Since my first big trip to Barcelona in April of 2017 I’ve tried to plan a longer vacation every April/May. In 2018 I went on my huge Eurotrip, visiting 6 counties in 17 days (Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Hungary). And in 2020 I’ll be setting off on an epic 17-day trip around South Africa.
But in 2019 I chose a destination that many people were very confused by. I took off a week of work so I could explore a place a little closer to home – the state of Idaho.
Most people think of Idaho and think “potatoes.” And not much else. But when I thought of Idaho I saw alpine lakes, gorgeous hikes, greenery and waterfalls. And I had a suspicion that people were seriously underestimating this state that I tell everyone is “the next Denver.”
Turns out, I was right. Idaho was amazing, and “secret Idaho” is a real thing – the people that live there know how awesome it is – and they don’t want it to be discovered. That didn’t stop them from being incredibly friendly (and slightly surprised) when we told them we were just there for a road trip.
If I were to go back and re-plan this trip, I may have gone at a different time of year. The week we were traveling was during their “mud season” – the in-between time when skiing and snow-shoeing are done for the season but it’s still too muddy for a lot of mountain biking and hiking and still too cold for kayaking, rafting, swimming, waterskiing and all other forms of water activities.
Luckily, we had a somewhat loose itinerary and were able to use the expertise of locals to find mountain biking and hiking options in each of the towns we visited.
Here was our Idaho road trip – I hope I can convince you to add this Midwest state to your bucket list!
STANLEY
I landed on Saturday night in Boise and stayed at a hotel close to the airport – it was a little sketchy, but it was cheap. On Sunday morning, Sabrina landed and picked up the rental car and came to get me.
First stop was for smoothies and juices at Boise Juice Company followed by a stop at Ross to get towels, which we had forgotten.
Then we were ready to start our adventures. We drove along the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route which had stunning views. I was glad Sabrina had offered to drive – the roads were curvy and a few distracted seconds would have sent us over the edge of a cliff.
After about an hour and 45 minutes of driving, we made a stop at the Kirkham Hot Springs. We were definitely not the only people there – and while it was pretty crowded, we enjoyed hiking down to the hot springs and lounging around for a while.
I was shocked at just how hot the water was!
We finished the drive to Stanley and checked into the Triangle C Cabins. There was no one around, and after a quick walk around town, we realized that we were in for a very quiet first few days.
So we picked up groceries and sat down at one of the few bars that were open and toasted to vacation with a beer, some bar food and the Islanders game!
That night we walked from our cabin with some beers and watched the sunset up near Stanley Pioneer Park. It was absolutely gorgeous and so peaceful.
Then, it was time for the Game of Thrones finale!! We watched in our cabin with a snack-dinner and beer and it was a perfect chill night.
The next morning, we woke up and after multiple attempts at getting into the main hotel building and various e-mails, we realized the “gym” we had been looking at was the owners’ personal gym equipment – oops. So we wrote up our own workout and did it in the cabin! It was a good one – we called it “Bad Bear” and we still talk about it to this day!
Next up was a hike to Redfish Lake – the road was still closed because of snow, so we had to park pretty far away. It was more of a walk than a hike, but it was really pretty as the snow swirled around us. We were the only people there, and it was really quiet and serene.
Even though Stanley ended up being a lot sleepier and snowier than I thought (we weren’t able to hike or mountain bike and Sabrina had to pack an extra jacket for me), it was the perfect way to start our trip on a laid back and relaxed note (something that I sometimes need help with!) Stanley was incredibly picturesque, and I was just happy to be out in the fresh air with mountains and sky and not much else.
We drove out of Stanley and headed through the Sawtooths on scenic Highway 75 making our way to Sun Valley.
2. SUN VALLEY - KETCHUM
I never realized what a fancy-ass place Sun Valley, Idaho was. The cars you see driving down the streets, the bikes you see on people’s bike racks, the stores you see while walking through town – the people who live here and spend their winters skiing here are loaded.
In fact, 17 leaders of Fortune 500 companies live in Sun Valley part of the year along with 136 current CEO’s and Presidents of US businesses (according to Visit Sun Valley).
And there are a ton of celebrities who use Sun Valley as their place to disappear. They can fly largely under the radar here – the paparazzi don’t tend to follow them to Idaho and the locals aren’t phased. It’s sometimes referred to as “The New North Hollywood” because so many celebrities own homes and spend time in Idaho including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, Ashton Kutcher, Justin Timberlake and more.
Sun Valley is nestled in the Sawtooth National Forest and receives 250 days of sun a year! Sun Valley is known for their ski and snowboard mountains like Bald Mountain, Proctor and Dollar Mountain. There are smaller towns in the surrounding area including Hailey and Ketchum. We stayed in the cutest tree-house Airbnb in Ketchum.
STAY
There were two beds in our cozy treehouse and a zip-line to the backyard bathroom along with a trampoline! The Airbnb was in our hosts backyard and he was incredibly friendly and helped us come up with our game plan while we were in town – he had a ton of intel on the mountain biking trails that might be mud-free, hiking trails that weren’t still covered in snow, and hot springs that might still be open. He offered to set us up with bikes and gave us a day pass to the local YMCA. He used to own a local store and let us look around at the leftover merchandise that they were selling at huge discounts. One of my favorite mornings of the trips was when we ate oatmeal out of mugs on our treehouse balcony.
Hike
When we arrived in Hailey ready to hike – we were greeting with some sudden snow and decided to stall by walking around town and ducking into some shops.
Eventually, the snow stopped and we made our way up Carbonate Mountain Trail– approximately 1,351 feet in elevation. I was absolutely DYING – for some reason I couldn’t catch my breath. Unfortunately, this feeling continued the rest of the trip and by the time we were in Boise I actually went to a walk-in clinic to make sure nothing was seriously wrong before I flew home. Whether we were hiking or working out or biking – I was super out of breath! Ultimately, I guess it was just a mix of elevation, maybe a little bit of a cold, and maybe being a little bit run down.
Speaking of run down – when we got to the top of the 3.7 mile loop trail – I convinced Sabrina we would take the trip down as a trail run which was super fun! Minus the fact that running in hiking boots doesn’t feel great. I really need to invest in a pair of trail sneakers!
Carbonate was a quick but challenging hike with great views of the town below!
sweat
YMCA
The Sun Valley YMCA in Ketchum was massive and we used our guest passes to take a soak in the hot tub on the snowy afternoon.
Yoga Class
We took a great yoga class in Ketchum at Gather Yoga Studio and it turns out the instructor used to leave near me in New York City! Everyone in Idaho was so friendly and we loved chatting with her after class.
EAT
Post-Hike Lunch in Hailey
Such a cute little cafe for a half turkey sandwich (duh) with a cup of tomato soup. And it even came with complimentary cookies! The best part was the warm mug of tea on a snowy day.
A+ Dinners in ketchum
This was such a great Mediterranean meal in Ketchum on our first night - any restaurant with a plate of carrots covered in tahini yogurt is good in my book!
Plus a trio of deliciousness - hummus, labneh and roasted eggplant.
This was my favorite meal of the trip- we sat at the bar and everything we ordered was absolutely unreal. We ordered ourselves a bottle of champagne and split things from their seasonal and rotating menu.
My favorite was the pasta special - homemade pasta with pieces of goat in it. We also had the pheasant which was super flavorful and the sunchoke soup.
bomb brunch
This reminded me a lot of the brunch Callie, Abby and I devoured in Banff - classic, cozy breakfast dishes in a kitschy cabin setting. Complete with a John Deere parked outside, a giant bear guarding the door and a canoe hanging from the ceiling.
We split the Veggie Benedict sans Hollandaise sauce and obviously ordered table pancakes.
This spot was hopping when we walked in one morning. Super cute and conveniently within walking distance of our Airbnb! They’re known for their “Bowl of Soul” - a mocha drink with homemade whipped cream.
DRINK
sawtooth brewery and tap room
This was our first stop upon arriving in Sun Valley. There were plenty of IPAs to choose from, so I was a happy camper!
Lefty’s
Local watering hole in Ketchum where regulars have their own mugs at the bar!
The cellar pub
Another casual local bar we went to late one night.
SAWTOOTH PUBLIC HOUSE
An offshoot of the brewery, the Sawtooth Public House was within walking distance of our Ketchum Airbnb and we happened to be in town for Trivia Night! It was a ton of fun, and we ended up winning! Later that week, in Boise, a group came up to us at the bar and said, “Are you the girls who beat us at trivia in Ketchum?” Small world! I’ll never forget that the last question I got was the character Puck from Midsummer Night’s Dream!
This was also the first place we tried a milkshake IPA - IPA’s brewed with lactose that have gotten pretty big recently. Then we continued to drink more champagne :)
3. Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Located between the small towns of Arco and Carey, Idaho - the Craters of the Moon National Monument is at an average elevation of 5,900 feet about sea level - so it’s no wonder that I felt a little out of breath.
It was like stepping into another world - and we got sun, snow and rain during our visit. It was nice that you could drive around or walk around, and we spent a few hours exploring the different areas of the park.
It wasn’t the coolest thing I’d ever seen, but I’m still glad we stopped! It was definitely cool to walk around the lava fields and take pictures of the other-worldly scenery.
4. Twin Falls
Our next destination was to Twin Falls, Idaho which I would say was my least favorite of the towns we stayed in.
It just wasn’t as naturey as our other stops - a few too many strip malls for my liking. That being said, we still had a few noteworthy stops during this portion of the trip!
Shoshone falls
The main reason for our time in Twin Falls was to check out Shoshone Falls, which were pretty massive - they’re actually 45 feet higher than Niagara Falls!
perrine bridge
Something else that Twin Falls is known for is BASE jumpers who come to jump off of the Perrine Bridge --486 feet above the Snake River.
Yellow brick cafE
If you find yourself in Twin Falls, Yellow Brick Cafe was a good spot for a casual, healthy and quick dinner.
twin beans coffee company
Perhaps the highlight of Twin Falls, for me, was my latte from Twin Beans Coffee Company. I could have drank 7 of their Honey Cinnamon lattes!
box canyon hike
Just a short drive from Twin Falls was one of the coolest hikes we did - Box Canyon Springs Trail.
What first looks like a dusty, flat no-man’s land is actually a 4.3 mile trail that leads you down into a canyon with a gorgeous blue lake!
It’s more of a walk than a hike, but really beautiful once you enter the canyon. I really enjoyed it - minus seeing a snake cross right in front of Sabrina’s feet!
5. Bruneau Sand Dunes
About an hour and a half drive from Twin Falls are the Bruneau Sand Dunes - a state park that’s home to the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America. Fun facts! One of the dunes is 470 feet tall!
It reminded me of my days of swimming ashore from my boat to climb the sand dunes at Pirates Cove!
6. Boise
The grand finale of our Idaho road trip was the state’s capitol - Boise!
We decided to base our Boise itinerary around a different beverage each day - this just kind of came to us on the first night and it worked out so well. Highly recommend!
day one - wine, tapas and art
boise art museum
We started out with some culture by stopping by the Boise Art Museum. The real motivation behind this stop was the fact that there happened to be a DOUGHNUT exhibit going on.
It was actually SO cool - Jae Yong Kim’s exhibit was called Donut Ever Forget Me and was made up of hand-sculpted and painted donuts. Each one is totally unique and they stretched out on an entire wall. It was the perfect backdrop for a good old fashioned photo shoot.
freak art gallery
I’ve seen much more exciting graffiti and street art in other destinations (Austin, London, Berlin) but you might as well walk by it while you’re in Boise!
basque block
Did you know that Boise is home to one of the largest Basque populations in the United States?
We stopped into one of the small wine bars and I felt instantly transported back to a pintxos bar in Barcelona - it was so authentic!
txikiteo wine bar
According to their website, the word txikiteo (chee-kee-tay-o) is a Basque words that refers to “a pub crawl or stroll with friends to partake in coffee, tapas, and wine.” Perfect for our night!
We stopped in and had delicious wine and a gorgeous cheese plate - and it turns out the couple sitting next to us were the same couple that took our picture in front of the donuts earlier that day!
the stil
How do you end your wine themed night in Boise? Oh, I don’t know - how about a wine and ice cream flight? Sounds too perfect, right? Well it’s a thing.
They have dairy-free flavors, booze infused flavors, custom flavors and beer and wine pairings and flights. It’s a dream come true in this place - and I had been following them on Instagram for over a year in anticipation.
It did not disappoint and was the perfect way to end the day before heading back to our Airbnb.
bikes and brews
mountain biking
I’m smiling to mask my intense cardio-vascular and muscular distress coupled with severe fear!
The day finally arrived toward the end of our trip - my first attempt at mountain biking! I was absolutely petrified, but if I was ever going to try it, I knew I was in good hands going with Sabrina.
It couldn’t have been easier to walk from our Airbnb to rent a bike at a local shop and ride straight from the shop for 10 minutes to the Military Reserve a whole 1.6 miles from Downtown Boise.
The Military Reserve seems like it was a good place for a beginner - but I also have nothing to compare it too. I’m so glad we went, but it was hands down one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. Going uphill felt impossible and then going downhill felt absolutely terrifying. And the bikes couldn’t be more different than a road bike. Most notably, clutching the brakes, though a natural reaction while racing down a mountain (okay, foothills) with tree roots and rocks, is not advisable. Instead, you’re supposed to “feather” the brakes.
Super grateful I got the chance to do this, but not sure there will be a next time!
MEAT PIES AT KIWI SHAKE AND BAKE
It was simple enough following our mountain biking adventures to swap out our rentals for cruisers for the second half of the day. They were really nice, comfortable bikes that were perfect for riding from brewery to brewery which was our plan for the rest of the day.
First stop was for some substance to line the stomach - and since Sabrina is marrying a Kiwi, Kiwi Shake and Bake was a must visit for meat pies and cold brew to bring us (OK, me) back to life.
BREWERY CRAWL #1 - CLAIRVOYANT BREWING COMPANY
This place had classic brewery vibes and super friendly staff that almost derailed us from our brewery-hopping plans. We made ourselves so comfortable, that we didn’t want to leave! The bartender even promised he would put on the hockey game later in the day if we stuck around, and we met the most adorable old-lady-traveling-duo that we joked would be us in 40 years.
Highly recommend stopping by Clairvoyant - even non-beer drinkers will enjoy the vibes and be able to order a wine, cider or even a Capri-Sun! They also have some live music and food trucks on select days/nights.
BREWERY CRAWL STOP #2 - CLOUD 9 BREWERY
The vibes at Cloud 9 were definitely more strip-mall than brewery, but it was a gorrrrgeous day outside and we plopped ourselves on the patio smack dab in the sun while we enjoyed our beers from this nanopub.
What stands out about Cloud 9 is they are the only certified organic brewery in Idaho and they brew very small batches of each of their beers. They had interesting choice like Honey Basil and Blood Orange.
BOISE GREENBELT INTERLUDE
We took a break from boozin’ to pedal along the Boise Greenbelt for a little while. It’s a 25-mile bike path. Yes, 25 miles! Imagine how easy long training rides would be!
It weaves along the river and if I’m ever back, my goal is to bike all 25 miles!
We may have been a liiiitle tipsy while biking to the next brewery, which resulted in a lot of cycle-selfies. Please take special note of the one souvenir I really wanted: a potato pin for my denim jacket.
BREWERY CRAWL STOP #3 - PAYETTE BREWING COMPANY
The last stop on our bikes ‘n beers tour of Boise was Payette Brewing Company and it was definitely the largest and most popular of our destinations.
It was a great place to end our tour and located right off of the Greenbelt. Plus, who doesn’t love fun beer names like Fuzzy Memories and Kitten Mittens?
We only scratched the surface of the Boise (and Idaho) beer scene - if you’re looking to bike to even more breweries while you’re in town, check out these recommendations from the Seattle Times.
DINNER AT JUNIPER ON 8TH
For dinner, we veered off course a little and switched from beer to bubbles - we may have made the questionable decision to order a bottle of champagne.
As usual, we split a buncha things on the menu - including the Kale & Eggs, Baked Brie and Pork Belly & Gorgonzola Fries. *Chef’s kiss* (just a quick question - when did this become a saying? I think I love it. Should I hate it?)
TEQUILA DAY!
The last day, we decided, would be dedicated to the nectar of the God’s - TEQUILA.
But on tequila day, you need to start slow and get yourself ready.
F45
Step one was getting in a good sweat at the local F45. Followed by a trip to the walk in clinic to make sure I didn’t have anything wrong with me to prevent me from flying the next day - I was still feeling very out of breath but everything seemed OK (per my incredibly hot doctor) so I chalked it up to a combination of the elevation and just a run of the mill cold.
FARMER’S MARKET
The next stop was the farmer’s market - where we strolled around and had some samples. I picked up some really good granola and then we were on our way.
LUNCH IN HYDE PARK
Our Airbnb host had told us that Hyde Park was a cute neighborhood to walk around in, so we decided to head there for lunch. After walking up and down the street we settled on The Hyde House because of the patio. the sun was shining and it was an absolutely beautiful day out.
I couldn’t even think of ordering hot food - so I went with the shaved Brussels sprouts salad.
I was full afterwards, but the ice cream at Goody’s Soda Fountain comes HIGHLY recommended.
DOUGHNUTS
Did you think I wasn’t going to go to a doughnut shop? After lunch we headed back downtown to walk around and shop in the beautiful weather.
Then it was time to dive into the doughnuts from Guru Donuts. They’re best known for their “Hipsterberry” donut - a donut with a glaze made from blueberries, blackberries and lavender. There were a ton on the menu that I wanted to try but since I wasn’t with the biggest donut fan (I will keep working on converting you Sabrina!) I settled on…4 :) Well, I ordered two, and then they offered me two for free. Couldn’t say no to that proposition!
I got the Hipsterberry, an OG glazed and I’m pretty sure another one was margarita-esque (it was tequila day, after all).
Ain’t they pretty?
KENTUCKY DERBY
It happened to be the day of the Kentucky Derby, so eventually we found ourselves getting ready to watch the race go off at the incredibly festive Whiskey Bar.
People were dressed up, there were drink specials, there were raffles, and there were really really good cocktails.
Plus, it turned out to be a very controversial and exciting Derby Day when they disqualified the winner!
Did I mention that while we walked around, we found this mini horse?! Derby Day made.
TACOS & TEQUILA
It was finally time to get our tequila on in pre-celebration of Cinco de Mayo and my 29th birthday. In a day already full of some of my favorite things (F45, doughnuts, miniature horses…) I knew that tequila could only make it better, right?
Right.
We sat down at the bar of Matador and would ya look at that? It was happy hours and tacos and margaritas were on special. Jackpot!
Then, to our surprise, we find out we are sitting next to one of the owners (Matador also has locations in Colorado, Oregon and Washington!) He proceeds to buy us a lot of very expensive, very delicious tequila.
We then run into people who had played us in trivia in Ketchum. We then make more friends and at this point the night is remembered in strange half-memories like:
“YES I WANT TO BUY JIMMY JOHNS NOW SO I CAN EAT IT LATER!”
“Hi, I run an Office-themed trivia tour and bar crawl, but I don’t actually watch The Office.”
“No drinks on the dance floor?”
“I have a hot tub!”
“Here, you can wear one of my bathing suits.”
“I REALLY HATE THE ME OF 3 HOURS AGO THAT THOUGHT AN UNWICH WAS A GOOD IDEA. I WANT BREAD.”
And then, it was morning and it was time to drive to the airport.
We ended the trip with such a fun, crazy night then really could only have happened in Boise.
It was such a great trip - it was equal parts relaxing, exciting, wild ‘n crazy, nature-y, yummy and funny.
I’d travel anywhere with ya Sabrina, and I’m so glad I was right about Idaho - it’s wonderful and incredibly underrated!
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