BillingsThe leisurely city of Billings, with its central location and international airport, is the gateway to
Montana and the perfect base from which to explore the many attractions of this vast, northerly
US State.
The small city, founded in 1882, is situated on the
Yellowstone River at the base of the Rimrocks, a set of distinctive rock formations, and was named for a former president of the Northern Pacific Railway,
Frederick Billings, who piloted the railway line across Montana. Today Billings remains an economic and transport hub for the state, and also serves as its welcome
mat for tourism. The city bristles with hotels, motels and B&Bs, its modern complexes like MetraPark and the Expo Center offering facilities for rodeos, concerts, the Montana Fair and a variety of other events. Its broad, tree-lined avenues also boast a variety of attractions: museums and galleries such as the unique
Yellowstone Art Museum, the renowned
Alberta Bair Theater, the interactive
Western Heritage Center, and preserved historic buildings like the Moss Mansion. Within a day's drive of the city are three stunning national parks, Yellowstone, Glacier and
Grand Teton.
Getting Around: Billings' downtown area is confusing for visitors, being designed on a grid system with numbered avenues increasing numerically both to the north and south of Montana Avenue, and numbered streets crossing it from east to west. The central area is compact and can be explored on foot. Most visitors, however, prefer to rent a car to explore the city and outskirts. The city bus service is the Billings Met Transit, which is very efficient and easy to use. MET buses stop at most corners and at stops with a distinctive blue and green sign. Exact fares are required, paid to the driver. Buses run from 6.10am to 6.45pm on weekdays and from 8.10am to 5.45pm on Saturdays. There are no buses on Sundays or major public holidays.
Climate: Billings has a semi-arid climate, with low humidity all year round. Summers are sunny, warm and pleasant, and autumn is a particularly lovely season with spells of 'Indian summer'. The first frost usually comes at the end of September. Winter brings fairly heavy snowfalls, but snow does not accumulate. Warm 'Chinook' winds during February and March bring unseasonably warm conditions.
