find you.  If you’re going to drive them, I’d bring lots of warm clothes, non-perishable food to eat, an alternative way to warm yourself (besides the vehicle) and maybe a book to read.

4.       Watch for snow plows.  They go slow, so slow down when you see one and keep a good distance from them unless you want to get splattered with sand.  Passing them can be tricky, so make sure you have plenty of time if you are going to.   We have a great snow removal infrastructure in Montana, make sure you respect those drivers that keep our roads drivable.

5.       Don’t be a cheapskate with your car.  Get it ready for winter.  Snow-tires can help substantially with traction (more than 4-wheel drive in many cases).  Anti-freeze is a good idea.  Also, keep your gas tank half full to avoid the freezing of your gas-line (this is not the time of year to see how many miles you can get on a tank).

Common sense is a big deal when driving in Montana during the winter.  The exercise of common sense might keep you out of the ditch and ignoring it might put you in it, or worse.  So if you feel like being a little risky, a little daring, do us all a favor: don’t go out on the roads.   Bet on corn futures or social security and not your life.