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Attractions & Activities
IDAHO STATE CAPITOL
Idaho's State Capitol is constructed of sandstone excavated from
nearby Table Rock. Construction was finished in 1920.
It is a 3/4 version of our National Capitol. It is the only
state house in the United States geothermally heated. Exhibits
of agricultural, mineral and timber products are on display in
the lower levels. Tours are available when the Legislature
is in session and throughout the summer, or you can take self-guided
tours
BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
With 12,000 students, BSU is one of Idaho's fastest-growing universities. Six colleges offer associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees.
THE BOISE RIVER
Running through the middle of town, the river offers a wide range
of recreational opportunities. Fishing is good anywhere
in the river and Barber, Veteran's, Julia Davis, and Ann Morrison
Parks provide beautiful picnic areas. Julia Davis Park also
features paddle boating on its small lake. Tubing is also
popular on the river, with tubers usually starting at Barber Park
and ending at Ann Morrison Park.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Boise, "City of trees," has over 3,400 acres of parks
and open space, 68 tennis courts, 40 athletic fields, 800 acres
of developed park area, 7 public golf courses, over 25 miles of
walking/jogging/biking trail along the scenic Boise River. Kathryn Albertson Park is a one-of-a-kind, 40 acre, walking nature
park located in the heart of the city.
BOISE CITY ZOO
Houses 273 animals from 95 species. Located in Julia Davis
Park. Open year-round. Includes a Children's Petting
Zoo. Open daily 10 to 5 p.m., (208) 384-4230.
MUSEUMS/ATTRACTIONS
The Idaho Historical Museum offers a changing display
of Idaho and western culture. Located in Julia Davis Park.
Open Monday-Saturday, 9 to 5, Sunday 1 to 5. Guided and
self-guided tours are available. (208) 334-2120. Fee.
The Boise Art Museum offers more than twenty exhibitions
annually, encompassing a wide range of historical and contemporary
themes. (208) 345-8330. Fee.
Discovery Center is place for young and old to discover
the wonders of science. (208) 343-9895. Fee
Morrison-Knudson Nature Center is a wildlife habitat demonstration
area, in the heart of Boise; with outstanding live natural surroundings. (208) 334-2225.
World Center for Birds of Prey is the only project in
the world addressing the environmental concerns for raptor preservation
and protection. (208) 362-TOUR. Free by appointment.
Idaho Botanical Garden is a beautiful garden nestled against
the Boise foothills. (208) 343-8649. Fee
The Basque Museum is another one of a kind, dedicated
to preserving the Basque culture in America. (208) 343-2671. Free.
OLD IDAHO PENITENTIARY
Take a walk through 100 years of prison history. The Old
Penitentiary opened in 1870 as a territorial prison, built by
inmates from stone quarried on the site. Tours also include
several cellhouses, death row, the gallows, and a landscaped rose
garden. Tours also include an 18-minute slide presentation.
In the prison's 100 year history, it has housed such infamous
characters as members of Butch Cassidy's Gang. It is one
of only three remaining territorial prisons. (208) 334-2844. Fee.
MORRISON-KNUDSON DEPOT
Constructed in 1925 by the Union Pacific Railroad, the Depot
is one of Boise's most beautiful landmarks. The Depot is
surrounded by the landscaped Platt Garden.
PERFORMING ARTS AND CONVENTION
FACILITIES
Morrison center for Performing Arts, BSU Pavilion, Shakespeare
Summer Festival, Boise Center on the Grove.
ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS
Home of the Idaho State Fair, Southwestern Idaho Fairgrounds,
horse racing at Le Boise Track, Boise Hawks professional baseball
team, Idaho Steelheads professional hockey team, Idaho Sneakers,
professional tennis team, skiing at Bogus Basin, rodeos, horse
shows, horseback riding, river rafting, fishing, hunting, ballooning,
sky diving, wind surfing, water skiing and boating.
The Greenbelt -- The Greenbelt follows the Boise River
and offers a beautiful path for walking, jogging, and bicycling. Shilo Inn Riverside is located directly beside the Greenbelt,
overlooking the river.
Nearby Lucky Peak & Arrowrock Reservoirs -- These
lakes offer a wide variety of water sports including fishing,
boating, water-skiing and windsurfing. Picnic and campfire
sites are also available.
Eagle Island Park -- Now a wildlife habitat, Eagle Island
was formerly a prison farm. The habitat is frequented by
fox, muskrat, beaver, ducks, blue heron, and eagles. A man-made
lake has a swimming pool and waterslide.
BOGUS BASIN SKI AREA
The resort is located 16 miles north of Boise. It has 45
major runs and 1,800 vertical feet. There is both Alpine
and Nordic skiing and night skiing until 10 p.m.
SNAKE RIVER BIRDS OF PREY
This is the home of the densest nesting population of Birds of
Prey in North America. More than 700 pairs nest along 81
miles of the Snake River Canyon. Here falcons, hawks, eagles,
owls and vultures follow the natural rhythms of life in the Southwestern
Idaho Desert. The best time for viewing raptors is from
mid-March to mid-June. A good pair of binoculars is helpful
in viewing the birds.
The river canyon also provides excellent rafting and canoeing.
All boaters are required to register before floating the river. Located 30 miles south of Boise on Swan Falls Road.
BOISE TOUR TRAIN
Tour Boise on the Boise Tour Train aboard the ``TATER TOOTER"
or ``BIG MIKE." We are the Gateway to Idaho's Undiscovered
America. The Boise River, the Snake River and Hells Canyon,
the Payette and Salmon Rivers, and scenic old towns such as Idaho
City and Stanley. (208) 342-4796. Fee.
EVENTS
Western Idaho Fair -- Last two weeks in August.
Truly a Sportsmen's Paradise!
We can provide the names of
recreational booking
agents and/or
guides for many of the aforementioned activities
Shilo Inn - Boise Airport
(208)343-7662
Shilo Inn - Boise Riverside
(208)344-3521
For additional information regarding area attraction
or event schedules, call the Boise Area Chamber of Commerce
(208)344-5515
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