the best last secret

Whitefish, Montana

I was raised in a small tourist town in the mountains of Montana. Every summer and winter, the streets would suddenly become swarmed with Canadians and Californians and all of those in between. I watch the tourists cruise Main Street and hit the ski slopes of the “authentic western town.” I always wondered what it would be like to be a tourist in my small town and what it would be like to drive up to a town that has only four traffic lights, one main street with shops, and plenty of restaurants and bars with a slight western, small town feel. To an outsider, my town looks almost like “Pleasantville” filled with gorgeous outdoor activities. Yet, as perfect as it seems, it only gets better. All of the hidden secrets of the valley are the best. A tourist may go to the local lake for a swim, but they don’t know that twenty minutes away there is an even warmer lake that is more secluded with perfect cliff jumping cliffs. Tourists don’t know the perfect rivers to float down in the summer, nor do they know the best out-of-bounds powder runs on the mountain. The tourists lack the knowledge of the “authentic gems” of Whitefish, Montana. Hence, Montana’s slogan is “the last best secret.”

I always keep that in mind whenever I visit somewhere, especially when I don’t like the place. When I find myself bored in a new environment, I always remind myself that there has to be some good things to the place. People do live there for a reason. With that in mind, I try to get a local mindset in my head and venture in the direction that the locals point me towards. I want to find their best kept secret. I normally ask their favorite place to eat because there will always be the restaurants that appeal to the tourist crowd, but the dingier ones without the in your face decorations on the walls normally have the best surprises. Plus, it is fun to try to find new favorite dishes, and the most acclaimed dishes of the town. Food always leaves a lasting memory in my mind. I like to watch the people interact with each other while I’m eating. When you see familiar faces greet each other, it gives me a sense of community. People watching, in my mind, is one of the best ways to the back region. The way people dress, the language they use, the gestures that come with it, and topics of conversation all show me a sense of authentic location. I feel as if I am apart of the scene. I do not need to see the break room of a restaurant where all the actors of the show are relaxing and letting loose. I want to see the people that are not pretending to be putting on the show, the ones that have nothing to do with it. To me that is where the true story lies. As I sat people watching at a small café in Buenos Aires, I couldn’t help but think about what tourists think of when they people watch in Whitefish.

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