Montana, The Last Best Place

I live in Florida, and have been divorced now for about 3 years. When I got divorced I told myself "I'm going to take a long weekend, and go to Montana, by myself. Sit outside an Airbnb cabin, with a cigar, enjoy the scenery and Big Sky". This has been a running joke now between me and my friends ever since. Whenever I say "I should just take off to Montana", I am always met with rolling eyes and "Sure...."

Well, I have decided to set this as an early 2023 goal for myself, and I have now prioritized it.

So first, I will answer some questions:

1. Why Montana? - well, why not. I have never been, have barely spent any considerable time in that part of the country, and everything I see is breathtaking, and just screams to be an amazing place to solo vacation to be able to reflect and be thankful for life.

2. So you Ski, hunt, or fish right? - Actually, no. I'm not at all outdoorsy - but that is not the point of this 'adventure'. I did grow up on a horse farm in Virginia, but that's about as outdoorsy as I get.

3. Why March? - dude, you'll freeze - Mid/late March will actually be the only time I'd be able to pull this off this year. Also, the cold is also part of the adventure. I live in Florida, if I am going to travel that far, spend that amount of money, I want the OPPOSITE of sand, surf, and sun. I am not a native Floridian either, so I do know and have plenty of experience with cold and snow...of course not Montana level cold and snow, but I am up for it I swear!

4. So like you want National Parks and such?, not a great part of the year for that....Again, not a priority. This is more about an escape than a touristy trip for me.

So now my question for Montanans (I think that is correct?) WHERE!

Montana is huge...if I am looking to settle in to an airbnb that sits on a good amount of open land but is amazingly picturesque (yes, I am thinking impressive mountains) that I can stare at while drinking my morning coffee or smoking a cigar - what is a good part of the state that I should focus on? Yup, I'm thinking all of the big sky grandeur you see in the movies - that you definitely don't see in Florida. I would imagine MANY parts of the state, including some of the major cities DON'T offer that feel??? I am also not naïve enough to think that I will be content just staring at fields, skies, and mountains outside my airbnb for days either. I would like to be close enough to a town that I could visit with a decent nightlife - meaning good LOCAL bars, not chains or froo froo stuff, but where locals hang. Perhaps some live local music, etc. Small town type stuff. I am not completely shutting down the idea of some day trips to see lakes, gorges, ranges, major cities, etc...but the most important thing for me would be a good 'home base'. I'm thinking of an arrival mid day Wednesday, fly out Sunday sort of trip.

I am not looking for any statewide 'must dos' that I know I can seek out on the internet, I'm more interested in 'stay near xxx town, and get food and drink at xxx for sure' type stuff. Hang with the locals, chill by myself trip.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!