Montana is blessed with plenty of charming small towns to visit or vacation in. Spending time in these small towns feels so refreshing to get out of a larger town like Missoula, Bozeman, Billings or Butte. It's a great reset button and a great chance to shop at some sweet Ma and Pa stores. Some of my personal favorites:

• Galleries (I never buy anything because I don't have $2400 to buy an acrylic painting of a buffalo, but it's still cool to look at)
• Delicious ice cream parlors
• Dive bars
• Antique shops
• Thrift stores.

I could spend a lot of time and a lot of money (if I had any) at those places.

A website called Cheapism ranked the "Best Main Street Shopping Districts in All 50 States." Before we reveal Montana's selection here are a few honorable mentions.

Whitefish

I visited Whitefish last week! We popped into FoR Fine Art Gallery and purchased a book at Voyageur Booksellers before grabbing a rooftop drink Blackstar BrewPub. It was a great day.

Columbia Falls

A gateway to Glacier National Park. It's probably known more for being adjacent to Glacier, but there are still some gems to eat or drink at in town.

Big Sky

Big Sky might be the go-to tourist stop in Montana and there's good reason for it. Obviously, the ski resort and golf course pull in a lot of folks, but don't sleep on its picturesque downtown.

Ok, I could go on for days listing honorable mentions, but the best Montana town for main street shopping is....

Red Lodge, Montana

Cheapism deemed Red Lodge as the main street best shopping experience in the Treasure State.

On Red Lodge's Broadway Avenue, visitors follow in the footsteps of figures such as Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickock, and the Sundance Kid, who once robbed a bank there. Today, the downtown has the modern trappings of restaurants, hotels, shops and galleries against the stunning backdrop of the Beartooth Mountains.

It helps to be in the shadow of the Beartooth Mountains AND close in proximity to Custer Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone. Makes for great shopping and a great place to visit.

What's your favorite main street for shopping in Montana? Let us know in our Facebook comments.