Boise Weekends: Get-outside days year-round
Curious about what you'll do when you live in Boise? If you like the idea of floating on the Boise River, getting artsy at Freak Alley, and are daring enough to try whitewater rafting on the Payette, Boise is calling you home! This list of fun things to do will take you from greenbelt rides to rooftop views and give you a quick sampling of Boise's thriving arts and nature scene.
Chandi, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Chandi is Idaho born, raised, and still deeply obsessed with the Gem State, even though she now splits her time between here and South Carolina. With a mind-boggling 30 moves under her belt, she's amassed a library's worth of moving tips and tricks. She believes Idaho rewards curiosity, from small town events to overlooked trailheads and restaurants that haven't yet been popularized. She loves dinner at XVIII in Idaho Falls, welding junk into sculptures, and getting a little too excited about spiders, beetles, and other types of arthropods. At Snappy Scout, she brings sharp local instincts and hard earned insight from three decades of Idaho living.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in Boise?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
On a Saturday with perfect weather
Hyde Park brunch, followed by a Greenbelt cruise, finishing with a farmers market victory lap.
Outdoorsy
Ridge to Rivers singletrack, sunlit sage, lungs writing love letters.
With your dog
Boise Greenbelt sniffathon, splash zones near MK Nature Center, businesses offering endless water on thirsty days.
Artsy
Freak Alley murals so bold even your camera blushes neon followed by Art Source Gallery shopping.
Intellectually stimulating
Basque Museum, then Idaho State Museum, brain pleasantly overstuffed
Something inside and free
Self guided Capitol tour, marble echoing like civic ASMR.
On a budget
Float the Boise River on your thrifted tube and sport your legendary tan lines.
For sports fans
The constant Boise State blue turf pilgrimage, shout Go Broncos at the clouds.
In need of a selfie
Table Rock at golden hour, city glittering like pocket change.
You have to see this
Old Idaho Penitentiary, eerie cells and blooming penitentiary roses.
Rainy dreary day
Discovery Center tinkering, then Barbarian Brewing, ending with storm watching while drinking a pastry stout.
For a nearby weekend getaway
McCall cabin vibes, Payette Lake glassy, huckleberry everything on repeat.
My Favorite Local Spot in Boise
As a regular visitor to the American South, I love the SLG (St. Lawrence Gridiron). Its Southern cuisine is like a taste of Georgia in Idaho. Definitely come here for brunch and order the brisket! You won't regret it. Boise has a super strong farm-to-table scene so most restaurants will offer something new to try.
— Chandi Lyn
Idaho Local Expert
Ready to See If Boise Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Boise guide for the bigger picture.