Idaho
With more than one-quarter of the state covered by national forest, Idaho is a popular destination for outdoor activities. Enjoy summer hiking, winter skiing and year-round fishing and camping. Visit the cities too for unique cultural attractions.
The state capital, Boise, is nestled between the Boise River and the Rocky Mountains. Walk or bike on the 25 miles (40 kilometers) of the Boise River Greenbelt along the river as it meanders through town. Find restaurants, nightlife and cultural attractions in Old Boise. The Discovery Museum of Idaho has hands-on exhibits that will entertain both young and older visitors. Learn about history at Pioneer Village, the Idaho History Museum and Old Idaho Penitentiary. The Basque Museum and Cultural Center is a unique facility in the U.S. focusing on the immigrants from the small Basque region in the Spanish Pyrenees.
East of the city, find 130 miles (209 kilometers) of hiking trails in the Ridge to Rivers paths in the foothills of the Rockies. Enjoy year-round outdoor activities in nearby Boise National Forest. Ski at Bogus Basin just north of Boise or travel 3 hours east to top-rated Sun Valley Resort at Ketchum.
In addition to skiing near Ketchum, find endless activities in Sawtooth National Forest’s 2.1 million acres (850,000 hectares). Sunbathe, swim, fish, canoe and waterski on Redfish Lake. Enjoy performing arts and lectures at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.
Coeur d’Alene, in the far northern part of Idaho, has become popular with both backpackers and luxury travelers. Find all kinds of watersports on the lake, hiking in the surrounding wilderness, tennis and golf at the resort and luxury spa amenities. Visit in June for an Ironman competition or December for the downtown holiday-in-lights celebration.
Idaho provides as much as one-third of the potatoes eaten by United States families. For an attraction appropriately unique to the state, visit the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot.