Idaho's Best-Kept Secrets (That Aren't Really Secrets)
Think you really know Idaho? Have you seen the Shoshone Falls? They could humble Niagara's ego. Have you soaked in a hot spring only the locals know? Have you heard the haunting echo of the bull elk during rutting season? Keep reading to learn all of the spud-tastic gossip and see what makes the Gem State so irresistible.
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 Makes Idaho Idaho?
The weird, useful, and surprisingly relevant facts that shape everyday life here.
Common nicknames for Idaho
The Gem State, Spud State, The Whitewater State, Little Ida, The Potato State.
Local reality check
We have it all! Farming, booming Boise tech, world-class whitewater, the Basque Block, prime fly fishing, and alpine glaciers.
You're most likely moving from
California, Washington, Oregon, or are a road tripper from Utah who just never left.
Strangely large concentration of
Drive thru coffee and soda huts, hot springs you won't see on a map, huckleberry everything, and herds of elk.
Music scene
Treefort Music Fest, Knitting Factory shows, DIY garages, Sun Valley jazz nights, Yellow Pine Harmonica Festival, and Grand Targhee bluegrass Festival (just to name a few).
You'll have to see it to believe it
Shoshone Falls! Roaring higher than Niagara, you can experience the majesty right in Twin Falls.
Unique geography
Hells Canyon depths, Snake River Plain, Sawtooth spires, Craters of the Moon, Clearwater River.
Idaho is home to
Boise State blue turf, INL, Sun Valley, Simplot spuds, Albertsons HQ, Idaho Potato Museum (yup, we have a museum for spuds!), and ghost towns.
Well known for its
Potatoes, huckleberries, whitewater, hot springs, sand dunes, public lands with groomed trails, and red star garnets.
Fun history fact
Union Pacific engineers installed the world's first chairlifts in Sun Valley in 1936.
Celebrity sightings
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore in Hailey, Tom Hanks spotted skiing Sun Valley, Post Malone hanging out in Boise, and many more.
Noteworthy census stat
Second fastest growing state 2010 to 2020, boasting an increase of 17.3%.
Most interesting sub-culture within Idaho
Boise's Basque Block: pelota courts, sheepherder festivals, paella block parties.
Population
38th by population, 14th by land size. Due to its size, it's still considered one of the most rural states with a low population density.
Idaho is roughly the same geographic size as
Belarus
Locals Know Best
If you want to avoid crowds, shop on Sundays. Oh! And if you're at a small town parade, don't leave when the last float passes you. It usually comes back around for a second pass. Insider's trick: make an obvious target for the candy-throwers to hit. You will end up with a table full of goodies.
— Chandi Lyn
Idaho Local Expert
Ready to See If Idaho Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Idaho guide for the bigger picture.