A Beautiful Day in Billings, Montana

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After wonderful night at the Country Inn and Suites, we packed our bags and decided to do some of the things listed on their Peaks and Valleys Country itinerary.

First stop that morning before getting on the road was at Dehler Park, the Billings Mustangs ballpark.  Christopher Marshall, Director of Operations for Dehler Park honored us with a personal tour of the new field area.

The Billings Mustangs used to play on an older park called Cobb Field, which was leveled in 2007 to make way for a spacier, more accommodating, and newer Dehler Park, which the Mustangs moved in to for the 2008 season.

The Mustangs weren’t in town during our visit, so we didn’t get a chance to see them in action, but we did get the chance to walk around this gorgeous new field and, even for just a moment, pretend what it would be like to be there when all the excitement of a game was going on.

The Billings community is very proud of their team, and very protective of the baseball culture in their area.  These things, as well as the changing trends, are always carefully considered during game time, so that even the details regarding music, and what they do (or don’t) during half time is handled with care and consideration to the fans. Bottom line, when you come see a game here, it will feel very much like watching a real baseball game without the acrobatic distractions just like in the olden days, but with access to services and provisions for the modern family.

The ballpark has a great area where younger kids or teens can come together to hang out away from their parents without disrupting those sitting and watching the game, or where parents can escape to if their child is acting restless.  They have a BBQ area as well, and a nice wide walkway to move around on.

Admission prices are really affordable and the seating design is perfect too, every seat provides a great view of the wonderful field. There’s a shop for souvenirs and collectibles, which we had problems getting through while both entering and exiting the fields because everyone, from the 2.5 to the 11 year old, wanted something.

We enjoyed touring this beautiful ballpark, something so dear to the Billings community. It was wonderful. The boys really liked it; I can only imagine how much greater the experience would have been had we been there for a game. Maybe next road trip!

Our next stop was to Pompey’s Pillar National Monument. This is such an historical site. The little ones were mostly attracted to the indoor exhibit and the film detailing the adventures of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which led to the discovery of the area. The rest of us were in awe of Pompey’s Pillar itself.

It was amazing when we climbed the wooden stairs the led us first to the area where Captain Clark engraved his name along with the others joining him, and then to the top of the Pillar and seeing the Yellowstone River, just as Clark had centuries ago. That and a few extras.

I thought this stop was not only a beautiful and breathtaking one, but something that gave you a sense of the history of this country, the important people who helped shape our nation, and the incredible tenacity needed to take on such a task.

With all the food for thought, we got back in the minivan and started making our way back on the road. There’s so much more to do in Billings, MT than just what we were able to enjoy in one day. The perfect road trip destination for the whole family.

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