30 Fun Things to Do in Helena, MT: An Insider’s Guide

Updated April 9, 2024

Don’t want to miss the best things to do in Helena, Montana? Use this insider’s guide to plan your trip!

The more times I visit Helena, Montana, (and being from Great Falls, just 90 miles away, I’ve made dozens of trips to Helena over the years), the more I think it’s really an underrated town.

It’s got just 35,000 people, making it the second-smallest of Montana’s seven “cities,” and the town’s primary claim to fame is that it’s the state capital.

But look a little deeper, and you’ll find so many fun things to do in Helena, plus easy access to outdoor activities year-round – and the central location means tons of options for great day trips from Helena, too.

Whether you’re touring the country’s state capitals, driving I-15 from Canada to Mexico, or taking a road trip from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park, there are plenty of reasons to visit Helena – and this guide will help you make the most of however much time you have there.

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The Best Things to Do in Helena, Montana

From local art and Montana history to fun shopping and the great outdoors, these are the top Helena activities to consider including in your itinerary. Bonus: many of them are centrally located (and Helena’s pretty compact anyway), making it easy to see a lot in a short amount of time.

Walk the pedestrian-only Last Chance Gulch.

Last Chance Gulch is a road that runs through the heart of downtown Helena and should be part of any Helena itinerary. The last quarter-mile or so of the road, known as the Walking Mall, is closed to vehicles and lined with shops, restaurants, and galleries. And head north of the Walking Mall along the main part of Last Chance Gulch for even more.

A few beloved spots?

• Big Dipper Ice Cream
• Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys
• The Parrot Confectionery
• Birds & Beasleys
• Wild Child Collective
• Aunt Bonnie’s Books & Gifts
• Montana Book Company
• General Mercantile (“The Merc”)

Walk the lesser-known Reeder’s Alley.

Last Chance Gulch isn’t the only walking street in Helena. Nearly adjacent to it is tiny Reeder’s Alley – blink and you’ll miss its entrance, right by Cotton-Top Pastries. What this street lacks in size (it’s only about 200 feet long), it makes up for in intrigue, as the site of Helena’s oldest intact settlement.

A narrow cobblestone road lined with brick buildings, it served as a housing complex for miners in the 1800s. Today, Reeder’s Alley is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. The self-guided walking tour of the alley teaches some fascinating history, and the pioneer cabin at its base is open to visitors during the summer.

Visit the Montana Capitol Building.

Like in every state capital, the capitol building is one of the top attractions in Helena. Known for its copper-covered dome – as well as the paintings on the dome’s interior – the building has served as the Montana state capitol since 1902.

After a hiatus, guided tours of the Capitol are back and available Monday-Friday during the summer. Visitors can still explore the building on a self-guided tour any time of year, and kids will love the scavenger hunt led by Lewis and Clark’s dog, Seaman.

Tour Montana’s Original Governor’s Mansion.

The Original Governor’s Mansion is one of Helena’s most historic buildings, dating to 1888. An example of Queen Anne-style architecture, it housed Montana’s governors for about 45 years.

Today, it serves as a historic museum and is only open for tours, which are free and last one hour. The tours are led by very knowledgeable guides who can tell you pretty much anything about the mansion and the early history of the capital. (Note that the mansion is only open on Saturdays outside of summer months.)

Learn the state’s history at the Montana Historical Society Museum.

As of April 2024, Montana’s Museum is temporarily closed for renovations.

Known as Montana’s Museum, it really is the most comprehensive and informative museum on the history of the state. It’s surprisingly big and there’s a lot to read, with exhibits on wildlife, Lewis and Clark, Native American history and culture, paleontology, and more, plus local art collections. And it’s got a sizable gift shop, too.

This is easily one of the biggest attractions in Helena, and one of the best museums in Montana, so don’t miss it!

Learn even more at the Montana Military Museum.

Head out to Fort Harrison on the edge of town to see this relatively little-known museum. Housed in World War II-era buildings, the Montana Military Museum depicts the history of the armed forces in Montana, all the way back to the days of Lewis and Clark. You’ll also see several historic military vehicles parked outside.

Two things to know: the museum is only open on Thursdays, and you’ll need a photo ID to get in. Oh, and it’s free!

Stop by the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.

Easily one of the most unusual things to do in Helena, the Archie Bray Foundation feels like a pretty unexpected find. A 70-year-old institute situated on a National Historic Register-listed brickyard, “the Bray” is said to house some of the country’s finest ceramic art.

The exhibitions rotate frequently throughout the year, and they’re always free and open to the public. With indoor and outdoor spaces spread over 26 acres, there’s a lot to see – art galleries, kilns, functioning artists’ studios, and the remains of the historic brickyard, all surrounded by a very wide range of outdoor sculptures.

Visit the Cathedral of St. Helena.

Its twin spires soaring 230 feet in the air, the 109-year-old Cathedral of St. Helena towers above downtown. The building was modeled after the neo-Gothic Votive Church in Vienna, and you can easily see the resemblance (probably the only thing Helena and Vienna have in common!).

An active parish with daily mass, the church is open to visitors and even offers tours during the summer. Otherwise, you can let yourself in whenever it’s not in use and look around on your own. Keep an eye out for the pipe organ, 59 stained glass windows, and 15 hand-cast bells, as well as the 29 limestone statues around the exterior.

The building is incredibly ornate inside and out, and whether you’re Catholic or not, it’s certainly one of the most awe-inspiring things to see in Helena.

See local art at the Holter Museum of Art.

The Holter Museum, specializing in contemporary art from the Northwest, has served as the center of Helena’s art community since it opened in 1987. Today, it houses a permanent art collection and hosts 15 or more rotating exhibitions each year, featuring a wide variety of styles and mediums. There’s a cool gift shop, and (even cooler if you ask me!) a vending machine that sells hand-drawn cards for $0.75 each.

We were also really interested to read about the museum’s work with healthcare facilities in the area, like bringing art projects to cancer patients and teaching classes for adults in crisis situations.

Climb Mount Helena.

If you’re a hiker, you’re in luck! Not only are there plenty of great options for hiking near Helena, you don’t even have to leave town to hit the trail. Just a few minutes from downtown is Mount Helena City Park – which is supposedly the country’s second-biggest city park, after Central Park in New York (although nobody seems to be able to verify that claim!).

Regardless, several of the park’s trails lead to the summit of Mount Helena, which sits 1,300 feet above town. The 1906 Trail is the most popular one and makes for the easiest climb.

Don’t feel like climbing all the way to the top? Mount Helena is part of the South Hills Trail System, with tons of other hiking options in the area.

See a show at one of Helena’s venues.

At first glance, the Helena Civic Center looks like it’d be more at home in the Middle East than in small-town Montana. But this building actually has no connection to Islam, and was just built by the local Shriners group (over 100 years ago). Today, its massive auditorium, the largest concert hall in Montana, hosts occasional concerts, plays, and other performances.

Besides the Civic Center, there’s community theatre at Grandstreet and all kinds of live music, film screenings, and other programs at The Myrna Loy. And don’t forget to check the Carroll College events calendar for even more performances, films, and other events that are (usually) open to the public. Among these four spots, there’s a good chance something will be going on while you’re in town – and it’ll make the perfect date night in Helena!

Take the kids to the ExplorationWorks.

If you’re looking for Helena activities for kids, make ExplorationWorks your first stop. This family-friendly museum is 13,000 square feet full of educational play spaces and interactive exhibits for kids. They also host frequent classes and other events, all included in the $10.50 admission cost.

Probably even more important to the kids if we’re being realistic, ExplorationWorks is right next to the Great Northern Carousel, beloved for its 37 colorful hand-carved animals that go round and round. Rides are just $3! (Before you get the kids’ hopes up, be aware that the Carousel is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.)

Stroll around Spring Meadow Lake.

Spring Meadow Lake State Park might be one of the smaller Montana state parks, but it’s also one of the most accessible – located right in Helena. So if you’re looking for a peaceful retreat into nature that doesn’t require a long drive, this is it. The lake takes up most of the park, and the mile-long trail that loops around it makes for an easy stroll.

Visit the Montana WILD education center.

Right on the edge of Spring Meadow Lake you’ll find one of the best free things to do in Helena: Montana WILD, an education and rehabilitation center run by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

The interactive exhibits offer tons of information about lands and wildlife across Montana, and there’s even an aquarium full of native fish species. Kids (and maybe adults!) will enjoy the scavenger hunt and all the things you can touch. (Note that Montana WILD is closed on weekends.)

Explore the Marysville ghost town.

There are so many ghost towns in Montana, ranging from fully-preserved tourist experiences to some untouched buildings crumbling on the side of the road. Marysville, the closest one to Helena, falls somewhere in between. In fact, like many of Montana’s ghost towns, it’s not completely abandoned – an estimated 97 people live there today.

But the abandoned area is open to visitors and well worth exploring (and full of great photo ops), with the 135-year-old wooden church standing out as the biggest highlight. It’s only 30 minutes northwest of Helena, so don’t miss the chance to see one of Montana’s less-visited ghost towns – just be respectful of the people who still call Marysville their home.

Things to Do in Helena, MT: Food & Drink Edition

Does Helena have a massive dining scene? Maybe not. But it does have a few surprises in store – and these are the ones you cannot miss!

Line up for pastries at Cotton-Top.

I said “line up” because if Cotton-Top is open, there’s a line – but I promise you, it’ll be worth the wait. The owner went to pastry school in France, and every pastry she sells is like a work of art. They’re all small-batch and made with local ingredients whenever possible (and always with Wheat Montana flour).

Cotton-Top has a different menu every week, always featuring seasonal flavors and the best ingredients available. They usually have a dozen or so pastries, and the current list is always posted on their Facebook page.

A few recent favorites? Churro cruffins, Mexican chocolate chunk scones, cheddar green onion butter biscuits, ham + swiss everything croissants, honey cinnamon caramel buns…mmmm.

Cotton-Top sits at the bottom of Reeder’s Alley, and – this part is important! – it’s only open on Friday and Saturday morning, and only for however long it takes them to sell out.

Sip Montago coffee, and read a banned book.

In addition to multiple Starbucks and outposts of some smaller chains, Helena’s got a handful of independent coffee shops. But if you ask me, Montago Coffee Co. is the one you can’t miss (yes, I’ve tried them all). They’re serious about quality coffee, from rich Americanos to the best pumpkin latte I’ve ever had.

Montago (the word is a combination of “Montana” and “Otago,” the region of New Zealand where the owners were living when they had the idea to open a coffee shop) originally served coffee out of an adorable Shasta camper trailer. There’s now a permanent location just off Last Chance Gulch, which hosts a free little Banned Bookshelf curated by the Montana Book Company.

Visit one or more of Helena’s craft breweries.

Like most Montana towns these days, Helena punches far above its weight when it comes to craft beer. There are currently seven breweries in Helena, and they all have something different to offer. Lewis & Clark hosts frequent events, Copper Furrow (previously called Crooked Furrow) has a huge yard and patio, and Speakeasy 41 is like a step back in time.

But if I had to recommend just one to visitors, it’d be Blackfoot River Brewing Company. In addition to a big tap list (including rotating beers served on a traditional hand-pumped beer engine), Blackfoot serves free popcorn, allows patrons to bring pizza from Brooklyn Pizza next door, and has a second-floor balcony overlooking Last Chance Gulch. What more could you want in a brewery?

Plus, Ten Mile Creek Brewery and Mt. Ascension Brewing are both just a few minutes’ walk away if you want to make it a brewery crawl.

Eat Mexican street food at El Vaquero Taqueria.

Not many Montana towns have anything that could be termed “real” Mexican food. But Helena does! El Vaquero Taqueria is a small spot with a basic menu, but they serve all the Mexican classics at lunchtime. Street tacos are their specialty, and come with your choice of filling.

There’s no indoor seating, just a few picnic tables outside, so plan on taking it to go if you aren’t visiting on a warm day.

Drink with the former governor at Brothers Tapworks.

Most former politicians spend their time writing books or appearing on TV – or in Montana, many of them return to farming or ranching. But after Steve Bullock, the state’s governor from 2013-2021, retired from politics, he opened a bar with his brother, Bill!

Brothers Tapworks sits right on Last Chance Gulch and serves a huge variety of beers from breweries around Montana. They host weekly trivia and bingo, plus lots of other events, and there’s often a food truck parked nearby. Word has it that the former governor doesn’t serve drinks at the bar, as many Helena residents had been hoping, but he can sometimes be found hanging out there.

What to Do in Helena, MT, in Summer

If you’re visiting Helena in the summer, you’ll have a few more possible activities to add to your list. Summer days are looong this far north, so there will be plenty of time to squeeze them in!

Attend Alive at Five on Wednesday nights.

Alive at Five (formerly known as Revive at Five) is Helena’s summer outdoor concert series. On Wednesday evenings, the downtown venue (it rotates among several parks and other locations) buzzes with live music, food trucks, and a showcase of local non-profits. If you’re in Helena on a Wednesday in the summer, don’t miss it!

Browse one of Helena’s farmers’ markets.

During the summer in Helena, the farmers’ markets are the place to be. The main Helena Farmers’ Market takes place on Saturday mornings on Fuller Avenue (very near Last Chance Gulch). And the Capitol Square Farmers’ Market is held on Tuesday afternoons right behind the capitol building.

Bonus: the Capitol Square market has an outdoor yoga class that’s open to the public (for the sake of full transparency, it’s taught by my friend Robyn, the owner of Gentle Healing Center – who’s a pro at making yoga inviting to everyone!).

At both markets, you’ll find local produce, handmade crafts and décor, plants and flowers, artisanal baked goods, and more, plus at least a couple food trucks are usually in attendance.

Take the Last Chance Train Tour.

If you visit Helena in the summer, you’re pretty much guaranteed to see the Last Chance tour train rolling through town. These open-air, multi-car “trains” take visitors on a one-hour tour that goes past all the main sights in town.

This hour-long tour is not only one of the most popular Helena attractions, it’s also a great way to get the lay of the land if it’s your first visit. Is it a cheesy tourist experience? Sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s not also fun and informative (and it’s very kid-friendly to boot!).

Tours run multiple times a day on Monday-Saturday during the summer, and tickets cost $12. They’re available online or at the kiosk in front of Montana’s Museum.

Take the boat tour of Gates of the Mountains.

Named by Lewis and Clark as they paddled up the Missouri River, the Gates of the Mountains is a wilderness area about 25 minutes north of Helena. It’s best experienced on the boat tour, which is considered not just one of the top attractions near Helena, but one of the best things to do in Montana.

It’s a comfortable, smooth boat ride past stunning scenery, and knowledgeable captains tell stories about the area’s history, explain its natural features, and point out wildlife. For such an incredible trip that lasts two hours, tickets are a steal at $20 per person.

Visit Tizer Botanic Gardens and Arboretum.

Just 25 minutes south of Helena is Tizer Gardens, Montana’s only full-time botanical garden and arboretum. It’s got six acres of gardens to wander through, with roses, vegetables, herbs, and wildflowers, plus a children’s garden, a meditation garden, and others. You’ll feel like you’re bathing in nature.

Tizer Gardens is typically open to visitors from May through October, depending on the weather. They also host occasional events, including the extremely popular High Tea in the Garden (book as early as possible to get a spot!). Little known fact: you can rent the garden’s rustic cabin and stay there overnight!

Get out on the water at Canyon Ferry Lake.

Canyon Ferry Lake is the Helena area’s go-to spot for all kinds of water activities. A massive reservoir in the Missouri River, the closest access points are on its north end, about 30 minutes east of town. It’s a great spot for paddling, swimming, boating, fishing, or just having a laid-back lake day.

Goose Bay Marina on the lake’s eastern edge rents kayaks and SUPs, you can save a bit by renting at Capital Sports in town, if you have a way to transport them. Canyon Ferry is also a very popular spot for camping near Helena, with several campgrounds around edge of the lake.

Go horseback riding.

If horseback riding has always been on your bucket list, you can finally cross it off while you’re in Helena. Head out to Summer Star Ranch, about 40 minutes from town, for a trail ride. Their guided rides take visitors along trails that are only open to horses, with high chances of spotting wildlife like elk, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. It’s the quintessential Montana experience.

Choose from 1-, 1.5-, and 2-hour options – and if you’re thinking those don’t sound very long, believe me when I say it will feel much longer once you’re in the saddle (especially if you’ve never been in one before!).

What to Do in Helena, MT, in Winter

Like the rest of Montana, Helena becomes a winter wonderland in the colder months – and locals don’t shy away from outdoor activities just because it’s chilly. You’ll need to bundle up before you head out, but these are some of the top ways to experience Helena at its snowy best.

Ice skate at Memorial Park.

If you’re in Helena between December and February, don’t miss the chance to hit the ice! The outdoor ice rink in Memorial Park is open Wednesday-Sunday (weather permitting), and it’s equally fun as a family outing or a date night. If you ask me, there’s something extra special about outdoors at night.

Admission is shockingly low at just $3.50, including skate rentals (and only $3 for Helena residents!), and you can skate as long as you like.

Go skiing at Great Divide.

In the central and western parts of the state, every Montana town has its local ski hill. And for Helena, that hill is Great Divide Ski Area, about 35 minutes northwest of town (just past the Marysville ghost town).

Great Divide may not be the biggest or snowiest of Montana’s ski areas, but it is the sunniest – and if you hate (or are rightly terrified of) skiing blind in the fog, that means a lot.

It’s also easily accessible from town and has pretty affordable lift tickets – plus night skiing on Fridays (and Saturdays in January) for just $15. They offer some of the lowest-cost lessons in the state, too, which makes it a great opportunity for newbies and anyone who wants to level up.

Great Divide’s other claim to fame? It typically has the longest ski season of any hill in Montana, traditionally being the first to open and last to close. If you’re visiting Helena anytime between Thanksgiving and the end of April, there’s a good chance the lifts will probably be spinning.

Cross-country ski at MacDonald Pass.

If you prefer to do your skiing on flat ground, Helena’s still got you covered. Just 20 minutes from town is the MacDonald Pass Ski Trails, located in Helena National Forest. There’s 15 miles of trails with varying difficulty levels, and the non-profit Last Chance Nordic Ski Club grooms them almost every day during the season, so you know they’ll be in good condition.

The trails are typically open from late November to late April, and while it’s technically free to the public, donations are strongly encouraged to help defray the costs of grooming (and it feels like the right thing to do). If you don’t have your own cross-country skis, you can pick up rentals at The BaseCamp in town before you head out.

A safety tip from the club’s website: “Give moose, if you’re lucky enough to see one, plenty of room.”

Even More Things to Do Near Helena, Montana

Are you willing to make a little more of a drive? There are tons of other things to do around Helena, and these are all less than 1.5 hours away.

• Float down the Missouri River from Craig. 45 minutes
• Explore the Elkhorn ghost town (including Elkhorn State Park). 1 hour
• Visit the Old Montana Prison Museum in Deer Lodge – or take the ghost tour! 1 hour
• Tour the caverns at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. 1 hour 20 minutes

Where to Stay in Helena, Montana

Accommodations in Helena get more expensive in the summer, as well as during legislative sessions (January through May in odd-numbered years). If that’s when you’re visiting, make your reservations in advance to get the best options.

Hotels in Helena

There’s a surprising number of very poorly-rated hotels in Helena (yikes), but there are plenty of nice ones, too – so just make sure you read the reviews before you book! These would be our top picks at every price point:

Baymont by Wyndham:The highest-rated budget hotel in town, complete with a pool, gym, and complimentary breakfast

Lamplighter Cabins & Suites: A unique option offering one-of-a-kind cabins with themes like skiing, cowboys, and movie stars, plus cozy suites with full kitchens

Great Northern Hotel: One of the most iconic places to stay in Helena, just a short walk from Last Chance Gulch

The Carolina Bed & Breakfast: A traditional B&B in a turn-of-the-century home, perfect for splurging on a romantic getaway in Helena

Helena Airbnb & VRBO Rentals

Both VRBO and Airbnb have tons of listings in the Helena area as well, and many of them incredibly unique and well-equipped, like these rentals:

• Rhinestone Cowboy Apartment
• Botanic Gardens Cabin
• Victorian Home Guest Suite
• Stylish Apartment in Historic Downtown
• Creekside Getaway & Retreat

Camping in Helena

If you’re planning to camp while you’re visiting Helena, you can choose from a wide variety of campgrounds in the area, but note that most of them are 20-30 minutes from town:

• Cromwell Dixon Campground – Helena National Forest (25 minutes)
• Devil’s Elbow Recreation Site – Hauser Lake (30 minutes)
• Court Sheriff Campground – Canyon Ferry Lake (35 minutes)
• Helena North KOA Journey – north of town (20 minutes)
• Lewis & Clark Fairgrounds (in town)

Map of Helena, Montana

Our custom map of Helena shows the locations of all the above-mentioned restaurants, accommodations, and things to do. Helena has been growing rapidly toward the north and the east, but most of the main attractions are closer to the center of town, in the areas around Last Chance Gulch and near the capitol building.

Click here for an interactive version of the map!

And there you have it! After more visits than I can count, these are all my top recommendations. And with all these fun things to do, Helena is a place I know I’ll keep going back to.

What are your favorite things to do in Helena, MT?

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