Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. We loved the alpine lakes surrounded by stunning mountain peaks, the availability of hiking trails that were fairly easy for the kids yet incredibly scenic, and the high probability of actually seeing wildlife every day of our visit.
Figuring out where to stay when visiting Glacier National Park can be a challenging task. It’s a popular national park and reservations fill up quickly.
If at all possible, I always recommend staying in national park lodging. It really adds to the uniqueness of your national park vacation and has the added bonus of minimizing driving times and enjoying the quiet of the park afters the crowds have left for the day.
However, lodging inside the park books quickly, so you might need additional options in surrounding towns. We’ve got you covered there too!
Here are our recommended places to stay both in and outside of Glacier National Park.
Too busy to plan a family vacation? We’ve already done it for you. See our 3 Perfect Days In Glacier National Park.
Our Lodging Strategy
If you have 2-3 days in Glacier, our lodging strategy is to stay on the west side of Glacier National Park and tour all the sights and hikes nearby and then make your way east, by way of the infamous Going To The Sun Road, to your next lodging which will serve as your base to explore the St. Mary and Many Glacier areas of the park.
The Going To The Sun Road is the only road traversing the park. If staying on the west side of the park, it would take about 2 hours to drive the duration of the road to reach the sites and hikes on the east side near St. Mary.
And granted, it is an amazingly scenic drive but it makes for a really long day with lots of car time. A challenge with kids for sure!
As stated above, it is really difficult to get lodging in the park. But if you can, you should. Make reservations as soon as possible at Xanterra’s Glacier National Park Lodges (up to a year in advance.)
Staying Near West Glacier Entrance vs. Lodging Near St. Mary East Entrance
You’ll have the best chance of finding lodging near the west entrance to Glacier simply because there are more lodging options here as compared to the east side entrance at St. Mary.
The west entrance to Glacier is the most popular entrance to the park. If amenities are important to you, the western side offers more tourist-oriented amenities in the towns of Whitefish and Columbia Falls, MT.
The east side of Glacier National Park is quieter and more remote and although it too sees lots of crowds it is less crowded than the Apgar Village area of the park.
If entering the park from St. Mary entrance, you do not need a vehicle reservation for entry to the park. This can be an advantage of staying on the east side to drive the Going To the Sun Road.
Note, however, that you cannot exit on the west side at Apgar between 7am-3pm without a vehicle reservation.
I like the Many Glacier area and the hikes along St. Mary Lake, so I generally look for lodging near the eastern side for more hiking choices and less people and traffic congestion.
All that being said, I really like both sides of the park and would take ANY lodging I could find inside the park.
IMPORTANT!!! Construction begins in the Many Glacier Area for the duration of 2025. Many Glacier Hotel is open but Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Many Glacier Campground, and trailhead parking in the Swiftcurrent end of the valley will be closed the entire 2025 season.
My first choices in the park would be on the east side at the park’s Many Glacier Hotel or Swiftcurrent Motor Inn. However, due to construction for the 2025 season, you may want to try Rising Sun Motor Inn or lodging near West Glacier.
Rising Sun Motor Inn would also be a top choice due to its location on the Going To The Sun Road right across from St. Mary Lake.
If you can’t get lodging inside the park, I would recommend staying in the towns near the west entrance to Glacier and finding your next night’s lodging near the east entrance and St. Mary.
Lodging Near West Glacier
Staying near the west side of Glacier allows for convenient exploration of the park’s Lake McDonald area and the popular Trail of Cedars and Avalanche Lake hikes.
From Apgar Village, it’s about an hour to the popular Logan Pass and the trail to Hidden Lake.
Lake McDonald Lodge (Glacier National Park)
On the western side, you can stay in the park’s historic Lake McDonald Lodge to have easy access to the impressive clear water and colorful rocks of Lake McDonald as well as the popular Trail of Cedars/Avalanche Lake hikes.
Note that the rooms are really small but you have great views!
Village Inn at Apgar (Glacier National Park)
Glacier’s Village Inn at Apgar would also be a good location with rooms looking out to Lake McDonald. A bit outdated but clean. More like a “motel” style.
Whitefish, MT (40-50 min to Apgar Visitor Center)
The small resort town of Whitefish, MT is a good option outside the park when visiting the west side of Glacier. It’s a quaint tourist town with plenty of restaurants (loved Jersey Boys Pizzeria) and shops.
You’ll also find plenty of things to do right in town.
We loved our day at Whitefish Mountain Resort where you can hike, bike, zip down the mountain on an alpine slide, or take the zipline adventure course. P.S. The alpine slide was super fun!
And swimming in Whitefish Lake was a cold but fun experience!
From Whitefish, it takes 35 minutes to get to Glacier National Park’s Apgar Village to explore Lake McDonald and one hour to reach the parking lot for the popular and highly recommended Trail of Cedars/Avalanche Lake hike.
Hotels in Whitefish, MT
We stayed at Pine Lodge in Whitefish which was walkable to restaurants and shops, offered a nice pool, and free use of their outdoor gear (kayaks, paddle boards, and bikes).
You can paddle around in the Whitefish River from the dock behind the hotel or bike 30 minutes on the paved trail to reach Whitefish Lake.
And much to the delight of our daughters, the hotel offered a complimentary nightly ice cream sundae social.
We would definitely stay at Pine Lodge again. The rooms were nice (and clean) with high ceilings and an outdoor balcony. A basic breakfast was included in the rate.
Vacation Rentals In Whitefish, MT
You’ll also find plenty of vacation rentals in Whitefish. I would recommend staying near downtown Whitefish if your main goal is visiting Glacier National Park. That way you can walk to restaurants without hopping back into the car again.
Hygge Chalet w/Mountain Views, 10mins to Skiing & Hot Tub. 2 bedroom, excellent location. 10 min to the mountain, 1 min to the lake and beaches, 1 min to downtown. Access to saltwater pool in summer.
Luxe In-Town Modern LARGE Condo, Walk Everywhere, Glacier National Park Avails! 2 bedroom sleeps 4. Brand new and close to everything.
Columbia Falls, MT (35 minutes to Apgar Visitor Center)
The town of Columbia Falls is another option for lodging on the west side of Glacier.
I like the town of Whitefish better, because you can really enjoy a nice vacation day there without venturing into the park. But Columbia Falls will have everything you need: places to eat, shop, and it’s a tad closer to the west entrance of the park.
Hotels in Columbia Falls, MT
Cedar Creek Lodge– Although located outside the park, this modern mountain lodge is managed by Xanterra. A great option if you can’t get lodging inside the park. Walkable to shops and restaurants.
Wonderstone at Glacier– Relatively new hotel just outside of downtown Columbia Falls so a bit closer to the West Entrance to Glacier. Excellent reviews and a Starbuck sis close by for that early morning coffee fix.
Meadow Lake Resort and Condos – Resort lodging on the golf course with heated pool and good onsite restaurant.
Lodging Near Glacier National Park’s East Side
As stated above, if you can swing it, try to stay on the west side for a night or two and the east side of Glacier for a night or two.
Many Glacier Hotel (Glacier National Park)
For visiting the northeastern portion Glacier National Park, I always recommend staying at the historic Many Glacier Hotel.
Many Glacier Hotel is simply beautiful. It’s perched right on Swiftcurrent Lake and surrounded by some of the best hikes in the park like Grinell Lake, Grinell Glacier, and Iceberg Lake.
It’s also an historic landmark and nearly impossible to get a reservation. One day I’ll score one!
Swift Current Motor Inn (Glacier National Park)
Nearby is the park’s Swiftcurrent Motor Inn and Cabins, which is not nearly as grand as the Many Glacier Hotel but has the same fantastic location.
Rising Sun Motor Inn (Glacier National Park)
We also really enjoy the location of the park’s Rising Sun Motor Inn which sits along the Going to the Sun Road across from St. Mary Lake.
It’s just 25 minutes to Logan Pass, 11 minutes to the St. Mary Visitor Center (the best one in the park), and 51 minutes to the Many Glacier area of the park.
Rising Sun Motor Inn might be a good choice if you want to explore both sides of the park but stay in one place.
It has a pretty decent restaurant on site (offers a kid menu too) and a General Store if you need any basics (snacks, drinks, etc.).
It also offers easy access to the Sun Point Nature Trail and the popular trails to Baring Falls, St. Mary Falls, and Virginia Falls.
Rising Sun Motor Inn offers small (emphasis on small here) cabins as well as motel-type rooms which were updated, clean, and surprisingly nice given their outside appearance.
Tip: The motel-type rooms are a bit larger than the cabins.
Motor Inn Room 
Rising Sun Cabin Room
The Towns of St. Mary and Babb, MT (within 10 min to St. Mary Visitor Center)
The nearest towns to Glacier’s east side are the TINY towns of St. Mary and Babb, MT.
St. Mary Village– Located right next to the east entrance to Glacier. The location can’t get any closer without actually being inside the park. It also has an onsite restaurant. Overall good reviews but it’s really all about the location at this property.
You’ll find a variety of cozy cabin rentals in the area (see VRBO listings ) but no chain hotels.
Happy Trails! No matter where you stay, Glacier National Park will be an amazing vacation for your family.
Too busy to plan a vacation? See our 3 Perfect Days In Glacier National Park! Traveling to Yellowstone National Park? See our Family Vacation In Yellowstone.
