Spring Un-Breakin’ the Bank

Traveling for breaks is always fun, but not always worth it. Long road trips can be just as expensive as flights and the great American adventure can no longer rely on hitchhiking and the kindness of strangers. Popular destinations like Seattle, Portland or anywhere in Southern California are pricey to get to and even pricier to stay. Road-tripping out is expensive.

If it’s camping you’re after and an escape from Bozeman for the week, there’s no better place to staycation than Montana itself. 

Missoula has plenty of its own history, strange restaurants and thrift stores, along with plenty of camping and fishing locations. Despite the poor choice of a university, Missoula’s nightlife and bar scene are nothing to complain about. The Pryor Mountains near Billings, which boast wild horses and fantastic history. Additionally, downtown Helena is home to a bunch of strange coffee, skateboard, craft and vintage stores with camping along Canyon Ferry Lake or in the surrounding mountains.

If trying out new towns isn’t for you, a staycation may be in order. Junior Cass Sewak, a double major in English writing and literature, went home for the holidays to Wolf Creek, just about a half-hour east of Helena. Though she told me she considered it “six days of doing nothing important,” Sewak spent her time fishing, walking her dog, catching a movie back in Bozeman and recharging her batteries. She said “going outside was an important reset” and the break allowed her the perfect time to relax and settle back into being a person with hobbies outside of school. 

Even closer to Bozeman, Ennis offers great camping, as well as fishing in Ennis Lake or relaxing in the Norris Hot Springs. Additionally, Livingston, the eccentric aunt to Bozeman, is only a half-hour drive away and offers a great, local community with inexpensive thrift stores, gorgeous hikes and camping nearby in the Custer Gallatin National Forest. 

Of course, there’s Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Only about an hour drive away from Bozeman, the park offers visitors an iconic natural experience complete with fishing, hiking, geysers and plenty of wildlife. For the best wildlife viewing, Lamar Valley offers the greatest chance of catching lupines, bovines, ursines and cervines.

No one knows the value of a staycation better than professors. English professor Beth Shirley said she spent her break catching up on her grading and work away from the hassle of classrooms and students. She enjoyed her break with her daughter, husband and mom who came to visit her. They went into YNP for her mom’s birthday, waking up at 5 a.m. to drive into the park to catch the wolves. 

“Every time we’ve been there at dawn we’ve heard the wolves,” she said. This time they were able to catch sight of the cooler canine cousins as they roamed around. You probably won’t find that if you spend your spring break in Mexico. Shirley said, “It was nice to take a moment to enjoy some sunshine in a busy semester.” I couldn’t agree more.

At the very least, spring break is best used to get away from the stress of classes. Third-year kinesiology major Thomas Vlasak did just that. Because he worked most of the break, he described his break as dry, but said he enjoyed it. “It was so great to be away from school,” he said.

While the grass is always greener elsewhere, especially somewhere the sun shines year-round, staying in Montana can be just as fun and exciting as exploring elsewhere while remaining budget-friendly. 

Spring break doesn’t have to be expensive or exotic and working shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying time away from school. It can be as simple as going to the gym, hiking the trails nearby, visiting Livingston for a day trip or getting lost out in the hundreds of roads that lead into the great Montana countryside. 

Couches are always comfy and sleeping in is always preferred. So if you’re not by the ocean or interpreting foreign languages, that’s okay. Staying at home is a perfectly fine and relaxing way to spend spring break.