Put Livingston on Your Montana Stay-Cation List

With four dogs and two kids at home, it's not always super easy for my spouse and me to get away for some quality time. As fun as it would be to jet off to Mexico or Vegas for a few days, it's typically not in the cards.

So, our little overnight getaways are usually somewhere within a few hours' drive of Billings. A couple of weeks ago, we found ourselves in Livingston, MT, and let me tell you... we had a blast.

Driveway into Music Ranch Montana. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

1. Live music abounds in Livingston and the surrounding area.

We made the short trek from Laurel to Livingston for a concert at Music Ranch Montana, a delightfully unique little venue roughly 8 miles south of town in the stunning Paradise Valley.

Lorrie Morgan performing at Music Ranch Montana. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

This spot was so relaxing and enjoyable. I highly recommend you see a show there sometime. They mostly book older country acts, bluegrass bands, etc. Just down the road, you'll find the Old Saloon in Emigrant, another popular spot for outdoor live music in the summertime.

The Comfort Inn in Livingston met our expectations. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

2. Relatively affordable accommodations can be found in Livingston.

If you've looked at summertime hotel room rates in Bozeman, Missoula, or the Flathead Valley lately, you know how insanely expensive they can be. Despite being in the middle of tourist season, we were able to book a decent King Suite at a hotel in Livingston for under $190, including taxes and fees.

Granted, that was on the lower end, and our room definitely wasn't a 5-star place. But it was clean, quiet, and comfortable, and served our one-night stay needs perfectly.

The Murray on a recent Saturday night. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

3. Downtown Livingston is very walkable.

After the concert, we headed back to Livingston and dropped into the historic Murray Hotel and Bar for a couple of drinks. Two dudes with guitars were playing toe-tapping original tunes on the small stage. The bar wasn't very crowded (for a Saturday at 10 PM), and the music wasn't so loud that you couldn't carry on a conversation.

The Owl bar in downtown Livingston, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

Eventually, we wandered down the block and around the corner to another cool bar, The Owl. This place was like a 1950s time capsule. From the vintage neon sign and original maple bar to the red-and-chrome tables and chairs, the vibe at The Owl was on point. Another local duo was playing live music here.

More live, local music was found at The Owl. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

4. Lots of great food options are at your disposal in Livingston.

For a town with fewer than 10,000 residents, you'll find a surprising variety of food options in Livingston, with around 50 restaurants, coffee shops, and food trucks offering everything from steaks and wood-fired pizza to Mexican food and BBQ.

After shutting down The Owl the night before, we awoke hungover and hungry for breakfast. Around noon-ish on Sunday, we found ourselves back to where our evening started at the Murray. Which is directly connected to Gil's.

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Gil's is a big gift shop/fishing store/merchantile, that also has a killer restaurant. Our breakfast plate portions were large, the food and service were great, and the prices were agreeable.

A "ghost sign" inside Gil's. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

5. Interesting architecture, museums, and proximity to adventures.

Many downtown areas in smaller Montana communities can sometimes be a bit depressing, with rundown buildings and vacant properties falling into disrepair. Not Downtown Livingston.

Nearly all of the beautiful old buildings in the heart of Livingston have been restored or are well-maintained and are filled with bars, restaurants, galleries, and fun little shops. Railroad buffs will want to explore The Depot museum, and if you enjoy Montana history, the Gateway Museum is worth a visit.

The soundtrack at the Murray during our visit. Credit Michael Foth, TSM

We can't wait to have another "Livingston Saturday Night."

Would I spend a week in Livingston? Of course not. But it's a great place for a night or two locals getaway. We didn't have time on this visit to hit up Mark's In and Out Beefburgers. This wildly popular 1950s drive-in had a HUGE line every time we drove by.

And on our next visit, we'd like to spend a little more time exploring downtown, or perhaps using Livingston as a launch pad for a quick trip into Yellowstone National Park.