Last week I took a much-needed vacation to somewhere I’ve never been before but have heard about for years: Montana. The Big Sky, roaming bison and utter quiet compared to the hustle of Los Angeles were such draws, and they surpassed all my expectations.

We chose the Paws Up Resort outside of Missoula as it has a unique combination of miles of free land and outdoor activities but also luxury accommodations, service and dining to make it the perfect experience.

From LA we had to stop in Portland (PDX) for the short hop to Missoula and arrived in the late afternoon. The Paws Up offers free transportation from MSO for the 40-minute drive to the resort, and we were picked up in a new Lexus SUV by a great Paws Up team member, Trey, who gave us insight into the towns we passed and an overall scoop of the resort. We also saw him again during a pick-up from an activity later and continued on like we were old friends.

We were escorted to the Lewis & Clark Reception barn for a quick check-in and overview of our scheduled activities. The reservations teams contact guests a few weeks prior to arrival to help book their activities and dining, giving suggestions, etc. so you are all set with your plan before arriving. This helped with packing! Trey then drove us to the Wilderness Estates, about seven minutes from the Village to our cabin called Kaw Point. The estates are the larger, three-bedroom cabins great for large families, while Timber and Meadow homes are just as exclusive but for smaller families or even couples.

We planned on the cabin instead of the Camps, the ultra-luxe “glamping” they are so well known for, as it was well into fall and in the 20s at night. However, these creekside camps are next on my list for a summer getaway.

Kaw Point sits on a hill surrounded by tall pines and overlooks part of the valley and grazing land of the resort — with views of the bison on the property and snowcapped mountains in the distance. The front porch is about 50 feet long with rocking chairs, a small couch and soft lighting for guests to take in the scenery. I spent every morning there bundled up with my coffee.

You enter in the main living room with a soaring ceiling due to the loft upstairs, with wood beams framing the space with giant windows. A large, stone fireplace is the heart of the space, surrounded by true western chic furniture of overstuffed brown leather couches, wing-backed chairs and a desk. The kitchen is a fully functioning space with state-of-the-art stove and oven, a microwave and an 18-bottle wine cooler next to a table. We took advantage of dining in several times, and they fully plate each meal for you upon arrival.

The estate has two master suites with the same attention to detail in each; we chose the front room as it has the full views of the valley and mountains ahead. The long hallway that ran down the house was honestly one of my favorite parts, with a warm, red runner and unique art spanning the entire way. Still fitting with the Western chic theme, the tall, oversized king bed was comfortable but also offered plenty of outlets for plugging in my phone and Kindle. Leather-bound lights above the bed made perfect soft reading lights in the evening. His-and-her closets equipped with robes and soft slippers (I took the slippers home) were on each side of the small hallway that leads into an expansive bathroom. A stone-topped double vanity had a large window framing the outside view, while a Jacuzzi tub and two-person, glass-enclosed shower reminded you this was a true luxury vacation.

The loft upstairs boasts a living room/game room, two full beds and a full master with a bathroom. Around the back of the house are lounge chairs, a full barbecue and our second-favorite spot of the house: the hot tub. For someone from Los Angeles, the experience of being in a Jacuzzi late at night when its snowing was surreal and unforgettable.

The dining at the resort is top-notch and all-inclusive. Besides the snacks and drinks provided at your camp or cabin each day, heading into the village was always a delight. Breakfast and lunch are served at Trough, with either a full menu to choose from or made-to-order and buffet-style eats near the Ranch Table. Some of my favorites were the Brekki smoothie, part of the smoothie program, best for me as I didn’t want to fill up too much before getting on a horse! However, made-to-order omelets were also a hit. Lunch at Trough was even better; I enjoyed the sandwiches, but the homemade chili with cornbread croutons was amazing for a chilly fall day.

Pomp is their fine-dining restaurant open for dinners. Each night was either a five-course tasting menu or choice of prime meats, fish and rich soups — all in front of the roaring fire. The experience was high-end, but don’t feel like you need to dress up too much; there was lots of casual dress with jeans and sweaters, something I appreciated after a busy day of activity. Another fun place we stopped daily was Tank, the casual full bar with locals beers and spirits; the Missoula-based spirit company that makes the Bloody Mary mix is awesome; we are still trying to figure out how to get some in LA.

In between eating (which we did a lot of), the resort hosts dozens of activities based on the seasons, from fly fishing to canoeing and ATV tours to cattle drives. My goal as always when I travel is to get out of my comfort zone a few times, so we chose a three-hour ATV tour for our first day. I have never been on — let alone driven — an ATV, but our guide was patient and constantly looked out for me during our trip through the mountains and creeks on and off the property. On Day Two I was introduced to Bug, aka Love Bug, a giant of a horse they say was 17 hands tall for my trail ride. Our guide, Kate, was a pleasure and entertained us with stories as we made our way down to the creeks and through the meadows. Horseback riding is a must for all guests, and I wish we did another day of it.

Paws Up Resort fulfilled my Montana bucket list trip and then some. The staff and beautiful accommodations made the experience memorable!

Have you been to Montana? Tell us about your trip and if you saw any bison!

— Carly Allen, executive vice president, associate publisher