by Alice Scully

More than just the capitol of the gem state Idaho, Boise has been praised as a "best" city to live by national magazines such as Forbes, Sunset and Inc. com. In fact, Farmers Insurance called Boise the most secure place to live in the country while Earth Day Network rated Boise's urban environment sixth from a field of 72 national cities.

Boise is a city of comfortable charm-loaded with attractions-that is safe and visitor friendly. The next time you find yourself driving on Interstate 84, remember that Boise is the largest city between Salt Lake City and Portland and the obvious choice for your overnight stay. On any day of the week and in any season, this is a city that is guaranteed to deliver a fully enjoyable and hassle-free holiday.

Boise may be the easiest city to get around in you'll ever visit. Once you find your way to Vista Avenue you can comfortably walk everywhere that you need to go. Finding Vista is easy. This street runs for eight miles from the Boise Airport on the south side of town, to the Statehouse on the north, where the street name changes to Capitol Boulevard. Most of the town's hotels, restaurants and attractions are within one block of Vista/Capitol and a public bus runs the length. What could be easier?

Safe and friendly, Boise is packed with attractions all within a stone's throw of each other. Julia Davis Park, named after the woman known for her kindness and gracious hospitality to immigrants, is right off Vista/Capitol and has four museums, the zoo and the trolley tour. This park has been dubbed the tourist center of Boise and is the logical center for your visit. Stately old trees shade the 90-acre park with picnic tables dotting the expanse of wide lawns. If you are driving, park in one of the free parking areas, then relax and enjoy. Early in the day you can visit the city's art collection at the Boise Art Museum then leisurely wander through the museum's outside sculpture garden or the rose gardens just behind the museum. If history is your passion be sure to include visits to the Idaho Historical Museum and the Black History Museum. Julia Davis Park is also the place to be if you are visiting during one of Boise's many summer fairs and festivals as the park transform into a beehive of activity with live music, vendors and great food. See (www.boisechamber.org) for a calendar of events.

Although designed with children in mind, there are two more attractions in the park that will be interesting for everyone in your group. Zoo Boise, at the east side of Julia Davis Park, features fierce tigers, colorful giraffes and playful penguins. The Zoo also boasts a new "African Plains" exhibit, a 2.8 million dollar replica of African life that spans three of the zoo's 11 acres. The Discovery Center, on the north edge of the park next to the paddleboat pond, is my personal favorite because the exhibits (about 200 of them) are engineered to be hands-on-fun while providing education about scientific principles. See www.scidaho.org and the YouTube video for a preview of some of the popular exhibits such as the bubble wall and the bed of nails. No matter your age, you will want to try these both out; they are a kick.

There is nothing so welcome as the sight of cool water during the hot summer months in Boise. The park offers visitors several options. The Julia Davis boathouse rents paddle boats by the hour and Boise's much loved Greenbelt on the south side of the park offers 25 miles of paved path for walking, biking, jogging or roller blading along the Boise River. Small sandy beaches dot the shore if you want to take few minutes for the kids to splash in the shallow water.

After a morning of museum hopping, give your feet a rest while you are ferried on an open-air trolley called Boise Trolley Tours (www.boisetrolleytours.com). This 60-minute tour that operates May through October, is a fun ride through the historic part of town. The well-crafted narrative is part gossip and part history. For example, you will drive past the house that belonged to Humphrey Bogart's secret paramour and also visit the Old Penitentiary and the Idaho Statehouse (currently closed for remodeling but due to be open again in early 2010). Reservations for the trolley are needed, as there are only two tours daily. I give this tour a 'two thumbs up' rating.

For lunch I suggest you walk a few short blocks to the pedestrian-only "Basque Block" at Capitol Boulevard and Grove Street. Boise is home to approximately 15,000 residents of Basque descent including the town's mayor, Dave Bieter. Be sure to visit the Basque Museum and Cultural Center that also has a book and gift shop. Next door, the Cyrus-Jacobs-Uberuaga boarding house built in 1864 is the perfect backdrop for your souvenir photograph. If the day is warm and sunny, you can sit on the sidewalk patio of the Basque Market or under the green umbrellas of the historic Leku Ona Basque hotel and enjoy some uniquely Basque food.

On the edge of the Mountain Time Zone, Boise has daylight well into the evening hours so you can pack in a full day of sightseeing and still feel there is time left for some nightlife. If you enjoy a good party and thrive on crowds, you will want to head to the bars and nightclubs on Main Street between Capitol and 5th Street. If dinner and a movie are more to your liking (with maybe a little shopping for dessert), head across Capitol at Broad Street to the trendy BoDo district. Well-lighted and pedestrian-friendly, this area has upscale boutiques, fine dining restaurants, a movie Cineplex and nightspots for comedy and music.

Boise is a central location, either by air or freeway. There are over 60 choices in Boise for a comfy bed, from the budget hotels near the airport to the elegant hotels downtown, and the major hotels share a free shuttle service. The Boise Visitor's and Convention Bureau (www.boise.org) website helps you choose the perfect hotel and the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce (www.boisechamber.org) provides information about festivals and events that are happening during the specific dates of your visit.
 

Home | Contact | Top