Very nice place for swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding!read more

What a fun and unique park to add to Boise's already amazing collection. I went on a very hot day…read morein August and the cool water was very refreshing. It's also enjoyable to watch the kayakers and surfers on the waves.

My dad and I fished guided by Jake Knight and I could not have had a better time! I was a beginner…read moreand Jake was a great teacher. He knew exactly when to throw a new skill/step in so I felt like I got better with every cast, without feeling overwhelmed. He had no problem hopping between me, a newbie, and my dad, an experienced fisherman. It was great that both of us left the trip having learned even at drastically different skill levels. Jake is a great teacher and great company. I'd absolutely recommend him!!!

So my son and I were back in Boise this week, so we booked a Fly Fishing trip with the Awahee Fly…read moreFisher. i'm pretty sure I've already left them a review in the past when I was in Boise, but I have to reiterate what an amazing trip we had with Brad. Forget the fact that I'm thoroughly convinced he's the most skilled and experienced Fly Fishing Guide on that river, he is an absolute blast to hang out with and fish with. It felt more like Fishing with a couple buddies than a service that I had hired to take me and my son out fishing with. Brad knew the river knew what to fish with and don't get me started on his lunches. if you're going to fish the Owyhee River and you do your research, you'll find Awahee Fly Fishing is the guide service to use. I was lucky enough to get Brad, but all of his guides are excellent. I hear from some friends, Brad's son Toby is really making a name for himself, what would you expect with a teacher like Brad? try them now I promise you will not be disappointed.

The Idaho Donut Boat is so fun! I stumbled upon the website and was a little nervous because I…read morecouldn't find any reviews online, so now I'm leaving one. I emailed back and forth with Corey, the owner, and he was very accommodating and answered all my questions. The setup of the boat is ideal for hanging out with friends or family because of the circular layout and table in the center, plus having the big umbrella over the boat is really nice. It's like a really mellow party boat. We brought a cooler with drinks and food and made it a little dinner cruise. It was also effortless - they launched it for us and met us on the dock right as we brought it back so we didn't even have to tie it up, we just hopped off the boat and left.  Our kids absolutely loved it and one of them declared it in his top 3 experiences ever. They also liked that they could drive the boat themselves and make it do donuts. Our 10 year old wanted to leave his own review and wrote this: "This is a super fun and amazing activity for anyone to spend part of their day doing. Super comfortable and relaxing, doesn't get boring, and you're likely to get a lot of people complimenting the boat. You can also sit on the stairs and stick your feet in the water if you get hot. I would absolutely recommend this."

This is a really great public space that straddles the line between Boise and Meridian. It is…read moretucked back from all main road traffic and located right next to a school. My oldest, "Hungry" was SO excited that there was a bonus playground. The farther you get from Boise's downtown epicenter, the harder it is to find parks with decent shade. This park proves that wrong. The whole playground is surrounded by large trees which provide much needed shade for the fiery playground equipment on a Boise July afternoon. They have 4 bucket swims and 4 "big kid" swings, plenty of climbing structures, slides and room to run. The shaded grass goes right up to the play structures, which is ideal for the parent who wants to park the "Hurricane" baby on a blanket in the shade and still (loosely) monitor the other kid. This park also backs up the West YMCA, so expect to see day camp kiddos running around doing science-y, athletic-y, hilarious things in the park as well. When I was there, a whole horde of them were playing Harry Potter, complete with robes, twig wands and "Eat SLUGS Malfoy!" They were so entertaining, I didn't even bury my face in my phone.

Such a fun activity in Boise! I went in not expecting a lot, but our group of eight had a great…read moretime talking and paddling around the pond. This activity is fun for people of all ages--we saw a couple of boats with children 3-5 years old who were all smiles looking at the birds, ducks, and even the turtle in the pond. Pro-tip: if you want the ducks to come to your boat, bring some bread to feed them!

We had so much fun on the pedal boat! We paid $10 for half hour which was plenty of time. We took…read moresome bread with us and fed the ducks & geese that were in the pond. It was mostly shaded. Highly recommend doing this activity! We loved it!

Great little shop and visitor center on the edge of town. Very friendly staff and lots of little…read moretrinkets for sale including bookmarks, magnets, T-shirts, posters, Huckleberry candies, and a little something for everyone. Definitely make sure to stop by and say hi if you're planning to come to Idaho City.

When you gotta go, you gotta go! Thank goodness for convenient visitor centers in isolated locals.read more

***children*** please do not allow your children to throw rocks or other items at the ducks &…read moregeese!!!!!! this is a peaceful, beautiful reserve & trail, the home of much wildlife, it is not okay to allow your children to harass the animals

What a lovely trail... that I've visited many times over the 8 years I've been here... but it had…read morebeen a few years since I'd come last... glad I came again! Whether it's fishing, birding, walking or talking... a lovely spot to bring people of all ages. With an asphalt trail around the main ponds... I'd rate this as fairly accessible. Enjoy!

Hull's Gulch is one of the many trails behind Camelback park and is one of the main reasons why…read moreliving in Boise is so amazing. Proximity from downtown to this well-kept trail makes it fun for everyone and a great hike for visitors and locals. This trail starts a bit after the main parking lots and takes a dirt road- an SUV or truck type of car is probably best for this. I would say this is for the intermediate/expert hiker. It's around 7 miles and has some steep hills. So, hiking boots or athletic shoes are a must. It takes around 2.5-3 hours and there are tons of very picturesque places to stop along the creek (or crick, as many Idahoans say). During the summer months here in Boise, it stays light out until 9-10 pm. So I love starting this hike after work hours, without the worry of it getting too dark before getting back. You can see a lot of wildlife- birds, snakes, bugs, etc. There are usually a decent amount of people who walk their dog off-leash here. Hull's Gulch Interpretive Trail vs. the other foothill trails, there tend to be more bikers and fewer hikers. If you're into mountain biking, this would be a great trail for you!

Hull's Gulch Interpretive Trail is a roughly 7 mile (there and back) trail that meanders through…read morethe Boise foothills. It is uphill, though not steeply so (the elevation increase throughout the duration of the trail is roughly 1000 feet). We came midmorning on a Saturday and it took our party of 3 roughly 3 hours to complete (with some stopping for picture taking). The trail follows alongside a creek and so there are some picturesque spots. At the top of the trail there is a small waterfall (the amount of water depends on the time of year and snowmelt). There are informative and poetic signs (I'm not being sarcastic--truly--they have signs with poetry!) sprinkled throughout the trail and a few lovely (wide and sturdy) foot bridges along the path as well. The road to drive to the trail head isn't paved and though could be traversed by car, there were a couple of ruts that made me glad we drove our CRV and not our Accord, so something to think about if you have a low vehicle. Also, it is quite long, so I wouldn't recommend it for little ones and the path isn't wide enough in some areas for a jogger type stroller (and too rough for a conventional one). But, for older kids with stamina, it's great! Plus, given it's a there and back hike--you could always turn around at any point if it proves to much for some! The proximity to downtown is great and at the top where the waterfall is, there is also a gorgeous vantage, through a valley between the foothills, of the downtown skyline. Fresh air, gurgling creek, and nature poetry-- Get to it!