Summer is the perfect time for long swims, soaking up some rays, avoiding any thoughts about school, and, of course, for playing tourist in your own city.
For those of you who did not know, I have been living in Idaho for the past 13 years. Idaho is the gem state, but it is more commonly acknowledged as the potato state. It's been a long 13 years.
But a happy 13 years. I actually quite enjoy Idaho. For example, there are some real treasures in our state. Today I want to shed a light on 5 random hidden gems found in Downtown Boise, also known as BoDo, for those who either live in Idaho or are going to visit! (I have waaaayyyy more than 5 interesting places to share, so I picked completely random ones!)
For those of you who did not know, I have been living in Idaho for the past 13 years. Idaho is the gem state, but it is more commonly acknowledged as the potato state. It's been a long 13 years.
But a happy 13 years. I actually quite enjoy Idaho. For example, there are some real treasures in our state. Today I want to shed a light on 5 random hidden gems found in Downtown Boise, also known as BoDo, for those who either live in Idaho or are going to visit! (I have waaaayyyy more than 5 interesting places to share, so I picked completely random ones!)
1. Fanci Freez
1402 W State St, Boise, ID 83702
Ice cream and burgers and fries. Oh my! I've been going here since my family first moved to Idaho, and it is sooooo good. Like, really. Any of it is delicious. However, I usually skip over the fries/tots (putting our Idaho potatoes into good use there) and burgers and go right for dessert. My picks? Either the coconut dipped cone, peach milkshake, or huckleberry milkshake. Go try it now!
1402 W State St, Boise, ID 83702
Ice cream and burgers and fries. Oh my! I've been going here since my family first moved to Idaho, and it is sooooo good. Like, really. Any of it is delicious. However, I usually skip over the fries/tots (putting our Idaho potatoes into good use there) and burgers and go right for dessert. My picks? Either the coconut dipped cone, peach milkshake, or huckleberry milkshake. Go try it now!
2. Boise's Bakery/Soda Works/Bee Wise Goods
3017 W State St, Boise, ID 83702
Three of the best finds in Downtown Boise are all located in one building! I've actually already touched on (i.e. raved about!) the bakery in a previous post (click here to read "Rainy Days & Macarons"). All three shops are the cutest places to wander through. Each of them offer various goodies and all are worth stopping in for. The Soda Works provides a wide selection of unique sodas that you can't find just anywhere and Bee Wise Goods has a collection of handmade goods that are crafted by individuals in the 208 area. Lastly, the bakery offers the tastiest breads, cookies, and pastries in the world, all baked by an amazing baker, Isabelle. Head on over and say hi for me! (pro tip: stop in on the first Saturday of each month for freshly baked macarons! A scrumptious lemon macaron is pictured below.) My favorite treats to buy are macarons when the have them, Sweet Dottie cookies, and the rose-lemonade soda.
3017 W State St, Boise, ID 83702
Three of the best finds in Downtown Boise are all located in one building! I've actually already touched on (i.e. raved about!) the bakery in a previous post (click here to read "Rainy Days & Macarons"). All three shops are the cutest places to wander through. Each of them offer various goodies and all are worth stopping in for. The Soda Works provides a wide selection of unique sodas that you can't find just anywhere and Bee Wise Goods has a collection of handmade goods that are crafted by individuals in the 208 area. Lastly, the bakery offers the tastiest breads, cookies, and pastries in the world, all baked by an amazing baker, Isabelle. Head on over and say hi for me! (pro tip: stop in on the first Saturday of each month for freshly baked macarons! A scrumptious lemon macaron is pictured below.) My favorite treats to buy are macarons when the have them, Sweet Dottie cookies, and the rose-lemonade soda.
3. The Anniversary Inn
1575 S Lusk Pl, Boise, ID 83702
...so... I realize that this is an unusual one. I've never actually stayed here. But I have toured it multiple times. If you check the website or the hotel out, you'll understand why this made my list of BoDo finds. Each of the rooms look like something a ten year old dreamed up as they each have their very own theme. One room has a large, two story "tree" that you sleep in, another features a barn and an outhouse that hides the toilet, and yet another suite has a moat that you have to cross to reach your bed. It. Is. So. Cool. They open up the inn almost everyday for a few hours so you can walk through the rooms. Call ahead to check the times before going and laughing your head off at their BSU room. They seriously think that they can claim to be "Idaho's Most Romantic Getaway" when they have an orange and blue room with eight TVs?!
1575 S Lusk Pl, Boise, ID 83702
...so... I realize that this is an unusual one. I've never actually stayed here. But I have toured it multiple times. If you check the website or the hotel out, you'll understand why this made my list of BoDo finds. Each of the rooms look like something a ten year old dreamed up as they each have their very own theme. One room has a large, two story "tree" that you sleep in, another features a barn and an outhouse that hides the toilet, and yet another suite has a moat that you have to cross to reach your bed. It. Is. So. Cool. They open up the inn almost everyday for a few hours so you can walk through the rooms. Call ahead to check the times before going and laughing your head off at their BSU room. They seriously think that they can claim to be "Idaho's Most Romantic Getaway" when they have an orange and blue room with eight TVs?!
4. The District Coffeehouse 219 N. 10th St., Boise, ID 83702 I actually just had the opportunity to try this place the other day, but it's been on my bucket list for a really long time. The District is owned by Calvary Chapel and serves some pretty dang good coffee in an extremely hipster atmosphere. A friend and I just visited The District and I enjoyed a lovely iced caramel latte (the picture below is me, sitting and sipping my coffee and taken by my extremely talented friend). Just sitting in this coffee shop makes you feel hipster-ish. It just begs you to take a picture and Instagram it with a handful of creative hashtags. |
5. Greenbelt 25 Mile Trail One last one! This is so hard since I keep thinking of other fun Boise things, so I may need to make a follow up post (or two). This one isn't really a "place", but it is an amazing part of Boise! The Greenbelt stretches over 25 miles, so not all of it is located downtown, but it makes for the best bike rides throughout the entire city. I love soaking up the sunshine and cycling all the way from my house to downtown. |
Well, that wraps this post up! I'm encouraging all of you to be a tourist in your own city and explore! Let me know in the comments below if you have any downtown Boise gems! I'd love to check them out! Until next time....