3 Days in Boise, Idaho (The Perfect First Time Itinerary)

Boise is one of the most underrated cities to visit this year, at least, that's how I felt after our recent trip. With all kinds of outdoor adventures, delicious restaurants that are turning Boise into a rising foodie destination, and a vibrant and walkable downtown, it's one spot you definitely want to add to your travel list. Believe it or not, there's a lot more to Boise than just potatoes, and if you're planning a trip then below I'm sharing exactly how we explored the city.

​Our Essential Travel Resources :
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Car rentals are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you!

We always use Expedia's easy to use platform for comparing hotels.

To keep cell service while traveling, we always use Airalo’s easy eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the America's and Europe, and Klook for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is what we use for travel insurance.

Lastly, our packing list for any international or domestic travels.

Planning Your Trip to Boise

Getting There

Boise is a super easy city to visit. Their domestic airport has direct flights from over 25 different US cities, including from Anchorage during the Summer months. Since their downtown is less than 15 minutes from the airport, you can easily take an Uber or rent a car. If you decide to rent a car, you'll want to head down to the first level where baggage claim is. We went though Hertz and had no issues.

Where to Stay

There's lots of hotels to choose from located in downtown Boise. We stayed at Hotel Renegade - one of the classiest downtown hotels that's within walking distance to almost everything downtown - they even do weddings. Not only do they have valet parking, but they also have an onsite gym, cafe, rooftop bar, and a nice supper club for dinner. We've stayed in a lot of hotels over the years, and we were genuinely blown away by the friendliness and thoughtfulness of the staff. If you're looking for a comfortable hotel in downtown Boise, this is the one.

Our Favorite Tours in Boise :
-> Payette River Whitewater Rafting
-> Spuds & Spokes Biking Food Tour

​3 Days in Boise: Our Perfect Itinerary

Day 1 : Grab Breakfast

Begin by grabbing coffee and breakfast at Blue Collar Coffee Co., a cafe located on the first floor of Hotel Renegade. If you aren't staying here, I still recommend a stop - they have a super tasty version of a London Fog called "one wish willow" - otherwise you can check out one of the many breakfast cafes around downtown. A Cafe, The District Coffee House, Roast & Vine, Moon's Kitchen Cafe and Goldy's Breakfast Bistro are all great options.

Day 1 : Explore Downtown

There's shockingly a lot to do in downtown Boise. Even if you've rented a car, we recommend leaving it at the hotel and walking to see some of the top sights. You can head to Freak Alley Gallery, located in an alley between 8th and 9th and Bannock and Idaho Streets. There's so many unique murals we were pretty awestruck, and it's considered the northwest's largest, open-air, multi-artist, mural gallery. From here, you can head to the Idaho State Capitol. There's a nice viewpoint in front of the building, and you can head inside for public viewing from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays, and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekends, minus on holidays.

Day 1 : A Potato Lunch

There's lots of restaurants in downtown Boise, but one of the newest is Spud Daddy, and when in Idaho I think it's safe to say you need at least one potato meal. Just a few blocks from the state capitol, they open at 11:00 AM on weekdays and it's basically a "make-your-own" baked potato bar. They have all kinds of toppings, from melted cheese and alfredo sauce, to bacon and ham, to veggies like broccoli and onion - and lots more I didn't mention.

*Pro Tip : The famous Idaho Candy Company is just down the block. It's a great stop for souvenirs or a sweet treat!

Day 1 : Whitewater Rafting

After lunch, pick up your car and head out of town towards the Payette River. There's a few different places to go whitewater rafting (and local's even float down the closer Boise River), but we recommend going with Cascade Raft and Kayak, about 45 minutes from downtown heading North on Idaho 55. They're owned by the Long Family, a family that's been kayaking and hosting visitors since 1985. Our guide even told us they host camps for kids in the summer and kayaking trips to Chile, while their children are now olympians in the sport - so it's safe to say you're in good hands. They offer two types of rafting trips, a "chill" version and a "thrill" version. We did the half day of the chill version, which brought us through Class II and Class III rapids. Almost everyone else on the trip with us had never been rafting before, so it's a great beginner rafting trip and even has a few spots of the river where you can get out and go swimming.

​*Pro Tip : They have free changing rooms and lockers for you to use onsite.

Day 1 : Dinner & Dessert

After your rafting adventures, head back downtown for dinner and dessert! If you're staying at the Hotel Renegade, I recommend heading to their rooftop bar, The Highlander, for drinks and a lighter dinner while you enjoy the amazing views. If rafting really worked up your appetite, head to the first floor restaurant, the Baraboo Supper Club. For dessert, try heading to The STIL, a local ice cream shop with custom crafted, unique ice cream flavors.

Day 2 : Breakfast in Boise's Old North End

Today, we're heading to a different part of town, the Old North End - commonly known as Hyde Park. This historic neighborhood is adorably walkable, with all kinds of cafes and stores. There's a few different places you can stop for breakfast, but we recommend Certified Kitchen and Bakery. They had great breakfast sandwiches and a tasty "starchip" cookie that you can't miss.

Day 2 : Hiking & Exploring Hyde Park

After breakfast, we recommend walking to Camel's Back Park just a few blocks away. If you hike to the top you can get some excellent views of downtown, and even though it looks steep, it's very short. If you don't feel like hiking, you can keep exploring Hyde Park. There's lots of fun stores to go in and out of, like G. Willikers Toy Merchant or Goody's Soda Fountain for some sweet treats.

Day 2 : Bike the Greenbelt & Enjoy Lunch

After Hyde Park, you have two different options depending on the weather. If it's rainy, we recommend visiting the Idaho State Museum, which is surprisingly interactive. You can learn all about Idaho’s history, Native cultures, the area's mining boom, and even play a round or two of The Oregon Trail. If it's sunny, we recommend renting some e-bikes from Sunrise Electric Bikes. Their shop is right on the Greenbelt Trail, so you can easily head out to explore the riverwalk and views. The entire trail is about 29 miles, but even if you only explore a few miles it's a great activity, and there's lots of restaurants with outdoor seating along the trail. Bluebird Social came highly recommended to us, but because it was raining during our trip we ended up going to Rosa Garden City, a delicious taco restaurant!

*Pro Tip : If you want to explore Boise's Urban Wine Trail, there's a few wineries along the way. Try Telaya Wine Company, Laizze Faire Wine, or Split Rail for some tasty local sips!

Day 2 : Idaho's Shakespeare Festival

One of the most unique things we did while in Boise is visit the local Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Located about 20 minutes from downtown Boise, this unique summer event lasts from May to November, and they offer a variety of different plays you can choose to watch. When we visited, we watched "Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B", a great option for anyone wanting a good laugh. When you visit, you can either bring your own snacks and dinner to enjoy before the performance while enjoying the live music, or you can grab dinner on the way. We stopped at HLP, House of the Little Pig, which is an upscale dining experience with family style meals. 

*Pro Tip : The Idaho Shakespeare Festival is an outdoor theater, and they typically don't cancel performances due to weather like light rain. I recommend bringing a raincoat or poncho if you see rain in the forecast!

Day 3 : A Bacon Breakfast

On your last morning in Boise, I highly recommend stopping at Bacon. It ended up being one of our favorite breakfast spots of our whole trip. The entire restaurant is bacon themed, and almost every dish revolves around bacon. We got their biscuits and gravy, their cinnamon rolls topped with bacon, and an order of their bacon shots (5 different flavors and kinds of thick cut bacon). Everything was delicious, including their cold brew which really caught me off guard.

Day 3 : Explore the Basque Block

If you have some extra time before your flight, we recommend checking out the Basque Block. This area of downtown Boise focuses on highlighting the large population of Basque community members outside of Spain. You can find the Basque Market and Basque Museum & Cultural Center right across from each other, and there's plenty of delicious places to eat. We recommend trying Bar Gernika or Ansot's Basque Chorizos.

Day 3 : Check Out & Head Home

Unfortunately all itineraries come to an end, and this is the end of our 3 days in Boise. If you rented a car, you'll want to head back to the airport a little early for the return process before checking in. Have any recommendations for the next time we're in Boise? Leave them in the comments! Or, check out Visit Boise for more recommendations!

Watch Our Boise Adventures Here!

Coming Soon!

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Other U.S. City Blog Posts :
-> 30 Best Things to Do in New York City
-> First Timer's Guide to Stillwater, Minnesota
-> A Fall Guide to Bar Harbor, Maine

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