In life, there are some friendships and relationships that pick up exactly where they left off. Whether it’s been one year or a decade, there are people and experiences that stay with you forever, especially for those who have served in the military and armed forces.
For veterans, military reunions are a chance to gather with the people who shared an important chapter of their lives together – a time to swap stories, laugh about the good times, remember those who served alongside you and make a few new memories along the way. If you’re looking for the next destination for your military reunion, we invite you to consider Kalispell, Montana.
The heart of northwest Montana, Kalispell is a mountain town that’s located within easy reach of some of the country’s most scenic places, including Glacier National Park and Flathead Lake. This is where outdoor adventure, Western hospitality and small-town charm come together in a destination that’s warm and welcoming. Plus, Kalispell has several attributes that make it a great place for reconnecting, from big adventures to quieter moments.
Your Reunion Itinerary
While you can plan a veterans reunion any time of the year in Kalispell, we recommend fall and spring, with each season bringing its own options for your group to experience. If you’d like to come in late spring or early fall, here is a sample itinerary to consider.
Day One: Arrive into Glacier Park International Airport or by car or train (Amtrak’s Empire Builder stops in Whitefish, which is a short drive from Kalispell). Enjoy a welcome reception that features Montana flavors and local hospitality. This could include a sampling of made-right-here brews, live music and a view of the sun setting over the Flathead Valley.
Day Two: Your adventure day takes your group on the road to visit Glacier National Park, Hungry Horse Dam or Flathead Lake, with interpretive offerings and experiences available at each location. Return to Kalispell for an evening of storytelling.
Day Three: Make the most of your day in Kalispell. Tour the museums, take a downtown walking tour, catch a baseball game (be sure to reserve a suite for your group where you can also incorporate Montana-made menu offerings) or watch rodeo action.
Day Four: After breakfast, meet old (and new friends) for a farewell lunch to reconnect before heading for home.
Getting to Northwest Montana
Kalispell has everything you need for a memorable military or veteran reunion, with comfortable accommodations, group-friendly venues, beautiful scenery, abundant things to do and a community that honors and values those who have served in the armed forces. Plus, it’s easy to get here.
Glacier Park International Airport (code FCA) offers great airlift from various markets around the country (see them all here), making it easy to bring everyone together for your reunion.
Reconnecting in the Outdoors
In a place like Montana, some of the best conversations and memory-making moments happen outside. Surrounded by mountain ranges, rivers, lakes and everything in between, it’s safe to say your reunion attendees will find no shortage of ways to reconnect.
Consider a visit to Glacier National Park. With 1 million acres, the park’s west entrance is 32 miles from downtown Kalispell. Glacier National Park is open year-round and, depending on when you visit, you can customize your national park experience to fit both the season and your group’s interests. In the summer, book a private red bus tour on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and learn about the ancient glaciers that carved out the landscapes that give the park its name. In winter, set up a guided snowshoe walk and breathe in the fresh mountain air and views from Lake McDonald.
Just south of Kalispell is Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the West. Your group can cruise its waters on a Far West boat tour, learning about the lake and having uninterrupted time together. The lake has 185 miles of shoreline and several islands. Depending on the activity and interest levels of your attendees, additional lake-focused offerings include fishing, guided kayaking and sailing.
Stay closer to town with two parks – Lone Pine State Park and Herron Park. Located within 5 minutes of each other, the parks have trails that are perfect for hiking as well as room to breathe. They’re also easy to get to and are under 15 minutes from Kalispell’s hotels.
Additional outdoor-focused experiences include a horseback trail ride with Swan Mountain Outfitters, guided biking on e-bikes along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, visiting Hungry Horse Dam or touring a local brewery. Catch the Glacier Range Riders playing against a backdrop of mountains, watch rodeo action or plan an outdoor event at one of our off-site venues.
Bring Kalispell Touches into Your Reunion
If you’re hosting a reunion in Montana, chances are you want it to have a Montana feel to it. With Kalispell as your base, it’s easy to bring Big Sky Country into your event venue or take your group directly into the heart of what makes our mountain town so special.
Downtown is walkable and welcoming, with a Veterans Memorial located in Depot Park. Beyond that, this area has a storybook look that comes in the form of historic buildings that house local shops, restaurants, stores, breweries and more, making it an easy destination for your group to explore.
Kalispell also has three museums all within easy reach of its downtown core, including the Conrad Mansion Museum, Northwest Montana History Museum and Glacier Art Museum. The first two offer a deep look into Kalispell’s past, with the Conrad Mansion Museum telling the story of the Conrad family who founded modern-day Kalispell. The Glacier Art Museum is housed in a historic Carnegie library building, with permanent art on display from Glacier National Park as well as traveling exhibits.
There are also abundant options for incorporating Kalispell into your event through culinary options and offerings, including a veteran-owned coffee shop and brewery. Take the group to Big Mountain Ciderworks for a private tour of their orchards, followed by lunch and dinner accompanied by a cider flight. Enjoy the best BBQ in the West at DeSoto Grill, which is in an old blacksmith shop. Or enjoy lunch on the patio overlooking downtown and the Swan Mountains at Bias Brewing. You can also incorporate local scavenger hunts and seasonal interactive passes into a day of sightseeing and adventure, exploring the local community along the way.
A Welcoming Community that Means it
Beyond the views, food and outdoor pursuits, another big reason Kalispell is a natural fit for military and veteran reunions is the people who call this place home. Montanans have a deep respect and gratitude for military service. Kalispell has several organizations that support veterans and their families, specifically the Kalispell Elks Lodge, Kalispell Eagles Club & Lounge, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry and Elks Veterans Program. Our office is well connected with those groups, as well as other pertinent individuals, and can help provide introductions to incorporate them into your event, from serving lunch to camaraderie and more.
Beyond those organizations, your group will also feel Kalispell’s welcoming nature. This is a place where people still greet each other by name in the local coffee shop, where drivers wave you into an opening in a lane and where people genuinely care for their neighbors.
Where to Stay
Any reunion or gathering needs a place where attendees can rest easy at the end of the day. Here in Kalispell, planners will find a wide offering of lodging properties with space to meet and gather, including the Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn Kalispell, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites and Red Lion Hotel Kalispell.
All told, there are 1,500 hotel rooms in Kalispell, which means you’ll have plenty of options for where to stay. And because it’s a mountain town in northwest Montana, it’s easy and quick to get your group from the hotel to a variety of offsite venues for receptions, including the Kalispell Elks Lodge and Kalispell Eagles Club & Lounge.
We’re Here to Help
We know that planning and hosting a destination reunion takes two big things – time and work. At Discover Kalispell, our job is to make it easier.
We offer group planning services and can provide insights on lodging, venues, activities, transportation and itinerary planning, as well as connecting you with the people and organizations that can add something even more special to your itinerary.
Kalispell is no stranger to military reunions and we have hosted groups in the past, specifically the USS St. Paul Association Reunion. If you’re a planner who is considering Kalispell for your veterans group reunion, we host planners regularly and would love to connect with you more in-depth about the who, what and why that make Kalispell an ideal location. At the end of the day, you bring the people, stories, photographs, memories and friendships to Kalispell. We’ll take care of the Montana part.
Ready to plan your military or veteran reunion in Kalispell, Montana? Reach out to Chris, our Group Sales Manager, at [email protected].
Chris O’Boyle, a former U.S. Marine who served from 1999 to 2004, brings his military experience and leadership background to his work today.
