the best of boise

Boise! For those of you who are new to Boise, we’re excited to show you around a great town. Hopefully you’ll have time to get outside of Boise and do some hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, rafting or just general sight seeing. But if not, there’s lots to do in Boise. We encourage you to stay downtown, as it will make exploring by foot much easier. From downtown, you can access parks, trails, museums, the river, and great bars and restaurants.

We’ve tried to compile “a few” of our favorites (sorry, this list is a little overwhelming), but don’t hesitate to ask if you need any additional tips on where to go or what to do — especially if you have time to head to the mountains, go on a long bike ride, or explore other parts of Idaho.

To begin, here are a couple (outdated) articles from two of our favorite magazines, highlighting a few Boise destinations for the hiking/adventure crowd. To quote the first: “Welcome to Boise, Idaho, the last great place in the American West…”

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/travel/idaho.html

http://www.backpacker.com/destinations/category/56

Food

Restaurants/Pubs Downtown Boise:

Bittercreek Alehouse (8th & Idaho downtown Boise): Very busy local independent downtown hangout, rustic northwest food & beer. Focus on local organic products and 30 beers on tap from small batch regional brewers. The above standard “pub grub” fare is also vegetarian friendly.
Red Feather Lounge: Sibling of next door’s watering hole Bittercreek, these two bars/restaurants share a bathroom and a patio, but just about nothing else. Red Feather is a swanky, low-lit lounge with a amazing three story, award winning wine selection. Red Feather’s menu emphasizes products that thrive in the southwest Idaho region. Both have freshly made cocktails and share an outdoor patio on the pedestrian friendly 8th street corridor.
Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery (Basque Block): The first restaurant in the nation to include a distillery. Bardenay distills rum, vodka and gin and uses them all in their drinks. This bar has an outdoor patio and a cool, laid-back vibe.
Falcon Tavern: “Upscale pub fare.” Since opening in the Summer of 2004, this family owned and operated establishment has quietly emerged as Boise’s “Downtown Neighborhood Pub.” Although The Falcon is known for its award-winning hand-pressed Kobe Burgers, the rest of the affordable menu is rounded out with a generous selection of creative appetizers, soups, salads, and sandwiches. Ample draft, bottle beer and wine selection.
Fork: A newer Boise restaurant featuring local, organic ingredients and local brews. In the heart of downtown, in the old Idaho Building.

Breweries/local beers to check out:

A little more upscale:

Berryhill and Co: John Berryhill is somewhat of a legend in Boise, or so I’ve heard. I’ve never actually eaten at one of his restaurants, but have heard great things. Berryhill has three restaurants, including Berryhill and Co – a more upscale restaurant located on 9th St – Bacon – a breakfast place right around the corner, and Plan B – a lounge located a few feet from Berryhill and Co.
Cafe Vicino: a few blocks walk from Downtown Boise, located next to the Boise Co-op. Highly recommended cuisine!
Cottonwood Grille, 913 West River Street. With its specialties in American and Caribbean foods, it’s a popular place to eat in Boise, and right on the river and the Greenbelt. Great Happy Hour specials!
Cazba, 211 North Eighth Street. A local favorite. Cazba serves European, Middle Eastern & African foods and is known for very good service.
Asiago’s, 1002 W. Main St. An intimate setting and very tasty Italian cuisine for a reasonable price.
Mai Thai, 750 W. Idaho St.

Basque:

Leku Ona: Wonderful basque cuisine located right on the Basque block in downtown Boise, also featuring a great bar and a nice patio.
Bar Gernika: A Basque Pub & Eatery located on the Basque block in downtown Boise.

Sushi:

Many believe Shige Japanese Cuisine located at the top of the escalator at 100 N. 8th between Main and Idaho, to be the best sushi joint in town.
Superb Sushi, located at 208 N. 8th Street in the basement of the historic Idaho Building in downtown is known for it’s big maki rolls.

French (breakfast and lunch):

La Vie En Rose (in the historic Idanha Hotel)
Le Cafe de Parie: less than a block from the Capitol building, on Capitol Street.

Pizza:

Lucky 13 (in southeast Boise): Pizza and beer in a patio setting snuggled into the Harris Ranch area of East Boise. A great place to go on a warm summer evening. It’s located right of the Boise Greenbelt — a great place to stop after a bike ride for beer and pizza.
Guido’s Pizza (downtown): Our favorite for a quick slice of pizza — only a few tables inside, so don’t expect much other than good pizza!
Pie Hole (downtown)
Tony’s Pizzeria Teatro (downtown)

Breakfasts/Coffee:

Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro
Big City Coffee (Featuring “Big Titty Coffee” and large, healthy breakfasts — Linen District — it’s cool).
Java Coffee: In downtown boise on 6th Ave and in Hyde Park. Our favorite coffee shop in Boise — with roots in Sun Valley.
A’tavola: All the new rage.

And if you want Idaho fries, you might check out the Boise Fry Company featuring home grown, cut and made fries, “with a burger on the side.” Choose your type of potato, the cut, and size and the fry them to oder. Get a Bison burger to go with it. It’s located in Southeast Boise, in “Bown Crossing.”

We’d also encourage you to check out other neighborhoods in Boise, especially Hyde Park – Boise’s historic northend.

Things to Do & Sights to See

Boise is the starting point for many outdoor activities in the surrounding mountains, including rock climbing, mountain biking, and kayaking. Other local activities include:

Favorite Hikes/Walks/Activities (accessible from downtown):

A ton of great information about Boise’s surrounding foothills and its impressive trail system can be found here: http://ridgetorivers.cityofboise.org/
Table Rock: A great hike just outside of downtown Boise. The link above provides information about how to access the trail. It’s about a 1.75 mile hike up to “the rock” with great views of the City once you get to the top. The top features “the cross” which is somewhat of a controversial landmark prominent in the Boise foothills. It’s definitely worth the hike.
Hull’s Gulch Nature Trail: End of Eighth St. A great opportunity to explore the foothills of Boise. Very good for hiking, biking, sightseeing, and taking the dogs.
Camel’s Back Park & Trails: a great park in the Northend of Boise — lots of trails to explore, hills to climb (and run down) and a great place for kids!
Boise River Greenbelt. Rent a bike or walk along the Boise Greenbelt — a trail that runs along the Boise River, through the City and out to Lucky Peak Dam. Our favorite bike/outdoor gear shop is Idaho Mountain Touring in downtown Boise. They have great rates for bike rentals.
Rafting/tubing on the Boise River - this is something of a local tradition, although it might be a little late in the season for this. The put-in site is at Barber Park. The five mile float takes around 3 hours, and ends at Ann Morrison Park.
Go on a Winery Tour: There are many great wineries outside of Boise — information here

Parks/Museums/Interesting Sights:

Julia Davis Park: this Olmsted-esque urban park contains many of the downtown attractions in Boise. It sits across the Boise River from Boise State University. Located within its confines are Zoo Boise, the Rose Garden, Boise Art Museum and a scenic railroad. It also contains the Idaho Black History Museum.
Anne Morrison and Kathryn Albertson Park: Both great parks.
Barber Park. A local favorite. Barber Park is in Southeast Boise and is a refuge for various wildlife, including: deer, elk, bald eagles, hawks, various birds, salmon, trout, and many more. Barber Park is also the starting point for a summer tradition in Boise: floating down the Boise River.
Lucky Peak State Park. About 5 minutes out of Boise on Highway 21 you will come to lucky peak. A huge reservoir that residents love to wakeboard, water ski, tube, hang out, camp, and even cliff dive.
Idaho Botanical Gardens. A truly serene place to visit. The gardens have been the site of many weddings and performances because of its beautiful setting of vibrant flowers and other vegetation. At no cost, it is a superb setting for a picnic.
Old Idaho State Penitentiary, Warm Springs Ave. A great sight to see. This gem is a museum set in the old state penitentiary where guests can sit in old prison cells, solitary confinement, and explore the inner workings of a once scary place to be.
Boise Art Museum, 670 Julia Davis Drive.
World Center for Birds of Prey, 5660 West Flying Hawk Lane. The name explains itself. A fascinating place to visit, many birds of all types constantly in your line of sight.
Basque Museum and Cultural Center, 611 Grove Street. The Boise area is home to one of the largest concentrations of Basque populations in the world outside the Basque Country itself. The museum, located in a part of downtown known as the “Basque Block,” is a great place to visit whether or not you are of the Basque descent. Chocked full of enriched heritage and even a bar to hang out at.
If you’re up for a movie, check out the Historic Egyptian Theatre or the Flicks, where you can drink some wine, have a bite, and watch a good flick.
Boise Train Depot (on the hill)
Idaho State Capitol Building

Theatre:

Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Of course, this is why you come to Boise. During summer, shows are performed at the outdoor theater at the base of the Boise foothills. As a matter of fact, the last show of 2012 is the weekend of our wedding (but please show up to the wedding, it will be a better party). If you’re looking for something to do on Friday evening, we would definitely encourage you to get tickets for the Shakespeare Festival.
Boise Contemporary Theater. Since 1997, Boise Contemporary Theater has been Boise’s premiere professional contemporary theater. Located in downtown Boise.

Shopping:

Saturday Morning Market: From 9:30 to 1:30 in Downtown Boise, featuring local and organic foods, crafts and entertainment!
Eighth Street Marketplace: located in the center of downtown Boise, the eighth street marketplace is a popular sight to go shopping, have a bite to eat, and go dancing at night. It’s all three in one!
Other parts of “BoDo”: Along with the Eighth Street Marketplace, you may want to just wander throughout the downtown core.

Nightlife:

Boise has a surprisingly well-rounded nightlife, all stereotypes to the contrary, but once again, the best places to drink are all downtown. It won’t be hard to walk around and find the bar scene.

Bardenay
Pengilly’s Saloon: Most nights have live music, usually jazz or alt-country.
10th Street Station: Located in the basement of the Idanha Hotel (now apartments) you can experience the relaxed crowd, friendly staff, and charm of a former speakeasy.
Tom Grainey’s: often charges a cover but there is typically live music.
Reef: Featuring a rooftop patio and full service outdoor bar – a Tiki bar.
Leku Ona, downtown on 6th, is a Basque restaurant with a good bar and home to a slightly older set than the rest of the downtown scene.
And many more…