Another Boise crowd-pleaser is the World Center for Birds of Prey. This excellent facility is the headquarters for the Peregrine Fund, a nonprofit organization that conserves threatened and endangered birds of prey worldwide. The center provides breeding facilities for rare raptors, among them the California condor and the aplomado falcon. Visitors are treated to daily displays of falconry, when feathered residents like this Eurasian eagle owl demonstrate their prowess in the air.

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Boise River Greenbelt -

The Boise River Greenbelt follows its namesake river as a scenic recreational trail that runs through the city center to connect over 343 hectares (850 acres) of parks and natural areas.

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Idaho Black History Museum -

The city's tranquil Julia Davis Park is accessible via the Boise River Greenbelt. Besides providing a peaceful retreat, the park is home to a number of cultural facilities, including the Idaho Black History Museum, and the Idaho Historical Museum.

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Basque Block -

Downtown Boise is home to the Basque Block, the largest Basque community in the United States. Wandering through this neighborhood is akin to exploring northern Spain, such is the Basque Country flavor permeating through the many bars, restaurants, and cafés found in the district. The region's heritage is preserved and promoted at the engaging Basque Museum and Cultural Center, and there's even an example of an original Basque boarding house to explore—Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House, which dates back to 1864.

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Albertsons Stadium -

Did you know that Boise's Albertsons Stadium is carpeted with the first non-green football field in the world? That's right! The sky-blue AstroTurf was laid down in 1986 and is sometimes referred to as "The Blue," or "The Blue Plastic Tundra." Catch a game when you're in town and see for yourself.

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Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic -

Plan your Boise sightseeing sojourn to coincide with the annual Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic. This spectacular five-day hot air balloon-fest takes place late August/early September, and sees dozens of flights taking place over the city in a colorful airborne get-together.

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Idaho History Center -

Before you set out to explore beyond Boise, nip into the Idaho History Center and wise up on the state's fascinating past. This is where you can also check out upcoming public events and programs.

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Sun Valley Resort -

If you're in Idaho over winter or early spring, why not head over to Sun Valley Resort, one of the country's premier ski resorts. Sun Valley attracts skiing enthusiasts from all over the land, eager to run Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain, two of the best peaks in the region and suitable for skiers of all abilities.

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Shoshone Falls -

Later in the year as the sun sees things melt, natural wonders like Shoshone Falls can be admired in all their glory. Shoshone, set on Snake River in south-central Idaho, is known as the Niagara of the West for its awesome set of thundering cascades.

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Big Lost River -

Rising in the Rocky Mountains, the wonderfully named Big Lost River is described as such for its sudden disappearance into an underground reservoir near the town of Mackay. The river is one of several known as the "lost streams of Idaho" that do a subterranean vanishing act to join a large body of hidden groundwater known as the Snake River Aquifer.

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Craters of the Moon National Monument -

The astonishing Craters of the Moon National Monument near Arco is a lunar-like landscape of three major lava fields created by volcanic eruptions between 15,000 and 2,000 years ago. All three fields lie along the Great Rift of Idaho, which features the deepest known open rift crack on Earth, a split that descends to a depth of 240 m (800 ft).

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Sawtooth National Recreation Area -

Idaho offers up dozens of fabulous national parks, reserves, and wildlife refuges. The state also has two national recreational areas, one of which is Sawtooth. This is where to indulge in hiking, backpacking, white water rafting, camping, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, fishing, and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of. Pictured is the areas' Upper Cramer Lake.

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Salmon River -

The headwaters of the Salmon River, also known as the "River of No Return," are in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. This is one of the best rivers in the state for fishing and rafting. It's also an especially scenic waterway.

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Lake Coeur d'Alene -

Named for the Coeur d'Alene indigenous people, this historic body of water has been used for transporting lumber since the late 1880s. Located in North Idaho, Coeur d'Alene is also a popular tourist site for many people during the summer, offering great beaches and a host of watersport options. In addition, the lake's crystalline waters attract a host of birdlife, including bald eagles.

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Hells Canyon National Recreation Area -

Idaho's other national recreation area goes by the intimidating name of Hells Canyon. Located within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest of northern Idaho, this is the deepest river gorge in North America, carved out over millennia by the untamed Snake River. White water rafting is an obvious pastime enjoyed here. But so too is hiking and horseback riding.

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City of Rocks National Reserve -

This reserve in south-central Idaho is studded with hundreds of enormous granite rock formations, natural features that have made the destination internationally renowned within the climbing community.

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Bruneau Dunes State Park -

One of Idaho's star state park attractions, Bruneau Dunes in Owyhee County is unique for its huge sand dunes—the largest freestanding sand dunes in North America. The habitat is home to a variety of desert-dwelling wildlife. The environment also attracts sandboard enthusiasts, the steep dunes providing fast and furious fun for exponents of this singular extreme sport.

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Palouse -

The Palouse geographical region of north-central Idaho is the state's major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes. This vast undulating area of low hills used to constitute an extensive prairie of perennial grasses; the only large preserved patches of this ecosystem left are found in the aforementioned Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and in the southern portion of Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, in neighboring Washington state.

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Idaho Falls -

Back in the mid-1800s, Idaho Falls served as a port of call as such for pioneers following the Montana Trail, who would use the town's ferry service to cross Snake River. Visitors today should take in the Museum of Idaho for its authentic Way Out West exhibit, which includes the "Eagle Rock, USA" display (pictured), representing 10 local businesses from the late 19th century.

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Lake Pend Oreille -

Idaho's collection of 30-plus lakes include Lake Pend Oreille, the largest in the state and one of the largest in the United States. The surrounding forests provide a haven for a wealth of flora and fauna, including black bears, grizzly bears, coyotes, mountain goats, mountain lions, and bobcats. Pictured on the lakeshore is the city of Sandpoint.

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Wallace -

Saunter through the historic district of Wallace, a city in Shoshone County, and imagine you're back in the 1800s. This was once a thriving mining community, and stands as one of the reasons Idaho is known as the Gem State, due to its abundance of gold, silver, lead, zinc, cobalt, copper, and many other rare minerals hidden in rich mountainside veins.

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Borah Peak -

The highest mountain in Idaho at 3,859 m (12,662 ft), Borah Peak can only be reached by traversing a rock formation known as "Chickenout Ridge," so named for the hazards that prompt many hikers to turn back at this point.

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Hemingway Memorial -

Esteemed author Ernest Hemingway spent his final years living in Ketchum, adjacent to Sun Valley. On July 2, 1961, he took his own life at his home overlooking the Wood River in nearby Warm Springs. He's buried in Ketchum Cemetery near where the Hemingway Memorial stands. Pay your respects, perhaps while clutching one of his classic novels.

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Priest Lake -

The challenging Pacific Northwest Trail runs through the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, in the northernmost portion of the Idaho Panhandle. Treading its course will bring you to destinations like Priest Lake, the northern tip of which lies very near the Canada–US border. The lake is a magnet for anglers, stocked as it is with several species of trout.

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Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge -

Idaho's collection of 10 national wildlife reserves and wilderness areas include Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Nestling in Treasure Valley, the refuge provide oases for resident and migratory wildlife such as the Western grebe (pictured), one of its most emblematic bird species.

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Museum of Clean -

The whimsical Museum of Clean (pictured) is one reason to visit the city of Pocatello. The other is to pop into the lobby of the Whitman Hotel. This is what remains of the Princess Theater, the venue Judy Garland sings about as Esther Blodgett in the 1954 film 'A Star Is Born.'

Sources: (USA Today) (Geological Society of America Bulletin) (Idaho Heritage Trust)

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Exploring Idaho, indoors and outdoors

Discover the "Gem State"

17/05/22 | StarsInsider

TRAVEL Usa

Exploring Idaho is to discover one of Western USA's most underrated destinations. Combining a rich historical heritage with some of the most spectacular outdoor scenery found anywhere in the United States, the "Gem State" sparkles under a mantle of pristine wilderness bejeweled with skyscraping mountain ranges, luminous glacial lakes, and authentic frontier towns. Indeed, it's one of the nation's premier adventure playgrounds. So, are you possessed of a pioneering spirit?

Click on and travel indoors and outdoors through Idaho.