Travelkitty

I took a week long trip to Idaho in late June and the info I got from this forum was very helpful. Thought I'd post a trip report in case it could be helpful to anyone else planning a trip.

Day 1 - land in Boise and drive to McCall - sort of a long drive after a long plane trip, but the roads were great and the scenery was lovely. Checked in for two nights at the Shore Lodge. My room was a bit dated, but the atmosphere was great and the location wonderful. I'd recommend getting a room with a balcony over the lake if you want to sit and relax. I didn't, but I wish I had. But they have plenty of chairs down by the lake in any event. I didn't try the spa, but it looked very nice.

Day 2 - Started the morning with a hike at Ponderosa State Park - lovely location and lots of hiking options. Afterwards i went into town look around. Lots of fun little places to eat and very generous ice cream cones! I also stocked up on some supplies at Paul's Market which had great take out options for breakfast. Really enjoyed this relaxing stop.

Day 3 - drove over to Stanley. Another beautiful drive on a scenic byway. I literally gasped at the Sawtooth Mountains when I first saw them. I spent the day at Redfish Lake which is stunning and did a short hike. Had lunch at Redfish Lake Lodge which seemed like a wonderful family place. Lots of kids playing at the lake and happy families relaxing. It's a bit more isolated and a drive to any other restaurants/shops, but such a great setting. When I was there I wished I was staying, but I'd booked a room at the Riverside Hotel. The Riverside hotel looks like a modest roadside motel from the outside, but the rooms had a kitchenette, were very clean and the back porch had a great view over the river and across to a field with some cattle grazing. A perfect spot to sit out and read and relax. Got some take out from the local market that I cooked in the kitchenette, and just enjoyed dinner on the back porch with beautiful scenery.

Days 4 and 5 - drove down to Ketchum and spent two nights at Knob Hill Inn. the Inn was lovely and they upgraded me to a suite overlooking the dining area (and the cemetery). Great room and the balcony was another wonderful place to relax. I didn't stay at Sun Valley because I wanted to be more downtown (and when I booked they were still doing renovations at the lodge), and the only downside to Knob Hill was that it wasn't as close to the main downtown as i thought. It was getting pretty hot at that point, and walking was possible, but sort of unpleasant. They had a shuttle service, but it would have been nice to be a little closer. But their breakfasts were generous and nice.

I went out to Sun Valley to look around, and the grounds were stunning. Very nice attention to detail, and it was fun to see the skaters practicing for the show. I did one of the hikes starting just beyond Sun Valley that was great. You could do a flat stroll by the river/stream or a more challenging hike up the hills. Had a great lunch at the Kneadery and got a wonderful take out picnic lunch from the big grocery store in downtown. Great location and I would have enjoyed more time here.

Day 6 - drove to Craters of the Moon National Monument and did the loop drive and the very short walks. It was incredibly hot this day, so longer walks weren't appealing. Fascinating landscape and worth a visit, although after a few hours I was ready to go. Drove down to Twin Falls and the drive was interesting. Very different from the rugged mountain territory, but so wide open and vast.

Got to Twin Falls and stopped at the Snake River Bridge overlook. Pretty scenery and took some nice pics. Went out to Shoshone Falls which seemed a little low but it was so hot the falls and the lake looked wonderful and cooling. Stayed overnight at the LaQuinta which was convenient, clean and had a nice breakfast set up.

Day 7 - drove to Boise and went downtown to the Morrison Knudsen Nature Center. Great little place for kids, and it was interesting to see, but it didn't take long to walk through. Then I went downtown to the Art Museum, but got sidetracked by the beautiful rose gardens behind the museum! Great spot and so nice to have it just outside, with no admission. The temperature was hitting high 90's at this point, so a stroll through the art museum was very welcome. There were some interesting exhibits, and although it wasn't large, it was very enjoyable.

It was Saturday, and they had some sort of public market set up near the rose gardens. Got lunch at one of the carts and enjoyed sitting in the shade listening to the singers who were performing.

Finished the day with a trip to the World Center for Birds of Prey, They had an open house that day, so they had lots of volunteers around and some special presentations. The location was amazing with great views, and everyone I met was so friendly and helpful. They had some young teen volunteers who really impressed me with their poise and attitude. The birds were great and it was a nice end to the trip.

I enjoyed the trip, but wish I had more time to explore northern Idaho. Such a variety of landscapes - arid deserty type views, stunning mountains and glaciers, beautiful lakes surrounded by pine trees, great city vibes, rolling hills and even volcanoes. I didn't do any of the real adventure activities or off trail hiking, but there are outdoor options for every taste and activity level. My trip had a lot of driving, but I wanted to get a feel for the different areas, and most of the driving was scenic two lane roads. Only the trip fro Twin Falls to Boise seemed like real "highway" driving.

musicfan

Thanks for your Trip Report! I have visited Idaho for five summers in a row including many of the same places you went--it's beautiful! I love Stanley (breakfast at The Stanley Baking Company = delicious!) and agree it is so relaxing there! Although I have driven by the Riverside Motel many times, I've never stayed there--glad to know you liked it.

I added a stop in Ketchum a few years ago and the first year scored a great deal on a room at the Knob Hill Inn--fantastic--wish I could afford to stay there every year (now we use the Best Western Kentwood Lodge--easy walk to the cute downtown).

We did the drive from Boise to Twin Falls last year--yes, real highway driving, but that 80 mph speed limit helped it go by pretty quickly!

I also like the Boise airport--very user-friendly, great location and size. Boise itself seems like a very livable city.

So happy to read of someone else's travels in Idaho--nobody at home has ever been there; even my best friend gets confused and thinks it's Utah I am traveling to every August!

NorthwestMale

I too remember being quite in awe and surprised at the Sawtooth Mountains... though in part merely because they are so aptly named!

And I think you sculpted your trip so as to optimize it.

Looking back, there was some question of whether you would go all the way to Idaho Falls, which is another 200 miles from Twin Falls.

So hopefully what you describe here was a better fit!


Glad you posted an update!

Travelkitty

I ended up deciding that the trip to Idaho Falls was just too much driving for a night and Twin Falls worked out better. But I'd love to go back and see some parts of the state that I missed the first time, including spending more time in Boise (especially if I go back when it's not 100 degrees out!).

I also wanted to visit Mosco and Northern Idaho. I've been to Coeur d'Alene once, but it was in winter and although the the lake was beautiful in a stark sort of way, I'd love to see the town and lake during spring or summer.

Thanks to everyone for their help (and patience) while I was planning this trip.

bettyk

I lived in Idaho Falls for a year way back in the early '70s. I regret not seeing more of the state while I was there but I was busy working and taking care of a husband and home.

Went back once to Idaho Falls in the late '90s and didn't recognize much. Either it had changed or I'd forgotten a lot, probably the latter.

But I remember it being a beautiful place with 4 definite seasons and clean smelling air. I guess it's time for another visit, this time to upper Idaho.