Summer is a time for vacations.

I remember as a kid, we would get in the car and travel to wherever one of my Mom's sisters lived. We would end up staying for a week or so, and I was absolutely bored to death the majority of the time, no place we went was as beautiful as Montana (no offense to Abilene Texas, btw)

With summer upon us, and the increased traffic of out-of-state vehicles pulling travel trailers and 5th wheels, tons of folks are coming to Montana to vacation and see all that we have to offer here in Big Sky Country, and according to some new data, we offer a whole lot.

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Our friends over at U.S. News and World Report came out with their list of Best Summer Vacations for 2023, and The Treasure State made the list. In fact, we made the list more than once.

So which Montana destinations made the list? Well, we'll get to that in a second, but first, let's discuss the methodology behind all of this.  What are the factors that are considered when deciding which destinations are the very best for summer vacations?

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Credit: Canva
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According to the report, it seems they use a bit of a mix.  They rely on their editor's opinions, as well as the opinions of travelers. Plus, they look at things like affordability, nightlife, dining options, culture, family activities, etc.

So which two Montana destinations made the list of Best Summer Vacations for 2023?

It certainly won't come as a surprise that it was both Glacier National Park as well as Yellowstone National Park, but what may come as a surprise is the ranking the two locations received.

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Credit: Canva
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Out of the 21 locations picked, Both Glacier and Yellowstone made the Top 5, in fact, they made the Top 2. Yep, according to U.S. News and World Report, The two best summer vacation spots can be found right here in Montana with Glacier taking the top honors and Yellowstone coming in second.

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Credit: Canva
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So what does that mean?  Well, it means a whole lot more tourists, travel trailers, and 5th wheels.

25 Stunning Photos of Glacier National Park

Check out 25 pictures of Glacier National Park, the "Crown Jewel of the Rockies."

25 Pictures of Montana's Most Beautiful Highway

Have you ever driven the most beautiful highway in Montana?

20 License Plates Banned In Montana

This is just a small glimpse at banned license plates in the state of Montana. There are well over 4000 that could be added to this list.

Now why some of these are banned is beyond me. I don't find any of them offensive, that's for sure; the state of Montana has the right to refuse:

"any combination of letters or numbers, or both, that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which are misleading or a duplication of license plates provided elsewhere."- Montana Motor Vehicle Department

What plates are banned in your state? Hopefully, they are not as picky as Montana.

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