From ghosts to mermaids, Montana has surprises in store

Spend an overnight behind bars at the Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge, or play it safer with a daytime guided tour of haunted hot spots to get a glimpse as far back as 1871. Ghost tours offered May through October.

Drive along the eerie shore of Quake Lake, formed by a 1959 earthquake that caused a devastating mountain landslide and blocked the Madison River to form this lake. The Visitor Center tells the story through video and photographs, and the mountainside scar still can be seen today. Located along a scenic drive just a half-hour from West Yellowstone.

Located in downtown Butte, Pekin Noodle Parlor is the oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant in the United States. Founded in 1911, its roots come from the large Chinese population in Butte’s early mining days.

Nicknamed “Big John,” this two-story outhouse is located in Nevada City behind the historic Nevada City Hotel, where you can overnight in historic (and haunted) hotel rooms or in authentic log cabins adjacent to this ghost town.

At the Sip ‘n Dip Lounge in Great Falls, you can sip your drink and watch mermaids (and mermen) swim behind the tiki bar. It offers a surprising taste of the tropics in an unexpected location!

For more information on Montana, visit VisitMT.com.