I’ve been writing about Boise Idaho for a bit now. I thought I’d wrap it up with a more all-inclusive post about spending a month in Boise last summer.
Through Trusted Housesitters (affiliate link, btw), I found a housesit right in downtown Boise. I could walk almost anywhere I wanted, and it is right on the beautiful Boise Greenbelt. (I’ll talk more about that below.) A 5-minute walk took me to a food hall and movie theater. A little farther was the main shopping street and the Capitol building. Even a Trader Joe’s was just a 7-minute walk. I was basically right across the street from Julia Davis Park and all the museums there. In short, it was an amazing housesit and I tried to make the most of it!
Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial
Right near the apartment building where I housesat is the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. This small park features an outdoor amphitheater with a statue of Anne Frank peeking through a window forming the back of a small stage area. Then there’s a small covered outdoor classroom on one side and two circular lawns on the other. Surrounding the lawns are walls with tons of interesting quotes about global human rights issues. Benches lining the lawns allow you to sit and rest. And there’s even one of those Little Free Libraries tucked in the back.
The nicest feature of the memorial is a water feature that runs behind the walls, culminating in a big waterfall and pool between the two grassy areas. There are even some ducks that live in here sometimes! Placed around the memorial are push-button speakers to hear more information about the site and human rights efforts, as well as free guided tours every Tuesday at noon from April to October.
The Anne Frank Memorial is open 24/7 and is mile 0 for the Boise River Greenbelt. It’s right downtown, so there’s a lot of foot & bike traffic through here not related to visiting the site itself. It also attracts homeless folks on the benches and shaded areas, though it’s video-monitored and not allowed. Even so, I felt safe walking through here even late at night.
Freak Alley Gallery
Just off the main shopping and dining street in Boise is the Freak Alley Gallery. Between 8th & 9th Streets on the block between Idaho and Bannock is a back alley that local artists have turned into a kaleidoscope of street art. Somewhere between graffiti and a proper mural, the gallery is a collection of smaller murals covering all the way up the walls, plus on doors and in alcoves. It’s still an alley, with back doors of restaurants and storage. It’s not like a sanitized art show. But it’s really fun and feels kind of like a secret spot. (Except for all the other people and street musicians.)
Each mural is by a different artist, so you’re sure to find something you like along the way. The entrance could be said to be on 9th Street, but you can enter from either end. Boise is pretty safe in general, and this area sees a lot of nightlife, so I don’t think it would be dangerous to visit even late at night. But always be aware of your surroundings, even in safe areas.
Julia Davis Park
Boise has a string of parks along the Boise River that the parks & rec division calls their “Ribbon of Jewels.” Named in honor of some of Boise’s most prominent women past & present, these parks form a wonderfully enriching environment for downtown living. Julia Davis Park, named for a pioneer known for her hospitality and kindness to strangers, contains almost all of the city’s museums and its zoo. The Idaho State Museum, the Boise Art Museum, the Idaho Black History Museum, as well as the Discovery Center of Idaho all reside here along with Zoo Boise.
Not only that, but there is a large duck pond where you can rent paddle boats, bocce ball courts, and several tennis courts. On one side of the park is a beautiful Art Deco band shell. And on the far side of the duck pond is a unique Cancer Survivor Plaza, featuring a “Positive Mental Attitude Walk” with inspirational quotes and a kinetic kite sculpture. A Childhood Cancer pavilion at the edge of the water is colorfully painted and ADA accessible. Throughout the park are picnic tables, larger covered pavilions, benches, parking, and lots of open grass for picnicking.
The Rose Garden
One of my favorite features of Julia Davis Park is the huge rose garden behind the Boise Art Museum. I was there May-June, just in time to see it go from just a few buds to full bloom, and even a second wave of blooms – some varieties blooming later than others. Some roses are showy with unique colors, others drown you in perfume. There’s a central pavilion and I even saw a small wedding in there at one point. It’s a lovely park overall, but the Rose Garden is particularly delightful.
Zoo Boise
I wrote a whole post about Zoo Boise, the attraction in the heart of Julia Davis Park. It’s a fantastic little zoo and apparently very well funded, considering how well-themed many of the areas are. They’ve got some fantastic animals like giraffes, African lions, tigers, sloth bears, otters, and much more. And even a little boat ride during the summer.
One of the things I like most about Zoo Boise is that when you’re just walking around the park or along the Greenbelt, you’re apt to catch a glimpse of a giraffe head looming over the fence or hear a lion bellowing from somewhere inside. It’s a little of the exotic for free.
Idaho State Museum
The Idaho State Museum is another attraction I’ve written about. Besides bringing forward an “Idaho is great!” message like any good state museum, this one features fantastic projection mapping, video presentations, and just really fun hands-on and interactive exhibits. Even water management is made fun here.
If you want to know why Idaho is famous for potatoes, they’ll tell you. They’ll also tell you about the time they parachuted beavers into the wilderness or why Sun Valley is so famous. And don’t miss the basement with a full-on playground on a train and in a mine, plus the huge room featuring stories from Idahoans from average to famous.
Idaho Black History Museum
Behind the Idaho State Museum at the entrance to Julia Davis Park is the Idaho Black History Museum, housed in a beautiful small church. When you can find it open, the collection is interesting and engaging, as is the man who keeps it going.
Boise Art Museum
The Boise Art Museum (BAM! – I love it) may have a small display collection, but they pack a punch with a large installation in a central atrium and a focus on that artist’s work throughout the rest of the museum. Even so, they also leave room for more local and amateur artists, so there’s a wide range in a small space.
There’s a wide walkway, formally known as the Rotary Plaza, from the right of the Boise Art Museum, past the Rose Garden and straight through Julia Davis Park to the entrance of Zoo Boise.
Discovery Center of Idaho
The final attraction in Julia Davis Park is the Discovery Center of Idaho. The bulk of their exhibit space changes so that it’s almost a totally new experience every time you visit. When I was there, it was The Fans Strike Back Exhibit, which was very cool but honestly underwhelming for the price. Currently, it’s a projected “Impressionists immersive” experience where you are surrounded by art on all sides.
Once you are past whatever temporary space they have set up, there are a few rooms that stay the same. There’s a great play area with hands-on science concepts and a room with a big dinosaur skeleton. So at its core, it’s a science & children’s museum, but hosts a rotating door of special traveling exhibits of all stripes.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival
In another park setting, you can find the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Despite the name, they do more than just Shakespeare’s plays. For instance, this year not only will they perform The Merry Wives of Windsor and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but they’ll also stage Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and the musicals Into the Woods and Always…Patsy Cline.
When I was there, I saw Little Shop of Horrors and it was fantastic. Such a good job by the whole cast! The theater is outdoors, and so is subject to the weather. It rained a little early on our show, but that didn’t seem to slow anything down. There are regular seats near the stage, and sort of cubicles with tables and chairs behind those. Then another bank of cheaper plastic chairs and some extra-cheap hillside seating in the back. The whole place isn’t very big, so even the hillside seats are a good view. I sat in the back of the regular seats and had a fantastic view.
A note about food
Bringing food is very encouraged, nay, downright expected when attending an Idaho Shakespeare Festival show. I ate before I arrived and sat between two groups that both offered me food all evening long. It seemed very strange not to be eating, especially while waiting for the show to begin! There is a small cafe behind the theater where you can get some food, and even order it in advance.
It got chilly when the sun went down, so I stood in line at intermission to get a hot drink and the line moved so slowly that I didn’t make it to the counter before intermission was over. And the line wasn’t even that long! Since efficiency doesn’t seem to be their strong suit, it might be best to fend for yourself. Just be mindful that there’s a good walk from the parking lot to the seats. A wheeled cooler is a good idea. Or the folks around me had large insulated tote bags better suited to the tighter space. Highly highly highly recommended.
Shopping
There are a lot of fun shops in downtown Boise – good bookstores, garden & gift shops, vintage clothes, etc. But I want to call out one shop in particular because it was just SO much fun. Re-POP Gifts is the movie and pop culture lover’s dream. Star Wars! Harry Potter! Dr. Who! Loads of posters, gifts, and just all kinds of fun things. But the most fun are the photo ops set up around the two-floor store. I spotted the TARDIS from Dr. Who, a Hobbit home from Lord of the Rings, a captain’s chair from classic Star Trek. I think my favorite is the old sofa from Stranger Things upstairs.
And the people are so nice! I didn’t even buy anything and they gave me a coupon for a pop-up Dole Whip stand across the street. I don’t remember too many chain stores around town. They all seemed to be independently owned – at least in the heart of downtown. A short drive will get you to all the chain retailers you could ever want.
One store I walked by almost every time I was out is the the Idaho Candy Company. I guess the factory that originally made the chocolates was located right downtown. They are famous for the Idaho Spud, a potato-shaped marshmallow covered in chocolate. They sell it and a few other variations in a cute store front.
Food
I confess I didn’t eat out very much while in Boise. Not even to Barbacoa, recommended to me by two people – one who’s not even from Boise! (KIN also looked like a really interesting and upscale place.) When I did venture out, it was mostly to the vendors inside the Warehouse Food Hall and The STIL ice cream, both right underneath my favorite movie theater downtown, BoDo Cinema – home of $5 Tuesdays. (There’s also a more indie movie theater nearby – The Flicks: Rick’s Cafe Americain.) For a very Boise-specific treat, try the Ice Cream Potato at Westside Drive In.
On the Basque Block, I had a nice lunch at Leku Ona, but I might have done better to step into the Basque Market to shop around for myself. They also have Paella on the Patio and sell other tapas and sandwiches inside. The day I left Boise, I made sure to eat at Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro on the same block.
On the food shopping side of things (though there is ready-made food as well), Boise has three Saturday Markets in warm weather. One in a parking lot, one near the Capitol, and one in the Warehouse Food Hall.
Egyptian Theatre
The Egyptian Theatre on the corner of Main & Capitol was built in 1927, at the height of all things King Tut. The outside blends in pretty well with the surrounding office buildings, but the inside is pure Egyptian rococo. It’s a pretty snug theater and often shows classic movies – this month, they’ve had a Fantastic Beasts marathon with Rebel Without a Cause/The Outsiders double bill coming up. (So many movie theaters in about a 4-block area!)
The venue also rents out for concerts, comedians, and other special events. It looks like there are several “photo tour” events coming up. I visited the Egyptian Theatre for a drag show! I’d never been to one and thought it would be fun, and it WAS. Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen so much love and support for others as in this room. It’s so silly, and fun, and even moving at times. I think I even cried. I loved it.
Idaho Botanical Garden
I wrote a long post on the Idaho Botanical Garden with tons of pictures, so be sure to check that out. And while it didn’t wow me at the gate, the further in (and up) I explored, the more captivated I was. You’d think a high desert climate wouldn’t grow too much, but I was astounded by all the separate gardens.
They’ve got a phenomenal walled English garden, a stunning rose garden, a cool and calm meditation garden with a koi pond, a fun and whimsical children’s garden, even a vegetable plot, and a fire safety display area. A Lewis & Clark-inspired paved path winds up the hill to a beautiful view, while a narrow hiking trail winds back down.
It’s attached to the Old Idaho Penitentiary, so there is a lot of history under the ground, from Outlaw Field near the front to the penitentiary cemetery way in the back. The gardens and the penitentiary are probably best seen together, and you can get a discounted combo ticket for both.
Old Idaho Penitentiary
Right next door to the botanical garden is the Old Idaho Penitentiary. At first, I didn’t think an old jail could be that interesting, but it is a lot of fun! It has a real Shawshank Redemption castle-like vibe in the front, some beautiful rose bushes inside, and a pre-state Idaho Wild West town feeling near the back. There are creepy solitary confinement cells, a proper dungeon, and towering medieval-looking cell blocks. On the lighter side, there’s a story and grave of a favored cat that was smuggled in.
Inside the buildings are engaging displays – nothing high-tech, but well done and interesting. One room is full of pictures of the inmates, another conveys stories of prison uprisings in comic-book form. Make sure not to miss the women’s ward across the parking lot – the stories in there are hilarious.
JUMP: Jack’s Urban Meeting Place
If you want to know why Idaho is so famous for its potatoes, the answer is Jack Simplot. Not only did he make it big farming potatoes, but he handshaked a deal with McDonald’s in the ’60s to be their main supplier of french fries. Many, many years later, in 2015 – well after Simplot’s death – JUMP, standing for “Jack’s Urban Meeting Place,” opened to the public.
Located right in the heart of Boise, JUMP houses Simplot’s collection of 51 antique tractors. (Which is about the most Idaho thing I’ve ever heard!) And true to the name, there are meeting spaces of all kinds – from lecture halls to classrooms to kitchens, all designed for community and creativity. Even smaller are the “attractors” (get it? “A TRACTOR”), whimsical – and possibly mobile – frames to invite play and creativity. Like a movement studio, a table shaped like a mouth with its tongue out, or one shaped like a kite or a chicken. On the grounds is a play plaza with a climbing structure and play fountain, lawns, areas perfect for outdoor markets, even tables and chairs. The roof deck features more meeting and dining areas, plus a steep 8-lane team slide! Another metal spiral slide falls 5 stories from the top deck to the play plaza.
Visiting
The majority of the indoor spaces are rented for events, meaning, to visit you’d have to take a class or be part of a program happening there. But just to show up and walk around is cool too. When I went, I could go inside the ground-floor lobby which has some art and a receptionist, then take the elevator up to floors 3-5 to see the tractors around the parking decks and the roof deck.
The grounds and play plaza are open all the time, though the slides have hours that they are staffed. (You *literally* slide down in a potato sack! It’s slower than you might think.) Only one “attractor” is outside, one that looks like a chicken – kind of – and you can hook up your phone to a speaker system inside. Other attractors you can see through the windows as you walk around. Check hours for the lobby and slides here.
(It’s at this point in my writing where I realize I should have made 18 smaller posts and not one big one, but here we are.)
Idaho State Capitol
Boise is the capitol city of Idaho and you can tour the capitol building almost anytime. Walking around on a Saturday, it’s pretty quiet but there’s more action (and possibly more closed areas) during the business week. Iowa’s capitol building excels at using natural light, especially around its 208-foot dome. From the main floor, you can see up into the beautiful dome, and down through the colorful marble floors to an inlaid compass rose on the floor below.
Most of the touristy stuff is on that bottom floor – the garden level. There’s a historical display around the rotunda, a gift shop, and a room where you can watch a virtual tour with interesting facts and a “behind the scenes” look into the dome itself. Upstairs are the senate and house chambers. They’re closed and locked, but you can get a peek through the windowed doors. There’s also a small museum display on one side – look for the huge winged statue of Nike.
Outside, there are a few statues if you look around. A small Abraham Lincoln and a replica Liberty Bell are out front. My favorite is one of a woman to the right with a trail of shoes behind her. It was put in place to honor the anniversary of women’s right to vote in Idaho, the shoes behind her representing each decade of Idaho’s history, with the ballet-like figure holding out one of her shoes to women of the future.
The Capitol is open from 8-5 on weekdays and 9-5 on Saturdays and holidays. The building is closed on Sundays.
Basque Block
Boise has the largest population of Basque people outside of the Basque region on the border of Spain and France. All this Basque-ness is concentrated on one city block, the handsome Basque Block right in the heart of downtown Boise. The block is a solid piece of preserved history, showing how Boise must have looked in decades past. There are all the restaurants (and more!) I’ve mentioned above, a small hotel, and an event space. As well as a large mural and artworks on the corners.
But the most interesting aspect of the Basque Block is the Basque museum. (And gift shop! Check out the sheep who say, “I’m baaaaasque.”) And the most interesting part of the Basque Museum is the well-preserved Basque Boarding House, a little house and lawn right in the middle of downtown. I write about it here, with lots of pictures, so definitely check that out. Keep a lookout for any festivals or special events – they are sure to be tons of fun. Or just make sure to eat some paella and croquetas in the market.
Roaring Springs Water Park
Since I write about roller coasters and water parks all the time, I thought I’d check out Roaring Springs just outside of Boise. (It was 15 minutes from my stay downtown – so not too far out.) It’s a smaller park with some nice newly-opened areas. I especially liked the lazy river, the Snake River Run slide, and I think the kids’ splash tower with a potato dump bucket looks really fun.
Otherwise, it’s kind of a pavement-only park, no grass or trees, and right next to the highway. One of their new attractions, a more active lazy river, feels pointless with the flimsy kickboards they provide. It’s attached to a larger family fun complex, so there’s an opportunity to make a real day of it. As a solo adult, I rode everything I wanted two – twice over – in about an hour and a half. (Though that excludes two family raft rides, all body slides, and all the kid’s stuff. YMMV)
I went during Night Slides for only $20, which is the cheapest way to visit, and you get through rides so much faster. On summer weekends, you can ride from 6-10 pm – make sure to use the $5 off coupon code! The regular park hours last until 8, so if it’s been an especially hot day, you can arrive a little before 8 and still ride everything while the lines are shorter and the day is cooler. It’s not the best water park I’ve ever been to, but it’s it’s not a bad experience for ~$20 (though it’s a little more now, natch.)
World Center for Birds of Prey
A little farther out of town (about 25 minutes) is the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey. The Peregrine Fund brought back the Peregrine Falcon from the brink of extinction and now works to breed and restore endangered raptor species around the world. The World Center for Birds of Prey is their education and display arm, up in the mountains around Boise.
It’s a small place, you can see it in about an hour, but MAKE SURE to schedule in time for one of the live bird talks, it really completes the experience. Otherwise, there is a building that houses every species they are currently striving to rescue, live video of the breeding barns, art, and other informational stuff. Outside, there is a huge California condor habitat with several of the huge birds, plus a few other raptors in other enclosures – including a Peregrine falcon at the entrance. The volunteers really make this place, make sure to talk and ask questions.
Boise River Greenbelt
Finally, probably my FAVORITE aspect of my month in Boise was the Boise River Greenbelt. The Boise River flows pretty much through the center of town, and the city has bought up land on either side of the river for flood protection and recreational use, connecting a “necklace of jewels” all along the riverbank, including a long walking & biking path. Besides all the museums in Julia Davis Park, there are ball fields of all kinds, open-air gym equipment, and several playgrounds. There’s a food truck park, veterans memorials, a free nature center, a golf course, and even a whole park dedicated to whitewater rafting! (The river was way too high while I was there, but I did see someone surfing in it once.)
Since my housesit was located so close to the Greenbelt, I walked 2-6 miles on it every day. Plus, my hosts let me use their e-bikes, so I relearned how to ride a bike and rode 10-15 miles on Sundays! (Usually early in the morning so I wouldn’t hit anyone…the Greenbelt gets VERY crowded on weekends and holidays.) They say it’s 25 miles, but there are extensions and connectors maintained by adjacent counties. Looking at Google Maps, it looks much longer than what’s inside city limits.
Two Sides x Two Directions
From my location, I could go about 5-8 miles in either direction, on either side of the river. Each path offers a different experience and I loved exploring each one.
Option 1 – downtown side headed north
If you head right (northwest) from downtown on the near side – the side with Julia Davis Park & the zoo – you’ll pass a fun food truck park (and there’s a Saturday market near here), a firefighter’s memorial, and around 1.5 miles down, a very large park with gardens, a lake, and the whitewater rafting center. It’s a beautiful area.
Farther down it gets more wooded, but also more bumpy as you get outside what Boise Parks & Rec maintains. Past some apartment buildings, the path crosses the river and into a more wild area. This was my favorite path of the four options due to the scenery, but is also the shortest at barely 10 miles round trip.
Option 2 – Boise State University side headed north
If you cross the pretty 9th St Bridge (adjacent to the Anne Frank Memorial) and circle around under the bridge away from Boise State University, you’re in the huge Ann Morrison Park with loads of ball fields and open space. Heading north, there’s a beautiful section in Garden City, with riverside cafes and signs for art galleries. Then you get to a bridge where you can cross into the whitewater park area.
After that, it’s garbage. The path isn’t well-maintained, and it was deeply flooded in places. Eventually, you reach the spot where the Greenbelt on the other side of the river crosses over and joins it. If you keep going, there’s an RV campground and some houses. I stopped at a tree across the path and that was around a 15-mile round trip. Had I dragged my bike over the tree, it looked like I could keep going that way for a really, really long time – at least according to Google Maps. (But if you do it, start on the other side of the river.)
Option 3 – Zoo Boise side headed south
From the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial heading left, you might see the giraffes in the zoo, then some lovely condos before you reach the free MK Nature Center, which is fun to walk around. There’s a natural beaver dam, aquariums, and paths on different levels. I even saw a wild deer very close in here. Then you skirt around a huge golf course and along Warm Springs Ave for a long time until you reach lovely Marianne Williams Park.
There’s a really nice garden before the golf course where the old Natatorium used to be, and I really love the section between there and the zoo. But with such a long section along the road and not the river, it’s not my most favorite section of the Greenbelt. From Anne Frank to Marianne Williams and back is about 10 miles.
Option 4 – Boise State University heading south
And finally, crossing the river from the Anne Frank Memorial heading towards Boise State University, you walk along the edge of the campus. You go by the Morrison Center (touring shows of Riverdance and Aladdin were on during my stay) and the huge Albertson Stadium. Across from the stadium is a tiny white pioneer church preserved on campus.
Past Albertsons grocery headquarters, there’s an extra pretty red bridge. There were two big detours along this route, making you travel on surface streets and in traffic with cars, so I didn’t like it as much. But eventually, you get all the way to Barber Park, which is very pretty. You can keep going in this direction into a more suburban area, or cross a bridge and end up in Marianne Williams Park. By doing a little exploring of the far end, I biked over 15 miles this trip.
If I had to rank them, option #1 is my favorite, followed by option #3, option #4, then option #2. Each part of the Greenbelt offers something different, but some areas are maintained better than others.
Wrapping up a month in Boise
As you can see, I did a lot during my month in Boise, and there are still things I didn’t visit, just in the downtown area! Wherever I go, I always find reasons to come back.
I’ll leave you with a few photos of downtown Boise in general. There’s a cool sculpture in a small park on the corner of 11th & Bannock – a tree with metal leaves that move in the wind with three bench swings hanging from it. There’s a coffee shop nearby and it’s just a fun place to sit for a while.
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