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My husband and I have decided Idaho is one of the most beautiful places we’ve traveled. Jagged mountains, rolling hills, forests of evergreens- beauty is around each winding pass. Rivers snake through the mountains. Crystal clear lakes are the perfect spots to swim. Idaho is an outdoor lovers place to be. Travel with kids to Southwest Idaho. Swimming, hiking, rafting, playgrounds, and parks- adventure and play await.

Here are a few of our favorite places to explore and play in Southwest Idaho.

Travel with kids to Southwest Idaho

Eagle Island State Park sits on 545 acres. Bordered by the Boise River, it’s a beautiful place to swim, fish, picnic, and paddle board. There are five miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding, waterslides, a zip line, and a visitor center with paddle board rentals. My family makes sure to come here each time we visit.

The Idaho Botanical Garden is a great way to spend time with family. Winding paths lead to a children’s adventure garden, meditation garden, Lewis and Clark native plant garden, labyrinth, and rose garden. There are plenty of places to sit in the shade, quail and lizards to find, and paths to explore.

Celebration Park, in Caldwell, is another fun place to explore. My children love climbing over the basalt melon gravels (huge volcanic rocks), finding petroglyphs, and peering down at the Snake River from the historic railroad bridge. The only archaeological park in Idaho, Celebration Park is also a place to picnic, camp, hike, and fish.

The Boise River is a 102 mile long tributary of the Snake River. Raft, swim, hike or kayak- our favorite way to experience the river is along the 25 mile Boise Greenbelt. (If you see a cute white haired man from the Sheriff’s Department patrolling the walking paths, be sure to say hello. He’ll probably say hi to you first though. My dad’s never met a stranger 🙂

More Places to Play in Southwest Idaho

For Adults

(kids can go along too but probably not as fun)

There is no shortage of breweries in Southwest Idaho. We recommend trying them all! Meriwether Cider and Edge Brewing Co. are our favorites.

Boise and the surrounding areas of Southwestern Idaho are some of the most beautiful places to play and travel. Southwest Idaho is a mix between a desert and a prairie. Sunflowers, tall grasses, and wildflowers sit next to evergreen trees. While the rise in elevation and twisty roads can take a little getting used to, we’ve loved the weather! The temperature this summer has sat around 85-105 degrees. Without the humidity, it’s felt significantly cooler than a summer day in Indiana.

Looking for your next vacation?! Consider taking your family to Idaho. Make it a must see on your travel bucket list! (Find a free Family Travel Bucket List in the library!) There is no shortage of things to see and do and plenty of ways to relax.

Be sure to check out my post on traveling to Central Idaho. Take in both areas for a fun, full vacation!