糖心传媒

While I was sitting at the counter at Goldy鈥檚 Breakfast Bistro in downtown Boise, I heard two women next to me tell the waiter their girls' weekend plan was to 鈥渆at potatoes and go shopping.鈥�

Listen, if those two reasons alone don鈥檛 sell you on booking a trip to Boise, I have a load of others. There鈥檚 a reason why this mountain town, which is the state capital of Idaho, has seen a boom of new residents.

Boise is a relaxed and walkable city with an average of 210 days of sunshine, an unexpected center of Basque culture and a range of year-round outdoor activities that make it a perfect place for an affordable weekend or family getaway.

When should I go to Boise?

As I mentioned, Boise is a year-round destination 鈥� so the question might be, "Do you want the mountain winters or summers?"

Summers in Boise are gorgeous. Though locals find it warm, most people will find it a pretty pleasant experience as the humidity is low. 

Head there in winter, and you can go skiing nearby. You can enjoy an amazing visit to Bogus Basin, which is just a 15 minute drive from the heart of the city. 

How much time should I spend in Boise?

A four day weekend will probably be long enough to savor a leisurely stay in the city.  You鈥檒l be able to pack those days full of great meals, awesome outdoor activities and casual strolls around the downtown boutiques.

Is it easy to get around Boise?

For a western US city, Boise is pretty easy to get around. It takes just 15 minutes to get from the airport to downtown, and an Uber will cost you between $11-20 USD.

Once you're downtown, the area is pretty walkable and there are lots of electric scooters available to rent if you want to get around a bit faster. Outside of downtown, you may need to rent a car or Uber to your desired destination. 

Top things to do in Boise

Check Idaho off your state capitol list

Head to the Capitol building. If a tour isn驶t available on the day you visit, make sure to grab one of the at the visitors desk. Don鈥檛 forget to check out the top floor, where you鈥檒l get a great view of the rotunda and you'll find a small exhibit dedicated to the state鈥檚 historical moments. 

Afterward, head over to the , which will give you the history of the state, ranging from Indigenous people who have ancestrally called Idaho home, the settlers on the Oregon Trail, and how one of the state鈥檚 largest wildfires shaped the US National Forest service. While the next door keeps irregular hours, it is worth checking out if it's open. 

Play in and along the river

Once the river calms in the summer, it becomes a splendid playground for those who love swimming in the outdoors. Go kayaking or rent a tube or raft and leisurely float down the Boise River. The city also makes life jackets available along the river. Grab at one end and drop it off on the rack at the other end. 

If you鈥檙e brave enough to go surfing, there are two spots in the river that are designed to create currents large enough to surf on. If you鈥檙e not sure of your surfing skills, it鈥檚 still worth taking a walk to watch people navigate the waves. 

Of course, if you don鈥檛 want to hop in the river, that鈥檚 OK too. Navigate the nearby bike path or head out on your own two feet. When you reach Garden City, you鈥檒l find a food truck park and places like , which has the perfect patio for a sunny day and a tasting room just off the trail, which is ideal for people-watching with a glass of wine. 

Fun tip: Look for the face of the Telaya owner's dog hidden in the mountain of the label.

Basque Block

Boise is home to the largest population of Basque outside of Spain and southwestern France, thanks to waves of immigration from those areas starting in the 1800s. Present day, the city features an entire block filled with Basque restaurants and a museum/cultural center. After learning about the Basque culture, you can taste some of the flavors of Basque food. 

If you want to experience the city when it is most festive, visit during San Inazio Festival in July or during Jaialdi (meaning Big Festival), which happens every five years. The next celebration will be in 2030.

Potatoes

I couldn鈥檛 write this piece without mentioning the famous Idaho Potato. The Snake River Valley has a great climate for growing potatoes, but ever since Idaho businessman J.R. Simplot commercialized freezing potatoes and sold them to McDonald's, Idaho has been the big name in potatoes. 

Head to Boise Fry Co after your visit to the capital for your choice of potatoes as well as a bar full of sauces and seasonings to match. Looking for something a bit more luxurious? Head to the steakhouse Hemlock where you can order a tableside baked potato (finished with a torch). Fair warning: the potato is quite large and can probably feed an entire table.

Brewery hop

There's been a boom of local breweries in Boise, and if you want to hit a few of them in an afternoon while also learning more about the history of the city, check out the Craft Beer Tour from , which will lead you along the Greenbelt before hopping to three different breweries for a pint. 

You'll likely need to Uber to get to , a women-owned boozy bookstore that features locally brewed Alliteration Ales. Grab a tasting flight and browse their shelves to get a page-turner for your flight home. 

My favorite thing to do in Boise

I really loved browsing through the local boutiques downtown. My favorite boutique was Mixed Greens, which has a ton of local art as well as so many interesting home items (a bird statue almost came home with me, but I passed for some local print instead). 

Need a coffee to power through your downtown stroll? There are quite a few to choose from along your path, but consider checking out Sunshine Spice Cafe. It鈥檚 run by four sisters who came to the US as refugees from Afghanistan as kids, and the cafe serves a variety of American and Afghanistan treats. The saffron latte is one of their most popular items 鈥� pair it with the Afghanistan bread.

What is Jaialdi?

With Boise's large Basque population, you might want to plan your trip around one of the festivals. Jaialdi, which is Basque for 鈥淏ig Festival,鈥� happens every five years. More than 30,000 people gather from Basque countries as well as from across the United States. With so many people arriving for the occasion, it almost feels like you鈥檙e the invited guest to a family reunion. 

It鈥檚 a week-long celebration of Basque culture, with street food and live events in the Basque Block of the city.  The lines will be lengthy at Basque Market as they roll out the large paella pan. 

Grab a ticket in advance for one of the ticketed performances, which bring in Basque athletes and performers from around the world. At Sports Night, watch athletes test their strength and skill at events like competitive wood chopping. (How do they not hit their feet?!)

Kids and adults alike begin practicing months in advance to perform in Festara, the traditional dance night.  

How much money do I need for Boise?

For a mountain town, Boise is a pretty affordable destination for a weekend getaway. Here's a look at what you can expect for prices.

Hotel room: $120-200 a night

Uber from airport to downtown: $15-20

Latte at Form and Function Coffee: $5

Beer at Mother Earth Brew Co: $6

Pintxos at Basque Market: $7-12

Tableside baked potato for two at Hemlock: $40

A tube to float on the river: $18 for three hours

Melissa traveled to Boise on the invitation to visit Jaialdi from . 糖心传媒 does not accept freebies for positive coverage.