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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Laurel
Laurel, Montana
Skip as a base unless you have a reason: one half-day for Main Street and Riverside Park, or sleep here as a cheaper Billings stop on I-90.
Laurel is a railroad and refinery town of about 7,200 people on the Yellowstone River, 20 minutes west of Billings on I-90. It has one walkable Main Street, a riverside park with camping, a bowling alley and a handful of diners and bars. Almost everything a visitor wants — the airport, museums, big-box shopping, more restaurants — is in Billings. Come for a half-day, a cheap bed, or the 4th of July parade, not for a multi-day stay.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Laurel, Montana
- Best months
- May–Sep for the park, Rock the Block and the 4th of July; Jun–Sep for warm, dry days
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, icy roads); late Jul–Aug wildfire-smoke days
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $110–180 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Poison control (US) 1-800-222-1222
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee and a diner breakfast | $10–18 |
| Burger or steak plate | $14–30 |
| Draught beer in a bar | $5–8 |
| Bowling at Palace Bar & Lanes | check |
| Chain-hotel double room, summer | $110–230 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BIL · Billings Logan International Airport
- About 20–25 min by car east on I-90; the practical gateway for Laurel. No commercial flights at Laurel Municipal Airport.
Typical fares
- Drive Laurel → Billings (I-90)
- about 20–25 min, roughly 20 kmabout 20–25 min, roughly 12 mi
- Drive Laurel → Red Lodge (US-212)
- about 1 h
- Rental car, one day
- $45–110 plus fuel (check)
Get around
A car is the practical option: the town is spread along I-90 and US-212 and there is no taxi service. Main Street itself is walkable in 10–15 minutes, and biking works in good weather. Billings is about 20–25 min east on I-90; there is no useful local bus.
See and do
Known for
- Railroad and refinery history
- Main Street bars and diners
- Riverside Park on the Yellowstone River
- 4th of July parade and fireworks
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Billings | I-90 east, about 20–25 min by car | About 30 min |
| Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway | US-212 south, about 1 h to Red Lodge; the pass is seasonal | 1–1.5 h |
| Miles City | I-90 east then US-212/US-94, roughly 3 h by car | About 3 h |
| Crow Agency and Little Bighorn Battlefield | I-90 east and south, about 1 h 15 min by car | 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Main Street / downtown
- Walk to bars, diners and shops; the Locomotive Inn and small motels sit here.
- I-90 interchange (SE 4th St)
- Chain hotels with parking, easiest for a one-night drive-through stop.
- Riverside Park area, US-212 south
- Camping and river access; you need a car for everything else.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the nearest gas station? | Where is the nearest gas station? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is the pass open today? | Is the pass open today? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Where is the restroom? | Where is the restroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No taxi service in town; without a car you are stuck — check any ride options before booking.
- Winter brings ice, snow and occasional highway closures on I-90 and US-212.
- Summer wildfire smoke can cut visibility and air quality for days; check the air-quality index before planning outdoor time.
- Refinery and rail-yard areas are working industrial land: stay on public roads and trails.
A small, quiet town and generally safe for visitors. The real risks are winter driving on I-90 and US-212, summer wildfire smoke, and long empty stretches between towns — carry water and keep the tank above half.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Laurel yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Railroad and refinery history
- Main Street bars and diners
- Riverside Park on the Yellowstone River
- 4th of July parade and fireworks
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Laurel — Riverside Park: cityoflaurelmontana.com/community/page/riverside-park
- Billings Logan International Airport: flybillings.com/
- Montana Office of Tourism — Southeast Montana: www.visitmt.com/
- Wikivoyage: Laurel (Montana), revision 5326361 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5326361
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
LaurelLaurel, Montana
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control (US)1-800-222-1222
No embassies in Laurel; consulates and national offices are in Denver, Seattle or Washington, DC. Check your country's list.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/laurel-montana). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.