Explore a region filled with family fun and adventures as active as desired. The setting is a unique opportunity to enjoy the dual escape of urban and rural harmony, with mountain and desert views, rapid waters and hot springs, and plenty of green and open spaces.

Designed for all ages, the Peregrine Fund World Center for Birds of Prey is a unique facility featuring innovative, interactive exhibits; multimedia shows; original artwork and a variety of resident birds of prey. The Snake River Canyon within the National Conservation Area contains some of the oldest and most remarkable Native American archaeological sites in Idaho.

The NCA is a popular spot in southwest Idaho for viewing wildlife, fishing, mountain bike riding, hiking and other activities. The Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA), in southwest Idaho, was established in 1993 to protect a unique environment that supports one of the world's densest concentrations of nesting birds of prey.

Roaring Springs Water Park, an action-packed attraction offers kids a veritable wet playground with plentiful spots for sunning and relaxing for adults. Adventurers will fulfill their wild spirits river rafting on Lake Cascade or partaking in a myriad of watersports. Fishing, camping, kayaking and more are pivotal activities for summer fun and skiing, sleighing.

Regardless of age, visitors are in awe upon seeing the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America, which rises to 470 feet high above small lakes in the high desert south of Mountain Home. Bruneau Dunes State Park includes desert, dune, prairie, lake and marsh habitat with opportunities to observe nocturnal species. Activities include fishing, birdwatching, camping, hiking, swimming and viewing the stars at one of only two public observatories in Idaho. A visitor center offers information on birds of prey, insects, fossils, wildlife and sand dunes and gift items for purchase.

Many visitors travel for a change of scene and one worth viewing. Many seek solace from hectic lifestyles and want to relax. The Southwest Idaho region meets multiple needs in its diversity of views and settings, with mountains, canyons, hot springs, dunes, rivers and more. It is rich in its natural attractions, all worth the trip.

Hells Canyon, North America's deepest river gorge, is region with striking changes in elevation, terrain, climate and vegetation. Carved by the great Snake River, Hells Canyon plunges more than a mile below Oregon's west rim, and 8,000 feet below snowcapped Devil Peak of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains. No roads cross Hells Canyon's 10-mile wide expanse, and only three roads that lead to the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon-Washington boundary. The Hells Canyon HCNRA has three rivers which are designated Wild and Scenic: the Snake, Imnaha and Rapid rivers. Almost 900 miles of trails are available in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and other uses.

The natural experience is enhanced by a visit to hot springs, located throughout the southwest Idaho region. Notable are Givens Hot Springs, with more than a century of history, and Zims Hot Springs, which offers outdoor pools fed by natural mineral water from an artesian well. The hot springs are natural, historic, near mountain towns and other scenic settings; moreover, each is a veritable mineral and healing bath, all providing for a unique experience.

Exhilarating and action-packed are the whitewater rafting excursions on the Payette River. The rugged wilderness of the Owyhee Canyonlands offers hikers, rafters and other outdoor adventurers a contrast of dramatic landscapes with a serenity regardless of the activity.

For almost three decades, Cascade Raft & Kayak, Idaho's largest day outfitter, has been offering exhilirating rafting adventures on the Payette River. The excursions vary to offer the right rafting trip for familes, first-time rafters, thrill-seekers and more. Venturing through the rapids in the Boise National Forest, whether in Class II, III, or IV waters, the half- or full-day adventures are certain to whet the appetite for more. Cascade Raft & Kayak's experienced guides expertly navigate a memorable whitewater expedition. Make it a full day and enjoy a gourmet riverside nature picnic.

Gold had just been discovered in the Boise Basin in 1862. Naturally drawing individuals seeking wealth, Idaho City seemed to instantly become a thriving city, with more than 250 businesses, including opera and theater houses, music stores, tailors, breweries, bowling alleys, barber shops and bakeries, pool halls and drug stores, plus plenty of saloons. During the gold rush more than $250 million worth of the precious yellow metal was taken from the Boise Basin. Incredible examples of early brick work and wooden architecture still exist in Idaho City.

The stuff of legends and a significant part of America’s formative years, the mining and ghost towns plus rugged lands seemingly untouched yet enjoyed by many, evidently conserved and preserved well, offer multiple playgrounds steeped in heritage and culture. Gold rush hey days, mining memorabilia and a slice of life when times were simpler are glimpses of Idaho City’s storied past.

Today, with remnants of the past, an abundance of life and vibrant scenery display a setting perfect for a myriad of experiences, including viewing flora and fauna, fishing, hiking, skiing, and more. The entire Boise Basin is surrounded by the Boise National Forest, which offers timbered mountains, crystal-clear creeks and rivers, photogenic dams and bridges.

Travelers need not be history buffs to enjoy the rich heritage at the museums celebrating American World War II aviation (Warhawk Air Museum), African Americans in Idaho (Idaho Black History Museum), the Basque culture (Basque Museum), territorial prison (Idaho Old State Penitentiary), and the multitude of sights on the Fort Boise Oregon Trail.

While southwest Idaho is a destination offering distinctive activities specific to seasons, it is a year-round adventure land. Three ski resorts that guarantee a full experience, from the luxury stay to active experiences to cozy comforts, fireside, are worth the trip to Boise, Donnelly and McCall, respectively: Bogus Basin, Brundage Mountain. Nordic and snowshoe, alpine skiing, pristine powder, restful and healing massages and comfort foods are all features of the wintertime in southwest Idaho.

The southwest Idaho region offers incredible and challenging golf; from public to semi-private, the courses consistently ranked as the best in Idaho. BanBury Golf Club is one of 10 premier courses included on the Idaho Golf Trail.

Southfork Landing is a community dedicated to protection of the land and river that is Garden Valley's signature, the South Fork of the Payette River. While conservation is key, adventure enthusiasts will find kayaking and whitewater rafting, thousands of miles of wilderness trails for snowmobiling, hiking, mountain biking, motorcycling, horseback riding and camping. The Activity Barn in McCall is located on a working cattle ranch in the summer and in the winter it transforms into a tubing paradise with great views of the valley, Brundage Mountain, and Jughandle Mountain.

Classic all-American vacations await at Owyhee Canyonlands, which are rugged and scenic, an ideal blend for the ultimate in camping, hiking and fishing.

Housed at the Idaho State Historical Museum are pieces from prehistoric times through the fur trade, the gold rush, and pioneer settlement to the present, plus exhibits about Idaho’s Native American, Chinese and Basque populations. The museum is open throughout the year and is located in Julia Davis Park. A century ago, Julia McCrumb Davis welcomed emigrants to Boise after they traveled the high desert.

In 1933 the Sons and Daughters of Idaho Pioneers, aided by the Idaho Statesman collected two log cabins built in 1863, the year of Boise City's founding. They were moved to Julia Davis Park and a Pioneer Village was established. Nearly 40 years later the Idaho State Historical Society accepted responsibility for the cabins' preservation and moved them to the present location next to the State Museum.

Coston Cabin - The 1863 structure illustrates typical construction techniques long practiced in America. The cabin has full-dovetail joinery at the corners. Isaac Coston, a pioneer farmer east of the city, used his cabin for over 50 years.

Mayor Logan Adobe House - Mayor Thomas E. Logan's house, built in 1865, is a rare survivor of the city's adobe period. The interior has been restored and furnished in the style of the 1870s when Logan served four terms as mayor of Boise.

Richard C. Adelmann House - Richard Adelmann operated a saloon on Main street, was a volunteer fireman and a part-time miner. This building, a reconstruction of his residence, is typical of Boise dwellings of the period 1870-1890.

The Warhawk Air Museum displays rare World War II aviation artifacts in its 20,000 sq. ft. space. Visitors can take docent-led tours, group tours, or self-guided tours. Learn, visually, about World War II history from the homefront to the war front and aviation history from the advent of flight through the space age. All age ranges will find the experience unique, each will walk away with a different perspective and appreciation for that historic time.

Clearly, noteworthy in the southwest Idaho region are the scenic vistas, adventure activities, heritage and cultural features. Heightening the visitor’s experience is the music. Mountains, music and merriment are key to all the top-notch events that are not mere community festivals but concentrated times for world-class musicians and music lovers to congregate and enjoy jazz (Gene Harris Jazz Festival); the fiddle (National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest); folklore and more than three decades of music (Roseberry Summer Music Festival); alternative country, singer-songwriter, blues, folk and rock (Garden Valley Music in the Mountains) and a variety of music in the garden, plus Oktoberfest at the Idaho Botanical Garden.

A departure from the singular art and culture museum or site for which a destination is often known, southwest Idaho draws from a variety to give the traveler a selection of arts and culture in which to immerse, ranging from performing arts (Morrison Center for Performing Arts), broadway musicals under the stars at Starlight Mountain Theatre , performing art series at the Nampa Civic Center, celebration of Shakespeare and even a rodeo!

The Snake River Stampede in Nampa, Idaho is one of the top 10 regular professional rodeos out of the approximately 800 rodeos in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Gene Autry was the first star of the Snake River Stampede and he filled the stands every night. A feast for the eyes is the McCall Winter Carnival, filled with snow sculpture, tubing, wine tasting, comedy, beer garden, snow golf and fireworks.

Southwest Idaho is its own wine country, literally and officially; Idaho's Snake River Valley has been designated as an American Viticultural Area (AVA). Culinary adventures are increasingly popular among visitors and reveling in good food, wine and conversation is an easy favorite for vacationers. Foodies unite on Snake River Cuisine Tours, which include three to four boutique winery visits for wine tasting, additional culinary stops, a fully guided tour with educational program about the food and wine Region of the Snake River Valley, a gourmet meal prepared by a local chef including foods of the Snake River Region, a keepsake wine glass and deluxe transportation.

The region of Southwest Idaho offers a value-packed scenic vacation for visitors seeking to discover the convergence of both pastoral landscapes and urban bliss. The area appeals to many interests and an escape here means desert exploring, multiple watersports, hiking, skiing and much more. Points of interest are multiple, including an observatory at a state park, museums and heritage and cultural sights.