Boise, Idaho

Boise, which is set along the Boise River, against foothills of the Rockies, is the capital and largest city in Idaho. Its name comes from the French word boisé, which means "wooded," and its nickname is the City of Trees. (And though the name is from the French, Boise has the largest concentration of Basques in North America!)

Boise is located in the southwestern part of the state, and the nearest large cities are quite a distance away, including Salt Lake City, Utah, 340 miles (547 kilometers) southeast; Spokane, Washington, 427 miles (687 kilometers) north; and Portland, Oregon, 430 miles (692 kilometers) northwest.

Since Boise is located in Idaho, we have to start by talking about the great outdoors! In town, residents can walk, jog, inline skate, or cycle along the Boise River Greenbelt. When complete, the Greenbelt will link two state parks just outside of town: Lucky Peak and Eagle Island. Boise also has the Ridge to Rivers trail system, with more than 85 miles (137 kilometers) of trails leading into the Boise Foothills. Folks can also get out and enjoy any of several area golf courses, such as the 18-hole, city-operated Warm Springs Golf Course. And when the temperature dips, residents can enjoy spending days skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or tubing (my favorite!) at Bogus Basin Mountain Resort.

And right at Boise's doorstep are several spectacular places to explore, including Boise National Forest, Sawtooth National Forest & National Recreation Area, and Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. (And yes, there are even more parks nearby, such as Bruneau Dunes State Park, which contains the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America!)

When you want to watch someone else being active, you can head out to home games of the Boise Hawks of baseball's Northwest League, the Idaho Steelheads of the Eastern Coast Hockey League, or the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association.

If arts are your thing, you'll find what you want in Boise, which is home to Ballet Idaho, the Boise Philharmonic, Opera Idaho, Darkwood Consort, the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, the Boise Contemporary Theater, the Boise Little Theater, and more! And you won't be at a loss for shopping, dining, and nightlife options, either.

If you have kids, you'll certainly find yourself at places like the zoo, Idaho IceWorld, Roaring Springs Water Park, and the Discovery Center of Idaho.

Great views, great amenities, and great fun are waiting for you in Boise.

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