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Montana is well known for Glacier National Park. While the state’s natural beauty is its claim to fame, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a rich history and cultural side. Many of the small cities in Montana are not only gateways to scenic spots, but are also destinations in their own right. 

Helena, Montana is one of those cities! With a regional airport it is a great spot to start or end your Glacier National Park road trip. The capital city is full of things to do. While there is plenty to do in the outdoors surrounding Helena, this post includes fun things to do in Helena. You don’t need a car to do all of the following Helena activities.  

Fun Things to Do in Helena

Travel Back in Time at Reeder’s Alley

In 1864 miners took a “last chance” to search for gold in what would soon come to be known as Reeder’s Alley in Helena. As gold was found, more and more miners poured into the area and needed housing. One of the early miner’s cabins and oldest cabins built in the state is still located here. In the 1870s – 1880s Louis Reeder built stone and brick housing for the miners.  

Thanks to restoration efforts you can stroll through the historic, cobblestone neighborhood of Reeder’s Alley. Read the informational plaques for snippets of information about the history of the buildings and people who lived here beginning in the 1860s. 

Local businesses fill the historic buildings. Make sure to visit one of the best places to eat in Helena, Cotton Top Pastries. Located in the historic Caretaker’s Cabin, the bakery is full of delicious treats. 

The Helena Visitor Center is also located here. Restrooms are available during weekday opening hours. The nearby Lewis & Clark Public Library also has restrooms during their opening hours.

Walk Around Last Chance Gulch

From Reeder’s Alley continue on Helena’s main street, named Last Chance Gulch in honor of the gulch where gold miner’s took their last attempt to find gold. Now it is a pedestrian walkway full of local businesses. Many historic plaques on the buildings provide history of the early days of Helena. 

You probably won’t find any gold there today, but you can spend your dollars at the restaurants and shops! The Parrot Confectionery is a good spot for a treat and Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys is the place to go for children’s toys and books. Birds & Beasleys is a nice gift shop which also has restrooms.

Discover Art in Downtown Helena

Throughout Last Chance Gulch there are many sculptures and murals. The most famous is the Montana Women’s Mural. Created in 1979 the mural honors many of the women of Montana’s history. It shows the diverse roles women have played in Helena. 

Tour the Original Montana Governor’s Mansion

Built in 1888 as a private residence, the state bought the Victorian mansion in 1913 for the Montana governor, Samuel Stewart. It served as the state’s governor’s mansion until 1959. 

One of the best things to do in Helena is to tour the mansion. Free tours are offered on a first come, first serve basis. The schedule varies by season. The one hour tour highlights the architecture, furnishings, and history of the home as well as the history of some of the previous owners. My guide, Anthony, did an awesome job incorporating both informative details and funny stories into the tour.  

The majority of the tour takes place inside the home, but the carriage house is also visited. I loved how we were able to tour all 3 floors of the home. While we were not allowed to open doors, Anthony humored all our questions about what was behind each one! 

Admire the Cathedral of Saint Helena

Europe has nothing on Helena’s Cathedral. Built in the early 1900s the cathedral is gorgeous and reminded me of all the historic cathedrals abroad. I don’t consider myself much of a cathedral goer, but it was nice to take a quick look inside. 

Tours are only available for groups of 10 or more. You can visit on your own. Make sure to check the mass schedule online and avoid visiting at those times. 

Visit the Montana State Capitol 

One of the best things to do in Helena is to visit the Montana State Capitol. While tours are only offered in the summer, self-guided pamphlets are available on the lower level. There is one about the art in the capitol and the other is a scavenger hunt for children. You can bet that I did both! 

During September the capitol was very quiet and the perfect environment to wander around at my leisure. I could thoroughly read about all the interesting Montanans featured in the Gallery of Outstanding Montanans. I also could take my time to enjoy the historical artwork in the House Lobby. The Senate, Old Supreme Court Chamber, and House of Representatives were closed. The glass doors offered peeks inside though. 

Enjoy Art at the Holter Museum of Art

The free, contemporary art museum is quite small with only a few galleries. Exhibits are shown for about three to four months and primarily feature Northwest artists. Over the course of a year about 15 – 20 exhibits are on view.

The gift shop is quite nice with a variety of art made by local and regional artists. If you want a quality made souvenir from Helena, this is definitely the place to find it. 

As an art center, the Holter Museum is much more than a museum. There is a large focus on art education for artists of all ages. 

Follow in Lewis & Clark’s Footsteps at the Montana Experience

The Great Northern Town Center is a retail, dining, and entertainment district. It’s home to the Montana Experience, an outdoor exhibit. The self-guided exhibit takes you on a short journey to learn about Lewis and Clark’s time in Montana. 

Begin at the corner of W 14th St and Great Northern Blvd. Read the introduction sign and then follow the river (the gray path on the ground) to more interpretive signs, sculptures, and dioramas. You’ll end up right where you started. 

It’s an abbreviated, Montana specific history of the Lewis and Clark expedition. More can be learned in detail at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, MT. 

Explore the Montana Historical Society

From the picture above you may be thinking, that looks like a construction site and not like one of the best things to do in Helena! You would be half right. Currently the history museum is under construction until……..early 2025! 

I’m a big fan of museums and an even bigger fan of history museums. After hearing so many good things about the museum, you can imagine my despair when I saw it was closed for my visit. 

While I can’t say for sure if it will be one of the top things to do in Helena, we can sure hope so with how long the renovations are going to take! The museum store is currently open. 

Go Out to Eat in Helena 

Trying different restaurants should definitely be on your list of things to do in Helena. There is a good variety of places to eat in Helena to appease all budgets and cuisine preferences. 

More Things to Do in Helena

Here are a few more fun things to do in Helena that I wasn’t able to fit into my visit. 

• Carroll College: The local college has a variety of events including performances at Carroll College Theatre. 
• Archie Bray Foundation: Without a car, this art center was a little too far away for me to reach (it would be a short Uber/Lyft ride though). Many locals told me a visit to the ceramic art gallery was definitely worth it. 
• Montana Masonic Museum: This museum was also closed when I visited. It seemed like a good place to visit, especially when the MT Historical Society is closed, to see a collection of early Montana artifacts.
• Great Northern Carousel: One of the best Helena attractions for kids is this large, colorful carousel. 
• ExplorationWorks: Another good spot for kids of all ages is this science museum.
• Last Chance Tour Train: The open air train runs in the summer. The one hour tour takes you around to the best sites in Helena.  
• Mount Helena City Park: After hiking at Glacier National Park, I didn’t have any hiking left in me, but Helena is surrounded by trails. The park is right outside of Helena and has numerous hiking and biking trails.
• Mount Helena: One challenging trail in the park is the Mount Helena hike. The trailhead is only about a 10 minute walk from Reeder’s Alley.

Where to Stay in Helena

If you’re looking for the best place to stay to be close to all the fun things to do in Helena, you’ll want to stay downtown. DoubleTree by Hilton is one of the most convenient places to stay. Best Western Premier is a little farther north, but still within walking distance of almost everywhere you’ll want to explore.

I stayed at the Delta Colonial. It was a great hotel and definitely a top choice with a car. It’s about 30 – 60 minutes walk one way to most of the things to do in Helena included above. If you don’t mind walking or taking an Uber/Lyft it works well. The walk through a residential neighborhood is pleasant enough….except for all the barking dogs! 

It’s a very nice hotel with an indoor pool and hot tub. A very basic free continental breakfast is included on Saturdays and Sundays. With Marriott platinum status or higher one $10 food and beverage card is provided as well as unlimited access to the Pantry. 

You may find slightly cheaper rates at airport hotels like Holiday Inn Express or Home2Suites. A ~45 minute bus ride is needed to reach downtown though. 

I hope you enjoy checking out all the fun things to do in Helena. If I helped you decide what to do in Helena, please consider supporting me by Buying Me a Coffee.

More About Montana

• A 4 Day Glacier National Park Itinerary for Adventurers
• The Best Hikes at Glacier National Park
• The Best Places to Eat in Helena
• Indoor Things to Do in Great Falls

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