Top Things to do in Idaho
Top Hotels in Idaho
- 1. The Riverside Hotel, BW Premier Collection
- 2. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Boise Towne Square
- 3. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Coeur d Alene
- 4. Modern Hotel
- 5. My Place Hotel-Twin Falls, ID
- 6. Hampton Inn & Suites Boise-Downtown
- 7. Best Western Plus Coeur D'Alene Inn
- 8. The Grove Hotel
- 9. La Quinta by Wyndham Pocatello
- 10. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Twin Falls
The 10 Best Specialty Museums in Idaho, United States
A mixture of forested mountains, alpine peaks, wildflower meadows, deep river canyons, and high plains deserts, Idaho is a paradise for golf, skiing, fly fishing, and river rafting. Boise, the capital, is the state's largest city and airline hub. North of Boise are golf, lake, and ski resorts from McCall in the south to Sandpoint and Coeur D'Alene in the north. East of Boise are the ski slopes of Ketchum and Sun Valley. East of Sun Valley are Craters of the Moon National Monument, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and the small town of Island Park just across the border from Yellowstone National Park. Boise's Basque Museum and Cultural Center reflects having the largest Basque population in the U.S. Reflecting Idaho's diverse heritage, near the Idaho Historical Museum in Boise's Julia Davis Park is the Idaho Black History Museum's chronicle of the slave York who served the Lewis & Clark Expedition. After a family visit to the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey and an outdoor performance at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, the next stop after Boise is likely to be Payette Lake in McCall or Sun Valley and Ketchum. About 100 miles north of Boise, past Cascade Lake, McCall takes you to the shores of Payette Lake. Go golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, waterskiing, sailing, boating, or whitewater river rafting. Ski or snowshoe Brundage Mountain or Tamarack Resorts, as well as Ponderosa State Park in winter. Ice skate year-round at Manchester Ice & Event Centre. About 450 miles north of Boise, there are resort lakes near skiing and golf at Coeur d'Alene, Hayden Lake, and Sandpoint. Golf, tennis, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, rafting, and hunting are popular in Sun Valley and Ketchum. Sockeye salmon may no longer do much spawning in Redfish Lake, but the boating and mountain scenery in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area make the short trip north to Stanley worthwhile. When the snows come the whole family will head for the slopes of Soldier Mountain, Bald Mountain, Dollar Mountain, or the Sun Valley Resort. A tiny forested town of about 250 people, Island Park has a large reservoir with fishing and boating, as well as Henry's Fork of the Snake River for fly fishing. It's only 15 miles from Yellowstone as well.
Restaurants in Idaho
1. Collector Corner Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 69 reviews
Collectors Corner Museum's Featured exhibit area changes every 3 months. Take some time and enjoy a fun and relaxing museum experience.
Reviewed By K594YSlisap
We LOVED this wonderful museum! The owners were phenomenal and so informative. Their cheerful way of teaching made this an incredible experience for all of us. It had an incredible history worth of items all the way up to the present day. They provided a great scavenger hunt that kept us all searching and enjoying all the museum had to offer. We would definitely recommend this to anyone! Great for kids and adults.
2. Lawson's Emu-Z-um
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By rosemaryd821 - Idaho Falls, United States
We called on a Tue when they are not normally open but Belva & Jack were able to graciously accommodate us. We were there 2 1/2 hours & it was not nearly enough time but we got to see everything in a fast forward way. You can see the pride & love they have put into the displays. I kept saying WOW when entering each building. This is truly a Gem for our Gem state. We have visited a lot of museums & this outshines them all!
3. Monastery of St Gertrude
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 42 reviews
Our mission is to preserve the rich heritage of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Camas Prairie, Snake River, Salmon River, and surrounding areas. View special exhibits, including the stories of the Benedictine sisters, the Nez Perce people, Polly Bemis, and Buckskin Bill. The Historical Museum at St. Gertrude is on the campus of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, an active Benedictine community of sisters. The Welcome Center and Gift Shop are also located at the Historical Museum. Self-guided tours are also available of the historic St. Gertrude's chapel.
Reviewed By stevenrdoud - Boise, United States
Definitely worth the stop to visit the grounds, the museum, and tour the Monastery to learn of its history, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. If you have time for an overnight visit, be sure to stay at the Inn!
4. James Castle House
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 11 reviews
Serving as a testimony to the life and work of American artist, James Castle and rooted in Castle’s sense of wonder and discovery, the house today is a center for contemporary and historical exhibits, tours, performances, talks, an Artist-in-Residence program, and community partnerships. Both the historic buildings and the new wing invite you to explore the spaces unique only to James Castle.
Reviewed By msmaxey2813 - Meridian, United States
The James Castle House has many layers. The tours and gallery experience provide information about James Castle’s life and home. The artist in residence space is a way for artists to connect with the space and the public in a different way and the general store has nostalgic pieces similar to items that James Castle had along with contemporary items that relate to the place.
5. Wallace Mining Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 84 reviews
Museum that captures the flavor of mining in northern Idaho, from the days of the early gold rush to contemporary silver production.
Reviewed By STAN49_12 - Powell River, Canada
A tour of the mine should be high on one's list if stopping in Wallace. The guide we had was an ex miner and was great at conducting the tour with interesting stories and demonstrations of the equipment used when mining.
6. Nez Perce County Historical Society & Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 45 reviews
Learn about the rich history of the Nez Perce Native American tribe, remembered especially for having saved the Lewis and Clark Expedition team from starvation following their harrowing journey through the Bitterroot Mountains. Native American and pioneer artifacts are on display.
Reviewed By lawritzm - Boise, United States
This small museum is packed with interesting exhibits and information. The staff was friendly and helpful. Has kid-friendly activities and too long so they won't get bored.
7. Basque Museum & Cultural Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 203 reviews
Contains exhibits and collections that provide a look at the Basque heritage, history and culture.
Reviewed By lfsunflower - Durango, United States
After visiting the museum and learning about the history and rich culture of the Basques in Idaho, check out the boarding house next to the museum. I hope you get to see the 3D photos--so cool! Go to the restaurant across the street for delicious paella too.
8. Warhawk Air Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 249 reviews
The mission of the museum is to teach and educate about the cost of freedom and honor those who paid its price.
Reviewed By betsyo437 - Fort Myers, United States
Great airplane and military museum. There were also some great old automobiles. Lots of personal written histories of military people who have served. Great displays and very informative. There was a very interesting Eagle Scout project. Nampa is about 20 minutes away from Boise. The museum was very easy to find, lots of free parking and the staff were very helpful and friendly.
9. Museum of Mining & Geology
10. Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1 (EBR-I) Atomic Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 225 reviews
Reviewed By thelordofthemanor
A great little historic site where you can actually see how a nuclear reactor works, and how the parts go together. This site has great historical significance because it's one of the first reactors in the world to generate electricity, and the first reactor in the world to prove the feasibility of breeding plutonium nuclear fuel. It's relatively small, and it's free to enter. It may take you about 30 minutes to walk through the self-guided tour, we're about 45 minutes for the guided tour.
