RELOCATING TO BOISE IDAHO?

Are you considering relocating to Boise Idaho? It will be a good idea, or are you moving to Eagle Idaho instead? If so, consider this. Moving to Boise is like stepping into a 21st century Norman Rockwell painting, Boise Idaho has it all! So does Meridian, Boise and Meridian have grown together and enjoy all the same great stuff, from climate and restaurants to great schools, recreation, outdoors and the arts. There are three things Boise does not have, overpriced sporting events and the ocean, which are both 6-7 hours west.… and a high crime rate.

Find below a list of fun facts, events and things to do if you are relocating to Boise about what makes a move to Boise and the surrounding communities of Meridian and Eagle Idaho great. In fact the whole Treasure Valley enjoys the benefits of everything here. Climate to climbing I have tried to paint a picture of all Boise has become. Read on and if you have any questions or need clarification dial me up. 

Questions? 208-284-9905

Email Mike & Erica

Loan Information HERE  - Summit Mortgage

 Moving to Boise is low crime - no crime! Why Move to Boise Indeed, getting the idea? From The Boise Art Museum to Boise State University, the great college sports scene to the friendly people and great parks, moving to Boise is exciting. From the vineyards and wineries in the Snake River Valley Ava to the stage’s at The Morrison Center and the Shakespeare Festival, a move to Boise is a great art scene. With world class health care for young and old alike, moving to Boise is ageless. A little piece of Americana. Boise is a little throwback and a little cutting edge. From the ever-emerging high tech scene, the everywhere coffee shops and the prolific restaurants to the flannel shirted climbing crowd at the Asana climbing gym and the hoards of whitewater enthusiasts who ponder the rapids on the Payette river. A move to Boise is a little bit city and a whole lot of wide-open spaces. Grab your golf clubs or your camera, fly rod or shotgun, your bike or your binoculars, moving to Boise will get you outdoors. Moving to Boise means star filled sky’s in an Idaho hot spring or the heated pool at the Sun Valley Lodge! A cabin on the Payette Lake in McCall or a wall tent at your new elk camp! Selling a Move to Boise is easy! Boise is a little of Andy’s Mayberry, with internet and a dozen or so more people, only friendlier! From the great weather to the great schools a move to Boise is pretty stress free. Moving to Boise with it’s no crime rate means friendly neighbors and friendly people everywhere. I am a fourth generation Idahoan and we have been introducing people to Boise since 1990 and would love to help you find a great home. If you decide to relocate to Boise we hope this gives you a little taste of tjust how awesome a move to Boise Idaho is. Want to see some homes or do a core tour?

Pros and Cons of moving to Boise or a move to Meridian - Pros, everything, cons would be lower wages.

 


 

7 Great Reasons A Move To Boise Is For Everyone 

 
1. LOW CRIME RATES Are A Great Reason To Move To Boise

Idaho, the whole state, had less than murders in 2022. These count incidents where the people knew one another, drug deals gone bad and isolated random incidents. Home burglaries are uncommon also.

Idaho also comes in fourth in the nation on per capita gun ownership, Behind only Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. Crooks here are more worried about running into the business end of a shotgun than a house wife in her pajamas. When it comes to all violent crimes Idaho is in the top 10 lowest in the nation. Nationally, Idaho has one of the lowest rates of non-violent property crime. Only New York state and Puerto Rico had lower property crime levels. In part, I attribute the fact people in Boise Idaho are so friendly to the fact it is so safe.

 

2. Meeting Friendly People Is Easy When You Move to Boise

As outlined above, people in Boise are easy going and friendly. When you walk down the street in Boise, people say hello, they look you in the eye. Fearless and unfrighten. People hold the door open, say please and thank you. It has a lot to do with the fact that we aren’t afraid that you are about to game them, purse snatch them or in some other way destroy their day. Car broken down? People still pull over and lend a hand when the hood is up and it is appropriate. Sometimes they even try to help when you do not need it. The lack of crime means a low fear factor. On the west coast you look over your shoulder, lock your doors and park in well-lit areas. In Boise a big crime spree is the neighbors 14 year old jockey boxing cars. Be it in line at the cash machine, the grocery store or on your way into the concert or a game at the school, people here are gregarious, friendly and fun loving!

 


What Is There To Do In Boise  In

April - May 

Events, Shows, Outdoor Markets & More In April 2023 

Why Move To Boise? What is there to do in Boise In the April and May? Lets just say alot, from indoors to outdoors. In addition to enjoying a low crime, no crime lifestyle, great weather and friendly people there is always something fun to do! Read on and remember this is just the tip of the iceberg. You can also walk, run or bike the greenbelt or Ridge to Rivers trails. Visit the world center For The Birds Of Prey at either the center on Cole road south of town or the Natural area along the Snake River south of Boise 40 miles. Hey how long has it been since you went roller skating at an indoor rink? Relocating to Boise is like stepping back in time to Norman Rockwells America! Catching a movie at the Imax, hit the thrift stores or shop nic nacs in all the cute shops downtown or at the Village in Meridian, are all viable options. And yes you can expect people to let you in as you drive around town! We really are friendly. Below are a few more things that only happen this spring.

Downhill Skiing

Boise has great outdoor recreation and skiing is no exception. There are 4 great ski hills within 2.5 hours, if you are coming for a visit bring your parka, pants and gloves and hit the slopes. Additionally we are located regionally so you can do weekenders too. Visit Schwitzer, Big Sky, Jackson Hole and Salt Lake which are all 4-7 hours away.

Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area

Bogus Basin - This non profit community mountain just 16 miles from Boise is a true locals mountain with just a handful of condos near the Pioneer lodge. Pretty much everybody on the hill is from within 50 miles. Even with the pass prices increased to $499/$679 in 2023. Parking can be an issue on weekends and holidays. With high speed quads, 2600 skiable acres of terrain and 1800 vertical feet it is challenging enough for experts and easy enough for beginners. There are 2 great lodges to either get a lunch or brown bag in. Rentals are lessons available. Bogus Basins has a great night skiing set up and is open til 10 pm 7 nights a week most of the winter. Estimated Closing Date 4/22/2023.

Tamarack Resort

Tamarack- “Tami” rewards the hard cores for the extra time it takes to get there with lots of vertical and some great snow. Another big bonus is ample parking and shorter lift lines than you will find at Bogus Basin. With almost 2800 vertical feet Tamarack is a great trade off option for advanced skiers who do not want the extra drive time or expense of skiing Sun Valley, but want a little more vertical and challenge than Bogus Basin offers. There are lots of condos and cabins for rent if you are looking for a close, quick get away with ski out accommodations this is it. Estimated Closing Date April 30, 2023.


Brundage Mountain Resort

Brundage Mountain Resort = If great powder and an off kilter fall line is for you try Brundage Mountain Resort. Long known for getting quality and quantities of powder. While lacking in big vertical, Brundage makes up for it with quality and quaintness. Just 10 minutes out of downtown McCall it is easy to get to and has a real laid back locals vibe, even though 2/3 of the “locals” are weekenders from Boise and Beyond. While it is not the biggest or the tallest it is worth a visit for sure. Estimated Closing Date April 09, 2023.

 

Sun Valley

Sun Valley - At 2.5 hours plus Ketchum is a drive, but Baldy is a mountain. Perfect fall lines, perfect grooming. Great Apres ski. She does not come cheap, either in effort to get there or the pricing, but if you are a good skier you owe it to yourself to nonstop Warm Spring on an early spring morning. 3400 vertical feet of corduroy, absolute grooming perfection. Estimated Closing Date April 09, 2023.

 

THE IDAHO STEELHEADS HOCKEY

The Idaho Steelheads hockey team has been thrilling fans for over 20 years. This year is no exception. In April they play host to the Kansas City Mavericks and the Utah Grizzlies, at The Idaho Center. With a record of 27 wins and only  four losses they look forward to kicking some, while hosting the first round of the playoffs in mid April. The areana, located in downtown Boise, is a raucous arena, it's a great place to take the kids or meet friends for some fast pace action. It is not too late grab a couple of tickets and chuck your puck for a chance a the huge cash prize. 

 

BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS

Track and Cross County, Womens Soccer and softball are all starting up in April.

 

MORRISON CENTER EVENTS

The Morrison Center is Boise’s premiere venue for high quality preforming arts. Located Riverside on the campus of Boise State University. Comfy seats and great acoustics! This venue attracts acts such as traveling shows broadway style, kids shows etc., comedians, Artists that want good acoustics like James Taylor.

April Events 2023

  • MC Presents National Geographic Live - Improbable Ascent - April 4
  • Gene Harris Jazz Festival - April 6-7
  • Macbeth - April 8-21
  • Pretty Woman The Musical - April 20
  • Millennial Choirs and Orchestras - Im So Blessed - April 27-28
  • Swan Lake - May 4-7
  • John Crist - May 21
  • Riverdance - May 23-25

5  Fun  Day Trips In  Boise For April and May

& Outdoor Excursions 

 1. Hot Springs

Try Goldfork near Donnelly, for $10 take your pick of 3 different pools. If something a little closer or more rustic is your style, Campground hot spring near Garden Valley or Kirkham near Lowman are both good choices. Additionally there are comercial springs near Pine and at Idaho City. 

2. Fishing
Spring fishing near Boise is action packed. Steelhead in the Salmon near Stanley is ever popular. Crappie fishing in the Snake River reservoirs like C.J. Strike and Brownlee come alive. April can be action packed with the crappie moving from the deep water to the shallow shoreline spawning beds. Smallmouth fishing turns on as well. The largemouths live in Lake lowell and start spawning later in spring. Many of the ponds along the Boise river have pan fish, bass and trout if your 11 year old has the bug. The Boise river is typically poor fishing as they release from the dam until June.

3. Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing

April is an awesome month for spring off trail cross country skiing. Drive Highway 21 til you reach the Stanley basin meadow complex near cape horn or farther. Wait a couple weeks after it quits snowing and the cold nights will crust over snow. Especially early in the morning, you will be able to cruise overland off trail at will. 

If closer to town is more in the cards, kate or old school in the tracks is offered at Bogus Basin (rentals). The system is huge and has both easy trails and giant climbs. Also there are state run Park and Ski areas out Highway 21 that require a $25.00 parking permit. McCall has several groomed areas, Bear Basin, Jughandle and Ponderosa State Park have great trail systems. I think Bear Basin, Jughandle or Park and Ski are best if you have dogs.

4. Whitewater Rafting - Payette River

Just 1 hour from Boise lies a mecca for the whitewater world. A river with different sections for people with different adventure levels. Try the easiest, beginner section  called Swirly Canyon for a joy ride or bring a helmet and crash through the Canyon Section near Lowman. The main and the Cabarton sections are a great all around happy medium. I prefer Idaho Whitewater Unlimited as an outfitter. They are a little smaller and have less newbie guides than some of the big dogs.

5. Hiking and Birding

Try one of the foothills trails in the ridge to rivers system or better yet head down to Celebration Park south of Nampa. Here you will find petroglyphs, birds and hard rock melon gardens left over from the Bonneville flood. There is great rock art created by native americans. The area is part of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey Area. So raptors are on the list. As well as hundreds of other types of birds. Visit an old stone homestead and Halverson Lake is a great spot for lunch. 5 miles south of Melba off Hwy 45, about an hour from Boise.

 

Curent Events In Boise Metro 2023
For April and May

March, 2023



Current Events In April In Boise Metro 

April 1, 2023

Idaho Steelheads vs. Kansas City Mavericks

Saturday, Apr 1, 2023 7:10pm
Idaho Central Arena
League leading team plays in a really fun atmosphere! In addition to fast hockey action enjoy fun activities including chuck a puck, tshirt toss, lots of loud music and food and beverages


Boise Philharmonic Concert: Altered Landscape

Saturday, Apr 1, 2023 1pm - 2:30pm
Morrison Center for the Performing Arts


April Fools' Comedy Show

Saturday, Apr 1, 2023 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Mad Swede Downtown Brew Hall
Bust a Gut with comedians Krystal Moore, Myles Mathews, Brittany Hargis, Andrea Wilson, Leslie Bing. Two shows early and late! Comedy for Fools by Fools.
No clowning around. We will do that, clowns, and chaos magic?


Gem State Comic Con

Saturday, Apr 1, 2023 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Enormous gathering of all things pop art


April 2, 2023

The Fans Strike Back Star Wars Exhibition

Sunday, Apr 2, 2023 10am - 5pm +72 additional dates
The Discovery Center of Idaho
Use the force and get down to the worlds largest Star Wars fan exibition. The worlds number number 1 traveling exhibition featuring items collected by fans and displayed for fans.


Idaho Artistry in Wood Show - 2023!

Sunday, Apr 2, 2023 9 AM
JUMP (Jack's Urban Meeting Place)
All things wood art from turning to gourds. Live exhibitions, auction, vendors and a raffle!


April 3, 2023

Americans and the Holocaust Exhibit

Wed, Mar 22, 2023 - Wed, Apr 26, 2023 Various Times
Albertsons Library at Boise State University
One of only 50 libraries in the Unites States selected to host this traveling exhibition. A retrospective look at how Americans reacted to Hitlers naziism.


April 4, 2023

National Geographic LIVE: Improbable Ascent

Tuesday, Apr 4, 2023 7pm - 9pm
Morrison Center for the Performing Arts
Two time world champion paraclimber Maureen Bachman will amaze. Climbing things you and i would not consider with a ladle taped to her arm. Wowza.


April 5, 2023

Jacob Hashimoto: Fractured Giants Exhibition

Wednesday, Apr 5, 2023 10am - 5pm Running for several months.
BAM Boise Art Museum
Enjoy Hashimoto's drawings, prints, and paper sculptures, as well as a giant site-specific installation, "The Fractured Giant," in BAM's Sculpture Court.


April 6, 2023

Coming to an Understanding: Horses and Art

Thursday, Apr 6, 2023 5pm - 6pm
Art Source Gallery
Aprils feautured artist and endurance rider Steph Teeter. Come by on First Thursday and meet Steph and enjoy her great horse inspired art and sip a glass of wine by the Indian Creek Winery.


April 7, 2023

Idaho Steelheads vs. Utah Grizzlies

Friday, Apr 7, 2023 7:10pm
Idaho Central Arena
Last chance to catch the stealheads at home prior to the playoffs.


The 37th Idaho Horse Expo

Friday- Sunday April 7-9TH, 2023
The Idaho Center in Nampa
All things horse. Exhibits, Seminars & Clinics. Stallions on Parade at 2:30 on Friday sounds entertaining!


April 8, 2023

Zoo Boise Easter EGGstravaganza

Saturday, April 8, 2023 10:00 am - 5:00 Pm
Zoo Boise
Hop dont run over to Zoo Boise to meet the Easter Bunny! Hit the candy station for both kids and critters alike


Les Bois Film Festival

Saturday, Apr 8, 2023 1:30pm - 10pm
JUMP (Jack's Urban Meeting Place)
For all you nature lovers don't miss out on this wild and scenic event which is sure to knock off the late winter blue's.


April 11, 2023

Preschool Zoo at Zoo Boise

Every Tuesday and Saturday 10-11
Zoo Boise
April Series:
primate, parakeet, and worm. Who does not need to know more about worms?


April 15, 2023

Family Pet Expo

Saturday Apr 15, 2023 10:00 AM 3:55 PM
Expo Idaho
A pet friendly event with everything from micro chipping to gear!


April 18, 2023

Idaho Job and Career Fair

Tuesday April 18,2023 2:00 PM 6:00 PM
In Meridian


April 20, 2023

Lowe Family Farmstead: Spring On The Farm

Thursday- Saturday Apr 20-23, 2023 Thursday-Friday 4-8pm, Saturday 12-8pm
2500 South Eagle Rd. Kuna, ID 83634


April 21, 2023

Shade City Brewfest

Friday and Saturday April 21 & 22nd 5:00 Pm - 9:00 Pm Friday 1:00 - 6:00 Pm Saturday
Idaho Botanical Garden
1970's themed beer festival with music, food trucks and of course beer!


April 25, 2023

Elton Don & The Rocket Band – A Tribute To The Great Elton John

Tuesday April 25 8:00 pm
The Egyptian Theatre


April 30, 2023

Land Art Exhibit at Idaho Botanical Garden

April 8 @ 9:00 am - May 6 @ 5:00 pm MDT
Idaho Botanical Garden
Artists use natural stones and materials to create epic visuals to help remind us how beautiful nature can be.


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3. Loads OF Open Space Wait For Those Moving To Boise

Between the greenbelt and the string of parks that line the river, everyone who moves to Boise Idaho are beneficiaries of the many corporations that made Boise great in the middle of the 20th century. Each corporate founder donated large swaths of land that became a system of riverside parks all tied together by the 25-mile-long greenbelt park which gives runners, walker, bike riders, fisherman, birdwatchers all a place to access open spaces. Get a work out, or just take a few minutes to sit and watch the leaves turn colors! The system is anchored by Barber Park and Lucky Peak State Park on the east end, also enjoy the Bethine Church River trail, a 24 acre natural area which was designated to commemorate her efforts to preserve and conserve public lands. Further downstream find Ann Morrison and Julia Davis Parks that have long been the heart and soul of Boise’s parks. Adjacent to these two original gangster parks are two newer, yet no less stellar parks. Behold Kathryn Albertson Park which is a semi developed naturalized area with ponds, pools and benches to sit and enjoy nature.  The newest in the string of great parks is the Ester Simplot park. Encompassing 55 acres including a full 23 acres in ponds for paddle boarding floating, swimming or casting a line. In the river next to Ester Simplot Park is the Boise Whitewater Park. Consisting of several waves that can be manipulated, it is set for surfers one day and kayakers the next. Together this string of parks represents Boise’s “Ribbon Of Jewels”. Again, they are all tied together by the greenbelt, which is a riverside path for walking and riding that runs from Eagle all the way east to Lucky Peak State Park. And these are just the parks in the core around downtown. Further afield you will find additional riverside parks and community parks scattered throughout every local enclave and every part of town. People who move to Boise benefit immensely from great parks, including Willow Lane, Winstead and Molenaar Park and Mcdeavitt just to name a few.

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4. Moving to Boise Means Sunny Skies

Boise is in a high desert environment with about 12 inches of precipitation a year. 206 sunny days a year, 41 days with measurable precipitation and 30 inches of snow each winter, 2-4 inches at a time. 4 true seasons like the Midwest, but winter time lows are not often in the single digits. I think this sums it up “winters are a little too cold, summer a little too hot, the rest of the year is perfect”.  Average January Temperatures are 38 for the high and 25 for the low. In July the average is 91 for a high and 60 for the low.

Start planting your garden in May and pick your last tomato in October. The “Indian” summers last well into October and we often will see a few days in November in the low 70’s. It is not uncommon to have 80-degree days in October.

In the winter we pray for snow, even doing snow dances if you ski! About seven out of ten years December 20 finds us hoping for some snow so we can have a white Christmas. About 4 out of 10 years we actually get one! Typically, we get 3 inches and it melts off. Then a week later a couple more inches. Rarely is there snow on the ground for more than a week or ten days at a time. The most snow of all time was about 12-15 inches. Typical winters about 5-7 inches is as deep as it gets before a chinook blows in with warm air that melts all the snow in the valleys. Spring is sometimes rainy with periods of idyllic sunshine in between. September brings cooler temperatures and sunny skies.

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5. MR. & Mrs. CLEAN WANT TO MOVE TO BOISE

For whatever reason, maybe the strong middle class, people in Boise seem to be able to find the trash can pretty well. It is a small city and throwing something out the window of your car is going to get you cat called, honked at or worse. People also don’t stand by when 1 in 100 makes a mistake. The guy behind you is probably your neighbor or your son’s best friend’s dad. Our industry is clean, so is our air. Our water is clean and comes from an aquifer the size of Lake Erie. The river is clean, the people are generally even clean! From green weedless yards to very little roadside trash a move to Boise Idaho is uncluttered by litter and pollution..

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6. Moving To Boise Means Finding Great Schools Is Easy!

Speaking of trash. Not much in the schools either. Garbage in, garbage out! Put another way solid middle-class kids in schools equals a solid educational system. Parents care, so do the kids. Without a lot of unruly kids to deal with, the teachers spend a majority of the time actually teaching! Our son went to a mix of regular public and some magnets and charter schools when he was younger. The school districts are not split up by municipality. Some of Boise is in West Ada school district as are Eagle and Star. The rest of Boise is in the Boise Independent School District. The public schools are funded better than the charters and magnets as they get additional money from bonds for the facilities, while the charters and magnets do not. As a general rule of thumb there are a handful of grade schools that I would steer clear of, but other than that I think it is more on the child and parental support. There is lots of school choice and high schools that are specialized in arts, medicine, stem and more! Most of the crazy popular charters are lottery driven. There is one Stem that you have to test into and sign an academic rigor form to attend. It is called Treasure Valley Math and Science. It is a Magnet run by the boise schools for all ages of super smart ones. With some middle school and total high school curriculum. I think my son’s biology class here was tougher than his first college level biology course.

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7. MOVE TO BOISE FOR AFFORDABILITY

Boise is right around the national average for cost of living. While housing is 20% above the national average, our utilities are 20% below the national average. That said factor in the quality of living and Boise is great. Yes, a house in Boise costs $400-600k+ while it only costs $250k in Kansas, but who wants to live in Kansas (sorry Kansas). Compared to other northwest cities Boise is still less expensive and there is no tent city lining the freeways or set up in our parks. We save a lot on hidden costs here. Unlike California we drive 20 miles to ski, 30 miles to go rafting and snowmobiling. Mountain biking is right out our front door on either the greenbelt or the Ridge To Rivers.  Lots of stuff is an hour, berry picking and 100 fishing holes. Bird hunting and motorcycle riding and so much more. Factor that in and Boise is economical and awesome!

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MORE GOOD REASONS TO MOVE TO BOISE  - CITY STUFF
 
8. MOVE TO BOISE FOR THE ART SCENE

The Boise Art Scene Is Vibrant & Alive - Thinking of Relocating to Boise Idaho? Do you have some reservations about relocating to Boise for fear that this small city art scene will not fill your palate? Dynamic, diverse and decadent are all words you could use to describe the Boise Art scene. With a plethora of both live preforming arts that are local as well as many of the touring national brands to please your senses. One trip to B.A.M. (Boise Art Museum) will confirm fine arts are thriving too. Often displayed at BAM are the nationally branded traveling shows. Thin Tut and Frank Lloyd wright. It is a classic stuffy affair with docents and no pictures allowed and all that jazz. The local community and civic leaders are incredibly supportive of the arts as well, examples of this would be the long running Shakespeare festival, the first Thursday Art Walk in downtown in which small shops galleries and restaurants all open the doors and stay open late, wonder the streets and find all sorts of creations from fine to not so fine. Learn more about Art In The Park an outdoor art show and hands on event for the young and old alike, sponsored by BAM. Freak Alley Art is another example, with local officials on board and local artists killing it. Take a turn into the alleys starting around 8th street between Bannock and Idaho streets. It is a rare opportunity to see innovative, personal and high quality street art close up. It is a great photo opportunity. Originally just one block and now 3 blocks long, and you will find street art bordering on BAM quality! Visit often as it is an ever changing scene. Street art is important locally as even the boxes on the corners are all decorated, with the cities blessing. It is cool. Boise is cool. Be cool too! Move to Boise... Read on as I highlight some of the other art happenings, venues and events!

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9. MOVING TO BOISE & Eat AT GREAT BOISE RESTAURANTS 

As you may have heard we have been booming. It seems like you hear of a new restaurant almost daily. So, it is hard to keep up. In Eagle, Crave has been making waves. I also hear the Bar-de-nay is opening a new concept restaurant on the river in Eagle. In Boise, the happy hour at the Owyhee Tavern is awesome with half price appi’s. Shige’s, Lucky Fins and Gino’s are all standing by if a culinary treat in Meridian is soon to be on your plate. Try any of these and you will not be disappointed.

 I also have a page  on good places to eat when visiting Boise that you can check out HERE! This is just a quick list of options if you are here for a visit! It seems like a new eatery opens every day, from chains to food trucks to hip gourmet. If you found one I didn’t mention, by all means drop me a line with a heads up.

For 2023, Boise has 4 James Beard nominated chefs. Here are highlights of these masters

Dan Ansotegui of Ansots

For 2023, Boise has 4 James Beard nominated chefs. One owns and operates a Basque restaurant called Ansots. They specialize in a menu that features all things chorizo and some other Basque specialties. Croquetas, a small Basque dumpling, for lack of a better word, are a personal favorite. There chorizo is the Basque chorizo that has just 4 ingredients, pork, garlic, salt and the famed thin skinned mild Spanish Choricero pepper. Do not confuse it with the Mexican chorizo that is spice based.  The Choricero pepper is the key. It is a thin skinny sweet pepper that adds not only the flavor but the color for the much-loved chorizo.  Find Ansots in the historic Pioneer Tent and Awning building at 560 West Main Street, Boise, ID 83702. It is near the corner of 6th and Main in Historic Old Boise. Open 10-3 with an events room for evening large parties by appointment. They have a large selection of meats and sides available to go. And of course, the chorizo and croquettas. Plus, the Basque bacon. mmm.

With all the growth in Boise over the last 20 years we see new options and additions to the Boise food and restaurant scene continually. It becomes more diverse and eclectic every year. As an example, here are the other 3 chefs nominated for the james beard award from the Treasure Valley.

Kris Komori of KIN

Kin offers a set menu that continually rotates on a 4–6-week basis. This keeps it fresh and local for both the food choices and the chefs’ creativity. There is not a lot of selection other than awesome. There is a set menu and a standard price. So, leave the readers at home and come with an open pallet and an open mind. Reservation required.

Kibrom Milash of Kibrom's Ethiopian and Eritrean Food.

Find the flavors of Eastern African cuisine oozing out everywhere. Open for lunch and dinner at 3506 W State St, Boise, ID 83703. Peruse a large menu with something for everyone. There are lentil dishes, spicy food and combo plates to be had. Dine in, to go and delivery are all options.

Salvador Alamilla of Amano

It all started in Michoacan, Mexico. Then on to Santa Ana, Ca. Chef is now home in Caldwell, Idaho. He serves up what I call Cal-Mex.  His influences range, SoCal, Michoacan, and Oaxacan style Mexican food. You can make a reservation online and order to go as well.

 But wait, that’s not all. We have old school steak and potato chop houses like Chandlers & The Locke, Stock & Barrel. Fish at Lucky Fins or Fresh Off the Hook. The experience at the Boise “original” Barbacoa is not describable here. The food is just part of it, many enjoy the Hot Rock Steak, others the decor including glass art chandeliers and quirky bathrooms. I love the chimichurri sauce on my steak.

Try the habanero pizza at The Flying Pie or pizza by the slice at The Pie Hole! Ethnic cuisine is springing up hither and yon, the Masala Bistro or the Bombay Grill for a taste of India.

In Meridian, Epi’s Basque restaurant has family style dining. Louie’s & Gino’s are both great for Italian! Louie’s is a more affordable family style event. The sausage they put on their pizza’s is like none other. Gino’s is a little more expensive, dressier dinner date type of place. Gino’s has a nice outdoor patio for summertime wine sipping!

For Ramen try Nara Ramen & Izakaya, it is on State Street in Boise and has rave reviews.

In Caldwell, Brick 29 or The Chop Shop BBQ are both strong choices.

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10. MOVE TO BOISE FOR GREAT COMMUNITY EDUCATION

The Boise metro area has a burgeoning community college scene for those possibly looking to move on to a four-year school. Try the College of Western Idaho for starters.

If you are looking to take some inexpensive classes (see cost of living) to broaden your horizons, try the Boise City continuing education program. Run by the Boise School District, there are three sessions annually, fall, winter and spring. You can enroll online at boiselearns.org. Enjoy a system that has encouraged lifelong learning for over 50 years. Some of the broad categories of classes include Holistic Living, fitness, home ownership and music. The selections go on and on with over 100's classes available.

Of course if you are working part time for a degree you can always take a course or two at Boise State University. One of the big three in the Idaho higher educational system. The University has grown so much since my uncle attended Boise Junior College in the 1950’s. The sports programs have flourished and the academic options have evolved and grown right alongside. With strong support from the local business community new facilities arise annually. Here is a sampling of what has happened in last 10 years: 2010 Rec Center Natatorium, 2011 Environmental Research Building, 2012 Micron Business and Economics Building, 2012 Lincoln Townhomes, 2012 Donna Larsen Park, 2013  Gene Bleymaier Football Center, 2016 Alumni and Friends Center, 2017 Honors College/ Sawtooth Hall, 2019 Center for Visual Arts.

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11. MOVing TO BOISE means SEMI-PRO & COLLEGE SPORTS

Combine Boise State University Athletic events with the Boise Hawks or the Idaho Steelheads hockey and there are world class spectator sports the year around. The Boise State Bronco’s football team has been on a 10 year climb to become a powerhouse in the west. Regularly beating the teams they face from the power 5 conferences. It has been and will continue to be a blast following this dynamic program as it continues to flex it’s muscles. Boise State basketball has been steadily improving since they lured away long time Gonzaga assistant Leon Rice. It looks like a berth in the Big Dance is in the cards for this year!

 The raucous crowds at the Idaho Steelheads Hockey games will have you dancing. Between the fast-paced play, the lively music and fun contests, a good time is had by all in this cozy 4000 seat arena!

The Boise Hawks baseball games are more sedate. From a by gone era. Enjoy opening day baseball with some peanuts, popcorn and cracker jacks while watching The Chicago Cubs farm team, crush a few dingers!

We have rodeo! The 108th Snake River Stampede is going to entertain the crowds this summer during the third week of July. It is the wildest, fastest show on earth. Recognized internationally as one of the top 10 rodeos, it is a no miss event. Complete with pancake breakfasts and a state of the art indoor rodeo arena. Another popular rodeo is the Caldwell Night Rodeo, held in Caldwell, it is smaller and more charming. A little less glitz and all the bucking you could ask for. Additionally every little town has a rodeo, some of my favorites are the one in Riggins on Memorial Day, The Gold Dust Rodeo in Idaho City as well as The one in Eagle.

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12 MOVE TO BOISE FOR GREAT IDAHO WINE

The Snake River Valley Ava was granted a petition in 2007. With a total area of over 8000 square miles and over 1500 acres in production resulting in 160,000 case produce per year. Idaho wines are coming into their own and are winning more and more medals in both regional and national competitions. While Riesling has long been a strong performer other varietal’s have come on strong as of late. The Cinder Syrah is always great. My favorite this year, so far, is The Fujishin Cabernet Sauvignon from the old Fraser vineyard. We also love the wine produced by several other wineries including Cinder, Snake River, Telaya Wine Co. There are a host of wineries in Garden City to peruse the wares without any long drives.

Savor Idaho is the Idaho Wine Commission’s signature annual event. Held each year at the Idaho Botanical Garden. Experience part meet and greet and part food and wine celebration. Tickets went on sale March 1 for the 2023 event which will be held on June 1, 2023. Choose from two waves, one commencing at 11 am, the other at 3 pm. Make sure you order your charcuterie board when you get tickets. Local products will be the emphasis when preparing your fare. Also Hotel 43 is offering special room rates for those coming from afar for the event.

Here is a sampling of the top winners at the 2022 Idaho Wine Competition

Best of show/Best Syrah/double gold medal

Cinder Wines 2020 Syrah, Snake River Valley $35.00

Best white wine/Best Chardonnay/gold medal

Vale Wine Co. 2021 Chardonnay, Snake River Valley $23.00

Best rosé/gold medal

Dude DeWalt Cellars 2021 Rosé, Eagle Foothills $26.00

Best Cabernet Sauvignon/double gold medal

Roghani Vineyards 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Snake River Valley $51.20

Best of class/double gold medal

Hat Ranch Winery 2021 Estate Dry Moscato, Snake River Valley $21.00

Kindred Vineyards 2020 Papas Malbec, Snake River Valley $44.00

Lindsay Creek Vineyards 2021 Riesling, Washington State $17.00

Parma Ridge Winery & Bistro 2019 Petit Verdot, Snake River Valley $36.00

Rolling Hills Vineyard 2019 Tempranillo, Snake River Valley $36.00

Koenig Vineyards 2019 Lanae Ridge Vineyard Nebbiolo, Snake River Valley $32.00

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13. Move to Boise for fresh food- think local – Saturday Markets

The Treasure Valley and surrounding areas is a grower’s paradise and I mean more than just potatoes. Out in the hinterlands beyond Meridian Idaho and Eagle Idaho lies a variety of small farms, vineyards, orchards, and pumpkin patches raising everything from fresh leafy greens and zucchini squash to luscious tomatoes and organic onions. Goats milk and goat soap to Grass fed beff and lamb. All you have to do to enjoy the bounty is visit one of the valleys’ many farmers markets. They are distributed far and wide. Below is a brief synopsis of several that are well worth your time. Pretty much all takes place on Saturdays with the exception of one in Meridian and one in Caldwell. All local, all fresh, all healthy.

Boise Farmers Markets 

The Boise Farmers Market

“We support a regenerative, healthy food and agricultural system by operating a vibrant marketplace featuring locally grown and crafted products.” Opening day is April 1, 2023 and runs thru December. You can find the market at 1500 Shoreline Drive, Boise Idaho 83702

Capital City Public Market

Since 1994 Boise foodies and artists have been enjoying this great market which has a little bit of everything. Located on the Grove at 8th street in downtown Boise it is easy to find. Running Saturdays From April 15, 2023 until December 16, 2023. Since 1994 The “original” has tried to foster an atmosphere where the consumer actually meets the producer.

• Be a marketplace for local growers and producers
• Provide access to local food
• Educate and inform the community on sustainable local food systems
• Support sustainable farm operations and thriving economies
• Enable world class farmers markets to grow, nourish and sustain communities

Meridian Farmers Markets

Public Market At The Village At Meridian
• Loads of Organic • Breads Pies Pastries • Artsy Fartsy • Fresh Herbs • Of Course Vegetables • Honey Is Popular • Grass Fed Meats • Live Plants • Free Range Chicken • Fruits And Possibly A Few Nuts!

Saturday’s June Thru September 10-2

3600 Fairview, Meridian, ID  83646

 

Meridian Main Street Market

A traditional farmer's market, with a heavy emphasis on involving youth. Providing healthy organic local food choices for all. Every Saturday from April 15,2023 through October 14 2023. With new hours, 10 am -1 pm

33 East Broadway Avenue, Meridian, Idaho 83642

Eagle Farmers Market

Eagle Saturday Market

This Market originated in 2002 and is Held Every Saturday in Heritage Park in downtown Eagle. This year Starting May 2 ,2023 and running 10-2every Saturday Until October 7, 2023. Excluding Eagle Fun Days on July 2, 2023 and July 9, 2023. You will find art, crafts and food from local micro producers. Along with musicians and flower peddlers.

Famers Markets in Nampa & Caldwell

Nampa Farmer Market

Held Every Saturday from 9-1, since 1989. Truly a local affair, every product is from within 100 miles of Lloyd Square Park in Downtown Nampa. One unique feature every September is the Nampa Farmers Market Hot Pepper Challenge. Slap down your $30 dollar entry fee and start with a jalapeno and see how far up the scale of hotness you can go!

Caldwell Farm to Fork Farmer's Market

The Farm to Fork Farmers’ Market is held in conjunction with the Tuesdays on the Creek Concert Series. The events run from 5-8 every Tuesday from May 16, 2023 to September 26, 2023. The plaza is a streamside courtyard bandstand that has been continually improved over the last 20 years.

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14. MOVE TO BOISE FOR CONCERTS & SHOWS

When I was a kid, we had country music concerts and more country music concerts. They all came. But that was about it. At this point everybody but the Rolling Stones has played here. From traveling national shows, whether you enjoy traveling Broadway style shows or headliners like Chris Stapleton and the Avetta Brothers or local acts, you will find it all here. Boise has plenty of shows to satisfy your urge. The summer series of outdoor concerts at the Outlaw Field Near Idaho’s historical Old Idaho State Penitentiary & The Idaho Botanical Garden, to the small regional touring acts, Boise has no shortage of shows, concerts and events. Then of course there is always The Gorge 6.5 hours away as well.

In 2023 The Morrison Center, our local opera house is hosting, Aladdin, Pretty Woman The Musical Kansas, Swan Lake, The Gene Harris Jazz Festival, Hairspray and Riverdance. Just to name a few.

Treefort is a multistage multivenue celebration of the arts with “forts” open to music, beer, yoga and so much more. The 2023 version has over 500 bands and runs from March 22-26, 2023. Tired of the music? Hit the hackfort technical challenge, Rock n Roll Yoga, Enjoy Board Games And Brunch and so much more. This is the 11th year and this version is going to rock alright. I am looking forward to Skating Polly and Derya Yildrim and Grup Simsek. Get the Zipline Pass for $420 and go to the head of the line(limited). An all events pass will set you back $270. These are good for everything but ticketed events and foodie drinkie.

There is so much more. The Idaho Shakespeare Festival has a venue in east Boise they rotate 2 plays by the bard and an additional play. Lately a musical is the fourth show rotated through out the summer in the round. Sitting on the grass and bringing snacks is one option. Grab a table is another. They have beverages and picnic baskets for sale on site as well.

The Boise Contemporary Theatre hosts tons of original plays in downtown Boise. Ballet Idaho, Opera Idaho it goes on and on. The Boise Little theatre is great, there are dinner theatres and more.

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22 Great Outdoor Recreation Reasons to Move to Boise

A move to Boise means an abundance in the natural resource’s column! It means moving to Boise is for the active, the adventurous, the fit and those hoping to re-create themselves into shape! Idaho was recently awarded as being the ninth most active state in the union. If you love being outdoors, whether it is golfing or bird watching, kayaking a river or just gliding across a lake, moving to Boise Idaho won’t make you a redneck but it will have you recreating with a few! Two thirds of Idaho is public land. Two thirds of the public lands are mountains. At the bottom of every mountain is a whitewater river. Many of the mountains have ski lifts on them, and those that do not are dripping with solitude, scenery and wildlife.

A move to Boise means enough unfettered scenic views to last two lifetimes! It is all encompassing, climb a mountain in the Sawtooth’s or hike to a high mountain lake, try Langer or Tyee Lakes and you will see that under the lakes are the words of many Idahoans who have tried to live up to the opportunities Idaho outdoors have to offer. Move to a whitewater “Mecca” and raft rivers like the Lochsa, Salmon or Payette. Explore the newly appointed Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness area, but bring your map it is big and help is hours away. Do a little rockhounding, explore old homesteads and ghost towns or try and find a herd of desert bighorn sheep, all by yourself.

Idaho has so much to offer, from thrill to chill. All low cost and close by! Solitude up the kazoo too. How much solitude can you get in today’s America? As a mental picture, take 1.5 million people out of Los Angeles and set them aside in reserve. Remove everybody else from California north of the Bay. Put 800,000 of our Los Angeles reservists in San Francisco and spread the other million out across the rest of northern California to Oregon. That is Idaho!  800,000 peeps near Boise and the other million spread out from Yellowstone to Canada. Moving to Boise is permanent, no one wants to leave! I haven’t even touched the surface here, about all Idaho doesn’t don’t have is crabbing and deep sea fishing. You can visit our only seaport and try, but I don’t think even the Bull sharks come that far.

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15. Moving To Boise Is WORLD CLASS BIKING

The Ridge to Rivers trail system in the foothills above Boise is epic.  With over 200 miles of trails, it gets Boise ranked high on the mountain bike love lists. Combine that with the greenbelt and the Kristen Armstrong Bikeway and what you get is a cyclist’s dream home! The greenbelt runs from Eagle 25 miles upstream to Luck Peak, it is a cruiser’s dream. Road bikers descend on both the countryside around Eagle and love to climb the big 3. Those would be Horseshoe Bend Hill on Highway 55, Lucky Peak Hill on Highway 21 and the 16 mile dead end road to Bogus Basin which has been renamed the Kristin Armstrong Bikeway. Add to that the thousands of miles of double and single track within 2 hours of Boise and you can ride till your legs fall off.

Each summer thousands of spectators descend on downtown Boise for the Twilight Criterium. It is a multi-level – multi race event with races for all ages and abilities with a low speed no speed cruise for the little ones, to a high speed daring corner cutting sprint to the finish for the professionals that come from all over the country to compete.

There is also a great group for teaching youngsters and bringing them up the competitive ladder fo cycling. The group is called B.Y.R.D.S. The Boise Young Riders Development Squad. They have teams for both mountain bikes and road bikes and allow for various levels from social to competitive.

In addition, since two thirds of Idaho is public land, there are thousands of miles of both double and single track within 2 hours of Boise for mountain bikers. For road bikers the highway from Cascade east past Warm Lake to the end of the pavement is tour worthy. Also popular is Highway 21 past Idaho City and on to the Stanley Basin. Warren Wagon road north of McCall is road rider heaven as well.

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See Homes For Sale In

Boise    |    Eagle    |    Meridian    |    Star   |    Nampa    |    Caldwell    |    Kuna

 
16. Move To Boise And Float The River

From the surf wave on the Boise river, in town at the Boise Whitewater Park, to the Payette, Boise and Bruneau rivers, world class rafting is close and the variety is unparalleled. From class 2-3 sections like Swirly Canyon and The Main on the Payette river, to the class 4 rapids on the South Fork Of The Boise and Payette. Graduate school is to be found on the Class V North Fork Of The Payette, there truly is something for everyone. Inner tubing the Boise through town in the summer has been a ritual since before I first did it in 1970’s and these days you will see flotillas of paddleboards gliding down the stream. Add to these gems the other 3000 odd miles of whitewater in the state and it is a life’s work just to pound out all the whitewater runs in Idaho! In the words of the lat, great John Denver. “Almost Heaven”.

Whitewater runs within 3 hours of Boise include by distance:

  • Main Payette, North 40 Minutes, Class III
  • South Fork Payette, Staircase, 40 Minutes North, Class IV
  • North Fork Payette, 40 Minutes North, Class V
  • South Fork Payette, Swirly Canyon, 1 Hour North, Class II
  • South Fork Payette, Canyon, 1 Plus Hour, Class IV(VI)
  • North Fork Payette, Cabarton, 1 Plus Hour, III
  • South Fork Payette, Grandjean to Lowman, 1.5-2 Hours, Class III
  • South Fork Boise, Canyon, 1.5 Hours East, Class IV
  • Middle Fork Boise 1.5 Hours East, Class II+
  • North Fork Boise, Roadless, 1.5 Hours, Class III
  • Bruneau River, 4 hours, Class III
  • Bruneau Five Mile Run, 2 Hours, Class III
  • Little Salmon River, 2.5 Hours, Class III+
  • Main Salmon, White Bird to Vinegar Creek 3 Plus Hours, Class III
  • Upper Middle Fork/ Marsh Creek, 3 Hours NE, Class IV
  • Hells Canyon, 3 Hours, Class III
  • Middle Fork of The Salmon, 3+ Hours, Class IV
  • Lower Owyhee, 2.5 Hours, Class III
  • Middle Owyhee, 3+ Hours, Class V

All I have to say is bring your dry suit and some sunscreen and away we go!!

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17. Move to Boise For World Class Fly Fishing

Yep it is true, confirmed by Montanans, Alaskans and Californians alike. When the Owyhee river or the South Fork Of The Boise are “ON” look out. Dry flies ranging from Betis, caddis, cicada, salmon flies and hoppers will take these wild rainbows and browns. Midges in the off season and word has it that there is a springtime squalla hatch on the South Fork Of The Boise in March! Regularly fish over 20 inches are netted and released and occasionally a real hog will try and jerk your arm off. Both are tail water rivers, meaning they are dam released with cold water, the water temperatures are conducive to trout thriving and the fish fight hard. The Owyhee is primarily wading and the floaters love the South Fork Of The Boise, although wading is fine here when flows are under 900 cfs or so.

World class to be sure, so add in the famous Silver Creek near Sun Valley. This lazy meandering spring creek holds giant browns and rainbows. Once a favorite haunt of celebrities such as Ernest Hemmingway and Clark Gable, we should pause to say thank you to The Nature Conservancy for working so hard to protect and preserve this stellar resource. In June, find swarms of brown drakes, later in the year hoppers are a good bet. The rest of the time bring your glasses for tying on the size 22 flies on 7x tippet, because that’s what it takes. Lets not leave out the Bigwood River. The inside tip here is that a Grey Wolf fished mid-summer on the nearby Bigwood river will turn on the electricity.

 In addition, there are opportunities in central Idaho’s wilderness areas and national forests in both the high mountain lakes and the rivers to catch a multitude of trout both planted and wild. Some of the high mountain lakes are stocked with golden trout and grayling. It takes some trial and error to figure it all out. I have caught one hundred 7 inchers in a day and in the next lake a mile away, one 25 inch rainbow in a day.

The Middle Fork of the Salmon is a world class West Slope Cutthroat fishery. It is a three hour drive to the end of the road near Dagger Falls. Then a hike up or down stream will have your fly eaten in a jiffy.

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18. move to boise & go DOWNHILL SKIING or SNOWBOARDING

Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area 

"Bogus"- This nonprofit community mountain just 16 miles from Boise is a true locals mountain with just a handful of condos near the mid mountain Pioneer lodge. Pretty much everybody on the hill is from within 50 miles. Even with the pass prices increased to $499/$679 parking can be an issue on weekends and holidays. With high-speed quads, 2600 skiable acres of terrain and 1800 vertical feet it is challenging enough for experts and easy enough for beginners. The main base area consists of the Simplot lodge complex, where you will find food, rentals, lessons, ski patrol and something cold to drink. Newly added summertime concerts, lift assisted mountain biking and a gravity downhill coaster are here as well. In addition, there is tow assisted tubing and a sensational Nordic center just steps up the road. The Pioneer Lodge is a mid-mountain lodge with full facilities for restrooms, food and drinks. Bogus Basins has a great night skiing set up and is open til 10 pm 7 nights a week most of the winter.

Brundage Mountain Resort

Brundage Mountain gets great snow and has wonderful views in every direction from the summit. It is a great family mountain and is about 2 hours from Boise. With a vertical drop of 1921 feet and 5 lifts that service 1920 acres, the resort averages 320 inches of all-natural snowfall at the base! Recently they have added a bomber cat skiing operation to the mix. For those that want the powder and do not mind loosening the purse strings a little it is definitely the way to go.

Tamarack Resort

Tamarack- “Tami” rewards the hard cores for the extra windshield time it takes to get there with lots of vertical and some great snow. Another big bonus is ample parking and shorter lift lines than you will find at Bogus Basin. With almost 2800 vertical feet Tamarack is a great option for advanced skiers who do not want the extra drive time or expense of skiing Sun Valley but want a little more vertical and challenge than Bogus Basin offers. There are lots of condos and cabins for rent if you are looking for a close quick get away with door to lift accommodations this is it.

Sun Valley Resort

Bing-Bang-Boom get your checkbook out and get ready to experience world class skiing, après ski and twinkling stars and starlets. Since 1939 the Sun Valley resort has been pushing the frontiers of skiing and being cool! The local tip here is the inexpensive lodge and ski lift packages that run up until December 20th. They also have some late spring deals that rock too. The mountain is over 3000 vertical feet all at one angle, down. Groomed to perfection, get first ride on warm springs side and enjoy an epic top to bottom racer down to the Warm Springs Lodge. No peeps in front of you and perfect corduroy everywhere. If off trail is more your thing head straight for the bowls or hit the world-famous bump lines down Upper River and Limelight. You cannot go wrong here.

Smaller local hills abound as well including The Little Ski Hill Near McCall, Pomerelle near Burley, Rota-run outside Hailey, Soldier Mountain above Fairfield. Regionally you can enjoy these great resorts for a quick weekend trip, Grand Targhee, Jackson Hole, the Salt Lake area, and Big Sky which is 8 hours’ drive time.

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19. Move To Boise And Go Cross Country Skiing & Skijouring

Bogus Basin Nordic Center – A season nordic pass at Bogus Basin is just under $150 . You can also buy the all Bogus Basin Cross Countrymountain all seasons pass for skiing for $499 that includes year round to everything Bogus Basin offers. Supplying a great place to make your heart go boom, boom, boom. You can do it on skis, a fat tire bike or snow shoes. It is a tremendous facility with the Nordic Highway being flat and perfect for active seniors and kids and the Lower Loop and Mores Mountain are standing by to kick the bottom of those looking for a challenge. Skate or glide to your heart’s content. There are also yurt’s you can rent. Fat tire biking has become popular, and a warning snowshoeing is hard… Rentals, snacks and restrooms available at the gorgeous nordic lodge.

Bear Basin – Run by the Payette Lakes Ski Club in conjunction with the Little Ski Hill is geared towards getting kids involved with both Nordic and downhill skiing. But the 30 km of trails, open from sunrise to sunset work fine for adult skiers as well. No fat tires here, so there is smooth sailing ahead. Bring your dog and the kids. Located just a couple miles west of downtown McCall on Highway 55.\ The city of McCall supports the grooming with money from L.O.T. fund. Lessons are available, but no rental program here. One of my favorites is because dogs are allowed too. Adults $15/ Dog $2

Ponderosa State Park – This crown jewel of Idaho state park has approximately 20 km of trails which can be accessed for the low fee of $6. Absolutely gorgeous state park setting along the banks of Payette Lake allow for scenic vistas and quiet solitude. The big bummer here is dogs are only allowed on the cheesy beginner loop near the parking area. So skijoring is super limited here. For that reason, we rarely go there.

Jughandle – Great facility, dog friendly for skijoring with trails that run along Jughandle Golf Course and up Jughandle mountain. Easy 15 minutes southwest of McCall. My personal favorite.

Hasbrouck Ranch Nordic Trails – Quaint facility with small wood heated warming shed on private property just off Cabarton road 8 miles north of Smiths Ferry. Unfortunately, like Ponderosa State Park, dogs are limited to such a small area that skijoring is not realistic here. Google Cascade Aquatic & Recreation Center for passes and specifics prior to going.

Lake Cascade State Park – Short 1.2 mile loop along the south east edge of Cascade Reservoir. Great views, average skiing. Google Cascade Aquatic & Recreation Center for passes and specifics prior to going.

Sun Valley Nordic Olympic Training Center - The Sun Valley area is a mecca. So much so this is the only designated Nordic Olympic training center in the USA, there are two main entities that run the trail system. Sun Valley Resort has 40 km of groomed trails and the Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD) manages about another 140 km consisting of 6 different trail systems. All basically connected by the Wood River Trail, which is the original Union Pacific line that winds and wends its way along and between the highway and the river. from Bellevue, thru Hailey and Ketchum and on to Galena Lodge. These are the old train tracks that originally inspired the formation of the Sun Valley Resort in 1939 and is now the spine of the valley wide nordic system. Except for the Wood River Trail, which is always free you will need either a pass for BCRD or Sun Valley’s trail systems. There are a variety of dogs friendly trails within the system. The Sun Valley Nordic Festival is held each February. The highlight of the festival being the Boulder Mountain Tour with 15 and 34 kilometer races.

Idaho Park & Ski - Truth be told, the park and ski system is a great asset for those wanting to get out and about, bring the dog and are not worried about absolutely perfect trail conditions, between the kids, dogs, fat tire aficionados, these trails get beat pretty quickly after getting groomed. Depending on conditions and groomer breakdowns you may arrive to find 13 inches of somewhat crusty snow on the trails. That said the annual pass is cheap and the scenery is always splendid. There is also a yurt system of rental yurts that you can drag your gear too and see stars like you have rarely seen them before.

Park Creek and Alturas Lake Nordic Trails - These two are in the Stanley basin and hands down have the best views of anywhere in the state, skiing or not. Approximately 40 km of groomed trails, dogs are allowed. It is epic, but if you haven’t been there Stanley is often 20 degrees colder than anywhere else in the state. You have been warned.

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20. MOVE TO BOISE FOR Abundant GOLF 

A host of professional style golf courses await the golfing enthusiasts. Choose one of the homes for sale on private golf clubs like Banbury Golf Club in Eagle, Spurwing The Club, or Crane Creek Country Club, they can be quite luxurious. Look at homes for sale on Meridian's Lakeview Golf Course or near the Boise City courses called Quail Hollow and Warms Springs Golf course! There are tons of golf courses, and you can read about the HERE on my Idaho Golf course page.

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21. mOVING TO bOISE fOR gREAT yOUTH sPORTS.

So much and so many I could not start to cover it all here. Baseball, basketball, football, soccer, lacrosse, cycling, golf, tennis, both downhill and cross-country skiing, track, wrestling, swimming. If kids compete in it you can find it here, even e-sports. You laugh, our neighbor’s son has a full ride at Boise State University on their e-sports team. All have super competitive options, some offer a more recreational team as well.

The Optimists club supports youth football. Soccer has 3 or 4 large clubs and several that are smaller in scale. Baseball is divided into areas of town. There are swim teams at all the local public pools, but the Y.M.C.A. runs the super competitive swim team that travels. There are both downhill and cross-country skiing teams that practice at Bogus Basin. Cycling for both mountain bike and road bikes would be B.Y.R.D.S or the Boise Young Riders Development Squad. The list goes on. The Junior High Schools and High Schools have the full complement of sports including tennis, track, wrestling, basketball, lacrosse and football.

So if you have a sportster who is concerned that the move to Boise is going to kill his professional football career, it won’t as there is a weight room here as well.

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22. Move TO BOISE FOR GREAT CAMPING!

With two thirds of the great State of Idaho being public land. Relocating to Boise means there is no shortage of great spots to pitch your tent. Options include glam camping where you reserve a space on the national website for the most sought-after spots on lakes. Redfish Lake near Stanley Idaho has a big chunk of these online spots. But there are also hundreds of forest service campgrounds that are first come first serve. Find an empty spot and back in. Go pay the fee at the drop box and you are all set. Then of course there is what the forest service refers to as “dispersed camping”. Basically, anywhere you want, just don’t trash it. There are of course rules for driving off road etc. But that aside there are 50 or so great spots right along the Payette River between Garden valley and Grandjean that have no services and no toilet, but typically do have a river rock fire pit. Some of the besties are right on the river! These undeveloped camping spots are everywhere, Bear Valley, Hi Valley, Third Fork, the Stanley basin. There are literally thousands of wide spots, nooks by the creek, age old elk camps all calling for you to come lay your weary head down after a long day of fun in the wilds of Idaho.

Hiking to a remote camp site by a high mountain lake or high in a saddle with a view reminiscent of the Sound of Music is my favorite. Another is overnight rafting trips in which you pull into a cove by a beach and set up the fire pan and kitchen and dutch oven bake yourself to sleep. A horse packing trip into a wilderness area like the Sawtooth’s is something that will bind your family together and will be spoken of for years to come. Llama packing has grown in popularity as well. These normally gentle beast that are a part of the camel famaliy carry 90 pounds anywhere you can walk. It beats a 60 pound pack for sure.

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23. NO BETTER REASON TO MOVE TO BOISE - HUNTING!

Hunting in Idaho is as diverse as any state in the nation except for Alaska. In Idaho without a special lottery tag you can hunt Quail, Chukars, Pheasant, Grouse, Huns, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys, Doves, Woodcock, Sagegrouse, Sharptails, Deer, Elk, Bear, Wolf, Coyote, Cougar, Bobcat, Antelope and oh yea Wabbit. If you win the lottery Moose, Rocky Mountain and Desert Bighorn sheep and Mountain Goats offer a once in a lifetime thrill. I believe that Idaho is the only state in the union where you can harvest both types of Bighorn sheep.

With all the public land just grab your elk tag in the morning drive an hour or so and by dark you will be waste deep in the Idaho backcountry! Funny thing is some of my best spots are right off highways. Drive up to Bear Valley and there are hunters everywhere. Stop halfway to Bear Valley on the highway and there is often nobody. I blew a transmission line on my way to Bear Valley one year and ended up sitting next to the car for 2 hours waiting for a ride as hunters poured by. We heard 3 elk bugle from the highway! I came back 2 days later and voila! Both elk and deer tags can be had from low percentage lotteries for some units or over the counter for the bulk of the state. My wife bought an elk tag at 9:30 and we sneaked up the ridge at 2:30. The chase was on! Bow, rifle, muzzleloader, even a pistol or shotgun are all options.

Bird hunting is popular too. Whether it is ducks and geese along the Snake river or chasing grouse and chukars high above the Salmon river, you are guaranteed a fair chance at a fair chase. Dove in September, quail and chukar the rest of the year. The season is long for quail and chukar, from the middle of September to January 31. Boy, do they taste great. Pheasant is good in limited riparian areas, mainly on private ground. The turkey population has exploded and while the best numbers are found north of the Salmon River, Erica and I found a nice tom gobbling just an hour from the house in Eagle last year. Can you say boneless turkey wings, I can.

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24. Moving To Boise Idaho means a variety of fishing experiences

Salmon, Steelhead, Sturgeon, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Trout, Catfish, Whitefish, Crayfish, Crappie, Bluegill, Walleye, Perch, Pike and Carp. I must be forgetting something, but this is a summer full. There is a waterway and fishing spot for everyone.

Try lures in the fall in the Snake River near Hells Canyon and fill the cooler up. Rig down riggers in many mid elevation mountain lakes like Deadwood and Anderson Ranch for kokanee.

Try your luck on a hard fighting, high flying sturgeon in the Snake River just below CJ Strike dam or in Hells Canyon.

Hit The Salmon or Clearwater rivers for the large salmon and steelhead who return some 600-900 miles up the Colombia and Snake rivers each year,

Lake Lowell is the spot for spawning Largemouth bass in the spring.

The Snake River Between Swan Falls and Brownlee is great for small mouth bass as is the lower Payette and Boise rivers. Speaking fo Brownlee, all the Snake River Reservoirs are great for Smallmouth Bass and panfish.

Salmon Falls Reservoir is the place for walleye and Cascade Reservoir is the perch capital of Idaho.

Whatever you like to dunk your worm for, You can find it in Idaho. It truly is a fisherman’s paradise.

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25. Move to Boise Idaho and waterski your til your tank is empty

If you are a hard-core water skier northeast or southeast Boise is for you. Arrive home from work and 30 minutes later you will be sliding across Lucky Peak with the kids in tow. On weekends head out to any one of 30 or 40 lakes or reservoirs within 2 hours of Boise for some variety. Large impoundments along the snake river are good choices early in the year when the temperatures in McCall and Cascade might just be freezing. Cj Strike, and Brownlee are great choices.. High in the mountains, lakes like Redfish and Payette will be calling your name. Want something a little more out of the way? How about Deadwood Reservoir, Arrowrock or Anderson Ranch they are all big enough to spend the whole day or a whole week.

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26. MOVE TO BOISE To CLIMB THE BLACK CLIFFS

Sport climb the black cliffs just east of Boise, or travel to Leslie Gulch on the Owyhee river in Oregon. Celebration Park on the Snake River near Melba has epic bouldering. Want to free climb instead? The granite of the Sawtooth’s and the Salmon River mountains is good solid rock and with a consummate amount of effort you can put up some exceptional climbs. Follow others footsteps to the Elephants Perch, or follow your own trail to some other unnamed unclimbed face and call it your own. The famous City of Rocks is just 3 hours from Boise and once you have been there you can count on its beck and call luring you back. Plus, stay tuned up at one of the 4 or 5 indoor climbing gyms around the valley.

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27. Move to Boise And ENjoy Natural Hot Springs

Idaho has literally hundreds of natural hot springs. Some are private but the vast majority are on public land and are free of charge. The closest to Boise is probably one just over the state line in Oregon. It is called Snively. It is typically packed to the rim, but get there early and you might just have it all to yourself. There are 10 or so really good springs in the Garden Valley area just over an hour from town. Campground Hot Spring being the closest. It is right on Hwy. 17 about 3 miles past the chevron. Two more good springs are to be had off the highway between Lowman and Stanley. Plus, there are 3 or 4 in the Stanley Basin as well. These are all free.

Further north near in the McCall - Cascade area there are a handful. Goldfork is a private spring which has been developed. It is a lovely spot to for a family outing. North of McCall is the famous Bergdorf pool which has exceptionally rustic cabins as well. I believe you must rent a cabin to enjoy this great soak.

There are several other large developed springs, one each in Triangle, Pine, Idaho City and New Meadows.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. In the back country and in north central Idaho there are many stellar hotpots to sooth yourself.

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28. A move to Boise Idaho is a move to the gem state

There is gold in them thar hills! Also, Idaho is the gem state and for good reason. The Idaho state gem is the star garnet which is found only in Idaho and India! Sourced in northern Idaho, you must drive for that one. But near Boise you will find geodes, petrified wood, chalcedony including jasper, agate and obsidian. The Sawtooth mountains have beryl and smokey quartz. Along highway 95 and just across the state line in Oregon are areas with plants and small invertebrate fossils. Opals, both common and fire style are sometimes found as well! Just north of the Nevada-Idaho state line on Highway 93 are boat loads of geodes. Obsidian can be found near Grandview south of Mountain Home. That is not even taking into account the gold and silver. Grab your pan and shovel and away you go.

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29. KITEBOARDING IS COOL! BE COOL HONEYBUNNY!

The Camas Prairie between Mountain Home and Fairfield as become a regionally famous wintertime kiteboarding destination. The consistent winds and the unique terrain combine for a sensational time spent 20 feet in the air! Windy winter days will find you and a hundred kindred spirits getting towed ever upward. Catching air and floating 30 plus feet off the ground is a common occurrence. In the summer you can hit any of the local reservoirs when the wind is ripping! This sport requires lessons.

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30. BACKPACKING WITHIN 3 HOURS OF BOISE.. OMG X 2

Unlimited opportunities to explore the back country from the newest wilderness areas in the Owyhee Canyonlands to old standbys like the Sawtooth’s, The Frank Church –River Of No Return & The Selway-Bitterroot wilderness areas. The options are endless, fly in spring back packing along the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is a long-time secret trip of several friends who are wildlife watchers. Before the rafters show up and the snow retreats, find deer, elk, bears and big horns all in prolific numbers wandering the hillsides near the river! Another popular trip is a transect of the Sawtooth’s starting and ending from one of the three sides and ending on one of the others. Grandjean, Stanley and Atlanta are the beginning and the end points. My favorite is to start at the Queens River trail head near Atlanta and proceed to the Ten lakes Basin and then on to Stanley. You can do it in 2days or 10 depending on the route you choose and how many side trips you take!

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31. Move to Boise And Grow A Huge Garden.

Gardeners love Boise for the long hot summers. Boise has an average last day of frost sometime in mid-May. We get our first freeze in October some years on the 3 and others on the 31st. Plant your peas and broccoli in late March. Summertime weather is characterized by cool nights and hot days. Sun, sun and more sun. Some summers, like last year, it gets a little to hot and the tomato’s shut down for a time. Then they come on with a vengeance in late August and September Typically, the night time temperatures stay warm enough for the tomatoes to start ripening around July 10th. Since we have llamas we have started using the beans in the garden, the difference between the tomatos with loads oh poop vs those with none or a little is dramatic. From lettuce and zucchini to pumpkins and melons people who love to garden love gardening in Boise. If we are buying our plants our favorite haunts are Edwards Greenhouse & Nursery, North End Organic Garden and in a pinch D&B Supply.

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32. Firebird Drag Racing Eagle Idaho

Get your pit pass baby, because gearheads love the races at Firebird Raceway. There is everything from “NITRO FUNNY CARS” to high school races where you can bring mom and dad’s Camry out and see what it will do. Hit the pits or just hang in the bleachers with friends! Plenty of color here with drivers named The Mongoose, and 240 Gordie you do not want to miss a second of the ground pounding action.

The Night Fire Nationals are one of the highlights of the season. Each August hoards of drag racing enthusiasts descend on Eagle, Idaho and Firebird Raceway to burn baby burn. This is a car lovers dream with a pit area stuffed with AA/Funny Cars, AA/Fuel Altered and AA/Fuel Dragsters. Nitro, supercharged and of course the wheel standing Outlaw Stagecoach.

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32. Go Llama Packing - Rent Pack LLamas In Boise

To many miles on your frame to carry a 60 pound pack to the high mountain lake? The solution to that problem is not golf, it is renting a pack llama. Llamas are hardy and adorable. They are able to carry 90 pounds for long distances allowing you to take a cooler with cold drinks and steaks. Bring along your float tube as well or a tent and wood stove(also available for rent). Availability in the summer months is typically great, in the fall when the big game hunters head to the hills they can be rented out years in advance. The best place to rent your llamas is from us. We currentley have 11 packers standing by rearing and ready to go. They come with all the gear and you can rent a trailer as well..

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34. Mushroom Foraging

From King Boletes and Chantarelle’s right on through to the ever popular Morel, a move to Boise can mean bags full of dried Morels. Generally north of the Salmon river gets more rain. It typically has more volume and variety of mushrooms available. Corals, Lion’s Mane, Boletes, Morels, Chanterelles all fruit heavily. South of the Salmon you will find all of these but in shorter seasons and in smaller numbers. That is with the exception of Morels associated with fires. So get your basket and a knife for slicing them off and get picking. Check the regulations in the national forest that you will be picking in. Sometimes a permit is required and other times it is not. For some reason we do not typically get the large commercial west coast picking crews in our burns. I hear all these horror stories about crews being aggressive etc. I haven’t even ever run into one here. A few years ago a national forest came up with a big plan and split the burn in half. One half for commercial pickers and the other for private individuals. A total laugher, they sold one $300 dollar permit for the commercial side. On top of that it didn’t rain much that year and the picking was just average. It seems the USFS in our area has figured out they do not have to be so heavy handed as the last couple of years it was totally simplified. Look on the USFS website under “permits” for rules.

Picking Morel Mushrooms In Idaho

I typically specialize in postfire Morel picking. If your timing is right 1 and 2 year old burns can produce gallons of these tasty morsels. They are great prepared in a variety of ways, but the best is rolled in flour and pan fried with garlic and shallots. The key is crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Anyway, long story short here is how it is done. Use google to find a fire from last year. Sometimes, 2-year-old fires produce well too. Wait until sometime between late April and May 15 depending on the year and away you go. Conditions must be perfect. The moisture content and soil temperature meet, and a nexus is formed. After a big rain, hundreds and sometimes thousands of fungi fruit. In dry years when rain is not present, neither are the morels. In some of the best picking I have ever experienced I left Boise at 3:30 and headed up to a burn from the previous summer near Garden Valley. This was late May and we arrived at the burn around 5. So, we had 3 plus hours to pick. When we got back to the car at dark thirty, I had my back pack and xxx gallons in buckets full (Typically the USFS allows 5 gallons per day, so..eer ..uuuh I had all I wanted to carry, let’s put it that away). I was literally crawling through them. I would stand occasionally to drop back down 50 yards and over 15 feet and crawl back up through the patch again. Many times, when my timing is off I might only find none or three, or none. Again the soil temprature and moisture level need to hit together for fruiting to occur.

How do you find them once you get to the burn? It may sound easy and it is once you get the hang of it. But burns are big in Idaho with various exposures and elevations, so mushrooms do not grow equally throughout. Soil type, moisture, air temperature, hillside exposure or direction, ferocity of the burn, fauna type and more all play into if, when and where they start popping. My strategy is cover a lot of ground in such a fashion that I am hitting different exposures, elevation and soil type. So, sidehill up and across, checking ridge tops and gullies at the same time. Near and under down trees, at the base of heavily burned bushes, if late in season in tall grass sometimes. A session in a forest floor blanketed with fir or pine needles is always to my liking. I also love finding them in the sunshine in a small hollow just below the ridge line where the slope may be protected from wind. Once you locate where they are growing find other spots in the burn with similar charcteristics.

If it is a dry year you are basically looking for the areas where there is enough moisture. North facing hillsides, in the gullies or near the creeks. Often going up a steep tributary side drainage one side of the draw will be loaded and the other won’t. This is because they are facing opposite directions. So the temperature and moisture are different even if the soil type and plants growing there are identical. Following a small creek up is often a good strategy when the rain supply is short but you suspect the soil temperatures are high enough. Also, fir and yellow pine needles will trap the moisture and you will find them there.

In wetter conditions there will be enough moisture everywhere. So you are hunting for a spot where the soil is warm enough. If it is early or it has been cool and rainy try south faces or southwest facing slopes are a good place to start. You may find them higher, in partially open areas off the edges of or on the ridges where the exposure will have areas that get more sun. Elevation is another crucial factor. Cold air sinks so sometimes the first 300 yards of terrain is void of fungi. Climb and get up where there is less cold at night and morning sun and viola. There’s one!

As a case in point, on the pick I spoke of near Garden Valley, my friend and I split up. He had 1/3 the gallonage that I had. Why? I went right into the creek bottom and up the timber covered, loamy northeast facing slope. It just happened that the conditions were perfect. He went left onto a hill that faced Southeast . It had little timber and sandier soil. The result was it was sunnier and hotter with less shady. The soil was sandier. It was hit and miss and there were lots of rotted, dried up mushrooms. He was a week late for that hillside. But he was just 600 yards from me for the whole 3 hours and the difference in quantity and quality was night and day. Needless to say we went back the next night.

King Boletes and Chanterelles et. al.

Last fall, in the final week of September I found a fair number of King Boletes lining the trail. These are a wild portobello, for all practical purposes. Large and meaty. I left quite a few but the ones we harvested where a welcome addition to our canned spaghetti sauce.

A year earlier and while in hot pursuit, I found my first Idaho Chantarelle. I was elk hunting east of McCall along the Salmon River. It was late season and the bull gave me the slip. I dejectedly sat down for a break and to survey the situation. As I rose to leave an odd yellow flower caught my attention. Ha, not a flower at all it was a fruit. A beautiful horn shape yellow chantarelle. I found a gallon more and was headed home for a treat. Darn good is all I have to say. They don’t store well like morels, but simple sauteed in butter they taste so fresh!

Long story short If having great morel picking is on your short list, Moving to Boise works just fine. I will help you find a house where you can dry them out and cook em up. Let’s get started!

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35. MOVE TO BOISE FOR MOVING OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Like the old 70’s song goes “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am”. Except when you move to Boise Idaho it is” Owyhee’s to the left of me, Yellowstone to the right , here I am. Literally in every direction you are surrounded by world class scenery and wildlife. To the south are the recently anointed Owyhee Canyonlands with cliffs and wide-open spaces. West is a mini Bryce Canyon in Leslie Gulch and Jordan Craters which is a microcosm of Craters of the Moon. North is Payette Lake and McCall. With the seven Devils and Salmon River mountains beckoning you to call. East is sublime Silvercreek and Sun Valley or closer the South Fork Of The Boise Canyon. Let’s not forget that a visit to the Stanley Basin and the Sawtooth’s is a history shoot, or is it scenery, no it is stars, or wildlife? You decide.  So open your shutter to Idaho and enter the Outdoor Idaho monthly photo competition and be the judge of next month’s entries. Like shooting the stars or stars that are shooting, both?? Well, we have the spot. Did you know that just outside Boise you will find the darkest of skies. Many of the hinterlands in every direction either have been designated or qualify to be designated “Dark Sky Reserves”. Move to Boise and be delighted with the options availing themselves to you and your camera! 

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36. MOVE TO BOISE AND MAKE ART GLASS THAT IS ALL YOURS

When I started looking into Boise Idaho art glass and Boise art glass classes, I was blown away! They have loads of creations you can just purchase or take a class and make your own. I have been intrigued by this whole process since I saw my first Chihuly in Seattle. About that time Erica’s mom Ellie began making fused art pieces both decorative and functional. My favorite sushi platter is one of her creations. I have yet to sign up for a class. So I think it would be awesome to learn to blow or do fused art glass projects myself. So, the first step would be to buy an oven and a kiln, right? Lol… I tend to dive in too fast, maybe a class is in order. If you are also thinking when and where? Here is your answer. I did a little research and here is what I found.

There are a lot of glass artists in Boise. Boise art glass classes can be reasonable. I saw a recent Groupon for a one hour class for about what a nice dinner and a bottle of wine goes for. You can do either form, blowing or fusing in a kiln. Choose from a variety of artists and establishments and get your groove on. There is nothing better than a holiday meal with your serving bowls adorning the table or your lampshade casting the light.

Boise Art Glass

Wow this place has a cadre of excellent artists pouring their heart into every creation. Just a quick glance through there shopping tab screams that truth. A quick read on the about us page and I am ready to sign up. Check and see if they still have the Groupon prior to signing up though. Class pricing descriptions and pricing are all easily found on the easy-to-use website.

The option are many but a torch working class might be a good place to start. Anyone age 10 and up is welcome to join in. The 2 hour group class is $95. A one hour private class is $195. 10 hours one on one is $475.

Additionally there is a torch rental program fee based on time starting at $20 an hour and you can buy your glass there from a wide variety stock in the gallery. Prerequisites to rent either class or talk the talk, ie prior experience.

Want to be glass blowers 8 years and up can hit the hot shop where the furnace is standing by and blowing takes place. Boise Art Glass offers a one-hour class for up to 2 people. You can choose from 8 items and make 2. $150.00. Or $250 for a two-hour class for up to 4 people and a large group for events. For parties of 5 or more it works a little differently.  The participants choose from 8 options with the price varying depending on what is picked. There are several other art glass studios offering classes in all aspects of glass blowing and shaping. Including Zion Art Glass and Next Level Art Glass.

Another option is slumping glass. This involves cutting different colored and sized glass and laying it out in a variety of patterns, shapes, colors and configurations. Plates, bowls and platters are all popular motifs when melting glass in a kiln. Fusions Glass Studio is the place for this. They have slumping classes for slumpers of all levels from first timers to open studio for those with prior experience. 

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Listing information last updated on March 18th, 2024 at 9:07pm MDT.