Summer’s flying by! We don’t have much more time to soak up the hot weather, enjoy free-filled days, or to show our kids around the surrounding areas. It’s time to squeeze in some last-minute summertime fun for you and your family. We’ve come up with some easy-going day trips to ensure your last couple weeks of summer are filled with excitement!
Shoshone Falls
Referred to as the Niagara of the West, Shoshone Falls is a quick two-hour drive and worth every minute. 212 feet tall and 900 feet wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest natural waterfalls in the U.S., surpassing the height of the famous Niagara Falls. The falls offer a variety of fun recreational facilities including playgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, boat ramps, swimming areas, and of course, a scenic overlook.
Image Credit: USA ReisebloggerZip Idaho
Located in Horseshoe Bend, about a half-hour north of Boise is Zip Idaho. Zip Idaho offers tree-based canopy-tour style zip lines with lines up to 2000 feet. The tour will take you through a trail of multiple zip lines ranging from 200 feet to 2000 feet. Expect to be reaching speeds of around 50mph on the biggest zipline, the “Turkey 2000!”. Zip Idaho offers an exhilarating experience to observe Idahos beauty from the top of a tree!
Image Credit: Zip Idaho FacebookLearn More about Zip Idaho here: www.zipidaho.com
Paddleboard Quinn’s Pond
A part of Boise’s Bernadine Quinn Riverside Park is Quinn’s Pond, a 22-acre pond. Running along the greenbelt, this park includes fishing docks, beach areas, canoe landings, and picnic areas. Idaho River Sports sits close to the pond and offers rentals for all fun water sports. Paddleboarding Quinn’s Pond is easy going and fun for families and friends! Kayaking is also a great option to spend time in the water.
Image Credit: Idaho River SportsWhitewater Rafting
Idaho’s Payette River offers a great experience for an exciting adventure of whitewater rafting. Drive up 45 minutes from Boise, Idaho and find a variety of different rafting companies offering to take you on an experience of a lifetime. With variations of all levels of rapids, from class II-IV, you can decide the best route for your group! Bring a sense of adventure and get ready for a wild ride down the Payette River.
Image Credit: Cascade Raft and Kayak FacebookJump Creek Falls
Marsing, Idaho holds a 60-foot waterfall at Jump Creek Canyon. Hike a short, quick quarter-mile trail that leads you to a surrounding canyon of vibrant rock walls. Only an hour drive from Boise, Jump Creek makes the perfect day trip for a great picnic and cooling off in the natural pools.
Image Credit: Charles KnowlesMcCall Day Trip
A little over two hours up Highway 55, is McCall, Idaho, an awesome destination filled with recreational activities and attractions. McCall rests at Payette Lake, perfect for relaxing on the beach, playing in shallow water, or renting gear for summertime water sports! With local hot springs, mountains, and an abundance of hiking trails, your options for fun activities are endless.
Image Credit: Shore Lodge McCall FacebookBruneau Sand Dunes
The tallest sand dune in North America stands at 470 feet tall in the desert of Mountain Home, a little over an hour away from Boise. This state park includes beauty surrounding with desert, dunes, and a lake. You can fish, camp, hike, swim, or search for local animals. The dunes are a perfect location to observe the stars in the sky! Whether you spend the day, an afternoon, or a night, Bruneau Sand Dunes offers great opportunities for relaxing fun.
Image Credit: Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park Facebook Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster
Bogus, our local community mountain, is home to the only mountain coaster in the state of Idaho. Get ready for an exhilarating ride through the trees of Bogus Basin. The Glade Runner spans across 4,330 feet of high speed, twisting and turning. Don’t be scared- you control your own speed, the potential is up to you!
Image Credit: Bogus Basin Facebook