ShipleyDM

We'll be in Boise for the first time for 3 nights on our way to the Tetons, late July.
Good gourmet restaurant idea, anyone?
Scenic drive? Is there a zoo? What's worth seeing?

reevm

Well since no one has answered here, I'll jump in. I live in Boise. There is a zoo here although I've never been. You can find a link on the web to Boise Zoo. Good restaurant is Manhattan Grill downtown. Worth seeing? The downtown area is attractive with quaint shops and a farmer's market on Saturday mornings. Beautiful parks all around downtown too. Enjoy!

ShipleyDM

Thanks for jumping in!

bigtyke

I don't remember the name of the restaurant, but we ate at a very reasonably priced Japanese restaurant (the kind where they fix it at your table). Was near downtown

shao_lin

Boise is one of my favorite places to go on business. You will be missing the essence of Boise if you are looking for a gourmet restaurant or a good zoo. Boise has a zoo but it's not large.

The busiest restaurants are chain restaurants: Olive Garden, On-The-Border, Chili's, Applebee's. The better local independent restaurants include Brick Oven Bistro (good homestyle cooking), Chapala (Mexican), and Lock,Stock,&Barrel (steaks).

Boise is a family-oriented town with a lot of outdoor amenities. If I were going to spend a couple of days there I would float the river with my family. You see tubers and rafts all summer long taking a lazy five or six mile float. Put life jackets on the younger family members and stay in the middle of the river so you don't get caught by snags along the bank.

There is fly fishing on the Boise River as it goes through downtown. I would also look into renting a bike and exploring the greenbelt paths and parks that line the river. Besides the bike paths next to the river Boise has a lot of mountain bike trails in the hills above the town and it is rated one of the best mountain biking places in the country.

There is a cool MK Nature Preserve next to the river and a Shakespeare Theatre that runs most summer nights. Boise was a stop on the Oregon Trail and you can still see remnants of the trail a few miles out of town at Bonneville Point.

A scenic drive would be to Lake Payette in McCall or the loop to Idaho City to Garden Valley and back to Boise.

Hope this helps.

littlebit

We lived in Boise for 6 months for business. Rented an apartment along the Boise River and I agree with the gentleman that said to wear life vests as I fell in. It is a pretty easy float but there are places that the rapids push you to the sides and you can run into branches along the shore etc. There is a park, ask around, that you can park and rent tubes and float to Ann Morrison Park and ride the bus back to your vehicle.

Our favorite place to eat was Angels in Downtown by the Grove. Upscale and very very good. Also, the grove, 2 years ago, had live at five every Wednesday where people would gather after work or just gather and there was a band etc. Lots of fun.

I agree with the scenic drive to McCall along the Payette River. Wish I was going back have a great time and enjoy the Tetons. We did it all and what a lovely area.

ShipleyDM

These are all very informative answers. We appreciate the time you took to give us your ideas!

Rese

Ok, Ive lived in Boise almost all my life so I will do my best of what I think is neat. I have to say the last 2 posts did a nice job in regards to Boise. First though, the zoo isnt that great, wish it was, but it is getting better. Yes definitely float the Boise river, its a great time w/friends. You will be amazed of how many people are on that river in July, esp if the temp is in the 90's or 100's. There are paths along the river which is called the greenbelt. Very beautiful, goes for miles, nice to walk, bike or rollerblade. Downtown there is a theater called the Egyption theater, me personally think its way cool, love to see movies there. The mountains just above Boise are great for hiking and esp mtn biking. Restaurants...well one of the poster said Brick oven Beanery, I do love that place, but its not fancy or gourmet. You can also try these places, Emilios in the bank of america center on the grove, I thought it was good. Ive heard the Milky way and Manhatten grill are good (havent been there) I like Murphy's on Broadway st. they have good steaks. Oh and one more, a place called Richard's in Hyde park, its trendy, kind of gourmet I guess, but really good. Also Hyde park is definitely a cute, quaint historical place in Boise. Definitely go there.
Well I hope I have helped in some way.

ShipleyDM

Great suggestions! Thanks for your answers.