Two Montana Locations Make Top 5 For Best Summer Vacations In US

As summer nears, folks are getting ready to hit the road for all kinds of vacation fun.

For many Montanans, they will be heading to one of the coasts so they can spend time on a beach, or maybe go visit the most famous mouse in the world. Others might decide to stick around and do a little staycation here in Big Sky Country.

With a higher cost of living, it seems that many families have to make tough economic choices, and normally, one of the first things to go, or at least be scaled back, is the summer vacation. Luckily for Montanans, it just so happens that we're only a hop, skip, and jump from some of the most popular vacation spots in the United States.

READ MORE: This legendary Montana highway is now open for the season

However, if you are looking to leave Montana for a few days but want to stay close to home, here are some great vacation ideas that don't require a lot of travel.

Where are the best places to vacation in Montana?

If I told you that Montana has two locations in the Top 5 places for the best summer vacation, it certainly wouldn't be hard to guess which two locations I was talking about. However, what is interesting is that the rankings have changed a little bit from last year.

According to US News and World Report, both Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks are ranked among the Top 5 Best Summer Vacations in the United States, although both locations have slipped from last year's rankings.

2024 saw Glacier as the Top Spot on the list, with Yellowstone ranked 2nd. So, what about 2025? We know they're both still in the Top 5, but how far did each fall?

Glacier National Park moved down one spot for 2025. Ranked 2nd on the list of Top 5 Best Summer Vacations, this popular destination continues to wow its visitors with popular attractions like Going-To-The-Sun-Road and Lake McDonald.

So what about Yellowstone? Ranked 2nd last year, America's oldest National Park dropped down to 5th place on the list.

Get our free mobile app

Now, keep in mind, even though Glacier and Yellowstone might not be ranked as high as they were last year, that won't stop millions of Montanans and others from around the world from visiting the parks over the next few months, so if you are planning on spending time at either, plan accordingly.