Things to Do in Billings
Rimrock sunsets, cold IPAs, and cowboys who'll buy your next round
Top Things to Do in Billings
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Climate Guide
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Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Landmark
Pictograph Cave State Park
Landmark
Rimrocks Rimrock Drive
Landmark
Yellowstone Art Museum
Landmark
Zoomontana
Landmark
Billings Heights
District
Downtown Billings
District
Historic Walkerville Midtown
District
South Side
District
West End
District
Your Guide to Billings
About Billings
The wind off the Yellowstone River tastes like sagebrush and diesel as it slices through downtown Billings on a Thursday night. You hear the freight trains coupling at the BNSF yards on Montana Avenue long before you see them, a metallic heartbeat syncing with the jukebox at the Rainbow Bar. Ranch hands in Wranglers nurse $3 PBRs beside software engineers who moved here for the rock climbing.
This isn't the Montana postcard sold in airport gift shops. The Rimrocks rise 500 feet above the city like ancient sandstone battlements, throwing shadows over the breweries on Minnesota Avenue by 4 PM in winter. Summer flips the script. The same cliffs glow orange until nearly 10. The Moss Mansion downtown, built in 1903 by a copper baron, sits three blocks from the Studio Bar.
Grab a beer for $2.50 there. Hear a cowboy croon Merle Haggard the instant a Tesla glides up outside. The Yellowstone Art Museum, housed in the old county jail, shows contemporary Native American art in cells where prisoners once carved their names. The trade-off? One Uber driver serves every 4,000 residents on a Friday night.
January temperatures hit -20°F with wind that feels personal. That is when the hot springs at Chico start making sense. The bars fill with stories about the one that got away.
Travel Tips
Transportation: Billings Logan International Airport sits 3 miles north of downtown. A taxi to the Historic Depot District runs about $25-30. Ride the MET bus for $2.75 if you land between 6 AM-7 PM. Most locals drive everywhere. Parking downtown costs $1.50/hour at the meters. But free after 5 PM and weekends. Uber exists but can take 20-30 minutes during bar rush. Smart move: rent a car at the airport for about $45-55/day. You will need it to reach the Rimrocks trailheads and the breweries scattered across town.
Money: Montana has no sales tax, which locals consider a birthright. ATMs charge $3-5 for out-of-network withdrawals. The Stockman Bank on Montana Avenue doesn't. Most places take cards. But the bar at Yellowstone River Brewing is cash-only. Tipping runs 18-20% at restaurants, $1 per drink at bars. Budget roughly $150-200 per day including hotel, meals, and activities. It is cheaper than most Rocky Mountain towns but not bargain-basement. Pro tip: Happy hour runs 3-6 PM at most breweries, with $4 pints and half-price appetizers.
Cultural Respect: Montana's libertarian streak runs deep. Do not tell locals how they should live. The Crow Reservation borders Billings. It is sovereign land, so do not wander onto it without permission. At powwows (usually June-August), photography requires permission and do not touch regalia. Ranchers shake hands firmly and look you in the eye. Hunting culture is sacred. Do not make jokes about Bambi. When someone says "Howdy," respond with "Morning/Afternoon" and their name if you know it. The art at Western museums isn't kitsch. Those Remington bronzes are serious business.
Food Safety: Billings' water won awards for purity, so drink the tap. The food trucks by the Yellowstone River are inspected and safe. The Navajo taco truck on 27th Street has been running 15 years without incident. Game meat (elk, bison) must be cooked to 160°F; order medium at Angry Hank's. Summer heat can hit 95°F, so skip mayo-based salads at outdoor festivals. The farmers market (Saturdays 8 AM-Noon at Pioneer Park) has hand-washing stations. Use them before those fresh cherries. Montana has relaxed liquor laws. Open containers are legal on Main Street during events. But do not be that tourist.
When to Visit
January hits -15°C (5°F) with wind that carves through Gore-Tex like a knife. Yet hotel prices drop 40% and the hot springs at Chico feel like salvation. February is more of the same, plus the Montana Winter Fair (mid-month) brings rodeo to the MetraPark. March starts the thaw. Highs around 7°C (45°F) and the Yellowstone River swells with snowmelt, spectacular for photographers.
April sees highs of 14°C (57°F) and the first green on the Rimrocks. Hotel rates rise 20% as ski season transitions to hiking. May is spring perfection: 21°C (70°F), lilacs in bloom, and the Strawberry Festival downtown. June through August sizzles at 27-32°C (80-90°F) with 14-hour days; expect 100% hotel occupancy and rates 60% above winter.
July brings the Magic City Blues Festival and the MontanaFair in August. September is the sweet spot: 23°C (73°F), golden aspens on the Beartooth Highway, and shoulder-season pricing. October drops to 13°C (55°F) with crisp nights good for brewery patios. November starts winter proper at 4°C (39°F) with occasional snow by Thanksgiving.
December means -8°C (18°F) and Christmas Stroll downtown. But you can ski at Red Lodge Mountain 60 minutes away. Budget travelers: January-March. Families: June-August but book 3 months ahead. Solo hikers: September-October. Avoid: late May (graduation crowds) and early August (State Fair chaos).
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