How to Do the 10th Ave S. Bar Crawl in Great Falls, Montana
A night out on the town is the perfect prescription for the long-work-week blues. Great Falls, Montana, is a great place to cut loose and have a good time without some of the safety worries of bigger cities. People are are fun, friendly and ready and willing to give you their recommendations of the city's best places to get a drink. If there's one thing Great Falls, doesn't have a shortage of, it's bars, particularly on the city's main drag, 10th Ave. S. So dress up, grab some friends and your dancing shoes and hit the bars Montana style. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Start your 10th Ave. S. bar crawl at the Flamingo Lounge at 3028 10th Ave. S. The Flamingo is one of Great Falls' hippest and trendiest nightspots. While some of the bars you'll visit later will be a little more low-key, for the Flamingo, you'll want to dress to impress. Have a few drinks, play some Keno and if you're truly brave, ride the only mechanical bull that Great Falls has to offer.
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Head on over to the Loading Zone Bar and Casino at 2412 10th Ave. S. Prepare for the transition from two completely different worlds as you go from the trendy Flamingo to the Loading Zone, Great Falls' best biker bar. No need to fear, even though the crowd can look tough, non-bikers are welcome and people are generally friendly. Performances by local rock and metal bands draw crowds, but the best reason to stop by the Loading Zone is their Unlimited Beer Mondays. Buy one canning jar full of Budweiser or Coors for about $7 and refill it all night for free!
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Go for some great really bad karaoke at the Buffalo Lounge at 2400 10th Ave. S. At the Buffalo, you'll find live music by local rock bands that cater to a younger crowd than what you'll typically find at the Loading Zone. If you're stopping by the Buffalo on Thursday, be prepared for karaoke night. Get drunk, grab the microphone and make a fool of yourself while the crowd cheers you on. The "Buff" is in the same building as the Loading Zone for your drunken stumbling convenience.
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Chill out and play some pool at the Cartwheel Casino and Liquor Store at 1900 10th Ave. S. The Cartwheel is a great place to relax with a beer and a few friends. It's not hip, it's not trendy and yeah, it's kind of run-down, but the Cartwheel is the place to be if you're looking for a bar that's unpretentious. Hang out long enough and the bartenders will know your names and offer you "the usual" when you come through the door. No matter what you usually drink, no visit to the Cartwheel is complete without having their Flying Dutchman shot. It's a mystery as to what's in it, but once you make it past the burn you'll be "flying" for hours.
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End your 10th Ave. S. bar crawl at TJ's Lounge at 1308 10th Ave. S. TJ's is even more low-key and run-down than the Cartwheel, but the pool tables and relaxed atmosphere make it a great place to wind down for the evening.
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Tips & Warnings
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so you'll thank yourself in the morning if you take a couple of ibuprofen and down a glass of water before bed.
Don't drink and drive. The 10th Ave. S. bar crawl, and any bar crawl for that matter, is only fun if everyone makes it home safe and sound at the end of the night. Choose a designated driver and then reward them by offering to be their designated driver for the next night out on the town.
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- Photo Credit Dany Sabadini
