I'm a black woman and my family and I have lived in Billings for about 14 years. When we go to bigger cities to visit or vacation I can't wait to get back "home". There's actually fun things to do that keep my kids and I busy. You guys just needed a tour guide and you would have had much more fun 😊
As a Montanan, I don’t know anyone who would go to Billings for fun.  I think your spot on with the way it felt but that is just most of Montana. As they say we invented social distancing. Next time go to one of the more tourist oriented towns or places like Bozeman or Missoula or even Helena. 
I’d wait to visit Helena until the Historical Society Museum reopens which I heard was still a year off. We had two sets of family visit this August and that would have been of interest to the first group. If you enjoy mountain biking Helena is a good destination though.
Thanks a lot! Yes we are lucky to learn so much rich Black History that we never heard of prior to visiting, it would be a disservice not to share. Thanks for watching!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1Come to Great Falls!! We are gorgeous, quaint, friendly and some of the best people you'll ever meet!! We are the Golden Triangle and the Gates of the Mountains!! We welcome you!! Charley Pride is from here! Edited to correct a silly spelling error.
Sorry , but was a little insulted by some of the stereo typing they placed on the people of Montana and of Billings. The Restaurants, fun and history yup all of it you barely skimmed the top. Then there is how we dress, no wonder people think we don't have internet, still travel in horse and buggy and all are cowboys. Billings has indoor football, minor league baseball and other sporting events. As Restaurants go you two only hit downtown. What we call the Westend is where the people westenders go . Quite a few steakhouses out there and shopping centers, theaters out there . Then there is what is called The Heights which has a Waterpark, shopping and eateries up there too. Last but not least is Midtown where there are city parks, biking trails that connect to all the other parts of the city(over 99 miles ) , shopping , and of course a lot of family own restaurants like korean bbq, authentic Mexican, tex-mex etc, etc Downtown Billings is mostly about the legal, medical, and white collar businesses so yah, your not going to see Boothill, Yellowstone Kelly's grave, Sword Park on top of the Rims down o the area you were at. So don't write off Billings completely. You just skimmed the top of it. So I'll rate your visit as a 5 sorry I looked at your other videos and I felt you did an injustice to them too. Did you come hoping we'd fail? Just asking for a friend. PS if you wanted to learn more black history of Montana you went to tge wrong town...those are Great Falls and Havre. Havre for the Buffalo Soilders and Great Falls for the Airforce base. Oh, and you could of taken the Northeast entrance to the Park via Red Lodge. Closer entrance.
Im a native Montanan , please dont judge us by Billings....But super glad you two dipped your toe into the deep pool of wonders that is Montana, and hope you venture further into Montanas craft brewing and distillery scene ....just saying a really great way to see more....aim for the small towns....if you get into my neck of the world....check out the frontier club....fresh local burgers....cold local brews....and then cross the street to the Plaza.....2 local breweries just down the street.....and the headwaters of the Missouri right here.....Three Forks MT
I am from Billings and I just commented on how everyone agrees that we are the ugliest town. In fairness, we are still in Montana so we're not ugly ugly. We are the ugliest in the prettiest place, which still makes us pretty. 😊
Great video! We are from Montana and we, too, score more on our drive to Billings than Billings itself haha😂! You shared a lot of history that we haven’t been exposed to before! Thank you!!! Hopefully you give Montana (and Billings) another shot! This state is so amazing and covers so many different experiences depending on location and those that you meet on the way! Great content!
Right on! Learning and sharing the history is one our favorite things about doing our show. We will definitely give Montana another shot. Thanks for watching!
I enjoyed your video. Being from Montana myself but having left many years ago, this showed me several things I never knew. I wish you could gave seen the zoo in Billings or went to the amazing Scheel’s Hardware where my brother runs the 65’ indoor Ferris wheel. Of course my FAVORITE part if Montana lies in Glacier Park. Yellowstone is great but Glacier is AWESOME! You need to return for the summer also when harvesting us in full swing or in winter when the snow sends you skiing at Big Sky or Kings Hill.
Living in Butte, Montana my entire life, I think Billings represents the Eastern portion pretty well. The Western side of the state, I believe, is a very different feel. Mountains and forests. I am glad you visited our state, and am now following the channel because I want to know about other places. Thanks you for the fun video.
Not to nitpick, but the Billings Outlaws won the Arena Football League championship last weekend. Semi pro is still pro. As a white guy who has lived in Billings for most of his life, I can acknowledge the isolationist attitude where the locals don’t want outsiders to come in and f up our slow pace of life. But it doesn’t have anything to do with skin color. But apparently we pulled your trigger on that one. Good! Come back some day and I’ll take you to some actually good restaurants.
Well I hope you come back again. You missed many things here. I really enjoyed hearing about the history. There are many things to see in some surrounding areas too...come to RedLodge for the 4th of July Rodeo!
As a Indigenous person (one of the few left..) I appreciate your honesty, & yes having our ancestors bone in that area..for THOUSANDS OF YEARS. My grand children still feel that coolness..😮 which you put it nicely 😅.....by these COLONIALISTs. Otherwise Most people ignore it...ME IM TO OLD TO EVEN DIGNIFY THAT...A'HO...🤔. WAST'E...OH AND BOTH OF YOU NICE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE WELCOME ANY WHERE ON .."OUR" LAND...☺️
You should go to Lewis & Clark Caverns and Livingston…it’s such a small town. My grandparents lived there and it’s a blip on the map for railroad tracks
Hello! And thanks for putting Billings Montana on the map. I would l Iike to start off by saying, "My wife and I really enjoy your videos . Now, I would also like to mention that I am Mexican 3rd generation and my wife is Argentine 2nd generation. We are originally moved here from Los Angeles. When we first told family, friends, and coworkers that we planned on moving to Montana, they all said, " We were CRAZY!" But 5 years ago, we made the move to Lockwood Montana, just outside of Billings. As a matter of fact, we are less than 10 minutes from Metra Park. You guys are 100% right about the percentage of Blacks here in Billings. But, I have to say while we we were unloading our moving truck our neighbors to the left of was were black. Our neighbors to the right of us were white, and so were the neighbors behind us. All were very welcoming. Despite race or color. I haven't experienced any real racism here, but more of people who dont want outsiders changing Montanas way of life. Montanas seem not to care too much about race.
Found your channel by chance, and really enjoyed your video! I have lived in Billings all my life, and would like to confirm that the people of Billings, and Montana as a whole are NOT racist. The hiker you mentioned has the same attitude as a lot of native Montanans. The cost of housing in Billings has almost doubled in the last ten years for both renters, and buyers. There's also a tendency for people to love Montana enough to move here, but then try really hard to change the way things are. So we tend to be a little standoffish with people who are clearly new comers.I recently moved across the river to the suburb of Lockwood, and the people at the local gas station were almost rude to my family for the first couple of months until we became regular customers. Now they're all awesomely friendly people. All of that being said, Billings can be an incredibly boring city if you're not into country western activities.
Right on! Thanks a lot for the insight. We are planning on giving Montana another shot in the near future. We are glad you found our channel as well and hope you continue to enjoy our other episodes. Thanks for watching!
As a fellow Montanan, I can confirm most towns are a little “cold” to newcomers, not because we don’t like you or don’t want you to see our area, but we know how beautiful it is and enjoy our open spaces so we don’t want it to expand too much.😉 after digging a little deeper, you’ll see that it isn’t that cold and will start to see more of the town charm and how welcoming they can be.
@TravelingWhileBlack1 billings is not the place... I live here... you have to hit the west side of the state. But glad you visited. It does get stinken cold here...right now it is sitting at 95.... yuck
I'm glad you visited the Little Bighorn National Monument. Across the entrance is a touristy trading post that has delicious fry bread. In June, the Real Bird family hosts a reenactment of the battle.I also noticed you ate at the Sassy Biscuit, a popular brunch spot. It's owned by a black couple. My brother worked for them when they first opened.
Hope you guys enjoyed the brew pub. I am born and raised in Billings and next time Bozeman might be more of what you’re looking for it’s called Bozeangeles for a reason lol. People in Montana for the most part all have the same views they don’t like outsiders and the out of states that move here and it’s sad as a state we aren’t more open minded. Safe travels
I have travelled throughout Montana on several occasions for work and actually found the local people to be very friendly and helpful. I hiked the "M" in Missoula, an activity that locals suggested. In fact, when I was travelling through there, I learned that the Mayor of Helena Montana was a black man. I was pleasantly by that fact. That said, I think what you felt wasn't necessarily related to being black. It had more to do with the way they are towards everyone that they consider an outsider. I personally gave Montana a higher than average score for comfortability after my adventures. Keep travelling.
Whats your next group of videos going to be about? Since you asked my thoughts something I thought would be cool would to go through south American countries or European countries and figure out the black influence there and give the black experience. That would be off the chain
You guys are adorable! I love this video series but this is my first one so I am gonna follow your journey backwards I guess lol. I am from Billings and you guys graded it pretty accordingly I would say. That rodeo weekend was hectic haha I was delivering pizzas and it was mayhem 🤣🤣
Right on! We can imagine that you were busy that night it seemed like the whole town was buzzing about the event. We hope you enjoy watching our other episodes/series. Thanks for watching!
Just came across this channel, glad i did. Ive heard nothing but bad things about these cities but im here to hear what else can be said. Great vid 👍🏾🎉🎊✊🏽
What a great channel to stumble across. Thank you! And I love your green book approach. While not black I am Asian and my son is autistic and if you guys are more comfortable it also speaks to how comfortable any minority might feel.
Thanks a lot for watching! And we love that you find value in our channel. We totally agree that our reason for doing our show resonates with other communities. Thanks for watching!
Very cool video! I like your new grading! If you go to the Skagit Fair in the second week of August, make sure you go in Building "D" to see our Garden Railroad modules! Love your guys!
Thank you for having tiptoed through my adopted home. Sorry I missed your visit as I would have been happy to introduce you to some of my colorful friends. I'm still trying to blend in as a transplant but after 36+ years, I don't think it will happen, even after decades of being heavily involved in this community. Montanans are polite as long as you don't come to stay. Pass by as often as you want but don't plant roots. Wide open spaces is what they like and don't be different in any kind of way. I came in 1986 and my intro to this community was singing "We are the world" while holding hands with a bunch of strangers in a city park. That faded very quickly. Big hearts here but don't try to touch those hearts. They are brittle. Git along little doggie is the motto rather than gold and silver. Still it would have been nice to meet you both. Happy trekking. Enjoy life and each other and keep those check marks adding up.
Great falls has a military base and, therefore, more diverse & used to new comers. Bozeman has been gentrified. It is now Vail, CO, Missoula has always been progressive. Billings is the last refuge for blue collar in MT. VERY conservative home to mining, oil & construction workers. Billings is suffering from extreme inflation last 3 yrs has seen housing prices triple while wages are flat, so newcomers are not welcomed. Montana was settled by German, Irish, Lutheran, Catholic. These cultures lean quiet, keep to themselves, not extroverted. The Native tribal culture considers chatting as impolite, too. Regardless of who you are, if you aren't related/family, it is considered impolite to approach or chat. Billings turned every venue into a casino so there isn't anything to do. I agree with your conclusion that Billings is equally unwelcoming to everyone. 😉 (I've lived here off & on for 30 yrs. Also lived FL, LA, NM, CO for comparison) Looks like you had a wonderful trip. 😊
Bozeman is why we seem cold to out of staters. Bozeman isn't Montana anymore. In fact it has many nicknames. Bozeman Angeles being one. There are bumper stickers that say "Make Bozeman Montana again" and we commonly refer to Montana county 6 license plates as out of state California plates. As others have stated, with the influx of people during and after COVID, and people coming into the state and causing buying wars on property. People paying double and triple property values drive up the cost of surrounding properties and drove property taxes through the roof (Unless you are an out of stater that moved here to get in to politics and keep your own taxes low, looking at you Gov. Gianforte and wannabe Sen. Sheehy). Because of native Montanan's getting priced out of there own home/state, there is a backlash. Especially if we hear the dreaded words, "I would love to move here." Make it known you are just visiting and you will be shown lots of love. We used to love to show off our state a lot more before the influx. Now we are more guarded. Sorry for my long spiel... And addressing the Yellowstone thing, an hour or less south of Billings is Red Lodge Montana and the Beartooth Mountains. This is your route to Yellowstone Park if Beartooth Pass is open. And the Beartooth highway is why. Google Beartooth highway and you will see why. Zimmerman is okay, but because of overuse it is littered with trash, glass, and graffiti. Four Dances is a great outdoor area, Phipps Park, and a few other spots that I will leave unnamed because I would rather they stay hidden gems.
Montanan here, clicked on the Billings title. But, I have a sorrow watching this. My sorrow is that racism has been overblown by people who maybe benefit in some way. I hate the idea that black kids are told that they are disliked. Old school Montanans were miners, ranchers, railroaders, loggers, builders. The people who came here after the horror of the Indian wars were working people. They typically cared only about skills and character. People came here from all over the world. The thing most admirable about the people of Billings is the care they take of each other, the land and wildlife, the women imprisoned there, juveniles in trouble, just to name a few things. You "chickened out" on the one event where you would have met the working and rural people, the bull riding. Also, Billings is a place where if you see something missing such as a tribute to blacks in local history, you can figure something out and help make it happen.
I was born and raised in Billings and have spent the majority of my life here. And frankly, 99% of Billings residents don't know any of the Black history in our community. We could definitely improve. Thank you for visiting. And yes, we have far too many casinos.
This TWB drop was amazing! I hope that y'all make it out to Yellowstone and its neighbor, Grand Teton National Park. Wamego, the city with the OZ museum has an OZ festival in October. I stopped through back in April and saw a flyer. it is supposed to be the biggest in the US lol I would suggest checking out the free museum underneath the Arch in St. Louis for a whole lot of perspective about how blacks were treated under Spanish and French monarchy rules! It was so illuminating because overnight people lost their rights as soon as the land was sold to the US. thank you for y'alls content! It was fun to join along!
Thanks a lot @daren5510! And we gotta say that we are more surprised that you’ve been to Wamego, KS than there being an OZ Festival 😂. But you’re right the Grand Teton or Yellowstone would be amazing. We need to do a video on the whole city of STL! We use to go to that museum under the arch to the a lot throughout the years growing up in the area, would love to see how it is since it’s been updated. The underground museum was the only thing both of us did even before we met because neither of us trusted the elevator car to the top 😂. Thanks for watching and supporting!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 Saw the OZ Museum sign for the last three years on 70-East finally just had to check out Wamego, KS haha! if you go in the late spring before June you can capture the red calfs (the baby bison) in their full landscape glory. the arch has become a national park recently, I would totally watch yalls video on STL! Happy to support!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 I live in Billings and thought why would anyone come here for vacation if they don’t have family here. They will be so bored and disappointed.
As a Billings local I apologize that you didn't feel comfortable. I never knew about the black history here. That was wonderful to learn! :) This might sound weird but part of people's weirdness might have been the hats. Depending on how often you wore them around...I know that sounds crazy! For some reason around here people can fully tell if you work on a farm or ranch or if you're just wearing the hat for fun. The attitude here is more of a "can't wear it if you haven't earned it" thing. Like I've never lived on a ranch but I've helped branding cattle and stuff. I would never wear a hat even to a branding! Local or not, helping or not, I haven't earned the hat. The hat thing hard to explain and has nothing to do with race. Not saying you won't find racist people here just that the hat is a way bigger deal... At least that's what I've observed. I hope you try Bosman some time that is a great little town and they have hot springs! Oh and the Yellowstone drive seems like nothing to us because to get anywhere in Montana takes at least 2 hours and that's if your lucky! From here to Bosman is 4 hours but I love going there when I get the chance! All of Montana is a road trip lol. I do wish we had more to do around here though! Sorry for the long comment!
I talked to my best friend who was married to a rancher and lived on a ranch. She is from Alaska but she didn't grow up ranching. she still wouldn't wear the hat even while they were married :( people here are so weird about cowboy hats it's crazy!
🤯 WOW the hats make sense 😂. Yes we wanted to do Yellowstone but we were at our drive limit. We heard that Bozeman is a great option, so we might come back to Montana. Thanks for watching!
Love your video. Like yourself, I live in the Seattle area (actually in Kingston). Ok… gotta say it. Kitsap is beautiful with minimal African American presence. Seattle, also, doesn’t seem overwhelmingly Black. That being said, I adore the ‘island’ lifestyle. But, the focus here is Montana. I’ve worked in both Missoula and Great Falls. To me, both places possess breathtaking opportunities for hiking, exercising, and positive living. Overall people are friendly and likable. At times, weird stuff was experienced. Walking by a passerby, one casually mentioned “it’s just like Blacks can’t swim.” The remark was intended to be derogatory as I was definitely within earshot. The person voicing the comment was likely younger than twenty-five. This was a rare instance. Otherwise, Missoula welcomed me. Great Falls has more of a Black element due to its military presence. Still, Black population seems quite minimal. Both cities are safe, comfortable, and are prepared with a few ‘stares.’ (Leave that to your own interpretation.) I LOVE Montana, her beauty and rich western heritage is incomparable. Just don’t expect to find many chicken n waffle joints. Peace.
As somebody born and lived in Billings most of my life, I have to say I am surprised you chose the city. Really my main reasons for living there is proximity to family, shopping, healthcare, and job opportunities. However I would say it is far from the most interesting or beautiful towns in the state, but it is just a short drive from some beautiful areas. A few hundred miles west is Bozeman, it has better views of the mountains and amazing hiking trails. It is also growing pretty rapidly due to the college and there seems to be all sorts of new fun shops when I visit. The Beartooth Pass to the south near Red Lodge is also stunning - views rivaling Glacier National Park in my opinion. Still not that many Black people though, you got us there lol. Billings does seem to be growing though, I am excited to see people from different backgrounds moving here. That said the coldness is a general attitude of not wanting people to move here, and from my personal experience my frustration is the economy changes and that infrastructure has not adapted quick enough with the increase in population. When I went to MSU in Bozeman finding an apartment and driving let alone parking anywhere was a nightmare and it has only gotten worse and I'm starting to see that in Billings now too. Anyway sorry for the novel (and our crazy driving that I'm sure you didn't mention because you are polite) but great video, I hope you get to explore more of Montana in the future!
Regarding Sheridan Wyoming: there were huge coal seams in the area. The seams caught fire in the 50s (?) and were still burning alongside the highway in the 70s when I would visit as a young child. Not sure, but I think the Black Diamond you mentioned may refer to coal.
I love people who visit other cultures and are upset they don’t live the same way. America is a melting pot from the world. It’s a mash of cultures. Those cultures spread across the country collecting in some areas but not in others. What’s the point of traveling if you want everything to fit into your understanding of cultural practices.
I grew up genX in Montana, a town of 5000ish. Four schools of elementary school. Two junior high schools, one private. Two high schools, one private. Two black children throughout my 12 years of school. They were adopted, so they were also the only blacks that lived in town. I don’t remember any incidents involving the boys, they were just another pair of kids in the neighbourhood that rode around with a group of friends. Billings used to do better, before racism was used as a political platform.😢
The like, one Mexican restaurant in Billings gave me salmonella and served my colleague onions (which she specifically said she was deathly allergic to, to our waitress, multiple times before and after ordering)..Not authentic at all and just a bad experience for us (we are Native Americans from the south, there on a conference trip, so we were just trying it to compare and … yeah. Taco Bell would’ve been safer) 😂 just a heads up to those thinking maybe they should be adventurous, don’t eat Mexican food from the north unless it’s authentic. The people in Billings treated us similarly, but I’ve come to understand that people from the north just… are like that. They’re just kind of jerks 😂 can’t wait to move back south tbh, I’ll deal with the weather if I can have my friendly folks back
As a native and former resident of Billings (I've also lived in Alabama and Seattle).... I'm sorry we didn't seem welcoming. I know there are VERY welcoming people here that actually are color blind, my grandma would have made you feel SO at home. _Sadly_ Eastern Montana culture can be very isolated and diversity is... well... hard to find. There are a lot of remote ranchers that make coming into town for supplies a weekend event - so even though we're mostly an oil and farming town, there are a lot of great restaurants and shops. My recommendation is for you to visit Bozeman or Missoula. Red Lodge is also a fun little mountain town just north of Yellowstone National Park and has one of the top rated scenic highways in America, the Beartooth Pass. Though I have to agree with another poster from Billings - your trip really did only scratch the surface of activities and eateries. Try coming when the fair or rodeo is in town.
Hey right on! And no need to apologize. Bozeman and Missoula are the spots we are hearing that we need to check out within the state. So we are definitely planning a return trip. Thanks for watching!
I’ve spent my whole life in billings, and im gonna be honest the racism here is pretty bad. im glad you didn’t have any obvious experiences with it, but the racism is common and particularly harsh towards native Americans. As for the lack of pretty much anything to do, it’s a city desperate to grow with a population too stubborn to let it. I hope you come back to Montana, I feel you’d have a better time in Bozeman/western Montana. There’s more to do, the people tend to be kinder, it’s more inclusive (Bozeman in particular), and it’s gorgeous. Just stay away from great falls lol.
Just to give you more insight on the cryptic "Don't encourage people to move here" comment that you got, the negative aspect of that was likely not toward you. Over the last decade, Montana has been seeing a heavy influx of people who have liquidated overpriced California properties and used the cash to buy up real estate in Montana. It has been causing some issues. You might have seen decals on cars that express this animosity that say "Montana is full, I hear North Dakota is nice." I would encourage you to make another effort to see Yellowstone, it is mind-bogglingly beautiful.
Yes that’s sort of how we took it and definitely get it from a local persons perspective. And we definitely want to come back to Yellowstone! Thanks for watching!
As a native Montana and born and raised in Billings, while I appreciate some of your video I think you're perspective is a little limited. There are actually historical sites here that celebrate the Browns and their contributions - the Heritage Center could have helped you with that. The prostitution was not just south of the tracks and also a very interesting history. There are lots of opportunities to learn the broad history of my hometown. Sad you missed all the great food offerings where you were walking in the historical part of town. Come again 🙃
As a Billings resident, this town kind of sucks. Underfunded infrastructure and everything dependent on the car. It is not devoid of culture, thankfully. It is not very picturesque because of lack of zoning requirements.
If you come to Montana to be separated into a special feeling group, 🤷that not going to happen. Montana loves everyone regardless!! Please try not to segregate yourself. Crime is high in Billings due to no space in jails and they refuse to build another one. Godspeed
I can only imagine how much interesting the Rockies would be if Indigenous Americans had been left alone and allowed to manage and cultivate their land. Montana has a lot of history that has been whitewashed and is somber. No surprise there isn't much going on in Billings
I wouldn't recommend visiting Billings full of rude discoutious people are car was keyd .2 tires were slashed. Maybe before all the pilgrims moved in it was a town worth visiting 😢
Go to south america! And show black culture there and how it influeneced the tribes there and study things like black brazilians and show what life is like for black people. That will grow you to over 100k trust me!
@seanivery yes there are a quite a few South American countries on our list to explore. We’ve done Central America so far and it was crazy dope. We wanted to move to Belize after our visit. And Ecuador was the one of the most amazing experience of our lives (Quito, Mashpi Rainforest, and Galapagos Islands). We have episodes on all of those experiences mos def check them out.
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 oh OK I didn't know. Or go to Spain and Italy even or even Asian countries. I see you guys went fromb10.8 to 11.1 with the last video so you're starting to get traction congrats 👏
Funny enough, I'm from Billings and I saw you filming your intro while driving by. The racism here is usually targetting native people. I have literally heard someone explain how great their brother in law is, the brother in law is black, then in the next breath say the most racist things about native peoples. Most Montanans agree that Billings is the ugliest town in Montana. The town was notoriously boring when I was young. I can say Montanans are stand offish. We have a saying that you shouldn't befriend a new comer until they have made three winters, because then they are staying. Rent and housing prices have increased a lot, particularly in the prettier spots. Montanans are going homeless in areas that they are native to, or had lived in their whole life. McMansions are a reai problem. Growing up here, everyone agrees that Custer got what was coming to him. Not many people realise how crooked and brutal he was. Honestly, how brutal the government was. Thank you for coming. The hats are cute, but that's why driving by I knew you were newcomers.
Wow thanks a lot for that insight. Both the positive and the negatives. We are picking up from the comments from Montanans on here that Billings wasn’t the best city to pick for our journey . Still we’re thankful that we got to experience at least once (even if it’s for the last time lol). Also as you probably could tell from the episode I (Anthony) shared the same thoughts about Custer growing up 😂. Thanks again for the local insight and watching!
If you make it this way again, consider Red Lodge for a day trip out of Billings - it's about 90 miles SW, and is the start of the Beartooth Mountain highway. Billings will often have street fairs downtown on the weekends, especially in the summer. I agree, though, our restaurant scene could be better.
OK😆 No one is allowed to wear cowboys hats when visiting Montana... "ihavetheanswers" said so. Thank you for dictating what others should wear. You're awesome!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1thank you for buying cowboy hats in my town. We like money too. There is a lot of nuance to a hat. I like seeing a hat that says, "I just got here and I am excited." I think they are as pretty as a "going to town" hat. (Not the fanciest hat, but a good one.)
I stay in Billings, as a black man it’s straight Fr, most people really never been around black people so it’ll be more of a culture shock for them than you. If you want a quiet place to stay that won’t kill your pockets Billings is ok. Great job by you two, thank you for this content. But note there is nothing to do here.
Right on! Thanks for that insight. And you are right the affordability of the area isn’t a bad at all (especially compared to where we are based in Seattle). Thanks for watching!
What are u talking about. Iv seen plenty of black people in billings. I live on south side and plenty live around me. When I lived o north side same thing.
I'm a black man here with my wife we have been here for 10 years now Billings is slow easy living compared to inner city descent jobs it can get boring but hey it's a solid place to live
Two days it’s not long enough to experience Montana. I’ve lived in Billings for eight years we retired here from California.It’s a beautiful state. Part of the population does not like Californians, because they want to keep their open land for camping and hunting and fishing. The price of homes have doubled since Covid. Come back for more than two days and really enjoy it Montana you can’t even get through Yellowstone in two days.
Great video! We are from Montana and we, too, score more on our drive to Billings than Billings itself haha😂! You shared a lot of history that we haven’t been exposed to before! Thank you!!! Hopefully you give Montana (and Billings) another shot! This state is so amazing and covers so many different experiences depending on location and those that you meet on the way! Great content!
Thanks a lot for watching! And yes we’ve been given a a couple of alternative Montana recommendations that we are definitely down to check out. So we’ll be back.
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I'm a black woman and my family and I have lived in Billings for about 14 years. When we go to bigger cities to visit or vacation I can't wait to get back "home". There's actually fun things to do that keep my kids and I busy. You guys just needed a tour guide and you would have had much more fun 😊
As a Montanan, I don’t know anyone who would go to Billings for fun.  I think your spot on with the way it felt but that is just most of Montana. As they say we invented social distancing. Next time go to one of the more tourist oriented towns or places like Bozeman or Missoula or even Helena. 
I’d wait to visit Helena until the Historical Society Museum reopens which I heard was still a year off. We had two sets of family visit this August and that would have been of interest to the first group. If you enjoy mountain biking Helena is a good destination though.
Indeed
I really appreciate how you two tell the Black history of these places you visit. I never knew Montana's African American history.
Thanks a lot! Yes we are lucky to learn so much rich Black History that we never heard of prior to visiting, it would be a disservice not to share. Thanks for watching!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1Come to Great Falls!! We are gorgeous, quaint, friendly and some of the best people you'll ever meet!! We are the Golden Triangle and the Gates of the Mountains!! We welcome you!! Charley Pride is from here!
Edited to correct a silly spelling error.
Same, as a Montanan who spent more of my life than not in Billings, I had no idea of the Black history.
Sorry , but was a little insulted by some of the stereo typing they placed on the people of Montana and of Billings.
The Restaurants, fun and history yup all of it you barely skimmed the top. Then there is how we dress, no wonder people think we don't have internet, still travel in horse and buggy and all are cowboys.
Billings has indoor football, minor league baseball and other sporting events.
As Restaurants go you two only hit downtown. What we call the Westend is where the people westenders go . Quite a few steakhouses out there and shopping centers, theaters out there .
Then there is what is called The Heights which has a Waterpark, shopping and eateries up there too.
Last but not least is Midtown where there are city parks, biking trails that connect to all the other parts of the city(over 99 miles ) , shopping , and of course a lot of family own restaurants like korean bbq, authentic Mexican, tex-mex etc, etc
Downtown Billings is mostly about the legal, medical, and white collar businesses so yah, your not going to see Boothill, Yellowstone Kelly's grave, Sword Park on top of the Rims down o the area you were at.
So don't write off Billings completely. You just skimmed the top of it. So I'll rate your visit as a 5 sorry I looked at your other videos and I felt you did an injustice to them too.
Did you come hoping we'd fail? Just asking for a friend.
PS if you wanted to learn more black history of Montana you went to tge wrong town...those are Great Falls and Havre. Havre for the Buffalo Soilders and Great Falls for the Airforce base.
Oh, and you could of taken the Northeast entrance to the Park via Red Lodge. Closer entrance.
Im a native Montanan , please dont judge us by Billings....But super glad you two dipped your toe into the deep pool of wonders that is Montana, and hope you venture further into Montanas craft brewing and distillery scene ....just saying a really great way to see more....aim for the small towns....if you get into my neck of the world....check out the frontier club....fresh local burgers....cold local brews....and then cross the street to the Plaza.....2 local breweries just down the street.....and the headwaters of the Missouri right here.....Three Forks MT
Right on! We will add all of those to our list on our return trip to the state! Thanks for watching!
I am from Billings and I just commented on how everyone agrees that we are the ugliest town. In fairness, we are still in Montana so we're not ugly ugly. We are the ugliest in the prettiest place, which still makes us pretty. 😊
Great video! We are from Montana and we, too, score more on our drive to Billings than Billings itself haha😂! You shared a lot of history that we haven’t been exposed to before! Thank you!!! Hopefully you give Montana (and Billings) another shot! This state is so amazing and covers so many different experiences depending on location and those that you meet on the way! Great content!
Right on! Learning and sharing the history is one our favorite things about doing our show. We will definitely give Montana another shot. Thanks for watching!
I enjoyed your video. Being from Montana myself but having left many years ago, this showed me several things I never knew. I wish you could gave seen the zoo in Billings or went to the amazing Scheel’s Hardware where my brother runs the 65’ indoor Ferris wheel. Of course my FAVORITE part if Montana lies in Glacier Park. Yellowstone is great but Glacier is AWESOME! You need to return for the summer also when harvesting us in full swing or in winter when the snow sends you skiing at Big Sky or Kings Hill.
Loved it. ❤
Living in Butte, Montana my entire life, I think Billings represents the Eastern portion pretty well. The Western side of the state, I believe, is a very different feel. Mountains and forests. I am glad you visited our state, and am now following the channel because I want to know about other places. Thanks you for the fun video.
Not to nitpick, but the Billings Outlaws won the Arena Football League championship last weekend. Semi pro is still pro.
As a white guy who has lived in Billings for most of his life, I can acknowledge the isolationist attitude where the locals don’t want outsiders to come in and f up our slow pace of life. But it doesn’t have anything to do with skin color. But apparently we pulled your trigger on that one. Good!
Come back some day and I’ll take you to some actually good restaurants.
Well I hope you come back again. You missed many things here. I really enjoyed hearing about the history. There are many things to see in some surrounding areas too...come to RedLodge for the 4th of July Rodeo!
Thank you for the invitation back. You’re right perhaps if we knew where to go our experience may have been different. Thanks for watching!
I adore this series!!
Thank you for supporting and watching!
Great video and keep up the good work. On your next trip to MT you will have to visit us in NW MT.
Right on! And YES that’s what we’re hearing. We guess we’ll be coming back lol. Thanks for watching!
Just be careful in whitefish@@TravelingWhileBlack1
As a Indigenous person (one of the few left..) I appreciate your honesty, & yes having our ancestors bone in that area..for THOUSANDS OF YEARS. My grand children still feel that coolness..😮 which you put it nicely 😅.....by these COLONIALISTs. Otherwise Most people ignore it...ME IM TO OLD TO EVEN DIGNIFY THAT...A'HO...🤔. WAST'E...OH AND BOTH OF YOU NICE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE WELCOME ANY WHERE ON .."OUR" LAND...☺️
Wow we really appreciate your comment! Thanks for watching!
You should go to Lewis & Clark Caverns and Livingston…it’s such a small town. My grandparents lived there and it’s a blip on the map for railroad tracks
Hello! And thanks for putting Billings Montana on the map.
I would l Iike to start off by saying, "My wife and I really enjoy your videos .
Now, I would also like to mention that I am Mexican 3rd generation and my wife is Argentine 2nd generation. We are originally moved here from Los Angeles. When we first told family, friends, and coworkers that we planned on moving to Montana, they all said, " We were CRAZY!" But 5 years ago, we made the move to Lockwood Montana, just outside of Billings. As a matter of fact, we are less than 10 minutes from Metra Park.
You guys are 100% right about the percentage of Blacks here in Billings. But, I have to say while we we were unloading our moving truck our neighbors to the left of was were black. Our neighbors to the right of us were white, and so were the neighbors behind us. All were very welcoming. Despite race or color. I haven't experienced any real racism here, but more of people who dont want outsiders changing Montanas way of life. Montanas seem not to care too much about race.
Haha right on! Yes from LA to MT is a HUGE change! We’re glad that it seems like you are cool with living there. Thanks for watching!
We don't care about race here. We don't want big city people changing the culture to big city life.
Found your channel by chance, and really enjoyed your video! I have lived in Billings all my life, and would like to confirm that the people of Billings, and Montana as a whole are NOT racist. The hiker you mentioned has the same attitude as a lot of native Montanans. The cost of housing in Billings has almost doubled in the last ten years for both renters, and buyers. There's also a tendency for people to love Montana enough to move here, but then try really hard to change the way things are. So we tend to be a little standoffish with people who are clearly new comers.I recently moved across the river to the suburb of Lockwood, and the people at the local gas station were almost rude to my family for the first couple of months until we became regular customers. Now they're all awesomely friendly people. All of that being said, Billings can be an incredibly boring city if you're not into country western activities.
Right on! Thanks a lot for the insight. We are planning on giving Montana another shot in the near future. We are glad you found our channel as well and hope you continue to enjoy our other episodes. Thanks for watching!
As a fellow Montanan, I can confirm most towns are a little “cold” to newcomers, not because we don’t like you or don’t want you to see our area, but we know how beautiful it is and enjoy our open spaces so we don’t want it to expand too much.😉 after digging a little deeper, you’ll see that it isn’t that cold and will start to see more of the town charm and how welcoming they can be.
Right on @tuxheidner7059! Yes we are definitely up to giving Montana another try. Thanks for watching!
@TravelingWhileBlack1 billings is not the place... I live here... you have to hit the west side of the state. But glad you visited. It does get stinken cold here...right now it is sitting at 95.... yuck
Agreed- we are freindly people, but it can be trying to welcome and get to know neighbors, then they leave after the first winter.
Very true I am black and living in butte I was always hearing about outsiders
@@kristirudolph7504I agree Bozeman Butte Kalispell Missoula are all fun
I'm glad you visited the Little Bighorn National Monument. Across the entrance is a touristy trading post that has delicious fry bread. In June, the Real Bird family hosts a reenactment of the battle.I also noticed you ate at the Sassy Biscuit, a popular brunch spot. It's owned by a black couple. My brother worked for them when they first opened.
Wow thanks for that insight! If we make it back that way we will definitely have to stop by. Thanks for watching!
In Billings, we don't care what your background is. We are a libertarian-minded people. You do you and I will do me.
Hope you guys enjoyed the brew pub. I am born and raised in Billings and next time Bozeman might be more of what you’re looking for it’s called Bozeangeles for a reason lol. People in Montana for the most part all have the same views they don’t like outsiders and the out of states that move here and it’s sad as a state we aren’t more open minded. Safe travels
I have travelled throughout Montana on several occasions for work and actually found the local people to be very friendly and helpful. I hiked the "M" in Missoula, an activity that locals suggested. In fact, when I was travelling through there, I learned that the Mayor of Helena Montana was a black man. I was pleasantly by that fact. That said, I think what you felt wasn't necessarily related to being black. It had more to do with the way they are towards everyone that they consider an outsider. I personally gave Montana a higher than average score for comfortability after my adventures. Keep travelling.
Right on! Thanks a lot for your perspective. We want to check out Missoula on our next visit to the state. Thanks for watching!
You two produce excellent, informative content. Thank you! Can't wait for your next series!
Been waiting!
Sorry for the wait! But can’t wait to get your thoughts.
Whats your next group of videos going to be about? Since you asked my thoughts something I thought would be cool would to go through south American countries or European countries and figure out the black influence there and give the black experience. That would be off the chain
You guys are adorable! I love this video series but this is my first one so I am gonna follow your journey backwards I guess lol. I am from Billings and you guys graded it pretty accordingly I would say. That rodeo weekend was hectic haha I was delivering pizzas and it was mayhem 🤣🤣
Right on! We can imagine that you were busy that night it seemed like the whole town was buzzing about the event. We hope you enjoy watching our other episodes/series. Thanks for watching!
Should of gone to Missoula or Bozeman, as a white guy I can't say for the black comfort scale but there is at least more to do in both places
Just came across this channel, glad i did. Ive heard nothing but bad things about these cities but im here to hear what else can be said. Great vid 👍🏾🎉🎊✊🏽
Right on! It’s a major reason why we do our show, because we will never know unless we go. Thanks a lot for watching and supporting!
Stayed in Montana for months worse experience ever
Seems like you two were made to do this sort of thing! Even your voices are perfect! Maybe Netflix will notice your channel!
That would be dope! We love doing this and love it more when the folks watching like it and find value in it. Thanks for your support and watching!
What a great channel to stumble across. Thank you! And I love your green book approach.
While not black I am Asian and my son is autistic and if you guys are more comfortable it also speaks to how comfortable any minority might feel.
Thanks a lot for watching! And we love that you find value in our channel. We totally agree that our reason for doing our show resonates with other communities. Thanks for watching!
Very cool video! I like your new grading! If you go to the Skagit Fair in the second week of August, make sure you go in Building "D" to see our Garden Railroad modules! Love your guys!
Right on @gardenrailroading! If we make it out this year we will definitely stop by. Thanks for the support and watching!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 Are you still living in Seattle?
Thank you for having tiptoed through my adopted home. Sorry I missed your visit as I would have been happy to introduce you to some of my colorful friends. I'm still trying to blend in as a transplant but after 36+ years, I don't think it will happen, even after decades of being heavily involved in this community. Montanans are polite as long as you don't come to stay. Pass by as often as you want but don't plant roots. Wide open spaces is what they like and don't be different in any kind of way. I came in 1986 and my intro to this community was singing "We are the world" while holding hands with a bunch of strangers in a city park. That faded very quickly. Big hearts here but don't try to touch those hearts. They are brittle. Git along little doggie is the motto rather than gold and silver. Still it would have been nice to meet you both. Happy trekking. Enjoy life and each other and keep those check marks adding up.
Bozeman Missoula and great falls is comfortable for black people. Lived in great falls for almost 8 years
Right on! Yes that’s what we are hearing. One if not both of those spots are where we are headed when we come back to Montana. Thanks for watching!
Great falls has a military base and, therefore, more diverse & used to new comers. Bozeman has been gentrified. It is now Vail, CO, Missoula has always been progressive. Billings is the last refuge for blue collar in MT. VERY conservative home to mining, oil & construction workers. Billings is suffering from extreme inflation last 3 yrs has seen housing prices triple while wages are flat, so newcomers are not welcomed. Montana was settled by German, Irish, Lutheran, Catholic. These cultures lean quiet, keep to themselves, not extroverted. The Native tribal culture considers chatting as impolite, too. Regardless of who you are, if you aren't related/family, it is considered impolite to approach or chat. Billings turned every venue into a casino so there isn't anything to do. I agree with your conclusion that Billings is equally unwelcoming to everyone. 😉 (I've lived here off & on for 30 yrs. Also lived FL, LA, NM, CO for comparison) Looks like you had a wonderful trip. 😊
Great Falls (my home) is fantastic!! Charlie Pride called us home and we are proud of that fact!
Bozeman is why we seem cold to out of staters. Bozeman isn't Montana anymore. In fact it has many nicknames. Bozeman Angeles being one. There are bumper stickers that say "Make Bozeman Montana again" and we commonly refer to Montana county 6 license plates as out of state California plates. As others have stated, with the influx of people during and after COVID, and people coming into the state and causing buying wars on property. People paying double and triple property values drive up the cost of surrounding properties and drove property taxes through the roof (Unless you are an out of stater that moved here to get in to politics and keep your own taxes low, looking at you Gov. Gianforte and wannabe Sen. Sheehy). Because of native Montanan's getting priced out of there own home/state, there is a backlash. Especially if we hear the dreaded words, "I would love to move here." Make it known you are just visiting and you will be shown lots of love. We used to love to show off our state a lot more before the influx. Now we are more guarded. Sorry for my long spiel... And addressing the Yellowstone thing, an hour or less south of Billings is Red Lodge Montana and the Beartooth Mountains. This is your route to Yellowstone Park if Beartooth Pass is open. And the Beartooth highway is why. Google Beartooth highway and you will see why. Zimmerman is okay, but because of overuse it is littered with trash, glass, and graffiti. Four Dances is a great outdoor area, Phipps Park, and a few other spots that I will leave unnamed because I would rather they stay hidden gems.
Excellent series. Thanks for the sharing your journey.🙌🏾
Love what you guys do.
Right on! Thanks for watching and supporting!
Montanan here, clicked on the Billings title. But, I have a sorrow watching this. My sorrow is that racism has been overblown by people who maybe benefit in some way. I hate the idea that black kids are told that they are disliked. Old school Montanans were miners, ranchers, railroaders, loggers, builders. The people who came here after the horror of the Indian wars were working people. They typically cared only about skills and character. People came here from all over the world. The thing most admirable about the people of Billings is the care they take of each other, the land and wildlife, the women imprisoned there, juveniles in trouble, just to name a few things. You "chickened out" on the one event where you would have met the working and rural people, the bull riding. Also, Billings is a place where if you see something missing such as a tribute to blacks in local history, you can figure something out and help make it happen.
HOWDY FROM BILLINGS MONTANA!!!!
I was born and raised in Billings and have spent the majority of my life here. And frankly, 99% of Billings residents don't know any of the Black history in our community. We could definitely improve. Thank you for visiting.
And yes, we have far too many casinos.
Thanks for watching!
Very diplomatic describing your comfort level
This TWB drop was amazing! I hope that y'all make it out to Yellowstone and its neighbor, Grand Teton National Park. Wamego, the city with the OZ museum has an OZ festival in October. I stopped through back in April and saw a flyer. it is supposed to be the biggest in the US lol I would suggest checking out the free museum underneath the Arch in St. Louis for a whole lot of perspective about how blacks were treated under Spanish and French monarchy rules! It was so illuminating because overnight people lost their rights as soon as the land was sold to the US. thank you for y'alls content! It was fun to join along!
Thanks a lot @daren5510! And we gotta say that we are more surprised that you’ve been to Wamego, KS than there being an OZ Festival 😂. But you’re right the Grand Teton or Yellowstone would be amazing. We need to do a video on the whole city of STL! We use to go to that museum under the arch to the a lot throughout the years growing up in the area, would love to see how it is since it’s been updated. The underground museum was the only thing both of us did even before we met because neither of us trusted the elevator car to the top 😂. Thanks for watching and supporting!
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 Saw the OZ Museum sign for the last three years on 70-East finally just had to check out Wamego, KS haha!
if you go in the late spring before June you can capture the red calfs (the baby bison) in their full landscape glory. the arch has become a national park recently, I would totally watch yalls video on STL! Happy to support!
I dont even go to billings and i live in montana.
😂
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 I live in Billings and thought why would anyone come here for vacation if they don’t have family here. They will be so bored and disappointed.
As a Billings local I apologize that you didn't feel comfortable. I never knew about the black history here. That was wonderful to learn! :) This might sound weird but part of people's weirdness might have been the hats. Depending on how often you wore them around...I know that sounds crazy! For some reason around here people can fully tell if you work on a farm or ranch or if you're just wearing the hat for fun. The attitude here is more of a "can't wear it if you haven't earned it" thing. Like I've never lived on a ranch but I've helped branding cattle and stuff. I would never wear a hat even to a branding! Local or not, helping or not, I haven't earned the hat. The hat thing hard to explain and has nothing to do with race. Not saying you won't find racist people here just that the hat is a way bigger deal... At least that's what I've observed. I hope you try Bosman some time that is a great little town and they have hot springs! Oh and the Yellowstone drive seems like nothing to us because to get anywhere in Montana takes at least 2 hours and that's if your lucky! From here to Bosman is 4 hours but I love going there when I get the chance! All of Montana is a road trip lol. I do wish we had more to do around here though! Sorry for the long comment!
I talked to my best friend who was married to a rancher and lived on a ranch. She is from Alaska but she didn't grow up ranching. she still wouldn't wear the hat even while they were married :( people here are so weird about cowboy hats it's crazy!
🤯 WOW the hats make sense 😂. Yes we wanted to do Yellowstone but we were at our drive limit. We heard that Bozeman is a great option, so we might come back to Montana. Thanks for watching!
Love your video.
Like yourself, I live in the Seattle area (actually
in Kingston). Ok…
gotta say it. Kitsap is beautiful with minimal
African American presence. Seattle, also, doesn’t seem overwhelmingly Black.
That being said, I adore the ‘island’ lifestyle.
But, the focus here is Montana.
I’ve worked in both Missoula and Great Falls.
To me, both places possess breathtaking opportunities for hiking, exercising, and positive
living. Overall people are friendly and likable.
At times, weird stuff was experienced.
Walking by a passerby, one casually mentioned
“it’s just like Blacks can’t swim.”
The remark was intended to be derogatory as I was definitely within earshot. The person voicing the comment was likely younger than twenty-five. This was a rare instance. Otherwise, Missoula welcomed me.
Great Falls has more of a Black element due to its military presence. Still, Black population seems quite minimal.
Both cities are safe, comfortable, and are prepared with a few ‘stares.’ (Leave that to your own interpretation.)
I LOVE Montana, her beauty and rich western heritage is incomparable. Just don’t expect to find many chicken n waffle joints.
Peace.
Right on! Thanks for that insight. Those are definitely the two spots we are going to hit on our return trip to Montana. Thanks for watching!
As somebody born and lived in Billings most of my life, I have to say I am surprised you chose the city. Really my main reasons for living there is proximity to family, shopping, healthcare, and job opportunities. However I would say it is far from the most interesting or beautiful towns in the state, but it is just a short drive from some beautiful areas. A few hundred miles west is Bozeman, it has better views of the mountains and amazing hiking trails. It is also growing pretty rapidly due to the college and there seems to be all sorts of new fun shops when I visit. The Beartooth Pass to the south near Red Lodge is also stunning - views rivaling Glacier National Park in my opinion. Still not that many Black people though, you got us there lol. Billings does seem to be growing though, I am excited to see people from different backgrounds moving here. That said the coldness is a general attitude of not wanting people to move here, and from my personal experience my frustration is the economy changes and that infrastructure has not adapted quick enough with the increase in population. When I went to MSU in Bozeman finding an apartment and driving let alone parking anywhere was a nightmare and it has only gotten worse and I'm starting to see that in Billings now too. Anyway sorry for the novel (and our crazy driving that I'm sure you didn't mention because you are polite) but great video, I hope you get to explore more of Montana in the future!
Regarding Sheridan Wyoming: there were huge coal seams in the area. The seams caught fire in the 50s (?) and were still burning alongside the highway in the 70s when I would visit as a young child. Not sure, but I think the Black Diamond you mentioned may refer to coal.
Wow thanks for that insight! And thanks for watching!
I love people who visit other cultures and are upset they don’t live the same way. America is a melting pot from the world. It’s a mash of cultures. Those cultures spread across the country collecting in some areas but not in others. What’s the point of traveling if you want everything to fit into your understanding of cultural practices.
I'm in Denver right now. Where are some black clubs, bars, or areas
I grew up genX in Montana, a town of 5000ish.
Four schools of elementary school.
Two junior high schools, one private.
Two high schools, one private.
Two black children throughout my 12 years of school. They were adopted, so they were also the only blacks that lived in town. I don’t remember any incidents involving the boys, they were just another pair of kids in the neighbourhood that rode around with a group of friends.
Billings used to do better, before racism was used as a political platform.😢
The like, one Mexican restaurant in Billings gave me salmonella and served my colleague onions (which she specifically said she was deathly allergic to, to our waitress, multiple times before and after ordering)..Not authentic at all and just a bad experience for us (we are Native Americans from the south, there on a conference trip, so we were just trying it to compare and … yeah. Taco Bell would’ve been safer) 😂 just a heads up to those thinking maybe they should be adventurous, don’t eat Mexican food from the north unless it’s authentic. The people in Billings treated us similarly, but I’ve come to understand that people from the north just… are like that. They’re just kind of jerks 😂 can’t wait to move back south tbh, I’ll deal with the weather if I can have my friendly folks back
As a native and former resident of Billings (I've also lived in Alabama and Seattle).... I'm sorry we didn't seem welcoming. I know there are VERY welcoming people here that actually are color blind, my grandma would have made you feel SO at home. _Sadly_ Eastern Montana culture can be very isolated and diversity is... well... hard to find. There are a lot of remote ranchers that make coming into town for supplies a weekend event - so even though we're mostly an oil and farming town, there are a lot of great restaurants and shops.
My recommendation is for you to visit Bozeman or Missoula. Red Lodge is also a fun little mountain town just north of Yellowstone National Park and has one of the top rated scenic highways in America, the Beartooth Pass.
Though I have to agree with another poster from Billings - your trip really did only scratch the surface of activities and eateries. Try coming when the fair or rodeo is in town.
Hey right on! And no need to apologize. Bozeman and Missoula are the spots we are hearing that we need to check out within the state. So we are definitely planning a return trip. Thanks for watching!
I’ve spent my whole life in billings, and im gonna be honest the racism here is pretty bad. im glad you didn’t have any obvious experiences with it, but the racism is common and particularly harsh towards native Americans.
As for the lack of pretty much anything to do, it’s a city desperate to grow with a population too stubborn to let it.
I hope you come back to Montana, I feel you’d have a better time in Bozeman/western Montana. There’s more to do, the people tend to be kinder, it’s more inclusive (Bozeman in particular), and it’s gorgeous. Just stay away from great falls lol.
I spent more of my life in Billings than not and you said it well.
Just to give you more insight on the cryptic "Don't encourage people to move here" comment that you got, the negative aspect of that was likely not toward you. Over the last decade, Montana has been seeing a heavy influx of people who have liquidated overpriced California properties and used the cash to buy up real estate in Montana. It has been causing some issues. You might have seen decals on cars that express this animosity that say "Montana is full, I hear North Dakota is nice."
I would encourage you to make another effort to see Yellowstone, it is mind-bogglingly beautiful.
Yes that’s sort of how we took it and definitely get it from a local persons perspective. And we definitely want to come back to Yellowstone! Thanks for watching!
I live in North Central Montana. You should have gone to Missoula. Billings is meh.
Yes that’s what we’re learning 😂
As a native Montana and born and raised in Billings, while I appreciate some of your video I think you're perspective is a little limited. There are actually historical sites here that celebrate the Browns and their contributions - the Heritage Center could have helped you with that. The prostitution was not just south of the tracks and also a very interesting history. There are lots of opportunities to learn the broad history of my hometown. Sad you missed all the great food offerings where you were walking in the historical part of town. Come again 🙃
Seems like y’all came to Montana looking for anywhere other then Montana 😂
As a Billings resident, this town kind of sucks. Underfunded infrastructure and everything dependent on the car. It is not devoid of culture, thankfully. It is not very picturesque because of lack of zoning requirements.
Oooh Billings… should visit Bozeman. 😂
If you come to Montana to be separated into a special feeling group, 🤷that not going to happen. Montana loves everyone regardless!! Please try not to segregate yourself. Crime is high in Billings due to no space in jails and they refuse to build another one. Godspeed
I lived in Butte Montana I am black I liked it
I can only imagine how much interesting the Rockies would be if Indigenous Americans had been left alone and allowed to manage and cultivate their land. Montana has a lot of history that has been whitewashed and is somber. No surprise there isn't much going on in Billings
💯 to all of what you said! Thanks for watching!
Helena is friendlier, you should scope out that place.
Not everyone is Billings is a cowboy...😅
So we’ve heard 😂
I wouldn't recommend visiting Billings full of rude discoutious people are car was keyd .2 tires were slashed. Maybe before all the pilgrims moved in it was a town worth visiting 😢
Quit playing the victim card!
Go to south america! And show black culture there and how it influeneced the tribes there and study things like black brazilians and show what life is like for black people. That will grow you to over 100k trust me!
@seanivery yes there are a quite a few South American countries on our list to explore. We’ve done Central America so far and it was crazy dope. We wanted to move to Belize after our visit. And Ecuador was the one of the most amazing experience of our lives (Quito, Mashpi Rainforest, and Galapagos Islands). We have episodes on all of those experiences mos def check them out.
@@TravelingWhileBlack1 oh OK I didn't know. Or go to Spain and Italy even or even Asian countries. I see you guys went fromb10.8 to 11.1 with the last video so you're starting to get traction congrats 👏
Funny enough, I'm from Billings and I saw you filming your intro while driving by. The racism here is usually targetting native people. I have literally heard someone explain how great their brother in law is, the brother in law is black, then in the next breath say the most racist things about native peoples.
Most Montanans agree that Billings is the ugliest town in Montana. The town was notoriously boring when I was young. I can say Montanans are stand offish. We have a saying that you shouldn't befriend a new comer until they have made three winters, because then they are staying. Rent and housing prices have increased a lot, particularly in the prettier spots. Montanans are going homeless in areas that they are native to, or had lived in their whole life. McMansions are a reai problem.
Growing up here, everyone agrees that Custer got what was coming to him. Not many people realise how crooked and brutal he was. Honestly, how brutal the government was.
Thank you for coming. The hats are cute, but that's why driving by I knew you were newcomers.
Wow thanks a lot for that insight. Both the positive and the negatives. We are picking up from the comments from Montanans on here that Billings wasn’t the best city to pick for our journey . Still we’re thankful that we got to experience at least once (even if it’s for the last time lol). Also as you probably could tell from the episode I (Anthony) shared the same thoughts about Custer growing up 😂. Thanks again for the local insight and watching!
If you make it this way again, consider Red Lodge for a day trip out of Billings - it's about 90 miles SW, and is the start of the Beartooth Mountain highway. Billings will often have street fairs downtown on the weekends, especially in the summer. I agree, though, our restaurant scene could be better.
Right on! That sounds dope we might have to check that out on our next visit. Thanks for watching!
This is great!! I grew up there and have watched it grow but there is not a ton of diversity. I still do like it though. Good job braving it 😉
Right on! Thanks for watching!
You should of ditched the stupid hats. Most people in Montana don't wear cowboy hats...that's callled a stereotype.
OK😆 No one is allowed to wear cowboys hats when visiting Montana... "ihavetheanswers" said so. Thank you for dictating what others should wear. You're awesome!
🤣🤣🤣
@@TravelingWhileBlack1thank you for buying cowboy hats in my town. We like money too. There is a lot of nuance to a hat. I like seeing a hat that says, "I just got here and I am excited." I think they are as pretty as a "going to town" hat. (Not the fanciest hat, but a good one.)
I stay in Billings, as a black man it’s straight Fr, most people really never been around black people so it’ll be more of a culture shock for them than you. If you want a quiet place to stay that won’t kill your pockets Billings is ok. Great job by you two, thank you for this content.
But note there is nothing to do here.
Right on! Thanks for that insight. And you are right the affordability of the area isn’t a bad at all (especially compared to where we are based in Seattle). Thanks for watching!
What are u talking about. Iv seen plenty of black people in billings. I live on south side and plenty live around me. When I lived o north side same thing.
@@Nightreaper86 compared to what and where?!
@@coachbwil45exactly
I'm a black man here with my wife we have been here for 10 years now Billings is slow easy living compared to inner city descent jobs it can get boring but hey it's a solid place to live
Two days it’s not long enough to experience Montana. I’ve lived in Billings for eight years we retired here from California.It’s a beautiful state. Part of the population does not like Californians, because they want to keep their open land for camping and hunting and fishing. The price of homes have doubled since Covid. Come back for more than two days and really enjoy it Montana you can’t even get through Yellowstone in two days.
Billings sucks.
You said it not us 😂😂😂😂
Great video! We are from Montana and we, too, score more on our drive to Billings than Billings itself haha😂! You shared a lot of history that we haven’t been exposed to before! Thank you!!! Hopefully you give Montana (and Billings) another shot! This state is so amazing and covers so many different experiences depending on location and those that you meet on the way! Great content!
Thanks a lot for watching! And yes we’ve been given a a couple of alternative Montana recommendations that we are definitely down to check out. So we’ll be back.
You should go to Lewis & Clark Caverns and Livingston…it’s such a small town. My grandparents lived there and it’s a blip on the map for railroad
Wow. We wished we would have known about that. It sounds pretty cool.