Although its outdoor recreation may be what attracts the crowds to the Boise area, it’s the culture and entertainment that keeps bringing them back. Boise is home to community and professional theater groups, a philharmonic orchestra as well as opera, ballet, and Shakespeare companies. Museums are plentiful and include the World Center for Birds of Prey, the M.K. Nature Center, plus historical, art, and black history museums. 

Boise State University sits on the banks of the Boise River just minutes from downtown. Culture and entertainment exist here in harmony with abundant outdoor recreation. Summer brings long days when a workday can easily be followed by a round of golf, a bike ride, or stroll on the 25-mile greenbelt. Winter offers day and night skiing just 16 miles up the mountain, as well as ice-skating, hockey, and more.

With everything from float trips to fishing, Boise has it all. Whether traveling with the family or solo, Boise has something for everyone. The calm Boise River is great for fishing, tubing or rafting. The Greenbelt, a 25-mile riverfront pathway which follows the river through the center of town, is ideal for walking, jogging, bicycling, and skating. Local businesses rent bikes and skates, and because it is a city park, the Greenbelt is accessible year-round. 

Summer

Summer in Boise is never dull. Experience the Old West at Bogus Creek Ranch.  Come for the Western Action Show in the summer or enjoy a Winter Sleigh Ride & Dinner on the mountain in the winter. The Ranch is also perfect for corporate events, company picnics, family and class reunions, weddings and receptions.

Float the Boise River in town or enjoy a thrilling whitewater experience on the Payette River, just a 45 minute drive from Boise. Spectator sports include ECHL Hockey, NBA D-League basketball, Arena Football and Boise Hawks Baseball, a Northwest League team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. Auto racing and drag racing are offered at the Meridian Motor Speedway and Firebird Raceway. Les Bois Horse Racing Park has thoroughbred and quarter horse racing April through August, and off-season simulcast betting.

 Winter

Winter in the mountains is more than enough reason to visit southwest Idaho during the snowy season. Many of the areas visited during summer for backpacking or hiking trips transform during winter into a wonderland of serene, quiet beauty. Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area, just 16 miles from downtown Boise, offers 2,600 acres of skiable, snowboardable terrain, for beginners to experts. For snow fun without skis, the Pepsi Goldrush Tubing Hill is the perfect solution.

 Things become more exciting when the sun goes down, as Bogus has more night-skiing terrain than any other ski area in the northwest--both Alpine and Nordic trails. Long cruisers, powder glades, bump runs, winding bowls, three terrain parks, and 37 kilometers of cross-country trails are what make this ski resort fun for all ages and interests. Bogus has 67 groomed runs, 7 chair lifts, nordic and snowshoe trails, three lodges, and lessons. 

Boise offers more than just skiing, of course.  Idaho Ice World offers excitement on ice with public ice skating sessions running daily for all levels of skaters. Within an hour or two of Boise there is snowshoeing, cross country skiing, or snowmobiling on 1,500 miles of groomed trails and miles of untracked powder. 

Boise offers an endless array of choices when it comes to performing arts. From professional Shakespeare in an outdoor, riverside amphitheater to dinner theatre, to philharmonic orchestra, choral, ballet, and opera performances, Boise can satisfy your cultural interest.

Education and culture are virtually inseparable in Boise thanks to the strong contributions Boise State University and area corporations make to the community. It’s no accident that both the multi-purpose Taco Bell Arena and the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts are located on Boise State’s spacious campus along the Boise River.

To experience art at a leisurely pace, Boise boasts citywide public art displays, the Boise Art Museum, and a wide variety of art galleries. The art museum completed an expansion in 1997 to allow dedicated space for its permanent collection while expanding its ability to display multiple exhibitions and increase educational programming and arts for children. For public art enthusiasts, the Boise Department of Arts and History distributes a brochure and map detailing the location and descriptions of the city’s many art pieces and historic locations. The brochure is the perfect companion when taking a stroll around town.

Click here for more information on Boise's thriving arts and performance scene. 

Boise is known for its continuing dedication to local art and culture and is home to the largest concentration of Basques in the U.S. Boise is also home to North America’s only Basque Museum, the internationally-renowned Oinkari Basque Dancers, and authentic Basque eateries. The Basque Block is located downtown on Grove Street between Capitol Blvd. and 6th Street.

The Old Idaho Territorial Penitentiary is one of four territorial prisons still in existence in the U.S.  The imposing sandstone compound includes a self-guided walking tour, transportation museum and the nation’s largest collections of historic arms and military memorabilia.

Housed in the historic original St. Paul Baptist Church, the Idaho Black History Museum is a showplace of historical photos, crafts, and other artifacts reflecting the role of Black culture in the diverse heritage of Idaho, the West, and the nation.

The Idaho State Historical Museum, founded in 1907, is Idaho's largest and most visited museum. It has evolved from a simple collection of curios and relics sitting on shelves to the first museum in Idaho to be accredited by the American Association of Museums. Objects from the Museum's collection tell the story of Idaho from prehistoric times through the fur trade, the gold rush, and pioneer settlement to the present. Richly detailed interiors show how Idahoans in the late 19th and 20th centuries lived and conducted business. Exhibits about the state's Native American, Chinese, and Basque populations are also presented. The museum is open throughout the year and is located in Julia Davis Park. 

The museum's Pioneer Village offers a number of historic architectural sites to view including the Coston and Pearce Cabins, Mayor Logan Adobe House, Richard C. Adelmann House, and the Colson Homestead Shack. The Discovery Trail, a series of hands-on outdoor exhibits highlighting the science of the Lewis & Clark exhibition is under construction and should be completed by Fall 2009.

Other places to visit include:

• Boise Art Museum—hosting more than 15 exhibitions annually
• Discovery Center of Idaho—featuring interactive exhibits illustrating the wonders of science
• Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial consisting of two reflecting ponds, three waterfalls, a reading circle, an amphitheater, and a life-size bronze sculpture of Anne Frank.

Visitors enjoy taking the Boise Trolley Tour. Public tours are fully narrated historic city tours. Charter group tours with or without a meal included can be customized.

As well as the countless offerings of outdoor recreation, culture, and shopping, Boise has a variety of attractions good for family fun and education. The Discovery Center of Idaho includes interactive exhibits which illustrate the wonders of science. Don't just read about science; See it! Touch it! Hear it! Do it! Great for Children! The Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center shows the underwater world of a living river through viewing windows. See changing exhibits in the visitors center.

Zoo Boise is home to more than 175 animals including leopards, penguins, zebras, monkeys, and a Komodo dragon. The zoo is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, a national organization that supports excellence in animal care, conservation, education, science, and recreation. Enjoy a look at exotic as well as Idaho native species at Zoo Boise!

Take a stroll through the Idaho Botanical Garden and enjoy its unique western beauty. The Garden boasts a variety of theme gardens, blooming from late April through mid-October. In a winter celebration during the holiday season, the Garden comes alive with 250,000 sparkling lights, music, and refreshments. One of Idaho's special treasures, the Garden is open year-round.

For some cooling off, try Roaring Springs Water Park, a 15-acre family water park with 16,000 square foot wave pool, float tubing, 4-lane, 350 foot long racing slide, slides, waterfalls, kiddie pool, and entertainment area. Boondocks is a family fun center featuring go-carts, miniature golf, an arcade and a restaurant is located next door to Roaring Springs.

More great places to visit in Boise include Idaho Museum of Military History, a tribute to those who served in America’s conflicts; The Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology, with historical photographs and artifacts from early Idaho mining days as well as exhibits depicting the state's varied and spectacular geologic features; Warhawk Air Museum, and World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.