Boise
Introduction
Boise is the capital of Idaho and the seat of Ada County, set in the Treasure Valley. The city anchors a metropolitan area that spreads across five Idaho counties, making it the largest urban center in the state.
Before you go
Boise sits at a crossroads of regional identity: some see it as the eastern edge of the Pacific Northwest, others as the western edge of the Rocky Mountains. Downtown and the North End have a Pacific Northwest feel, while suburbs such as Meridian and Nampa hold to the self-reliant ethos of the Intermountain West. The city takes its "City of Trees" nickname seriously, a nod to the tree-lined Boise River that runs through its heart. Before you arrive, note the local pronunciation: "Boise" is said "Boy-see," not "Boy-zee."
The climate is dry year round, with less rain than most U.S. cities and a bit more snow. Rain falls mostly in the cooler winter and spring months, and even summer carries a chance of showers; when it rains, it is rarely torrential. Midsummer is hot and sweltering, best suited to time by a swimming pool, while late spring and September offer milder conditions between summer heat and winter rain and ice. If you plan to camp, expect overnight frosts from early November through the end of March. Wind is common enough to fly a kite, with more in late winter and spring; the Treasure Valley Kite Festival typically falls at the end of April.
Getting there
Boise Airport (BOI) sits less than five miles south of downtown, with its terminal at the south end of South Vista Avenue off Interstate 84 at Exit 53. From the airport, getting downtown is simple: essentially a straight drive north on Vista Avenue. Several airlines serve the airport, including Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Sun Country, and United, and the modern terminal offers free WiFi. By car, you reach Boise via Interstate 84, which connects to Meridian, Nampa, and eventually Oregon to the west, and to Twin Falls and eventually Utah to the southeast. State Highway 55 brings you in from McCall and northern Idaho, while State Highway 21 arrives from Idaho City, Stanley, and central Idaho. Regional and long-distance buses stop at the airport's outer blue curb outside the main arrivals doors, the same spot used by shuttles and taxis; local Valley Regional Transit buses use the purple curb nearest the terminal. Greyhound and Flixbus connect Salt Lake City to Seattle via Boise, La Grande, Pasco, Yakima, and Ellensburg, with a second stop at a Chevron/Mile High gas station on North Orchard Street, so check your ticket for where to board. Salt Lake Express links Boise to Pocatello through Mountain Home, Glenn's Ferry, Bliss, Wendell, Jerome, Twin Falls, Kimberly, Burley, Rupert, and American Falls, with transfers in Pocatello toward Salt Lake City or Idaho Falls. Northwestern Stage Lines runs to Spokane via ID-55 and US-95 and to Portland on I-84 on two separate routes.Getting around
Boise is a spread-out Western city, and that shapes how you get around. Downtown is compact and pleasant on foot, with shops, restaurants, museums and government buildings clustered together, so a rental car is often unnecessary for a downtown stay. The North End and Hyde Park neighbourhoods reward a stroll with tree-lined streets, historic bungalows, and local shops and cafes. Guided walking tours cover history, culinary topics, public art, and the Basque Block, and self-guided maps are available from the Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau.
- By bus: Valley Regional Transit (ValleyRide) is the main local network, serving Boise along with Meridian and Nampa. The hub is downtown, with stops along Main and Idaho Streets and the Downtown Boise Transit Center. Routes are limited compared with other cities of similar size, most buses do not run on Sundays, and many stop running in the early evening, so check schedules before relying on a late trip. Route 8, the Grove Street circulator, offers free rides between the State Capitol, Boise Centre, and the 8th Street dining district. ValleyRide routes 2, 3 and 20 serve the airport, with Route 3 running direct to downtown. All buses are wheelchair accessible.
- By car: Cars can be rented at the Boise Airport from major companies including Hertz, Avis and Enterprise. Traffic is relatively light and peaceful compared with Seattle or Portland, but certain spots get heavy: avoid Interstate 184, Capitol Boulevard, Meridian Road, Eagle Road and State Street during rush hours, and expect I-84 between I-184 and the Garrity Boulevard exit in Nampa to be challenging, with eastbound lanes heavy in the morning and westbound lanes in the afternoon. If I-84 is in bad shape, Ustick Road and Victory Road offer alternates between Boise and Canyon County. Downtown, expect to pay to park even though meters aren't enforced on weekends or after 6PM; outside the core, parking east of Broadway, south of Myrtle, west of 15th and north of State is easy and almost certainly free around the clock.
- By taxi and ride-hailing: Uber and Lyft operate throughout Boise and are the easiest way to fill gaps at night when bus service thins out. Traditional taxi service has been largely displaced by these apps, though taxis remain common at the airport. Street hailing is uncommon, so call ahead or use a taxi stand. Because the city is so spread out, even travelling between neighbourhoods can easily run over, and peak-time waits can stretch to 45 to 60 minutes. Companies and drivers must be licensed by the City of Boise.
- By bicycle: The city centre is extremely bicycle-friendly. The Boise River Greenbelt is a paved pedestrian and bike path stretching roughly 25 miles along the river, connecting parks and public art and allowing car-free travel across much of the city. Boise GreenBike is a seasonal bike-share program, and independent shops offer hourly and daily rentals. Helmets are recommended for all cyclists and required by law for those under 18. Steer clear of main thoroughfares west of downtown, particularly Meridian Road and State Street west of 27th Street, and stick to side streets in Meridian and western Boise.
Where to stay
Downtown Boise puts you within walking distance of the Idaho State Capitol and much of the city's core. The Grove Hotel on South Capitol Boulevard is generally considered the highest-end option in town, while Hotel 43 on Grove Street is a downtown boutique property. The Modern Hotel and Bar, also on Grove Street, is another boutique choice, with tiled, spa-like bathrooms and flat-screen HDTVs in the rooms. The Hyatt Place Boise/Downtown on West Bannock Street is a newer addition, close to the Capitol and the rest of downtown on foot.
- The Grove Hotel — South Capitol Boulevard; the top-end choice downtown.
- Hotel 43 — Grove Street; a downtown boutique hotel.
- The Modern Hotel and Bar — Grove Street; boutique rooms with spa-like bathrooms.
- Hyatt Place Boise / Downtown — West Bannock Street; new, walkable to downtown and the Capitol.
If you'd rather stay near the airport or Boise State University, the Holiday Inn Boise Airport on West Elder Street is a non-smoking hotel aimed at business travelers, a few miles from the university. For a longer stay or a residential feel, Homewood Suites by Hilton on West Spectrum Way includes free breakfast, a light dinner and high-speed internet, and the Hilton Garden Inn Boise Spectrum and Fairfield Inn & Suites Boise West sit nearby on West Spectrum Street and West Emerald Street respectively. For something historic, the Idaho Heritage Inn Bed & Breakfast on West Idaho is a former Governor's mansion built in 1904, furnished with turn-of-the-century antiques, with private baths in every room, free wifi and a free gourmet breakfast, close to downtown shops, dining, parks and the historic district.
Food & drink
Most of the fancier restaurants cluster downtown, but you'll find worthwhile stops across the city. For pizza and beer on a patio on a warm summer evening, try Lucky 13 Pizza in the Harris Ranch area of East Boise, where smoking is allowed on the patio. Flying Pie Pizzaria has a location on Fairview Avenue plus others on State Street, Broadway, and in Meridian, and its summer-only habanero pizza is genuinely fierce. Big Jud's on South Protest Road serves one-pound burgers, doubles included. For a nicer night out, Cottonwood Grille specializes in American and Caribbean food and takes reservations; Mai Thai offers Thai cuisine with lunch bento specials and pricier dinners. At Boise Fry Company you choose your potato, cut, and size and have the fries made to order, with a burger on the side.
Boise's nightlife is well-rounded, and the best drinking is downtown, where Thursday through Saturday nights bring crowds cruising the bars. Bars within city limits are smoke-free, though smoking is still allowed at bars in nearby Garden City. Bittercreek Alehouse is a busy independent hangout with rustic Northwest food, local organic products, and many beers on tap from small-batch regional brewers, plus vegetarian-friendly pub fare. Next door, Red Feather Lounge is a swanky, low-lit spot with a three-story wine selection and a menu built around southwest Idaho products; the two share a see-and-be-seen patio on the pedestrian-friendly 8th Street corridor. Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery makes hand-crafted cocktails from its own rum, vodka, and gin, with an outdoor patio and a laid-back vibe. McCleary's Pub on the Bench is a friendly neighborhood bar that gets livelier as the night goes on. Dirty Little Roddy's offers country music, sawhorse tables, peanuts, and a mechanical bull, and gets packed with college kids on weekends. Mulligans is a would-be Irish dive with pool, air hockey, and foosball. 10th Street Station, in the basement of the old Idanha Hotel, has the charm of a former speakeasy. Neurolux pours stiff drinks and hosts indie rock shows. Reef is the Tiki outpost, with a rooftop patio and live music. Leku Ona is a Basque restaurant with a good bar and an older crowd, as is Pengilly's Saloon, which has live jazz or alt-country most nights plus pub quiz and open mic. The Balcony is the best-known LGBT bar, with a wrap-around open-air balcony and a big dance floor. Pie Hole stays open around the clock for late-night college life. Quinn's Restaurant & Lounge in the Bench neighborhood has a full menu and bar, weekend champagne brunch, live music, and karaoke.
What to see and do
Downtown is where most of Boise's sights cluster, and you can cover a lot of it on foot. The Idaho State Capitol Building anchors the northeast end of Capitol Boulevard, with an exhibit on Idaho and its government on the ground floor and guided tours by reservation. A few blocks away, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center sits in the "Basque Block," a good introduction to a city that holds one of the world's largest Basque populations outside the Basque Country. Julia Davis Park gathers several attractions in one place: Zoo Boise, the Rose Garden, the Boise Art Museum with its contemporary and western pieces, the Idaho State Historical Museum covering everything from prehistoric days through Native American, Basque, pioneer and Chinese history, and the Idaho Black History Museum in the historic St. Paul Baptist Church building. Nearby you'll find the Discovery Center of Idaho, an interactive science museum, and the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, with its reflecting pools, waterfalls and statue of Anne Frank. East of downtown along Warm Springs Avenue, the Greenbelt leads to the MK Nature Center, where museum exhibits and a stream-walk with underwater viewing windows show off Idaho's wildlife. Continue on to the Old Idaho Penitentiary, a museum where you can step inside old cells and solitary confinement, and the Idaho Botanical Garden, a serene spot for a picnic that puts on a holiday lights display each December. The Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology rounds out the cluster with exhibits on the state's mining past and geological treasures. Further out, Barber Park is a refuge for deer, elk, bald eagles, hawks, salmon and trout, and serves as the launch point for summer floats down the Boise River. South of downtown, the World Center for Birds of Prey keeps hawks, eagles and other raptors in view, while west of downtown the Aquarium of Boise holds sharks, manta rays, reptiles and a walk-through aviary where you can feed lorikeets. For entertainment, Boise Contemporary Theater stages professional contemporary work downtown, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival performs in summer at the base of the foothills, and First Thursday brings a gallery stroll, live music and in-store events to downtown each month.When to go
Boise is a dry, low-humidity city, and its seasons shape what you can comfortably do outdoors. Rain is concentrated in the cooler months, with overnight frosts likely from early November through the end of March. It rarely gets extremely cold, even with wind chill, but temperatures do drop below freezing, and you can expect more wind than usual in late winter.
- Spring: Rain continues into spring, and this is peak kite-flying season, with the Treasure Valley Kite Festival usually at the end of April. Late spring is a pleasant window for being outside before the summer heat arrives.
- Summer: Mid-summer suits poolside vacations, with warm days and nights that stay mild. During hot spells, days can reach or exceed the high end of the range and nights stay warm. Rain is possible even at the driest point of summer, but it is rarely torrential.
- Autumn: September is a pleasant in-between moment, milder than the heat of summer and before winter's rain and ice set in. October eases toward the cooler, wetter part of the year.
Festivals & events
Boise's event calendar includes a few recurring fixtures worth planning around. The Gene Harris Jazz Festival takes place in March, while the Hyde Park Fair is held in August.
Three days in Boise
Day one: Start in Downtown, the heart of the city, and get your bearings on foot before branching into the North End, where the streets are lined with trees and the character is residential and walkable. The Boise River runs through it all, and following it gives you an easy sense of how the city is laid out across the Treasure Valley. End the day back in Downtown, which is where you will want to base yourself for the rest of your stay.
Day two: Head out to Meridian and Nampa, the neighbouring communities that sit within Ada County and round out the wider metropolitan area. This is a good day for slowing down and seeing how the city connects to the rest of the Intermountain West. If you are visiting in April, the Treasure Valley Kite Festival is the kind of seasonal event that draws people outdoors.
Day three: Time your visit with the seasons. Midsummer is warm, while September and November bring a shift, and by March you may still catch wind and rain. If you are arriving by air, Boise Airport (BOI) is served by Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier and Southwest, and sits off South Vista Avenue near the Interstate, so getting back out to the airport is straightforward from Downtown.